cams with IR leds built in

[BigLebowski 0]

hi there

 

I've tried several cams with IR built in, around the lens. I'm finding them approaching hopeless since the IR illuminates dust, rain and fog near the lens. I have not tried, but I imagine this rules out any sort of motion detection software altogether.

 

Is the better solution to keep the illumination separate, away from the near field of the lens?

 

Many thanks

Dude

[Sawbones 0]

hi there

 

I've tried several cams with IR built in, around the lens. I'm finding them approaching hopeless since the IR illuminates dust, rain and fog near the lens. I have not tried, but I imagine this rules out any sort of motion detection software altogether.

 

Is the better solution to keep the illumination separate, away from the near field of the lens?

 

Many thanks

Dude

 

In short, yes.

 

You're really better off with regular illumination, unless you have a need for IR. Visible light will allow you to see colors, and provide a deterrent effect. IR is grainier, very expensive, and only shows black-and-white.

 

I personally use IR, but my neighborhood has restrictive covenants against light pollution (eg. no floodlights... only "accent lighting" in the form of up or down-lighting of a structure, etc).

[34Ford 0]

Yea the fog is a real problem. You end up recording all night long. So I ended up making some IR detectors to trigger my DVR.

Now I dont record fog, spiders and moths.

[BigLebowski 0]

I have low level bulkhead lights with energy saving bulbs. Rather than deterring crims, they use the light to rummage around. I think it helps them. My view is once they rummage unhindered they keep coming back.

 

The other disadvantage of LEDs around the lens is that it says "hi I'm a working security camera, please hide from me or vandalise me". On one of my non-working cams, i found that thieves had tried to steal it. They'd unscrewed the bottom two screws but the top two were too tight to undo!

 

Dude