Low light camera's

[ljnl 0]

Hi,

 

I'm trying figure out whats best for night surveillance around my house. I've read about floodlights, IR illuminators and camera's with build in IR.

But I can't seem to find any info or reviews about low light camera's that work well without any IR or lights.

 

Does anyone know about good low light camera's (price range: $200-$300)? I get some streetlight on the area, so it's not completely dark in most area's.

I've been thinking about motion activated floodlights, but I'm worried about false reactions to animals or falling leaves etc.

 

Thanks!

LJ

[Birdman Adam 0]

My favorite: CNB's cameras with the Monalisa chip. I've used the VCM-24VF and the DBM-24VF. They have great low-light response, all at a price below most others at their quality - ~$### Pretty soon I may have a new favorite, but not sure yet...

 

One thing you definitely want to look for is TDN cameras (true day/night). This means they remove the IR filter at night, and switch to black/white for better sight.

 

If your price range is higher, I'm sure you could benefit more by spending in that range, but I don't have any suggestions for that. (Others will for sure.) (Unless you are including the lighting in that range?)

 

It is best to use visible light when possible. So if you don't have cranky neighbors who hate floodlights in yards, then I'd go with motion floodlights. They work very well, and are cheap. The cameras will love them.

 

You may not know this, but PIR motion detectors actually work to sense motion based on heat, not sight. So they can easily discern between a human or large animal, and leaves falling (which have almost no thermal signature).

[nDAlk90 0]

See my post about my new camera. The nighttime seems to be excellent. Look at Fr Left vs. standard IR camera (Fr Right).

 

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26825

[Soundy 1]

Second the recommendation for the CNB Monalisa - great picture with very little ambient light.

 

This is one we put on a restaurant patio... first with a few 60W bulbs:

 

 

And here the only light is a little bit filtering through the blinds on the window to the right, and a street light about 100' away to the left:

 

[ljnl 0]

Thanks for the replies!

 

I've used the VCM-24VF and the DBM-24VF.

I wanted to ask you for a example screen, but I figured I check out YouTube first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4zLasNu-w

Thank you That looks perfect!

 

See my post about my new camera. The nighttime seems to be excellent. Look at Fr Left vs. standard IR camera (Fr Right).

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26825

Fr Left is a IR camera right? I'm trying to avoid build in IR because of bugs close to the camera

 

Second the recommendation for the CNB Monalisa - great picture with very little ambient light.

Awesome, thanks! I think my situation is like your second screenshot, maybe even a little more light, so that's what I need!

[Soundy 1]

And like Adam says, if you do need additional light, I second the recommendation for motion-activated floodlights - even some low-wattage types will work great with these cameras.

[ljnl 0]

even some low-wattage types will work great with these cameras.

That's great, so the neighbors can't complain

 

Does anyone know a CNB supplier in Europe (I'm located in The Netherlands)? Or should I try my luck on eBay?

[Birdman Adam 0]

Where-ever you buy them from, make sure its an authorized dealer so CNB will honor the warranty in case anything goes wrong.

 

Here is their list of unauthorized dealers:

 

http://www.cnbusa.com/en/html/partner/unauthorizedreseller.php

 

Looks like they don't honor warranties for cameras from ebay...

[shockwave199 0]

I've been thinking about motion activated floodlights, but I'm worried about false reactions to animals or falling leaves etc.

Is it a real worry- that they get a false trigger? My driveway has one where it's on constant from dusk/dawn but it's at half bright until it's triggered and then goes full bright. My others on the sides of my house are off until triggered on. There's false triggers, but nothing to get in a twist about. I set mine to five minutes on instead of a short one minute. On buggy or leaf falling nights, at least it's not on/off a lot- when it's on it stays on for a while. Better solid on than on/off like crazy, which is why the half bright ones are great cause they're always on. And the added light does help. Check my night time vid in my signature. The cams are much cheaper than the ones being discussed here, but they do a good job in darkness. Good luck- there's SO much to choose from it kind of makes your head spin. The very minute you're done hanging your last camera and you love what you have, someone else shows an even better one for a great deal. To me, as long as you have a view as noise free as possible in low light/darkness- you have something useful. Seeing something going wrong in a noisy picture where you can't make out exactly what's going on- HELL. Avoid that.

 

Dan

[Go3Team 0]

I have my VCM-24VF set up and happen to have a couple of photos handy:

 

Flood lights:

 

IR Lighting:

 

With no lighting at all is pretty amazing, I just don't have a photo handy.

[Birdman Adam 0]

That looks great! What kind of IR are you using to light it up?

[ljnl 0]

Is it a real worry- that they get a false trigger? ... Better solid on than on/off like crazy, which is why the half bright ones are great cause they're always on.

It's mainly because of the crazy on/off/on/off all the time.. A false trigger once in a while shouldn't be a problem.

I like the idea of the lights being on at half the brightness and switch to full on motion. What kind of floodlights support that function?

 

I have my VCM-24VF set up and happen to have a couple of photos handy

That looks perfect! I have the same question as Adam, what kind of IR spots do you use?

 

Where-ever you buy them from, make sure its an authorized dealer so CNB will honor the warranty in case anything goes wrong.

Good call. Is it just me or is there no 'authorized dealer' page on their website?

[Birdman Adam 0]

Its tricky - you have to go on their USA site to find it!

 

http://www.cnbusa.com

 

Near the top there is a link called "Unauth-Resellers".

 

On their global site, www.cnbtec.com, as well as their Chinese and Korean site, its not there!

[ljnl 0]

Its tricky - you have to go on their USA site to find it!

I found the UNauthorized dealer page, but there is no authorized dealer page

[Go3Team 0]

That looks great! What kind of IR are you using to light it up?

I got it off of Ebay, a US seller, but probably still some Chinese stuff. I bought 4 more over the weekend, and am waiting for them to arrive so I can set them up. They were advertised as 10m, but the shed to the left are probably twice that, and still getting lit up.

[rory 0]

CNB Monalisa True Day Night Camera is Top Right.

Bottom Left is an old TDN Bullet with External IR.

 

 

 

 

TDN Bullet with External IR

[rory 0]

[Go3Team 0]

TDN Bullet with External IR

[attachment=0]TDN Bullet Color VS with External IR Night Outside.png[/attachment]

 

Tell me more about this camera?

[rory 0]

Its an old 2nd hand Eclipse CCTV 598HIM TDN IR Bullet Camera, with the built in IR removed - it was on its way to the trash mostly due to a damaged and corroded bracket, rigged it so it would mount but cant really adjust it now - honestly it was never a great IR Bullet, but as a TDN it works good (colors kind of on the way out now though).

 

I was given an old 2nd hand Extreme CCTV EX26LED which no doubt works just fine, really sweet dual voltage IR with power settings and waterproof ($$$ though) - both running off a 2A 12VDC plug in power supply which also powers the other 3 cameras.

 

Tell me more about this camera?

[rory 0]

3.6mm Color IR bullet compared to a CNB Monalisa VBM-24VF @ 2.8/3mm

Shows how wide they can be. Compare the top right camera, Color IR first, then CNB.

[ljnl 0]

Wauw! Allright, the CNB Monalisa VBM-24VF it is!

 

Now I need to find a reseller in Europe. I'll start with 2 units, then expand to a max of 8. I think I'll just drop the European sales-team a mail.

 

I assume the camera doesn't come standard with a wall-mount?

 

[rory 0]

The VCM-24VF is the same as the VBM-24VF but it has a larger base for connections.

Might also want to look at that model.

[electronicbuff 0]

That looks great! What kind of IR are you using to light it up?

I got it off of Ebay, a US seller, but probably still some Chinese stuff. I bought 4 more over the weekend, and am waiting for them to arrive so I can set them up. They were advertised as 10m, but the shed to the left are probably twice that, and still getting lit up.

 

 

Your IR lights really do the job on your night pics with the monalisa cameras. Do you have any more details or information on these IR lights so I can try to find them?

[shockwave199 0]

like the idea of the lights being on at half the brightness and switch to full on motion. What kind of floodlights support that function?

Hit your local home store- many of them support this function. Not only is some exterior light good for security and helpful for cameras at night, but it's also a lot better to have dim light constant on and then go bright, as opposed to dark to full light. Less hectic.

 

Dan

[rory 0]

Your IR lights really do the job on your night pics with the monalisa cameras. Do you have any more details or information on these IR lights so I can try to find them?

 

Sometimes a cheaper way to do it is find an old or used color IR camera but one with a ton of IR, and just use the IR from it.

 

This video shows an IR Bullet using other cheap or used IR cameras for additional infrared.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0hv1T_RIo4