Wireless night vision outdoor security cameras are an excellent choice in providing security and surveillance monitoring for both businesses and residential areas alike. Recent advanced technologies in security camera manufacturing have yielded a high quality product with many interesting features at an affordable cost. Let’s take a look at some of the features available for wireless night vision outdoor security cameras and how they function.
Before we talk about wireless night vision outdoor security cameras we need to clarify or make the distinction between what is meant by a “night vision” camera and a day/night camera. Inside the camera is an electronic sensor called a Charged Coupled Device or CCD. Occasionally another electronic device called a Complimentary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor or CMOS is used instead of a CCD. Both the CCD’s and the CMOS’s purpose is to convert light into electrons that can be monitored or manipulated to create digital images. Each device has its own set of benefits and detriments, but most security cameras employ the use of a CCD, especially when images are required when there is little or no available visible light.
This is true because CCDs can be manufactured that are very sensitive to light; so sensitive in fact that they can produce images from as little light intensity as that available on a moonless night in clear air, which is approximately 0.002 LUX. LUX is a unit that is used to indicate light intensity. A full moon on a clear night in geographical areas outside of the tropics produces light intensity of approximately 0.27 LUX. By contrast, full daylight that is not direct sun light produces 10,000 to 25,000 LUX. Cameras made with these sensitive CCDs are normally called day/night cameras, not night vision cameras. These cameras are designed to produce images in conditions with very little light (very low LUX), but cannot produce images in total darkness. Security cameras that can produce images in total darkness are called night vision or infrared security cameras.
Interestingly, the CCD sensor chip that is used to capture images from visible light is also inherently able to capture images made from infrared (IR) light. Infrared (IR) light is often thought of as the images produced by thermal radiation of objects, however, security cameras utilize what is called the near infrared spectrum. This light is in the 0.7 to 1.0 micrometer wavelength range and is invisible to the human eye. However, wireless night vision outdoor security cameras can “see” this light just like visible daylight and are therefore able to produce high quality images from it. The only difference is that the images produced are monochromatic or “black and white.”
How do wireless night vision outdoor security cameras illuminate their target area? Night vision security cameras normally have a series of infrared light emitting diodes or IR LEDs that are placed around the outside of the camera lens. These LEDs produce light, but only IR light in the near infrared spectrum; the exact light that the CCDs are inherently sensitive to. Therefore, to wireless night vision outdoor security cameras these LEDs in essence produce a spotlight that shines on the target area and illuminates it for the camera while at the same time the human eye is unable to detect the presence of any illumination. Generally, the more LEDs that surround the camera lens, the further the range of the IR camera, to a point. Premium night vision cameras can have effective ranges of up to 300 feet. It’s important to know what distances you will want to cover with your wireless night vision outdoor security cameras so that you can purchase a camera with an effective range.
Wireless night vision outdoor security cameras still require some wiring. When referring to a “wireless” camera, it usually means the camera transmit its images to a receiver using radio waves. This eliminates the need for coaxial cable to be run from each camera to the processor. However, the cameras still require wiring that provides them with the necessary power to operate.
Wireless night vision outdoor security cameras come with a variety of features and accessories. Cameras can pan, tilt, and zoom; they can record not only video but also audio; and they come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and types as well. In addition the system can be networked and viewed anywhere there is internet access.
Few security systems can offer the peace of mind as the constant monitoring provided by wireless night vision outdoor security cameras.
