Choosing A Night Vision Camcorder?
Thinking about choosing a camcorder with night vision
? It's a bit more tricky than you may think. There's a couple of things to be careful of before you part with any cash.
To begin with, there are several types of night vision available. There are three types commonly found in camcorders. There are more than three different types of night vision technology but the ones I won't write about are found in CCTV or they have military or civilian surveillance applications. There are three main groups of night vision camcorders that we need to look at. For the time being, we'll ignore military or CCTV applications and just look at small camera usage.
Amplifying the available light (very rarely is anywhere completely dark) is the most common method. This allows you to see images that normally would be hidden. This is done by using the ambient lighting available in low-light conditions and intensifying the image by amplifying the light so it is visible to the human eye.
The downside is that this type requires some form of ambient lighting to exist and can not be used in total darkness. There is also a possibility of damage if the unit is operated in good lighting conditions particularly if the camcorder is focused directly on a light source such as a lamp or car headlights.
The best thing about image intensifying is the relative low cost compared to other systems. The unit is also able to operate with less power than other forms of night vision. With image intensifying, you'll get not only a cheaper night vision camcorder but a more economical one as well.
Moving on, the next approach is that of thermal imaging Similar to a snake, these cameras have heat sensors that enable it to build up a picture from the variations in temperature. These do not need light so are far better for use in zero light conditions.
These give you the opportunity to get some sort of image, even in total blackouts. It's not just darkness, it's any situation that would make intensifying impossible. This would include fog mist or say, heavy rain.
The downside is the price. This technology is expensive. The cost of the cameras can vary a lot depending on what type of sensor is fitted. An uncooled unit although cheaper may well not have the accuracy of the cooled versions (due to reduced sensitivity to heat differentials.
The Testo 876; for example usually retails at around $6,000. If you are making a professional film or documentary that requires low-light filming then a thermal imaging camcorder would be ideal. For most home users this would be an expense that is difficult to justify. If you are making a professional film or documentary that requires low-light filming then a thermal imaging camcorder would be ideal. Although results of these set ups are brilliant, their cost cannot really be justified by amateurs.
There is a third way which sits between the other two methods called near infrared illumination. With this, the camera produces infrared light which reveals the subject through when picked up by it's sensor.
It's really worth looking at this option as the price makes it affordable to most people. It's cheap and it works well. In very reduced light, they produce sharp, crisp images (not grainy like some).
There can be large variations in light and dark areas. With near Infra-Red Illumination the picture is consistently the same light. Infrared cameras score highly in another important category... battery life. Most night vision cameras consume far more power in night vision mode than normal camcorders working in normal lighting conditions. Another good reason for buying a near infrared camera (especially for home use) is their relatively low power consumption. Time periods between charges should be greater than other types. Get a spare battery just in case you run out of power at an inopportune time. Ideally this will have a separate chrger (so you can film with one whilst charging up the other).You don't need to worry about exposing the sensor to bright light as this is immune to that sort of damage.
You should also take into account the normal picture quality as well as the night vision picture quality, see if you can try out both the normal and night vision filming before you make the purchase if possible. Also, sometimes a regular camcorder can be used with a night vision lens. Some people "cheat" by adding a night vision lens to a normal camcorder. The choice is yours.
by: eri8888ddmc
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