Does your CCTV camera need IR (Infrared) or White Light LED for colour night vision?
There’s a common belief that the latest technologies must be better than we already have. But sometimes we need more information about what these new advances mean and the practical implications for our intended usage.
This is the case with IR vs White Light LED – both revolutionary ways of illuminating a scene at night or in low light conditions. So let’s look at each one:
IR – The “traditional” CCTV night vision solution
IR – short for Infrared - has been relied upon heavily within the video surveillance domain. The technology:
- Allows you to capture a night or low-light scene with good resolution of the images – no speckles.
- Offers greater illumination distance and so further coverage than White Light LEDs.
- Only captures the scene in shades of grey at night or with less colour definition in low light conditions.
- It is virtually invisible to the human eye. This makes it ideal for situations where you don’t want people to know they are being filmed or where it’s not appropriate to light up the scene continuously or intermittently.
Note: The Environmental Protection Act 1990 stopped organisations from being able to permanently light up their properties for the purposes of security. At that time, it was becoming popular to use a combination of IR and permanent lighting, but 24/7 illumination is not considerate to nearby residents or the ecological system!
There are two types of IR:
1. 850 nanometres is the most commonly used.
- Slightly visible to the human eye, it offers the furthest coverage or distance.
2. 940 nanometres.
- Invisible, but it only offers about half the coverage distance.
- Has to be used in certain scenarios where you are not allowed to inhibit sleep or cause accidents by distracting lights….. e.g. rail networks, detention centres and prisons or mental institutions.
Applications
Nightclubs, bars, perimeter protection with additional lighting.
If you just want to know that someone or something is there and analytics trigger an action, like lights come on or a person takes action, then IR is a great option.
White Light LED – all new singing & dancing?
Traditional IR does not give us a sufficient definition of clothing or vehicle colour, ethnicity, gender, etc, when there is no light or in low light conditions.
As technology and the efforts of criminals have advanced, it has slowly become less acceptable for CCTV footage to capture “50 shades of grey”. A hybrid camera with white light LED provides what is often referred to as ‘colour night vision’:
- White light illuminates a scene at night or in low light conditions, providing ‘true’ colour definition.
- White light via LEDs are very directional – so you only illuminate what you want to with no ‘bloom’
- White light LEDs have low power consumption.
- Images captured with true colour require less bandwidth and space to store than their grainy unclear equivalents.
Applications
Anywhere where it is useful or imperative for the user to capture a true colour CCTV recording of an area.
Bear in mind
The latest advice from video surveillance industry bodies is that applications should combine lighting with IR to obtain the best CCTV night vision outcomes.
This is supported by UK police forces and other interested parties.
Remember - lighting of some form is intrinsic to capturing accurate ‘true colour’ images at night or in low light conditions.
So the ideal arrangement is to have IR only for 24/7 and then switch to white light LED illumination when analytics are triggered to capture a clear, defined recording of the area.
Using a hybrid CCTV camera or dual light camera is an ideal way to ensure you cover your CCTV needs.
Hybrid Tri-Mode Cameras from Vista
Vista’s NDAA-compliant VIP series includes different white light LED camera options. These Hybrid Tri-Mode IP cameras are a cost-effective solution when you need flexibility.
IR MODE
- Image is BLACK & WHITE with IR active
- AUDIO is activated when triggered
- Audio deactivates once clear (IR remains active)
WHITE LIGHT LED MODE
- Image is COLOUR at all times
- AUDIO is activated when triggered
- Audio deactivates once clear (White Light LED remains active)
DUAL LIGHT MODE
- Image is BLACK & WHITE with IR active
- AUDIO is activated and the image illuminates in COLOUR when triggered
- Audio and White Light LED deactivate once clear (IR remains active)
