How to Use Your Camcorder As an Infrared Video Camera

There are many times when things happen incamera can see but regular human or animal biological
darkness and we wish that we would be able to takevision can't. This 'secret' light is called infrared.
a video to record what is happening.An infrared video camera or camcorder can see
Things that go bump in the night may not always beinfrared light, even if we can't. Some even have a built
frightening, but you wish you could find out what isin infrared illuminator but it is usually low powered and
happening and clear up the mystery. Whether it iswon't do the job if you really want to light up an area
something making noise in the garage, or somebody orwith invisible light.
something out in the garden or yard, or someplace inBut what you can do is to add additional sources of
the house, these mysterious happenings are puzzling.infrared light. By using additional units that give out
If you want to solve the mystery it will never happen ifinfrared you can invisibly light any area you desire.
it is necessary that you leave the lights on when youThere are basically two different types of add on
record with your night vision camera.illuminators. One type typically is attached to your
The first thing you can try is to set the shutter speedcamcorder and uses it's built in power supply. These
to it's lowest possible setting and you will be recordingunits are highly portable and have the advantage of
using any available light. This will allow it to capturealways lighting the direction in which you are shooting.
more light per frame.The second type of are stand alone units with their
If you are hand holding the camera it is possible thatown power supply, either battery powered or AC.
you may get some useable video but you'll probablyThese can typically put out much more light. You can
find the result is shaky and blurred. Using a tripod willposition these lights near the area where you want to
eliminate the shaking, but usually what you want torecord and stand far away with your infrared video
record stays in the dark and doesn't want to come outcamera and still get excellent shots. If you want the
into any area where there is light.most illumination then use an AC powered infrared
What you need to do is the same thing the military hasfloodlight which also has the advantage of being less
been working on and improving for years. You need toexpensive than a DC unit with the same infrared
add some type of light to illuminate what you are tryingoutput.
to record. But this light needs to be something that the