| If you are like me, there have been many times when | | | | camera can see but regular human or animal biological |
| you've wanted to be able to take video that captures | | | | vision can't. This ‘secret' light is called infrared. |
| what happens in the dark. | | | | An infrared video camera or camcorder can see |
| Things that go bump in the night may not always be | | | | infrared light, even if we can't. Some even have a built |
| frightening, but you wish you could find out what is | | | | in infrared illuminator but it is usually low powered and |
| happening and clear up the mystery. Whether it is | | | | won't do the job if you really want to light up an area |
| something making noise in the garage, or somebody or | | | | with invisible light. |
| something out in the garden or yard, or someplace in | | | | But 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 |
| And you know that if you keep the lights on when you | | | | infrared you can invisibly light any area you desire. |
| set up your night vision camcorder that you will never | | | | There are basically two different types of add on |
| solve the mystery. | | | | illuminators. One type typically is attached to your |
| The first thing you can try is to set the shutter speed | | | | camcorder and uses it's built in power supply. These |
| to it's lowest possible setting and you will be recording | | | | units are highly portable and have the advantage of |
| using any available light. This will allow it to capture | | | | always 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 that | | | | own power supply, either battery powered or AC. |
| you may get some useable video but you'll probably | | | | These can typically put out much more light. You can |
| find the result is shaky and blurred. Using a tripod will | | | | position these lights near the area where you want to |
| eliminate the shaking, but usually what you want to | | | | record and stand far away with your infrared video |
| record stays in the dark and doesn't want to come out | | | | camera 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 has | | | | floodlight which also has the advantage of being less |
| been working on and improving for years. You need to | | | | expensive than a DC unit with the same infrared |
| add some type of light to illuminate what you are trying | | | | output. |
| to record. But this light needs to be something that the | | | | |