Does CCTV Work in Darkness?

Does CCTV Work in Darkness? As crime rates increase in many cities, counties, states, and provinces, there is a need to protect our homes and the inmates. Hence, many homeowners and inmates invest quite heavily in various home security devices, appliances, and other such things to secure their homes.

These include a good CCTV camera, monitoring devices that keep a track of people going in and out of homes, and special locking and sealing devices amongst other things. Amongst all the security, tracking, and monitoring devices, there is no doubt that CCTV cameras are the most commonly used.

They are efficient, they work 24/7/365, and are capable of tracking and recording each and every movement and happening that takes place in and around the CCTV catchment area. However, there are some common doubts that people express about the functionality of CCTV during the night.

The common question that comes to the minds of many people is whether CCTV can work in the darkness. While some ordinary and low priced CCTV cameras do not have the capability of seeing in the dark, there are many night vision CCTV cameras that are smart enough to capture the happening that happens during the night.

This post is all about such types of CCTV cameras and finds out as to how they work.

How does a CCTV Camera Work in the Night?

If you want your CCTV camera to work at night, you must invest in a device that comes with infrared or IR technology. If you have a closer look at CCTV cameras with night vision features, there are a few important things that will catch your attention.

These IR cameras have a number of small LEDs surrounding their lenses. This feature helps the cameras to have a clear view of the horizon even when it is pitch dark outside.

The good thing about infrared light is that it is not visible to the naked human eye. Hence, thieves, robbers, and mischief mongers will not be able to know that the CCTV cameras are working and are activated.

The reason for this is because of the technology behind IR cameras. The IR light comes with a much longer wavelength and it has a lower frequency when compared to normal light that is visible to the naked eye.

In other words, though your CCTV camera would be emitting IR light constantly and capture the happenings within its catchment areas, it will not illuminate the outside area and it will continue to remain in total and complete darkness.

Do They Capture Images In Black & White during the Night?

Yes, most IR CCTV cameras that operate during the night capture images. However, in most cases, the images are captured in black and white. There are a few security cameras that come with monochrome filters and these are useful during the night.

The cameras capture images and recordings in color during the day and switch to monochrome during the night or even when the light level drops below the desired levels. There are a few models of CCTV cameras that come with an IR Cut Filter.

These filters have the capability to block IR Light when there is enough light outside. This helps in keeping the colors perfect and accurate. The filters get removed automatically during the night or when the light levels fall below the thresholds.

IR Cameras Have A Few More Interesting Features

There are a few more features that make IR cameras interesting, apart from their having the capacity of seeing in complete and total darkness. IR cameras can also travel through dust, smoke and fog and capture clear and crisp images.

They are also easy to install and will not burn a hole in the pocket as many fear.

How To Find Out If My CCTV Camera Can See In The Night?

If you want to find out how well the CCTV camera can see during the night, you will have to check on something known as lux figure. Lux figure is a measure that helps us to know if the light that is available is good enough to provide a clear picture.

If the lux figure is low, it means the camera requires that much lower amount of light. You also should have a look at the total number of LEDs the camera has in it. The more LEDs the longer distance the camera will be able to see and cover.

Does CCTV Work in Darkness? – Conclusion

To sum up, there is no doubt that CCTV cameras that have IR facilities built into them are capable of capturing quality black and white images even if the outside is completely dark. It, therefore, makes sense to invest in a CCTV camera with IR features.

It is a small price to pay for round the clock protection and monitoring of your home, office, and other such places.