Sunday, October 4, 2009

Outdoor Security Camera Solutions For Low Light Conditions

By Steve Goldman

When it comes to optimizing the effectiveness of an outdoor security camera the most important thing is capturing useful video images. The first obstacle that most outdoor conditions poise is night surveillance since outdoor environments are little more difficult to control than indoor environments. At night it may be a challenge to provide enough light for the camera's image sensors to pick up anything. That is when the alternatives must be considered.

The first option is simple. Installing additional lighting might be the most straight forward solution to the low light conditions but it may not always be the best solution. Either the infrastructure required to install the lamps are not available or the environment requires that there are no lights, such as surveillance of a dark room. Also, the controls for the light are another consideration with this strategy. Leaving the lights on 24 hours can be costly but turning the lights on and off could require additional hardware, such as light sensors. Sometimes additional lighting is not sufficient for the conditions, whatever the case there are two other options.

When additional lighting is not an option or not the ideal solution and it is low light conditions a black and white camera may suffice. This is only effective up to a point and some amount of lighting is still required for the camera to produce quality images. Black and white cameras work because they have lower light requirements than colored cameras.

For lower light levels where black and white cameras are useless, night vision cameras are the next option. They use infrared technology to detect lights at wave lengths outside the visible range in the spectrum. The minimum light level a camera requires is measured in LUX ratings and a rating of 0 means the camera can record in complete darkness.

The sole purpose of an outdoor security camera is to record activity in an area for increased security and darkness is more reason to increase the level of security. Psychologically people feel more secure committing crimes under the cover darkness and that is why we have a need to protect our things, our families, and ourselves with security surveillance cameras.

The most effective way to protect your camera is by installing it properly in the first place. Install the camera inside a housing unit if necessary and it usually will be necessary, and mount the camera flush to the wall or ceiling if possible. Minimize the exposure of the cables to avoid tampering. Take as many threats into consideration when installing the camera to minimize the chances of an attack, and minimize the effect of the attack when it does happen.

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1 comment:

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