Re: What's the secret to high quality night time images?

[Frank Olson <Use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Pokey wrote:
> My daytime pics are OK but the nighttime pics are terribly grainy like
> a NASA moon landing.
>
> My current setup includes a standalone DVR set to maximum possible
> recording quality which is 720 X 480 at 30 IPS, divided by four
> channels = 7.5 IPS per channel.
>
> All of my cameras are color 1/4" CCD, 380 lines with IR LEDs.
>
> The cable runs to the cameras are 50-75 feet each.
>
> The highest quality weatherproof cameras I've seen available are 1/3"
> CCD, 420 line.  How much of an improvement would these be over my
> existing cams?  And how many lines can you get on a 720 X 480?  My
> manual skips this fact.
>
> My dream camera is a weatherproof, adjustable 4-50mm remote zoom
> control camera with auto iris, auto focus, and a 250 foot IR range and
> provides crystal clear night time images guaranteed or triple your
> money back.  It remains pie in the sky and criminals remain loose,
> wild, and free.
>
> I may not get my dream camera but there must be some middle ground
> that's better than a '67 moon landing.  Ideas?
>
> Pokey.
>


You won't get good low light performance from most color cameras (even
with the IR illuminators).  I think it's Sanyo that makes a
colour/black&white camera that switches between modes automatically when
the light level falls below a certain threshold (and visa-versa).  You
might be better off improving the quality of the scene lighting.  Some
good Halide lamps for instance...