Adding IR LED's To Luminate a Wireless Cam

[Aquadeveloper]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if any one has used IR LED's to luminate a area for a 'standard'
wireless camera?  If so info on where you found them, etc.

I have an application that I am researching and need to luminate an area very good.

Thanks,

[HA Dave]

Haven't tried it.... but very interested in hearing of your results. You can buy them at Fry's.

[Aquadeveloper]

Dave,

Thanks for the Info about Fry's.
I'll let you know how it goes when I get time to work on it.

[* Cor *]

I haven't tried any yet. But I did get some better lenes from security cameras direct WWW.SCDLINK.COM

[Aquadeveloper]

Cor,

Thanks for the info, please let us know how it goes.

[* Cor *]

The Lenses did work for me. It got rid of the fogginess around the edges of the picture. This is on my xcam2 wide eye camera also changed lens to a zoom to get a closer shot of only the driveway.  I may install a IR LED at the front door in spring (do not feel like running the electric in winter) or just change the camera out to better one.  :-\  Not sure which way I'll go yet?

[EL34]

I built an IR Led bar to illuminate the inside of a flying squirrel box so I could film them ion the dark.
I used about 6 or 8 to illuminate a 12h x 12w x24 deep inch box

Don't rememember which ones I used but I can go find the part number if you need it.
I got them a Mouser electronics.
www.mouser.com

It takes quite a few Infrared Led's to illuminate an area.
Two of my camera's have a ring of about 12 Led's around the lens and they will only illuminate maybe 10 feeet or so in front of the camera at night.
They sell accessory Infrared Led lamps but they are pricey.

If you build an infrared led array, you will have to have a power supply like a wall wart.
All led's need current limiting resistors.
The resistor value is chosen based on the led's operating current and the working voltage you are using.

[zach1234]

You can buy just the IR. 

[EL34]

All you need is a voltage source, a LED and a current limiting resistor to light up a LED.
You need many LED's to light up a larger area so it's just on a bigger scale than a one LED setup.
You can built an Infrared LED array into any water tight container.
You would have to mount everything on a home made PC board.

A couple notes about Infrared and cameras.
I have noticed that some of my cameras have a special coating on the back side of the lense that seems to make them work better as Infrared night cameras.
Also, some of my cameras are way better in low light than others, so the ccd element in the camera has alot to do with the light gathering ability and how good the camera is in low light.

I have a couple cameras that can see perfectly in light so low that I can't see very much at all. This is without any Infrared light at all, they still see great.

[EL34]

Just found this web site with an awesome deal on a IR LED kit.
$12.95 for 36 LED's, the circuit board and all the parts is a real good deal.
http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10866