Infrared illumination is key for nighttime recordings. We’ll explain how IR LEDs work, what the “IR-cut” filter means, and how to choose a camera that can see clearly in the dark.
Night vision, or IR mode, in cameras works by using infrared light, which the human eye cannot see but the camera sensor can detect. Many cameras have small IR LEDs around the lens that illuminate the area in the dark with this invisible light. The sensor captures the infrared light reflected back from objects, and this is how the camera creates an image even at night. The picture is usually black and white because in this mode the camera focuses more on detail and contrast than on color. It is also important to know that this is not magic: the camera can only “see” well within the range of its infrared light, and it often works worse through glass because the IR light reflects back. Simply put, the camera uses an invisible flashlight in the dark.