How Do I Improve Night Vision?

You can improve night vision by keeping your eyes adjusted to the dark as much as possible when going from a lighted area to one that is dark. Avoid directly looking at sources of light while moving around at night or in darkness, because this hinders the ability of the eyes to adjust, creating poor night vision. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke weakens the eyes in general, which defeats efforts to improve night vision. It is advisable to avoid even thirdhand smoke, to which a person is exposed when doing things such as handling the clothes of a smoker. Consuming foods very rich in vitamin A, antioxidants and lutein is one of the most effective ways you can improve night vision naturally.

Learning to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark requires some concentrated effort. If you have to move from a lighted area to a dark one, or if the lights are suddenly dimmed or turned off, you can help your eyes to adjust. Simply close them, keep them closed for a few seconds, then begin to open them very slowly so that they are not "shocked" and strained. When you cannot close them, you can try squinting instead, so that any transition from a well-lit area to a dark one is not too sudden.


It is generally believed that you can help improve night vision by scanning your environment in the dark rather than focusing on any one source of light; again, this requires a little practice because the normal reaction is to focus on light sources. Although smoking is not generally associated with poor eyesight, smoke is a proven eye irritant and an interference with any effort to improve night vision, because the toxic chemicals in first and secondhand smoke are known carcinogens. All carcinogens have a deteriorating effect upon the organs and tissues of the body, including the eyes.

Eating foods that are rich in beta-carotene, lutein and antioxidants, such as carrots and green leafy vegetables, has been medically proved to be effective as a time-tested natural method used to improve night vision. Many people believe that taking synthetic vitamin A supplements will produce results. There are ways you can ensure that you ingest adequate amounts of nutrients needed to improve night vision, such as drinking at least 4 ounces (118 ml) of fresh carrot juice daily. Many grocery stores also sell eggs that are high in lutein.

What is a Night Vision Camera?

A night vision camera, or night vision system, is an optical technology that permits observation and photography in extremely low-light or no-light conditions. These cameras are commonly used among the military, police, and other security forces, but civilians do use night vision for recreation and wildlife observation. Night vision is categorized into GEN-I, GEN-II, GEN-III, and GEN-III OMNI-VII technologies, depending on their sophistication. The most recent, GEN-III OMNI-VII, was developed in October 2007. Though these generation designations are set by the US military, they have been adopted by the civilian night camera community as a matter of convenience.

There are two primary technologies used for a night vision camera. The first, and most common, is a photomultiplier tube, or "conventional night vision," operating in the near-infrared frequency range, picking up light waves about 1 micrometer wide (human vision can only see light with a frequency between 0.4 and 0.7 micrometers). The second is thermal imaging, which allows a night vision camera that can take pictures even in cases where light is absent. This is because thermal cameras can see the electromagnetic radiation released by blackbody heat that emanates from every physical object. The newest types of night vision camera use a blend of both technologies.


Though the first night vision devices, bulky gadgets invented for snipers during World War II, only multiplied the ambient light by a few times, a modern night vision camera multiplies light by about 10,000-50,000X. This is enough to take pictures with a minimum of starlight, even if the moon is absent or obscured. One downside of most night vision systems is that the field of view is relatively narrow -- you cannot see in your peripheral vision, and your head and the device must be turned to scan an area. Panoramic night vision cameras are currently under development by the US Air Force, but they remain in limited use.

The basic principle of operation of a night vision camera is to intercept incoming photons, convert them to electrons using a very thin layer of gallium arsenide used as a photodiode, the electrons are accelerated and their energy boosted, which impacts another layer and causes a secondary emission cascade. The secondary emission cascade of electrons is then accelerated just enough to impact a phosphor screen and cause the emission of amplified light, which is viewed by the user. This light is monochromatic, and is usually portrayed as green because the human eye is most sensitive to this wavelength.

What Is an IR Thermal Camera?

Humans see light that includes a range of colors from red to violet, or purple, with each color equivalent to a wavelength or frequency of light. There are wavelengths that human eyes cannot see, including long wavelengths below red called infrared (IR), and short wavelengths above violet called ultraviolet (UV). Cameras have been developed to detect these different frequencies, and create viewable images. Infrared light can be viewed with an IR thermal camera, which detects infrared heat from objects.

Warm objects create heat that radiates, or sends out, infrared frequencies in all directions. An IR thermal camera can collect these frequencies and convert them to images that show a black-and-white or what is called a false-color image. False-color uses software to show different colors for levels of heat radiated from objects. Thermal cameras are widely used for energy surveys of buildings, where an IR camera shows the heat image of a building exterior that can detect leaking doors and windows, or areas of poor insulation.


People and animals also radiate infrared heat, which can be used for motion detecting equipment. Security systems can use infrared cameras that sense IR and send an alarm when movement is detected. Motion security systems can use IR thermal camera technology that can show video images of buildings or property at night. Some of these systems are passive, and only detect the IR energy sent out by objects. Many systems are active and use IR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to send IR energy out that is reflected from objects and picked up by the cameras.

IR thermal camera technology is often used in space satellites to detect weather systems. The satellites, orbiting hundreds of miles or kilometers above the earth, detect light and heat radiation from weather patterns and storms and transmit the images to antennas on the ground. Weather companies can process false-color images of the weather using both visible and invisible light. IR systems are very good at showing differences in cloud heights from their temperatures, which can show the intensity of storms even at night.

Digital camera technology can detect IR energy directly, but camera film can also be used to take infrared pictures. The film contains an emulsion, or chemical layer, that is sensitive to the infrared frequencies. Infrared photography can be used for very low light conditions, or for special effects using light not normally visible to humans.

In the late 20th century, automotive designers began to include active IR thermal camera technology in cars and trucks for improved night vision. The systems send an IR frequency out from the front of the vehicle, and an IR camera collects any reflected energy in addition to any IR from people, animals or other vehicles. A heads-up display can show the image on a screen directly in the driver's field of view, which is a technology adapted from military aircraft displays.

IR thermal imaging is also used by the military and law enforcement for night vision. Cameras can be installed on aircraft in rotating pods and pointed in different directions by a pilot or crew member. Hand-held infrared cameras can help personnel on the ground by detecting IR heat sources for search and rescue or military missions.

What Is Infrared Photography?

Infrared photography is photography using a specific portion of the light spectrum which is invisible to the naked eye known as near infrared. A common misconception is that infrared photography and thermal imaging are the same thing. Though both of these techniques do use parts of the infrared spectrum, thermal imaging uses far infrared as opposed to near infrared and has entirely different applications. Used both as an art form and a hobby, infrared photography is also used in a variety of other fields. This method is used to create some unusual effects which differ considerably from conventional photography, particularly when used with post-production editing software.

Technological developments mean that infrared photography is widely used in astronomy, cosmology, and aerial photography, as well as medical and forensic science, and a number of other fields. A very small number of digital single lens reflex cameras (DSLRs) have been created for professional uses and fewer still are available to the average consumer. This is primarily because standard digital cameras do not always cope very well with infrared photography as of 2011, making the few that are available are incredibly expensive. More popular options for most photographers involve the use of infrared lenses or filters which can be placed on the camera so that infrared images can be captured easily.

Invisible to the naked eye, the infrared light can lead to some very interesting photographic effects, but, from an artistic or photographic enthusiast perspective, it can pose a very challenging past time. Even an experienced infrared photographer cannot take a shot with any degree of certainty regarding how the picture will turn out. This is because the light used to capture the image cannot be seen with the naked eye, and the filters used to capture the infrared light also filter out the majority of the remaining light spectrum. When using infrared photography, skies appear almost black as they reflect very little near infrared light, and foliage appears bright and almost white as it reflects a great deal of near infrared light. This means that, until the photo is processed, it is very difficult to predict the results.

Color can be applied to the photograph using an additional colored filter or, more popularly, using a digital photo editing software. Post-production editing can be used to infuse the black and white infrared image with often unusual color choices. This technique is commonly used to create fantastical images and dreamscapes. Some cameras with infrared photography or night shot capabilities have a variety of false color schemes where a user can pre-set to add color before taking the shot, greatly reducing the need for editing.

What Is a Wireless IR Camera?

A wireless infrared (IR) camera is a camera that functions on the infrared light spectrum and uses no or very few wires. Wireless IR camera devices need power; to satisfy the wireless promise to consumers, these cameras often use batteries. To receive the audio and video from a wireless IR camera, the owner must use a receiver that remotely picks up on the camera’s transmission. Many wireless IR cameras have remote computer controls, which allow users to move the camera from a computer. These cameras are commonly used for security, especially during the night, because IR cameras can record without visible light.

Every wireless IR camera needs a power source to function. Some wireless IR cameras use disposable batteries, and these cameras will never need to be hooked to a power wire. The batteries are disposable, so owners may have to spend a lot of money powering such cameras. Rechargeable cameras will need to be paired with a power wire every few hours. While this means a wire must be used to make the camera function properly, the camera will rarely need to be connected for longer than several hours.

When the wireless IR camera is running, the owner will need to use a receiver to accept the audio and video transmission. After the receiver is tuned to the camera’s frequency, the camera will send waves of audio and video information toward the receiver, which the receiver will pick up. Depending on what the receiver is connected to, the owner will be able to watch the transmission from a TV, computer, VCR or DVD player. Some cameras may require specific operating systems for computer transmissions, but there are rarely such requirements for TV, VCR or DVD player transmissions.

If the wireless IR camera can connect to the computer, then it can normally be controlled from the computer, as well. The owner may be able to move the camera back and forth using the arrow keys or some other keys. Some cameras cannot pivot, and these cameras cannot be moved via the computer.

A wireless IR camera uses the infrared spectrum, so it can record even if there is no light visible to humans. This means these cameras are often used for security purposes, especially nighttime security. The IR light will be strong enough to record people, but they will be unable to see the IR light, which is invisible to the human eye.

What Is an IR Bullet Camera?

An infrared, or IR, bullet camera is a special type of camera that is used in security and surveillance. Security cameras come in one of three common body shapes, a box, a dome, and a bullet. IR cameras use light emitting diodes (LEDs) to illuminate an area with infrared light, allowing the camera to function in darkness. An IR bullet camera combines the features of the bullet camera and the IR camera onto one unit that is able to function in both light and darkness.

Though not as popular as box or dome cameras, bullet cameras are one of the most commonly used types of security cameras. They are cylindrical in shape and come in many sizes, from tiny, concealable devices an inch or so long to larger units designed to be mounted on walls. Most of the time, an IR bullet camera is a medium-sized device that is mounted onto a wall with a positionable arm. This allows the camera to be pointed exactly in the desired direction.

The cylindrical shape of an IR bullet camera is optimal for the addition of infrared LEDs. These diodes are placed in a circle around the lens of the camera. The quality of an IR bullet camera is largely determined by the number and strength of the LEDs around the camera's lens because a camera with more and more powerful LEDs will be able to see further in low or no light.

The mechanism that allows an IR bullet camera to function in the dark is relatively simple. The LEDs emit infrared light, which is light at a wavelength that is too long to be seen by the human eye. The lens of the camera, however, is able to detect the light of this wavelength. These cameras use the LEDs to produce a spotlight of invisible light, illuminating an the area in front of the camera at a maximum distance of up a few hundred feet (about 100 meters).

Many times, an IR bullet camera is designed to function in both light and darkness. In the light, the camera may take color or black and white video and uses the light in the visual spectrum. A sensor built into the camera will activate the infrared element when the ambient light becomes low enough, and the infrared LEDs will turn on. The camera will then take video in black and white, utilizing the infrared wavelengths.

What is Thermal Imaging?

Thermal imaging, also called thermography or thermal video, is the means by which humans may see in the infrared portion of the spectrum. Since every object gives off some amount of thermal radiation, thermal imaging is ideal for observing a scene in conditions of extreme darkness or when obscured by smoke, fog, rain, or snow. Some types of night vision use thermal imaging, and thermal imaging is considered the best form of night vision, as it can reveal objects in the blackest of nights. Thermal imaging is used widely in security, the military, navigation, surveillance, firefighting, industry, medicine, and science.

The main tool for thermal imaging is the thermographic camera, which is similar in appearance and operation to a conventional camcorder. Thermal cameras pick up electromagnetic waves with a wavelength between roughly 0.9 and 14 micrometers. In contrast, electromagnetic waves in the visible portion of the spectrum have a wavelength between about 380 to 750 nanometers, significantly shorter than infrared. Though humans are not biologically capable of seeing infrared light unaided, some animals can, notably rattlesnakes and other pit vipers, which have a well-developed pair of organs for the task. Using these organs, rattlesnakes can accurately strike at an object, with their sight and smell cut off, just 0.2 degrees C higher in temperature than its background.

To make thermal imaging easier for humans to interpret, thermal cameras often use false color in their displays, ranging from white for the hottest areas to purple and black for the coldest. The hotter an object is, the more thermal waves it emits. Some of the hottest known objects are stars, and astronomers can infer an enormous amount of information about a star with little else than the electromagnetic energy it emits and its mass. Scientists also use thermal imaging to study how animals emit heat. For instance, polar bears are practically invisible in infrared photography, excepting only their nose, as their bodies have adapted to retain heat in the extreme cold.