Infrared Digital Cameras

Infrared Digital Cameras: More Than Just Night Vision.

Infrared digital cameras have a wide range of both practical and artistic uses. Sometimes referred to as IR, night vision, or thermal imaging cameras, infrared digital cameras detect and capture infrared energy (AKA heat) that is invisible to the naked eye. On eBay, you will find a vast selection of digital infrared cameras at a range of prices to suit all budgets.

Infrared cameras have come a long way since their original development for use by the military, and they are now available to be used for a variety of applications including:

• Wildlife tracking and photography: Special infrared ‘trail cameras’ are available with motion sensors to take pictures of wildlife.
• Building inspections: An infrared camera will show a variety of building faults such as areas of heat loss, leaks, roof problems and areas of moisture within walls.
• Safety and security: Infrared cameras can be used to watch over the home and your valuables at night, or also in search and rescue situations to find body heat through smoke or in woodland.
• Creating artistic effects: Photographs such as landscapes can take on new and strange effects when photographed in infrared. This is then sometimes manipulated further by the artist using editing software for surreal results.

Because infrared digital cameras detect heat and not light, thermal imaging will also work in daylight. There may, however, be some differences between pictures taken in the day and those taken at night. This is because, during the day, sunlight will irradiate objects such as pavements, trees, and grass with heat so they will appear differently in the image.

As when choosing a standard digital camera, the number of pixels that a digital infrared camera has will affect the final image. The more pixels, the more detailed the image will be, so if you want to take detailed or artistic shots, it is worth buying a camera with the highest amount of pixels you can afford. Focusing is another consideration; digital infrared cameras are available as focus-free, autofocus, or manual focus, so you should consider what sort of photographs the camera will be used to take to determine which will be most suitable.