Best IR Illuminator: Add Some Dimension to Your Security
Introduction
An IR illuminator, as many of you may already know, doesn’t work in a conventional manner. It’s more related to the ‘night vision’ sector, where proper imagery is a must for security or hunting purposes.
And this review is all about the best ir illuminator.
This review will cover a fair amount of ground regarding the basics, highlighted products and some pointers on making a purchase. Also, our research covers some on common faqs like laser ir illuminator, which may come as useful for some users.
So, before jumping onto the original review, let’s learn a little bit about infrared floodlights (or illuminators!).
Infrared illuminator 101: why do you need it?
Before buying the best ir floodlight, first of all, we need to get the basic discussions out of the way.
And the very first thing is, what is an ir illuminator?
An ir light or illuminator is naked to the human eye. As it conducts its operation in the infrared region, users see almost nothing but the faint glow from the floodlights.
The application of such devices is widespread. But they are more useful for security systems and hunting, which we mentioned earlier.
Infrared illuminating devices
Although we are moving from the discussion of the infrared security light, we believe such discussions are important.
Now there are 3 main devices that work as ir illuminating devices. They are as follows:
First of all, LASER’s like Neodymium-Yag are useful when it comes to infrared illumination. Such devices are rarely used in the consumer space, as they have more sophisticated uses.
Then comes the filtered incandescent lamps, which are particularly useful for hunting application. Heat signature is a mandatory part for such technologies.
Last but not least, we have the typical IR illuminators. When it comes to ir floodlight for security cameras, these ones are your best bet. Also, they are readily available in the consumer market. Although such illuminators have LED arrays, they are pretty competitive in case of pricing. Also, they are more viable for regular users as well.
Now comes the question- why use an ir illuminator? What are its benefits?
What advantages are there for the average user?
The advantages of ir light are substantial when it comes to daily usability. For starters, the environment isn’t disturbed while your security system is processing imagery.
Also, competitive pricing and low power consumption are intriguing options for the average consumer. Furthermore, poe ir illuminators are also coming down in price, which makes it an even more intriguing for security purposes.
We’ve given you a table of the products we’re going to showcase here. Have a look at the table, and then move onto the insights. This ir illuminator comparison will help you along the way of decision making.
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Univivi Infrared Illuminator- Best IR illuminator for CCTV
Product Overview
There’s a saying-‘First impression is the last impression’. And to prove the point, we are bringing the best ir illuminator for CCTV as the very first choice.
Although there are a lot of options for CCTV these days, this waterproof camera offers a good deal of functionality overall. The univivi ir illuminator features 6-LED’s all housed in a solid aluminum frame and robust glass. Also, the indoor and outdoor usability is more than acceptable as well.
Overall, the feature set seems is a lot balanced than some of the existing brands. So, you can’t go wrong with this choice.
Highlighted Features
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Tendelux 80ft IR Illuminator- Best IR illuminator for security cameras
Product Overview
If you’re looking a solid option for security cameras, then you can certainly pick up the tendelux 80ft ir illuminator ai4 with your eyes closed.
Although it’s got everything right when it comes to the overall feature set, there are a few things that set it apart. And one of them is the even black coating that offers solid image capturing. Also, the compatibility is also solid, with support for up to 4mm CCTV camera lenses.
Overall, we believe tendelux ir illuminator is the right product for those who are serious about their security. It’s certainly one of the right choices for you as the best ir illuminator for security cameras.
Highlighted Features
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CMVision-IR200-Illuminator- Best long-range ir illuminator
Product Overview
Camera range is often useful for some folks dealing with tight security issues. In that case, having the best long-range ir illuminator in your security arsenal can come in handy.
The Cmvision-ir200-198 ir led illuminator is one of the very few options out there with that has a solid range. It’s got an IP65 waterproof case that houses over 100 IR LEDs. Although 60-degree viewing angle is a bit small, the range compensates for it.
The cmvision ir spotlight is one of those options that can give you the security you need. Do check it out for yourself.
Highlighted Features
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JC Wide-angle Infrared Illuminator- Best IR illuminator for the money
Product Overview
Users often ask the question, what is the best ir illuminator for the money? In that case, we have just the option for you.
The jc infrared illuminator offers all the features that get you going. Although the viewing range is good enough, you can’t really call it the best ir illuminator for long-range. But the image quality is good. Also, the outdoor usability is satisfactory as well.
Overall, we believe it’s an option worthy of having a look at.
Highlighted Features
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JC IR Illuminator- Best IR illuminator for digital night vision
Product Overview
The JC IR illuminator isn’t just a solid option for camera systems. It’s also one of the best looking products you can currently find on the market.
First of all, we are calling it the best ir illuminator for digital night vision because of its low light performance. Other than that, all the features are pretty standard. They will get the job done.
In conclusion, if you’re someone looking for a good digital illuminator, then you can go for it with your eyes closed.
Highlighted Features
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Tendelux 120ft IR Illuminator- Best IR illuminator for hunting
Product Overview
If you’re looking for a hunting illuminator, then I guess you’re looking for something that you can mount on your scope. But the tendelux 120 ft ir illuminator bi8 can also get the job done for you.
You’re looking at a very compact option that has all the basic features you need. It’s certainly not the best ir illuminator for long-range. Still, the overall benefits outweigh the negatives.
And that is what makes it an intriguing choice for any user. If you just improvise, this can certainly be the best ir illuminator for hunting.
Highlighted Features
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CMVision IR40 Wide-angle IR Array Illuminator- Best budget IR illuminator
Product Overview
The Cmvision ir40 may not win any awards when it comes to a wide-angle ir illuminator. Still, it’s well-built and does get the job done.
It’s got a good 100-feet range along with the right support for low light situations. It’s also a solid portable option as well. It’s got all the right features you’d want for a basic, no-compromise option.
Overall, it’s certainly a product to look out for if you’re looking for the best budget ir illuminator.
Highlighted Features
Buying the best IR illuminator: solving the dilemma
So far, we’ve given you a list of some options for the best ir floodlight. We will also answer some simple questions as well. But first, let us help you get rid of the dilemma of making the right purchase decision.
We know, the options we’ve shown you so far are pretty close if you judge them with respect to their features. But, if you want to narrow out your search radius, then you may want to consider the following pointers.
Wavelength: it matters
In general, the wavelength ranges from 720 nanometers to 960 nanometers.
The 960nm ir illuminator is pretty high-end, though it gives you better range and image rendering for your security systems. But for regular consumer-level applications, you’d want to go with the regular standards.
In that case, you’d want to go with 850-nm options, which is just perfect for average security and hunting purposes. There’s very little bleed from the LED’s, which is ideal for any application. So, we’d advise you to go with such an 850-nm option, if your needs are not that substantial of course.
Durability and battery life: two sides of the same coin
The durability and battery life go side by side.
Now we did mention that ir floodlight 940nm modules are better in almost every way. Although 850nm floodlights are standard, we would advise you to get 940nm modules with better usability and durability.
But 850nm options nowadays do come with decent housings and battery life. So, you may want to keep an eye out for those.
Effective range: how much is enough?
This depends mostly on your application.
If you think you need better range, then you should look at the technical specifications and decide on an option. Generally, 80 to 120-feet is a standard choice. But you have to make the final decision.
The angle: how much area can it cover?
In this case, 90-degree is the standard for most ir lights. But there are other options as well, offering a better field of view (covering more area). So, you have to make the decision as to what you’re looking for exactly.
FAQ
Q: What exactly is a no-glow infrared?
Ans.:
No-glow infrared is a kind of infrared lighting technology which has the ability to highlight an animal without the animal that detects the camera flash.
Q: Why can you not see infrared light?
Ans.:
The infrared light operates in the part of the light spectrum that doesn’t excite the cells of the human eye, that’s why it’s invisible.
Q: What can block infrared light?
Ans.:
Something that is electrically conductive will block infrared light rays. An aluminum foil is a good example, as it completely blocks ir rays.
Q: Does infrared light ray induce cancer?
Ans.:
No. There haven’t been any crucial reports regarding this matter so far.
Final Thoughts
We hope you now have a very good idea as to how to find the best IR illuminator.
Throughout the review, we’ve discussed a lot of things. Not only did we give you a crash course on the benefits of ir floodlights, we also answered the question of what is the best ir illuminator (by offering the best options of course). Also, we gave you pointers on how you could buy the best illuminator for yourself.
Overall, we did all we could.
We now leave the final decision to you.
Happy hunting!
