IR Leds help pls for my Bunny Cams. Some results.....

My Bunny cams (2), one has IR capability, but has to be further away from normal w/a one..

Extra W/A lens not suitable (3.6mm) for IR sensor, doesn't focus .

The 6 IR leds in the camera are not powerful enough to illuminate two bunnies, only their eyes reflections.

Fun imagining what they're up to !

However, I would like to IR illuminate them closer.

I have ordered a IR torch from DX (to play with), and 10 IR leds off ebay.

Anyone else used separate IR leds, spec show 120ma each, I am thinking of powering off mains PSU, guidance as to volts and Ω's.

I expect current to be around 1A, in parallel, is it ok to underpower them ?

I don"t want to go the 48+ IR leds illuminator route, unless I have to, seems a bit overkill.

Perhaps even a low power IR incandescent bulb, can't find any at the moment.

So, anyone else experimented with IR ?

Re: IR Leds help pls

I've just conducted a two day test of IR and CCTV cameras, for my bunny cams !!!

AFAIK all cctv cameras are IR sensitive, they just need IR source.

I bought 10 IR leds, One IR Led, powered by 2.4v nimh (2xAA) through 100Ω gives enough illumination for my indoor bunny cage, and my two bunnies.

Approx 100ma (Spec<130ma).

Wierd, not seeing illumination with naked eye, but very bright on CCTV camera mounted on top of bunny cage.

Here's my bunnies, illuminated by daylight and slow sync flash

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1940477&postcount=1

Re: IR Leds help pls

Will you be webcasting your IR illuminated bunny cam?

Re: IR Leds help pls

LumenHound said:

Will you be webcasting your IR illuminated bunny cam?

Click to expand...

It'll be a while yet, whilst I tidy up my Heath Robinson test construction, going to include PR2 Superbright LEDs (switched) too, along with mains PSU timer.

Two cages, 4 IR leds in each, 1,000 ma, quite a large consumption.

I have several RF feeds, all fed around the house, of various CCTV cameras and recording systems, and bunny cam can be wired or ghz wireless into system, depending on where they are.

Occasional recording onto DVD.

So at some point, I can convert DVD to MPG or AVI for wider audience, just waiting for new iMac in a couple of months.

I have no plans to broadcast bunny cam.....yet!!

To get back to the main point, I was surprised at just how effective ONE IR LED is, but a little too focussed to cover whole cage.

We're talking here about camera (3.6mm lens) and IR LED mounted towards top of indoor open mesh dog carrier cage, 24" approx.

There is another camera covering both cages, for when we occasionally separate them. IR LEDs built into camera not powerful enough to cover 10 ft distance, apart from reflecting from bunny eyes, great for your imagination as you see these white dots moving around at night.

Flooring is half carpet, half metal, covered with newspaper, with home made condo.

They are very well toilet trained, so don't make a mess everywhere.

Done tests, I don't think the bunnies can see the IR beam.

Just been chasing them around our enclosed garden.

Next, IR torch and house CCTV at night ? I don't think so....

Very interesting. I suggest an array of 840nm leds (slight red glow). I've learned that for this type of work, you should use several different locations to place the emitters. If you don't, the subject will have strong shadows and "burned" out areas where the reflectivity of the target surface is greater than 50%. I also like to us a blend of leds at different frequencies. The Silicon imager sill sum (integrate) the energy from each different frequency of LED with the result that you will have more "even" (no hot or cold spots) illumination AND the sensor will seem to have a higher quantum efficiency. I have used over 600 high power leds in some configurations.

My other suggestion is that your images were in color! You must move or remove the IR cut filter on the color camera out of the light path so that the filter won't reflect or absorb the IR light. These NIR filters are generally of two types dichroic or dye based. They are very efficient at either reflecting away or absorbing the NIR emissions. Try to open the camera, look for the NIR filter and move it out of the way for IR vision. You then refocus the camera for IR. During daylight, if you want a color image, you have to replace the ir filter, because the optics were set up for IR rather than visible light. Some cameras have this feature built-in. Supercircuits.com in the USA has the PC 177IR-4 or PC177IR-5 day night IR camera which is color during the day and Infared at night. It also has a built-in photocell relay which automatically chages the feature so you don't have to do anything but "plug and play". The IR4 model should be enough. If you use two of these camera mounted in different locations the bunnys will be more evenly illuminated. Some animals can detect NIR depending on the species, frequency of emission, and relative intensity. I noticed that my Pomeranian dog walked right up to one of my IR emitters and looked at it and stared into it, as though it noticed it. It was totally black in the room when this happened! When I go on a shopping trip, I leave my IR cameras and IR emitters on so that I can see what my dogs are doing when I am not home. Its fun to watch them "sneak" around the house and snoop into places they are not supposed to be. One night, when I went to the store , my Dachsund followed the Pomeranian into a room they are not allowed in - the computer room. My Pom, jumped up on the computer desk, and was looking into the monitor screen (it was off), he then (weighs only 5 pounds) jumped up to the top of my mid-tower computer and started sniffing the camera, as if he knew I was watching....sniff sniff pant pant. I also have microphones on so I can see them/hear them via the internet. When he heard my car driving down the street, he looked quickly at the Dachsund and they both left the room waiting for me. It was fun watching these dogs exploring the house when I am gone.

I was just thinking. You will find that regular video cameras have poor resolution. I have been experimenting with high definition video cameras (3 Megapixel video) AND IR illumination. I find it best to make things as simple as possible. So I improved my "dog cam" by using small 3 Megapixel video cameras with a moveable IR cut filter (IQEYE-753) and a SINGLE super powerful LED I bought from Russia . This LED has a diameter of 1.5 inches and can light up your rabbit cage with 940nm IR light. It is NOT possible to see 940nm. I wanted to have some more fun so I mounted a super small color camera (ir sensitive) to my Pomeranians' dog collar. This camera is as small as a No.2 pencil eraser. I built a tiny video transmitter that is a little larger than the camera. The camera is always on, so I can watch what my dog sees- Mostly the ground or floor- ha ha If I point the camera up a little, I can see the bottom of his "chin: and the view in front. The camera,transmitter and watch battery weigh less than 5 grams total. My Pom doesn't even know he is a mobile Tv station. I can watch him on TV channel 58 around my house. The camera gives me a good dog view of the beef bones I give him for treats. I can see myself from his viewpoint I look like a giant.