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#REQUEST - looking for a very decent night camera

Der.Zoomer

Der.Zoomer

Esteemed Citizen of ZV
Hello, as the title says Iam looking for a very decent camera with the following requirements:
- around the size of a GoPro
- must be able to film in absolute darkness (has IR lights)
- wide lens, around 140°
- decent 1080p or good 720p video
- should be sort of rugged, since lots of dust and probably some liquids will cover the camera+lens

Because lately I missed so many GREAT video clips of my male Ostrich using his enormous tool properly, or a hot wet swollen female Ostrich cloaca ... and the damn camera Iam using at the moment didnt turn on the IR light. I have a button for it and it blinks twice when it turns on the IR lights... but it didnt turn them on.

The attached picture is an example how it should look like, but often I just get more or less black screen and high ISO grain due to no IR lights.
If anyone has ideas what camera I can buy that meets the requirements above, please reply with name, model.
Example pictures/videos would be good too!

A reward could be access to my Ostrich Sanctuary chat server.
 

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of you are in the US and the member of costco, i heard that they have decent sets of camera brands they sell. not too bad for the prices. honestly i have not looked into them at all
 
I've looked up Amazon germany back and forth and couldn't find the exact thing Iam looking for.
Only wild life cameras that trigger on motion/heat but thats not quite what Iam looking for sadly :(
 
Every Camera is able to film infrared. You should not search for a camera with buid in infrared lights, you should use for a camra that has no infared filter and use an infrared spot as a second part. I know that there are camera modules for the rasberry pi that don't have an infrared filter, so you can use a pi and such a module for capturing video.
 
The Sony ax33 might be a good option for you. It's not quite as small as a gopro, but for a camcorder it's still very compact. Hits or well exceeds the specs you need too. The only downside is it's a little on the pricier side. No idea what sort of budget you had in mind though.
 
Stolas said:
The Sony ax33 might be a good option for you. It's not quite as small as a gopro, but for a camcorder it's still very compact. Hits or well exceeds the specs you need too. The only downside is it's a little on the pricier side. No idea what sort of budget you had in mind though.
Click to expand...
I have a 4K-Sony (about 600 Euros) and it can record infrared vieos, has a infrared led, too. Should be working with an external LED, too for more lightng.
 
Sorry; missed this earlier.

Der.Zoomer said:
Hello, as the title says Iam looking for a very decent camera with the following requirements:
- around the size of a GoPro
- must be able to film in absolute darkness (has IR lights)
- wide lens, around 140°
- decent 1080p or good 720p video
Click to expand...
Darn for missed opportunities...

Like GermanCowLover says, an additional external IR source is a GOOD idea; and there are very portable battery-powered options available in that domain, e.g.

Phantom Lite Infrared Illuminator PRO IR: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Phantom Lite Infrared Illuminator PRO IR at Amazon UK.
www.amazon.co.uk

It's a long time since I was looking specifically in this area and the tech has evolved rapidly, but there's no reason why you shouldn't be looking above 720 or 1080p.
There is a lot of interest in "ghost hunting" and correspondingly a good range of cameras to cater for that!

What's your budget, out of interest?
 
Stolas said:
The Sony ax33 might be a good option for you. It's not quite as small as a gopro, but for a camcorder it's still very compact. Hits or well exceeds the specs you need too. The only downside is it's a little on the pricier side. No idea what sort of budget you had in mind though.
Click to expand...
Not as much of a reduction in price as I would have hoped for pre-owned Sony ax-33s but there are quite a few of these sold at 350 euros or thereabouts.

@DerZoomer - samples on YouTube, of course; e.g. at 1080p
 
Thanks for all the hints,
the camera must be on the smaller side because I want to set it up on the ground right under the birds rear end for example.
Like chicken, Ostriches like dust baths and thus dust and bird liquids will cover the camera and the lens, so they need to be somehow rugged to withstand this
My budget is perhaps 200 european bucks, maybe more.
But the camera must meet at least the requirements in OP post.
 
Just make a try, buy an incredible cheap actioncam (b.e. one for 15 to 30 euros) with a complete set, as a cage to be waterproof. Buy or build an infrared-lamp. https://www.ebay.de/itm/ORDRO-LN-3-...340688?hash=item3fdf108210:g:8lsAAOSwrohehXV6.
So you spend about 30 Euros and can test.
Other way is to buy a raspbery pi (perhaps zero) and a cam-module with ir-leds for it.
www.ebay.de

New Night Vision Camera Module 1080p 5MP w/ 2x Infrared Light for Raspberry Pi | eBay

Finden Sie Top-Angebote für New Night Vision Camera Module 1080p 5MP w/ 2x Infrared Light for Raspberry Pi bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!
www.ebay.de
You need an Raspberry Pi, a software for it and a power source that gives 5,1V. WIth this solution you can be sure you can record infrared cause the camera is made to do it.
You can search for raspberry pi camera-solutions to find out what hard and software is needed.
 
You might want to look into high quality Dash Cams for vehicles. The two dash cams that I own are both infrared. But rely heavily on my cars headlights. There are super high quality dash cams out there that do wonderfully in low light. Plus they are very small and about gopro sized. I'm not too sure about any specific model, but could research more tomorrow.

I'd imagine that a spotlight plus a 2k dash cam would suit your needs pretty well.
 
have example pictures/video stills? My first IR cam was a modified dashcam (soldered some components, so IR stayed on all the time)
 
GermanCowLover said:
Just make a try, buy an incredible cheap actioncam (b.e. one for 15 to 30 euros) with a complete set, as a cage to be waterproof. Buy or build an infrared-lamp. https://www.ebay.de/itm/ORDRO-LN-3-...340688?hash=item3fdf108210:g:8lsAAOSwrohehXV6.
So you spend about 30 Euros and can test.
Other way is to buy a raspbery pi (perhaps zero) and a cam-module with ir-leds for it.
www.ebay.de

New Night Vision Camera Module 1080p 5MP w/ 2x Infrared Light for Raspberry Pi | eBay

Finden Sie Top-Angebote für New Night Vision Camera Module 1080p 5MP w/ 2x Infrared Light for Raspberry Pi bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!
www.ebay.de
You need an Raspberry Pi, a software for it and a power source that gives 5,1V. WIth this solution you can be sure you can record infrared cause the camera is made to do it.
You can search for raspberry pi camera-solutions to find out what hard and software is needed.
Click to expand...
That gives a surprisingly good result at 1080p even without addition IR illumination


Obviously requires tinkering around with and there are several "how to build" guides online but as a very inexpensive option where you don't need to worry about the cost of breaking the camera unit it would be ideal for some applications.

The field of view (especially given the short distances involved here?) may rule that out for this particular use, however.

https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-night-vision-camera states only a 75° field of view vs. 130°+ that you were looking for, Der.Zoomer?

(leaving these notes for anyone interested in other contexts!)
 
The size (especially thinness) might be difficult for an "off the shelf" camera, from those I've checked out so far.

There may, however, be a "cheat" available by using an actual GoPro camera even though they're not designed for IR.

See http://www.paulillsley.com/GoPro_Hero5_Infrared/ , and add in an additional external IR illumination source?

=== [edit/add]

There are various videos for nightvision modding GoPros and other cameras (filter mods, replacing lenses, etc.) on YouTube; e.g. for the SJ4000 (low price option with stated 170° field of view & 1080p);

 
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Bloodwolf said:
I would love to see some videos in FLAIR. Unfortunately I only have a FLAIR scope.
Click to expand...
This is the second or third time I've seen you use "FLAIR" like some kind of acronym, but it's nothing I've ever heard of, and google seems to be convinced I either want to buy a certain brand of various colored cheap disposable writing/drawing implements, or that I've mis-spelled "flare" when I ask it what you're talking about.

I know FLIR, but FLAIR is gibberish to me.

Expand the acronym, please?
 
UR20Z said:
This is the second or third time I've seen you use "FLAIR" like some kind of acronym, but it's nothing I've ever heard of, and google seems to be convinced I either want to buy a certain brand of various colored cheap disposable writing/drawing implements, or that I've mis-spelled "flare" when I ask it what you're talking about.

I know FLIR, but FLAIR is gibberish to me.

Expand the acronym, please?
Click to expand...
I may have added a letter or maybe the key pad did. If I did I apologize for being one letter too many.
 
irbyz said:
The size (especially thinness) might be difficult for an "off the shelf" camera, from those I've checked out so far.

There may, however, be a "cheat" available by using an actual GoPro camera even though they're not designed for IR.

See http://www.paulillsley.com/GoPro_Hero5_Infrared/ , and add in an additional external IR illumination source?

=== [edit/add]

There are various videos for nightvision modding GoPros and other cameras (filter mods, replacing lenses, etc.) on YouTube; e.g. for the SJ4000 (low price option with stated 170° field of view & 1080p);

Click to expand...
I hav an Turnigy SJ4000-Camera, think its the same as the one in your link Have not yet tested nightview...
 
my current (but broken) camera is able to film in full darkness.
Its one of these nanny cams with build in IR lights, it has a wide angle lens of 140°
Video quality isn't really good and it has firmware bugs and "freezes" thus it has a "reset button", so the china-developers knew their product was kinda... bad.
But that was my daily driver until it broke.
I thought about the GoPro IR MOD, since I have a GoPro Hero4 Silver, but was afraid of breaking it since its a delicate process :(
 
Der.Zoomer said:
I thought about the GoPro IR MOD, since I have a GoPro Hero4 Silver, but was afraid of breaking it since its a delicate process :(
Click to expand...
The SJ4000 linked in the video above (and used by GermanCowLover :)) might be a better option to try modding as it's relatively cheap (~60 euros, possibly less on eBay - e.g. auction https://www.ebay.de/itm/174287396406 , even allowing for postage from the UK)** and there are modding videos/tutorials available to help?

** even cheaper on some of the options shown on Google Shopping such as this one, but I'm not sure how credible those are!
 
I have the full set for my GoPro4 and I use the water and dust proof case for the colored ostrich mating videos where I can use the LED flashlight to safely illuminate the scene. (maybe you remember the 50 shades of grey Ostrich video from me)
But often the Ostriches are outside where neighbors could see the light and might have a look... so I can't use my GoPro with LED flashlight (own custom build).
 
Der.Zoomer said:
I have the full set for my GoPro4 and I use the water and dust proof case for the colored ostrich mating videos where I can use the LED flashlight to safely illuminate the scene. (maybe you remember the 50 shades of grey Ostrich video from me)
But often the Ostriches are outside where neighbors could see the light and might have a look... so I can't use my GoPro with LED flashlight (own custom build).
Click to expand...
ah ok i misread at first
 
You can check every camera if it shows IR. Just have a look at your IR-remote for television with the camera and press some knobs, and if the light is very lighted, your camera can record infrared.
My Turnigy SJ-4000 dows show the infrared led of my tv-remote with high intensity, so you should be able to use it with an infrared-light for your needs. The video quality is acceptable, the optic is very, very wideangle. Bought it for 30 Euros or so... You can buy such cams for about 20€, or lower when send directly from china
 
I just visited a local store and they had a bunch of action cams that might be suitable, but none of them were IR compatible and the seller couldn't tell me more.
Even the interwebz had no information about them if they were moddable or not...
wtf how hard can it be to get a suitable small night vision enabled action cam with wide lens....
 
Take a Infrared-Remote-Control with you, record a video or look at the display and press some keys on the remote. If the sending point of the remote is flickering at high intensity, then your cam will record jnfrared, too. But the cam is not capable of recording infrared at daylight, there is missing a filter to do that. At night without normal light all will be fine...
 
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