Multiple Sensors Are Better With Thermal Security Cameras

Lighting conditions, weather, distance, and other visual limitations all contribute to security cameras’ performance. This post will look at home security system quotes cameras that use visible light HD video capture and thermal imaging. These thermal cameras are a newer type of product on the market. We will also talk about how video analytics help the cameras determine what exactly they are recording.

Advanced security cameras will record when they detect motion. Many modern systems allow you to view video clips on smartphones, tablets, or computers from any location.  Please also note that we are talking about a standard HD security camera when referring to visible light sensors.

Visible Light Sensors

These sensors are the most used type because they provide clear images during the day and at night with enough light. Standard, daylight cameras work off the same universal principle. A lens connects to a sensor that detects the reflected light and converts it into an image.

The images captured are very close to what a person might see. HD resolution enables quick object identification. These types of cameras continue to advance with features and are the workhorse of the surveillance industry.

Thermal Imaging Sensors

Thermal image sensors create pictures from heat (also called thermal energy or infrared). These sensors capture infrared data and produce images through analog or digital outputs. Thermal security cameras can virtually see in the dark, ignoring shadows and reflections. Thermal camera sensors can identify slight motion/temperature changes from very long distances.

Combing The Two

The one camera sensor type sees what the second cannot. To understand further how the two sensors function, let’s use a large power station as an example. If an intruder was moving in the shadows, a thermal camera could trigger a video alert. However, infrared radiation does not pass through glass.

It is merely reflected off it acting as a mirror. Here, an additional visible light sensor’s presence becomes critical if a burglar was hiding in a vehicle.