How Do Security Cameras with LED Lights Work for Night Vision?

A security camera with LED lights, also known as a night vision security camera, can clearly “see” objects in low-light or no-light conditions, producing black and white images.

Today’s CCTV cameras with LED lights offer an energy-efficient and reliable way to achieve night vision with excellent image clarity, without the risk of bulb failure or downtime.

Here’s how they work:

LED lights emit numerous infrared rays (typically at a wavelength of 850nm) towards the target. The camera lens then detects the reflected infrared radiation (IR) and produces images, which is why security cameras appear to have red lights.

Although you won’t see the infrared light from the security camera (it’s invisible to the human eye), you might notice the red glow of the LED lights.

The LED lights are designed to be subtle and not overly bright. It’s important to distinguish between a dummy CCTV camera with flashing LED and a real one: A genuine security camera with LED lights will never flash and won’t emit a glow during the day.