Can a camera still see if the no-glow IR LEDs are two feet away?

[Sal August]

I have never purchased a game/trail cam and would like to learn from those who have.

I understand that there are some game/trail cameras that can work in near or total darkness. And that some don't emit any glow at all. I understand they work by "infrared". And when you buy a no-glow cam, both the IR LEDs and the camera/lens are conveniently housed in one unit.

I'm considering starting a small project where I have my camera and the no-glow IR LEDs in separate occasions. Will this work? Can the no-glow IR LEDs be, say, 2 feet away from the camera?

The model that i have in my mind is that no-glow IR LEDs work like, say, a regular flashlight. You don't need the beam of light to be coming exactly from the same angle as your eyeballs. A friend 5 feet to your right can be holding the flashlight and can be pointing it in front of you two, and yet you (your eyes) can still benefit from the light. The light just has to bounce back into your eyes. Is my model correct? Do no-glow IR LEDs work like that?

P.S. In case you're curious, my project involves having no-glow LEDs in various places of a small "room" (5 feet by 3 feet by 4 feet) and several cameras in other places in the same room.

 

[KDdid]

I worked with surveillance camera projects for 20 years, and we used to install infrared illuminators which were essentially floodlights that put out IR. No visible light, but they made the video image look like daylight. Your challenge will be triggering the LEDs from the camera/motion sensor.


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[Buckly]

They certainly do make devices that trigger the LED's with the camera.

 

[Sal August]

I worked with surveillance camera projects for 20 years, and we used to install infrared illuminators which were essentially floodlights that put out IR. No visible light, but they made the video image look like daylight. Your challenge will be triggering the LEDs from the camera/motion sensor.

KDdid,
Thank you for your most helpful answer. It leaves me no doubt now that IR LEDs could be detached from the camera and work well (and may even work better, due to other angles being flooded with IR).

Do you have any suggestions where one can get "infrared illuminators"?

Ah, yes... how to trigger the LEDs from the camera/motion sensor. That is going to be my electronics challenge. I initially thought of just having the IR LEDs turned on for the entire time, and the camera just recording the entire time. It will be for about a period of 10 hours at a time, and would be powered by a car battery.
If I grow in my electronics knowledge, I'd love to record and IR-LED-flash just when motion is activated (or a door is opened).

 

[OkieKubota]

Sounds like you are doing surveillance on a darkened small room...

 

[dogghr]

Shouldn't be an issue getting detached flash to fire at proper time. Photographers use the method of remote firing all the time especially with portrait and insect photography. My camera will fire remote flash with no problem just usuing the settings on it. You might talk to local portrait photographer to get grasp on idea or tech support from any of the good national photo houses. I bet a catalog from a place like B&H even has what you need to fire the LEDs. I don't have my catalog at office or would ck for you. Post a pic when you get this going, should be interesting, and I wonder if security companies may already make one available.

 

[KDdid]

It'd be easy to use a motion sensor and a timer with relay to power up an illuminator-mostly these are used outdoors, so they have photocells to turn them on/off when it's dark enough.


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[KDdid]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/IR-Illuminators/ci/13846/N/3880127415


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[Rickey]

My IR still has a red glow to it when it goes off. I have not used the no glow to see if it is noticeable. Whoever you are pulling surveillance on may still see the IR.

 

[Kabic]

http://www.moultriefeeders.com/flash-extender-940i

Q:What triggers this device?

A:
The Flash Extender has an infrared light sensor that detects when the camera flashes.