
cheap way to make IR cameras!
#1
Posted 28 November 2007 - 02:32 PM
sapiensquivigilat (PRI co-founder) just passed this link along to me, which shows you how to turn an ordinary webcam into a night vision camera. It could be a really cheap alternative for those of us who cannot yet afford a nice DVR system!! We'll both be trying it soon with our old webcams, and will let you know how it goes.
Enjoy!
http://www.instructa...QP6UTWEP287H1Z/
#2
Posted 29 November 2007 - 12:01 AM
#3
Posted 15 December 2007 - 07:12 PM
You'll still need to use an IR illuminator, but you can make one easily yourself using a flashlight and about six red and four blue cellophane sheets placed over the lens.
Try it at your own risk (I don't want people getting angry with me if they break their webcam...I broke my old one the first time I tried it!), though if you use the VX-1000 there's really minimal risk involved..very simple!
Cheers.
#4
Posted 15 December 2007 - 07:49 PM
Just a thought...
Joven
#5
Posted 15 December 2007 - 09:05 PM
#6
Posted 15 December 2007 - 09:10 PM
I actually hadn't considered that! I may do that down the road for anybody who feels a bit uneasy performing surgery on their own webcam, but it really was so easy that anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver could do it (again, at their own risk!). It's also more fun when you dyi!Hey Jmander... Now that you know how to do it... Ever thought of making a few and trying to sell them???
Just a thought...
Joven
#7
Posted 18 December 2007 - 09:52 AM
Last night, I Macgyvered up two infrared illuminators out of two $8 flashlights from Canadian Tire, and some red and blue cellophane sheets. They work great with the modded infrared webcam. If anyone else is interested in trying this mod, here's what you do:
1) Remove the lens from the flashlight
2) Trace the lens on red and blue cellophane sheets, and cut the circles out. The number of circles you will require will depend on the thickness of the cellophane and the brightness of your flashlight. I lost count, and just kept adding them (see #3) until I could no longer see visible light coming through.
3) Place the red and blue circles in alternating colour against the back of the lens piece (but start with red and end with red). Periodically, place the lens back into the flashlight and turn it on to test the amount of light coming through it. Keep removing the lens and adding additional red and blue circles until you can no longer see light coming through (or the light coming through is minimal--it will still work).
Props to sapiensquivigilat for showing me this video, which sparked this project. It provides good visual instructions for making the illuminator. One thing to note: they suggest 6 pieces of red and 4 pieces of blue, but I found that I needed much more of each colour to filter out all visible light.
Again, try at your own "risk"!
#8
Posted 21 December 2007 - 07:22 AM
#9
Posted 21 December 2007 - 02:30 PM
Yeah, we just got the chance to try it out on our investigation on the 19th...they worked great! Unfortunately we didn't capture any anomalies, but the camera and homemade IR illuminators worked like a charm.We have done this and actually have been really successful. One of the tricks of removing the fliter is using a dremel. It's a great cheap way to acquire cameras that capture IR. All you need is some sort of spot light or illuminator and you are good to go.
#10
Posted 28 December 2007 - 01:46 PM
Yeah, we just got the chance to try it out on our investigation on the 19th...they worked great! Unfortunately we didn't capture any anomalies, but the camera and homemade IR illuminators worked like a charm.We have done this and actually have been really successful. One of the tricks of removing the fliter is using a dremel. It's a great cheap way to acquire cameras that capture IR. All you need is some sort of spot light or illuminator and you are good to go.
It's how it always goes isn't it. Now you can record them....ummm where did they go. lol
#11
Posted 05 March 2008 - 11:20 PM
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