The red LEDS gives away the stealth factor IOM, or put simply "everyone -criminals, children, etc. know you have obvious security camera. I heard that there are two types of infrared lights used in cameras. The reds are more economical than the invisible ones. Thinking of replacing with good ones. Anyone know if possible and and where to get these invisible LEDs??
It used to be that 940nm LEDs were more expensive, and they didn’t work as well with cameras. I’m not sure if the prices are still different though. It looks like you can get 940nm illuminators for pretty cheap on Amazon now.
Wyze uses 850nm IR LEDs. And yes, you can see the LEDs, although they are not “bright” at least to my eyes. Most IR cameras use 850nm, because the cameras are more sensitive to the 850nm than to the 940nm IR LEDs.
I don’t agree that in general the 850nm IR leds are cheaper than the 940nm (less visible to our eyes as well as most cameras). To get the same “camera perceived” illumination, it may require more 940nm LEDs, so it may cost more to use the “invisible” 940nm LEDs to achive the same performance.
There are always trade offs in everything. The Wyze camera isn’t being marketed as a “spy” camera. If you are trying to “catch” someone instead of trying to deter them, having the camera hidden and “invisible” to naked eye could be an advantage. On the other hand, there are request for “stickers” to advertise that there are security cameras. An you can buy fake security cameras to deter, or possibly act as decoys to detract attention from other more covert cameras.
For a price comparison, I found two surface mounted IR leds produced by the same manufacturer and having very similar characteristics.
I am not implying that these can be used as replacements in the Wyze camera, I was just trying to find two LEDs that were as close as possible with the only difference being the wavelength of the IR being emitted. I have no idea what the Wyze cam is using. But I do know they are 850nm.
850nm part https://www.digikey.com/products/en?mpart=HIR19-21C%2FL11%2FTR8
940nm part https://www.digikey.com/products/en?mpart=IR19-21C%2FTR8
Wow, these 850s and 940s have the same current, and voltage is very close, nice! Not sure about brightness. Found a another stripe of 50 on ebay, similar voltage but less than half the amperage so probable less than half the brightness? Says they are surface mount -has anyone taken this thing apart? Matching physical size & brightness may be difficult. Soldering surface mount probably requires binoculars of some type and may even be so small that modding board may be very difficult if not impossible. One alternative,is doing what others are doing -taping over the “reds”, then using motions detection/flood lights (either regular household lights or these “invisible” infrared leds). I may have to dissect this Wyze…
50pcs Infrared 3528 Smd Smt Leds 940nm IR Night Vision Camera CCTV USA
Product Description
Type: Surface Mount LED
Package Size: 3528
Color/Wavelength: 940nm (Invisible / Infrared)
Quantity: 50pcs
Voltage: (DC) 1.0v - 1.5v
Current: 15-20mA
Viewing Angle: 140 Degrees
Has anyone had any luck with the replacement? I would love to replace mine - using it in my toddler’s room and she’s afraid of the red lights so no night vision for now.
How do you know she is afraid of the nearly invisible red lights?
What was your solution?
If it was to put in a night light, then she was probably afraid of the dark, which is (in my limited experience with two kids) more common.
No, she asked for the night light after I put in the camera. When I turned off the IR LED’s she was fine and no longer asked for the night light.
I can understand that a toddler would interpret the dim LEDs as “eyes”.
My kids, when they were toddlers had vivid imaginations. If they heard something that they couldn’t explain, or saw something in dim light, they would think up some cause, which was usually worse than reality. The most effective remedy was to show them what made the sound or what the object really was.
If you explain that the camera is there so you can make sure they are safe, and show them what is making the glowing “eyes”, they will probably not have any problems with it.
But, you know your child better than I do.
One school of thought is that with the red night vision LED’s is a deterrent and a criminal is more likely to look directly into the camera and thus get identified, but then the camera can get stolen or destroyed if noticed. I still prefer my camera’s not to be noticed in the dark.
So any luck with replacing those IR LED’s?
You first
Sooo… moving this thread back on topic; re: visibility of IR LEDs…
I tend to support the principal of “visual deterrence”. In that regard, I would like an active LED on the front of the camera (like Nest, et. al). Folks will see the presence of a working camera pointed at them.