Here at Security.org, we test all products that we recommend, either individually or as a part of a larger security camera system. So whether you’re looking to buy an indoor camera to monitor your house day and night, an outdoor camera for your backyard, or one that you can use indoors and outdoors and adjust to different light conditions, we got you covered. Without much further ado, here’s our full list of 2024’s best infrared cameras!

As an IP camera, the Lorex 4K Nocturnal camera needs an NVR in order to work, but that’s not an entirely bad thing. The NVR served as the camera’s local storage, allowing it to record rolling videos without expensive monthly cloud storage fees. Better still, with a Lorex NVR with smart detection technology, the camera was able to tell apart people and vehicles from other moving objects.

Although the Blink Outdoor was battery-powered, it didn’t require much attention from us. That’s because it has a long battery life that can last up to two years before needing a replacement. Of course, given how much we used the Blink Outdoor during our testing, we had to replace its batteries after a year, but that’s still impressive.

Here’s how Live Guard works. When we simulated a break-in and triggered our SimpliSafe sensors, a live agent accessed the video feed and spoke to us through the Smart Alarm camera’s speaker. If it was a real break-in, they would have told us to scram. We quickly chimed in to let the agent in on the situation and gave our secret code to confirm it was us.

For this review, in particular, we paid close attention to the cameras’ night vision ranges, especially for the ones that can work outdoors. If you have a wide front lawn or backyard, you’re going to want to have a camera with a night vision range of at least 40 feet. For indoor cameras, it’s a slightly different story. There tend to be more reflective surfaces indoors, which could create glares when viewed from an infrared camera. That’s why we chose indoor cameras that either had a shorter night vision range or an adjustable infrared intensity.

Now, that’s not nearly as good as Lorex’s outdoor cameras, but being an indoor camera, the Nest Cam’s night vision range is sufficient. In fact, you don’t want to go overboard with indoor camera night vision. Narrower indoor spaces often have lots of reflective surfaces that could create glare if your night vision LEDs are too strong, so in this case, sufficient is better.

Available materials for filter substrates include fused silica, display glass, low expansion, and optical glass. Please contact a Sales Engineer who will be happy to discuss all options for filter substrates.

Custom optical filtersonline

Optical wedges with ± 10 arc seconds of wedge angle tolerance. Superior craftsmanship made to your specifications in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.

Easy to set up and built-in intelligent motion detection to reduce false alarms, it’s easy to see why SimpliSafe is our top choice.

Semrockfilters

Infrared filters allow for high transmission in the IR spectrum and strong rejection to isolate even the narrowest band of wavelengths. As their name implies, IR filters can be fabricated for use in the harshest environments in FLIR, security, environmental and other infrared applications.

Based upon customer demand, Sydor Optics offers Optical Filters made from the following substrate materials. Of course, if you don’t see a material you need, please contact a Sales Engineer, who will gladly discuss additional options that may be available.

Customdichroicfilters

Lorex offers some of the best 4K security cameras, in our opinion, and many of them are in the Nocturnal or Fusion series. Most of them are also outdoor cameras. That’s a critical detail. Clear day and night video quality is essential for outdoor cameras. They should be able to capture minute details – the color of clothes someone is wearing, license plates, etc – and so we highly recommend using 4K cameras outdoors.

FYI: In addition to the red infrared lights that glow up on the camera’s face, the Nest Cam Indoor has status lights, which are visible and easy to spot. This might become a problem if you plan on using the camera as a hidden cam.

Just take note that Lorex markets the Nocturnal series towards businesses, and the price reflects that. If you’re looking for something more wallet-friendly, Lorex also offers other lines of cameras with impressive night vision. For example, most bullet-type cameras in the Fusion series offer at least 80 feet of night vision. They also boast color night vision, should you wish to activate it.

Ultraviolet (UV) filters are used to block ultraviolet light (UV blocking), but allow visible light to pass. Sydor Optics can fabricate custom UV filters to meet your specific needs and applications including combining UV filters with other (bandpass/longpass) optical filters.

The Nest Cam (wired, indoor) is one of our favorite indoor cameras for many reasons, one of which is the superb video quality. It’s a 1080p HD camera – ways away from 4K – but the 4K image sensor and HDR make its videos pop.

Sydor Optics has extensive experience manufacturing uncoated filter substrates and colored filter glass. Common optical filters include shortpass, longpass, bandpass, notch and edge with filter coatings suited for the infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV) and visible (VIS) color spectrums.

Louisville Police. (2020). False Alarm Prevention. louisville-police.org/DocumentCenter/View/683/Audio-and-Video-Verification-PDF

Sydor Optics can manufacture custom optical filters — with various shapes and sizes — using CNC Glass Machining capabilities to meet your specific needs.

Color glass filters are fabricated to selectively transmit a particular range of wavelengths or colors of light. In designing color filters to transmit a particular range, they’re also designed to block other wavelengths or colors. Sydor Optics can fabricate custom color filters to allow long wavelengths to pass (longpass), or short wavelengths (shortpass), or both (bandpass).

Colored filter glass is available in a range of spectral characteristics each suited to unique transmission and absorption properties of various wavelengths of light.

And last but not least, we included infrared security camera options that offer professional monitoring. Many law enforcement agencies confirm that video verification through monitored security cameras can help speed up police response.3 So with a professionally monitored infrared camera, you’re sure to get the help you need in case of a break-in whether you’re home or not, day or night.

Neutral density filters can be used to reduce the intensity of light by reflecting or absorbing a percentage of light at a specific wavelength. Neutral density (ND) filters reduce light intensity by absorbing or reflecting light and provide even attenuation across the specified wavelengths.

Notch filters can be fabricated to the most demanding specifications for use in laser-based fluorescence, multi-photon microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, and other high-speed imaging applications. As with other types of optical filters, Sydor Optics can fabricate custom notch filters to meet your specific needs and applications.

The night vision ranges of infrared cameras vary. For outdoor use, we recommend cameras with a night vision range of at least 40 feet, whereas indoor cameras need a night vision range of up to 20 feet.

On the other side of the argument, some believe that infrared night vision is superior because it provides a wider illumination range than visible light. And since infrared is invisible to the human eye, infrared cameras are harder to spot. The downside is that you’d have to deal with black-and-white footage.

Made by the alarm company Vivint, the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro is the only one on this list that offers proactive protection. Whenever someone approached our front door or lurked too long within the surveillance zone that we defined, the camera issued warning lights and tones to let them know they’ve been spotted. The red warning light was particularly intimidating at night, as it glowed like an eye watching from the shadows.

Aside from standard size glass wafers such as 100mm, 150mm, 200mm and 300mm, Sydor Optics can provide custom wafers with diameters up to 450mm and thin wafers with thicknesses down to 0.1mm.

Editor’s Note: While Lorex offers some exceptional outdoor cameras, we found that ADT provides higher-quality security components. ADT has smart cameras for indoors and outdoors, as well as a best-in-class professional monitoring service. Learn more in our ADT Security System Review.

We reviewed the footage on our phone to see what the live agent could see. It was surprising how good the night vision image quality was, as the infrared LED lights are quite discreet. Even if it was in black and white, we could clearly make out small details. That’s Gabe by the way, playing the role of a trespasser in our simulations.

MidAtlantic. (2020). Infared Illumination Specification Guide. midlantic.net/forms/infrared%20specification%20guide_020408.pdf

Infrared cameras are equipped with two necessary components: LED lights that emit infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye, and an image sensor that can see infrared light. The LED lights illuminate the camera’s surroundings for the image sensor, which then creates black-and-white, night vision images.

Based on our tests, the SimpliCam and Smart Alarm from SimpliSafe is the best infrared camera for indoor use, while the Lorex 4K Nocturnal Smart IP Camera is the best outdoor infrared camera. The Nest Cam Indoor, Arlo Pro 3, Blink Outdoor, and Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro also made our list of the best infrared cameras on the market.

As their name implies, longpass filters are designed to allow only long wavelengths to pass while blocking shorter wavelengths of light.

The Blink Outdoor is an affordable but very capable outdoor camera with superb night vision. It’s also pretty easy to install, thanks to its wire-free set up. It runs on battery power, so you don’t have to worry about running power cables through your yard. That also means that you can install Blink Outdoor in secluded and dark areas where intruders might try to hide. If you have a spacious back yard or an outdoor shed where you keep your tools, this could be a good camera to place there.

Shortpass filters are a type of edge filter, designed to isolate desired wavelengths in the spectrum, and “cut” undesired wavelengths out of the optical system.

Sydor Optics manufactures IR windows utilizing a range of infrared materials suited for the NIR, SWIR, MWIR and LWIR spectrums ranging from 0.75µm to 15µm for applications including thermal imaging, mineral & gas detection and monitoring and other forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imaging applications.

While certain kinds of optical filters are used to narrow wavelength ranges, broadband filters are designed to do the opposite: provide exceptional transmission throughout a broad range of wavelengths (but still exclude or reject the rest). Sydor Optics can fabricate custom broadband filters in various shapes and sizes to meet your specific needs and applications.

If 4K cameras are too much for your network, though, don’t worry. We’ve also tested 2K and 1080p cameras from Lorex and they all deliver good video quality. Some of them have narrow fields of view (less than 100-degrees diagonal). That’s our biggest gripe with Lorex cameras, but since they’re affordable, you can easily purchase additional cameras to cover every space without breaking the bank.

When comparing infrared cameras— or any type of security cameras for that matter— we use a methodology that measures the overall value of each camera. We take into account the cameras’ price, video quality, audio, integrations with smart platforms like Alexa and Google Assistant, artificial intelligence, and video storage options. We also test out each camera to get a good grasp of the installation process and ease of use.

Both sides make good arguments, but we’re going to focus on security cameras with infrared night vision. There’s more of them on the market, so picking the best one is a bit more difficult. We understand that every user has different needs, so we’re going to look at six different options while giving you a detailed look at each camera’s pros and cons. This way you can find the perfect camera for your specific requirements.

Our Expert Advice: We recommend security cameras with cloud backup in addition to local storage. It’s always better to have backup video storage in case a burglar steals or destroys your camera. NVRs and DVRs, which are devices with a hard drive that can store videos, might work as well provided that they are kept hidden away.

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, enhances videos by adding life and color to them while eliminating glare. It also highlights shadowy areas so you can see those dark corners that criminals love. This results in balanced, life-like footage. The Nest Cam may not be a 4K camera, but the video quality is superior to most other 1080p HD cameras we’ve tested.

Tip for Video Storage: Vivint charges $5 per month for cloud storage of each camera. If you’d rather not pay the cloud storage fee, you can purchase a $249 Vivint Smart Drive with one TB of storage space, which is enough to store about 30 days of continuous video history for up to four Vivint cameras.

Longpassfilters

Best practices suggest that when coating or setting up an optical component, it’s best to use a witness sample, also called a “test piece,” to ensure that the actual part will match your specific coating specifications and your application.

Sydor Optics fabricates dichroic filters to transmit a particular range of the spectrum (the passband) while reflecting another range (known as the rejection band). Dichroic filters are commonly used for color separation in digital projection and CCD imaging. Sydor Optics can handle the custom fabrication of even the most complex dichroic filters.

Unfortunately, we can’t monitor our cameras 24/7, especially not at night. That’s where the free local storage comes handy. Unlike most available options today, Blink doesn’t require a cloud subscription. All you need is a Sync Module 2, which is a hub-like device for Blink cameras, and a USB flash drive. If you connect Blink Outdoor to a Sync Module 2, it will be able to capture, record, and store motion videos locally without ongoing monthly costs.

While you don’t need to sign up for a SimpliSafe security system to use SimpliCam or Smart Alarm, it’s something we recommend so you don’t miss out on their best features, especially from the Core (formerly Fast Protect plan). Sure, it’s $31.99 per month. However, you also gain cellular backup, environmental monitoring, secret alarms, video verified alerts, and access to our favorite feature, Live Guard Protection.

The Nest Cam (indoor) comes equipped with a set of two high-powered 850nm infrared LEDs. This type of infrared LEDs provides better illumination than the other type, which is 940nm. In Nest’s case, the indoor camera can see up to 15 feet away in total darkness.

We also make sure that the cameras are up to our standards. When it comes to the video quality, we like our cameras with at least 1080p HD resolution, a 120-degree viewing angle, and of course, infrared night vision. For the audio, we prefer cameras with two-way talk so we can hear the camera’s surroundings and talk through the camera’s speakers whenever we want. Security features like motion detection and person detection are also necessary, and it’s always a huge plus if the camera offers facial recognition and/or activity zones. Finally, every camera needs video storage. The ideal setup for us is one that has local storage like a micro-SD card and with cloud backup, but we’re also not one to turn down cameras with free or affordable cloud storage plans. And if the camera supports continuous recording, that’s even better.

Opticalfilter manufacturers

The icing on the cake was the Nest Cam (indoor) artificial intelligence. The camera came with person detection built-in, so we only received notifications of events that truly mattered, when people walked by. And when we finally decided to get a Nest Aware subscription, the camera got even smarter. It started recognizing familiar faces, which we later named in the app, it alerted us of the sound of people talking and dogs barking, and it allowed us to set activity zones. With the activity zones, we were able to tell the camera which areas mattered most to us, which significantly reduced the number of false alarms we received.

Thanks to its IP65 rating, which meant it’s sealed shut and protected against dust and water jets, we were able to install the Arlo Pro 3 almost anywhere. And because it’s powered by batteries, we didn’t need to run a wire to keep it plugged in; although we did have to charge its batteries every three to six months. For those reasons, the Arlo Pro 3 also made our list of the best wireless cameras.

Bandpass filters are basically designed to selectively transmit a particular spectrum range and reject the other wavelengths. Bandpass filters are commonly used in a variety of applications, including chemistry, fluorescence microscopy, high-speed optical imaging, and spectroscopy.

Didymium filter

We also looked for features that can further improve the night vision experience. An example of this is the Nest Cam IQ Indoor’s ability to tell apart natural light and bursts of artificial light coming from, let’s say, a burglar’s flashlight. As a result, it can’t be fooled by burglars trying to “blind” the night vision.

FYI: If you don’t want SimpliSafe accessing your cameras whenever they want, you can use the privacy shutter to cover the lens. You can also adjust what alerts and live feeds the monitoring center receives in the SimpliSafe app.

SimpliSafe is one of our favorite DIY home security systems. We’ve set up one in less than 30 minutes. The SimpliCam and Smart Alarm cameras are no different. Just find a nearby outlet and connect them directly to the internet, and you’re up and running.

As a part of the Vivint security system, the Outdoor Camera Pro integrated well with our alarm system. There’s a setting that let us use the camera as a siren for our Vivint system. In case we weren’t home, the camera could tip off passers-by and our neighbors that there was something going on. In fact, we asked our friendly neighbors to call the cops if they ever hear the outdoor camera’s siren go off.

Contrary to what many believe, most burglaries actually occur during the day.2 Fortunately, the Arlo Pro 3 not only captured clear nighttime videos but also high-definition daytime videos. With a 2560p HD resolution that is significantly higher than the standard 1080p HD, 160-degree field of view, and up to 12x digital zoom, the Arlo Pro 3 protected our apartment day and night.

The Arlo Pro 3 offered both infrared and color night vision. We used the infrared option when we wanted the camera to be less conspicuous and also when we wanted it to have a better night vision range. As for the color option, the Arlo Pro 3 utilized its built-in 6,500 K spotlight to see things in clearer detail, colors and all. This night vision mode proved useful when we wanted to identify the color of the van suspiciously parked out front in the middle of the night, just in case it was a burglar surveying our place.

The Outdoor Camera Pro was also pretty smart. It didn’t bother us with alerts involving pets or vehicles passing by. It only alerted us when it saw people, which was incredibly useful considering that it’s professionally monitored. We wouldn’t want to receive a call from our alarm company every time a dog walks by, especially here in Brooklyn.

Custom opticallenses

Sydor Optics can also manufacture filter substrates for you to coat. Our double-sided grinding and polishing machines allow for filter substrates created precisely to your specifications and are ideal for third-party coating.

As with other kinds of optical filters, edge filters are designed to separate a broad spectrum of light into light that is transmitted, and light that is rejected, or blocked. Edge filters can be used to reduce harmonics and light scatter and can be fabricated to function as longpass, shortpass, or bandpass filters.

Reflect and transmit any combinations of wavelengths with precision plate beamsplitters. UV, VIS, or IR, Polarized or Unpolarized, 10:90 – 90:10 Reflection:Transmission(R:T).

The cost of infrared cameras differs from brand to brand. The prices of the infrared cameras on our list range between $100 and $300.

Chroma filter

There are perhaps about as many types of glass filters as there are applications for them. Yet despite all the variety, one thing is clear: Sydor Optics offers exceptional manufacturing capabilities when it comes to custom optical filters. With the largest collection of double-sided grinding and polishing machines in North America, Sydor Optics can precisely fabricate custom filters to meet your exact requirements, from basic prototyping to high-volume production and every step in between. While color glass filters can be ordered directly from the original manufacturer, standard surface flatness and transmitted wavefront tolerances may not meet your precision requirements which is why Sydor Optics double-sided polishing process stands out.

Lorex makes a lot of great outdoor security cameras, and among them, the Lorex 4K Nocturnal Smart IP Camera is one of the best. As the name implies, the Nocturnal camera works great at night. It has a night vision range of up to 90 feet in total darkness, and when aided by ambient lighting, it can see as far away as 130 feet. That’s impressive and particularly great for an outdoor camera.

As much as we love SimpliCam and Smart Alarm, we wish they were a little smarter. While the ability to distinguish between humans and pets is nice, they’re still lacking features that are becoming more common, like facial recognition or activity zones. However, the value of these cameras comes from the professional monitoring features, which are continually improving. For example, a Live Guard-like feature is available now for SimpliSafe’s outdoor camera as well, although it requires a more expensive monthly subscription.

In most cases, infrared cameras are better than color night vision. That’s because infrared cameras don’t rely on visible white light, so they are more covert. However, if you want your cameras to see in color day and night, color night vision might work better for you.

All of the best security cameras have night vision. It’s an essential feature for around-the-clock video security, but as to which type of night vision is most effective, experts are divided. Some say color night vision provided by a visible light source is the best. It lets you see more details. Others say that those same lights give away the position of cameras and might invite tampering.