12.08.2011 Overview

Better night vision for dome cameras enabled by OSRAM Opto Semiconductors IR DRAGON Infrared Emitter

Dome cameras have become a major component in the protection of open spaces. The development trend for these cameras is towards longer tracking distance and higher definition. By deploying OSRAM Opto Semiconductors’ IR DRAGON infrared emitter, Hikvision is able to extend the beam distance of their dome cameras to more than 80 metres, enabling much better night vision.

OSRAM’s IR DRAGON infrared emitter is the ideal light source for security devices.

Source: OSRAM

In the protection of open spaces, the hardest thing is to ensure good picture quality even at night time. The solution is to have a powerful and reliable IR light source in the security camera. Headquartered in Hangzhou, Hikvision chooses OSRAM’s IR DRAGON infrared emitter to develop the smart dome camera with tracking capability for the global market. This high power high reliability infrared emitter can support different distance illumination, from near to far distance, due to its secondary optics design. With this special optics design in the emitter, Hikvision’s dome camera is able to achieve full illumination distance from 0 up to more than 80 metres, four times more coverage than previous versions. On the other hand, the excellent thermal design by Hikvision enables these IR dome cameras to have long lifetime (over 30,000 hours), making them very effective and reliable surveillance devices.

The IR DRAGON high power infrared emitters come in tiny packages of 11 x 6 x 1.8 mm (with holes for adjustment of external optics) or 11 x 6.7 x 7.1 (with integrated lenses). They are ideal for the space constrained dome cameras which require good night vision.

“When we design the IR DRAGON series, surveillance system is one of the markets we have in mind,” said Kai-chong Cheng, Marketing Director Asia Pacific of OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. “They come with two wavelengths. The 850 nm version is the best compromise between maximum spectral sensitivity for CCD and CMOS cameras and suppressed visibility for the human eye. The 940 nm can work with less red glow. They also offer long lifetime and high power in continuous driving mode, thereby extremely suited to the uninterrupted operation of surveillance systems.”

The global video surveillance market will experience significant growth especially in developing economies where major events are to be held. Brazil is the fastest growing market for video surveillance in 2010, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. RNCOS, an industry research organization, estimates that the global CCTV market will reach US$19billion by the end of 2013, at a CAGR rate of around 21% starting this year.