Will my camcorder record IR light in the night without problems?

Question

I have a JVC Everio GZ-Mg360 and comes with a control remote and when i point the control remote it can see it and recoords the IR light so it can detected, and my question is:

If i buy an infrared light that can illuminate more will my camcorder be able to see it and record in the night without problems?

Answer 1

Most cameras can see Infrared light almost as well as visible light, whether they be CCD (charge coupled device / solid state), or the old fashion vacuum tube imaging device (Saticon, Trinicon). The fact that you can see "invisible" light from your remote control proves that.

Newer cameras have low-light / nighttime options that amplify available light, similar to "starlight" night vision. If you have those options, you might experiment with turning them on and off and checking the results.

Another feature you can play with is the "auto-iris", and/or automatic gain/exposure controls. You probably want to turn them to "manual", but be careful here, because a bright light source will not only wash out your picture, but can damage the imaging device as well (even the CCDs can get "burns").

FYI: when Sony first introduced their night/low light bright-up option, it could be turned on any time, day or night. The results of amplifying light during the day, or brightly lit areas turned out to be somewhat interesting, to say the least. When you amplify light to extremes, apparently it will produce an "X-Ray" effect, mostly concerning clothing and undergarments. It didn't take Sony too long to "correct" this problem - they removed the manual option, and it's now controlled by a photo-sensor so it only comes on during low light situations. Needless to say, there was quite a rush to obtain the original cameras, and lots of folks tore into the newer ones in an attempt to defeat the "auto" feature.