How not to block cameras

Step 3 Other considerations

Alright, so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. I added four more LEDs of the brightest IR LED I got from the electronic goldmine (Part #G2318) and tested again. Again this resulted in no difference.

I considered that perhaps distance to the camera played a factor. I moved the camera back 10 feet and tried again. From this distance I couldn't make out my face too well with or without the LEDs. The LEDs made me look as though I was wearing a headlamp and as far as I was concerned I could see my face.

I decided that perhaps my hacked near IR camera was of too high a resolution (even in 640x480 video mode) to get an accurate gauge. I brought the setup to work where I tested it on the night vision security camera in the stairwell. This time at about 20 feet I got the same results at 10 feet and once turned sideways had no protection whatsoever. I tried this both with the lights on and off. When the lights were on, it almost made no difference at all.

Lastly, I remembered my earlier discussion with Dan who felt that this could work if all the LEDs were pointed directly at one's own face. Pointing high-intensity IR LEDs directly at your face can't be a good idea, but I closed my eyes and tried it anyway. There was little noticeable difference.

Comments

[bschran]

Hate to say it but most security cameras like the one pictured are IR cameras... you would actually be helping the camera along by having that on you.

[ilpug]

True, but that isn't the premise of the idea. Normal cameras use visible light, and if you shine a really bright light at them , that part of the camera is blinded in the film/photo. The same is true with IR cameras. It seems like this would work, you would just need one super-powerful IR light to do it effectively.

[xgl0baltk]

i got one question and one suggestion.. do the IR-LEDs actually blind the camera? as seen in movies like the inside man? or do they just blind it because they have a light? and the suggestion is.. what if u file off the LEDs so theyr emitting angle becomes bigger? so the light hits the camera more and not like the normal LEDs where they have to be directly in front of the cam to blind it?

[wupme]

They only blind them, like a normal light would. The reason to use IR is just that it would only blind the camera, but not a person.

[andrewl10]

Also, they don't put out any light visible by the human eye, so a guard wouldn't see your IR-LED array bobbing up and down in a dark place!

[wupme]

Well that could be a Problem. Most IR LEDs (especially the cheaper ones), still emit some visible light.