Making a Night-Vision Webcam

how to change your webcam so it can see in the dark. The CCDs of all digital cameras are responsive to infrared light (IR) as well as visible light. However, most webcams come with a filter installed to block out IR light. This makes the image less washed out but it keeps you from being able to see in the dark (using IR illumination). This intructable shows you how to remove the filter from a "Logitech quickcam chat". Removing the filter from other webcams will probably be a bit easier, but they all follow the same procedure.

This is where I first learned you could do this:
http://www.hoagieshouse.com/IR/

Step 1: Open it up

unscrew the webcam case, see the screw hole? This webcam (logitech quickcam chat) had only one phillips screw holding it together.

The two halves will come apart and out drops the circuit board with wire/etc attached.

Comments

[christopher45]

i want 1 dhgdhd

[snelson9]

So you wont hurt it?

[Jamez Britton]

It just so happens that my uncle gave me this exact webcam with a small flat-based tripod mount.

[pennsteve]

I have a logitech webcam.  I just turned it on and turned off the light.  The picture was black of course, but when I used my remote control, it picked up the light flickering very good.   Does this mean if I turn on some IR lights, my webcam can be used as a night vision cam?    I didnt take anything apart on my camera.

[leggomylegoeggo]

It will work (sorta) but try turning off your lights, then shining the remote anywhere, and seeing if the cam pics up any glow. it probably won't. removing the filter allows more ir light in.

[Lance Mt.]

 well.. yeah. But if quality is really bad maybe its a really bad quality filter

[jomac_uk]

My camera is a very cheap IKASU with a lens assembly pretty much the same. The Infra red filter is nearest the CCD. Unfortunately, the way its assembled, all of the components are put in from the outside, ie the Infra red filter first, small spacer, a lens, big spacer and then the outside lens is glued in.

I discovered that the Infra red filter to be very fragile, i managed to shatter it with a jewellers screwdriver. Then it was a simple matter to prize the small bits of glass out of the lens assembly, wear safety glasses when doing this!

The IKASU has 6 white LED's on the front which are operated by a photocell, im tempted to replace these with 6 Infra red LED's to see what the results are like.

[bicyclelifestyle]

how many brothers do you have?

[girrrrrrr2]

more than 3 i think...

[pro2xy]

hahahahaha!!!!!

[prokia789]

after i took out my webcam`s r-cut filter the image was blur...but after i took out the objective lens..it became clear..how is this possible??i thought that the webcam needed the lens to help it focus?

[tahlorn]

I followed this, and got it working. Thanks! Only thing is, my image is wobbly. When it moves, it wiggles like I am looking through water, and stabilizes after I stop moving. Any ideas on this?

[cclementi6]

 bad quality webcam? porbably a slow framerate.

[zack247]

i have some bad quality "kids camera" i got from one of my friends. it does the same thing.

[11rex11]

i have the logitech quickcam messenger and before i did this i tryed to see if my cam would see the light from my tv remote and it did without taking anything apart same with my cell phone and cannon camera Do i still have to take the filter out? I hope you can help or someone else can cause i dont want to tear it apart for no reason!

[zack247]

you dont have to, but it sees more IR light without the filter

[Lhtrf]

:) A pet rat!!! I had one too for 3 years, everyone was like "eew" but my only response to them was: if you don't like it, don't look at it. I hope you give it normal food and not just that dry crap, because damn do rats love chocolate.

[ShadowJesus]

Why didn't you use negative film and ir leds?

[leevonk]

I do use IR LEDs, see the last step. Didn't use negative film because that blocks out everything except for infrared, so wouldn't have the option of using the camera as a normal camera if did that.

[mackintoshlinessless]

your constant use of "thing" is funny :S

[solta]

I added 2 layers of film negative - will have to see how it looks in the day - I want it to be used at night. Right now I don't get enough picture for it at night. Has anyone tried this without the negative? Will I be able to see at night if I use some IR flashlight light? The picture is a bit blurry.

[sparten512]

yep, as long as you have a source (an IR LED matrix perhaps) you'll be able to see in the dark

[Pasit]

i have tried the look into ur remote before and i can already see it, but it doesnt light anything when im in the dark. any suggestions?? and i have taken my camera apart and i can see that there is a little piece of glass at the VERY back with kinda pinkish purply tint, is this the filter??

[cclementi6]

 it probably is. They usually look clear, but from certain angles, they are red or pink.

[leevonk]

yeah, the pinkish purply thing is probably the filter, that's what mine looked like. even with the filter in you can sometimes see the remote IR LED a little bit, but with the filter out you'll be able to use the remote control's LED as a small flashlight in the dark (have to hold it close to things to illuminate them with the IR).

[Aunry]

do v have to take out the filter and put it back in. wat difference wud it make? :s

[cclementi6]

 you dont have to put it back in.   IR cameras have plenty of uses; you can make a  multi-touch trackpad from one.

[monican82]

its funny my dell web cam doesn't have a Ir filter. right out of the box no filter at all its fairly new

[cclementi6]

some cameras dont have a filter, instead, they have a coating/layer which is sprayed and dried onto the lens itself.  This is normally the case with more expensive webcams 

[Kevio bro]

with this you can see through clothes right?

[leevonk]

only through men's clothing. fat men's clothing.

[Nexnaught]

my digital camera (from ebay for $5) can see the light from my remote, but it cannot see in the dark. Does it have an IR filter?

[ATG]

nope....it wouldnt detect the ir rays frm the remote...if it had a filter....it cant c in the dark cos therz no ir light newher....use an IR LED to throw some ir light...nd then it will be able to c in the dark....

[wombat_ger]

It actually has an IR-filter, but these filters aren't very effective, they let a bit of IR-light through... So remove the filter and have fun!

[PuddleOfMudd25]

I have done this on my broken Kodak C533, and it works amazing! All I did was unintentionally touch the capacitor and get 300v through my system :P, take out the IR filter, put it back together, and put it in my pre-made shell with 3 IR LED's, and it works astoundingly! It was a lot easier to do than I thought it would be. I want to get a few (More like 50) IR LED's off eBay for cheap, and make it better.

[zimmemic25]

i followed your instructions, just to see that there is no filter :-P is there a way to use this for nightvision without having to carry a notebook?

[zimmemic25]

dont have a mobile/ipod with cam.

[oddmidge]

If you have a camera phone some of them can see the Infared light like lg Kf510 without taking it apart the all you need is some ultra bright infared leds anda 9v battery.

[leevonk]

you could take the filter out of an iphone's camera. or figure out how to plug a webcam into a pocketPC/palm pilot. or take the filter out of a digtal camera and watch the LCD.

[Derin]

Is glass IR proof?