Will a brighter camera show me a face at the gate?

Not always. A good night camera gives you a clear, usable picture of the area. It isn't a promise to identify a face or a number plate at any distance.

Does digital zoom count as optical zoom?

No. Digital zoom just enlarges the picture you already have. Optical zoom uses the lens to get closer. The Reolink RLC-843A has 5x optical zoom. The VIGI C540S doesn't.

Starlink Standard dish on a factory metal roof.

Night vision

What you'll see after dark.

Infrared, hybrid light, a spotlight and ColourPro each give a different picture at night. We help you pick the right one for your yard, then place the camera.

Get a quote Compare cameras

Infrared

Infrared lights up the scene for the camera, and the picture is black and white. It's the normal night mode on HiLook turret and bullet cameras, and on Reolink cameras that list an IR range. The RLC-843A has about 30 m of IR.

Hybrid light and full colour

Smart Hybrid Light and a spotlight add colour by lighting up the view, so you get colour while the light is on. Hybrid light is an upgrade on HiLook cameras. The RLC-843A has a spotlight for colour at night.

ColourPro

ColourPro gives you colour in low light, from the F1.0 lens and the 1/1.8 inch sensor on the C340S and C540S. It suits a rural property that gets truly dark. It's still a night picture.

PTZ and optical zoom

A PTZ camera can turn and tilt. Optical zoom uses the lens to get closer. Digital zoom only enlarges the picture you already have. The VIGI C540S pans and tilts, but it doesn't have optical zoom. The Reolink RLC-843A has 5x optical zoom. We quote HiLook PTZ cameras for your site.

We can't promise to identify a face or a number plate at any distance. A better night picture helps, but it isn't a guarantee.

Questions

Will a brighter camera show me a face at the gate?: Not always. A good night camera gives you a clear, usable picture of the area. It isn't a promise to identify a face or a number plate at any distance.
Does digital zoom count as optical zoom?: No. Digital zoom just enlarges the picture you already have. Optical zoom uses the lens to get closer. The Reolink RLC-843A has 5x optical zoom. The VIGI C540S doesn't.

Get a camera plan

Tell us what you need to see.

Tell us about the property and what you want to keep an eye on. We'll come back with a camera plan and a quote.