Greetings all - Figured someone in these groups would have some good ideas. I am looking for an inexpensive miniature NTSC video camera (B/W) -- the little camera on a PCB type thing that sees IR. I plan on installing it on the top of the Flicker birdhouse and using IR LEDs for illumination to see how the babies are doing. Anyone got any favorites ??
-- Mike "mikey" Fields
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Any monochrome CMOS or CCD camera will have good IR response for the wavelengths used by IR LEDs, however colour ones have an IR-cut filter - sometimes this can be removed from the lens assembly, but sometimes it is on the chip itself. The filter will have a blue-green tint.
Incidentally have you checked that a bird's eye response cuts off at the same place as humans...? Perhaps they can see further into the IR than we can.... just a thought!
In practical terms, all of those mini PCB cameras are IR-sensitive. If you want to purchase one complete with IR illumators, there are numerous sources. For example, ($49.95).
Similar item, but enclosed in a housing (would be my preference): , $37.50.
These are fairly cheap now. Just do a google/froogle search for 'wireless baby monitors'. Many have low-light and IR illumination included. You may want to get a color model at these prices.
Hmmm -- thanks for the input -- I am aware that a lot of insects see UV and that snakes like the pit vipers sense the IR but have not seen anything on birds and IR. A google snoop is in order I see !! I do know my Sony camcorder has an IR filter on it (you can cut if out for "night vision" -- there was the big flap about that several years ago when some clothing became somewhat transparent in the IR band).
-- Mike "mikey" Fields
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Thanks for the info -- I had seen the one at Allelectronics, but had not found the other one yet. Those look like what I am looking for, but it occurs to me I will need to have some sort of clear protection in front of the camera ... those flickers have SHARP beaks (you should see how fast they can drill a 2 or 3 inch hole in the side of a house!!) We hope by offering them a bird house, they will move in to it and leave the house alone ( as well as keeping others away). Trying for a bit of "peaceful co-existence" here ). Now to see if I can find any more info on birds seeing IR - it had not occurred to me they might be able to see that. Not sure how useful it would be during the day -- maybe owls could use it though.
-- Mike "mikey" Fields
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That looks a lot bigger than what I want -- what I wanted was along the lines of another poster where it was just the little circuit board with (or without) the IR LED's on it.
($49.95). looks just about right (and my wife thought it was a cool idea).
-- Mike "mikey" Fields
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no, that are some snakes. The snake is cooler than the mice hunted, therefore IR vision is possible. But birds also have a higher body temperature than the surrounding area, just like mammals.
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