One of the key features that makes a trail camera useful around the clock is infrared light, often labeled as IR or IL in product specs. This built-in night vision system ensures your camera can still "see" clearly — even when it's completely dark.
一、What Is Infrared Light?
Infrared light is a type of light that humans can’t see, but your camera can. When lighting conditions are low, the camera automatically turns on its infrared LEDs, which shine invisible light across the scene. This allows the camera to capture black-and-white photos or videos in the dark — no visible flash, no scare-offs, just quiet observation.
There are two common types of IR LEDs used:
- 850nm: Offers brighter and longer-range illumination, but may produce a faint red glow at night.
- 940nm: Completely invisible to the eye, great for stealth use, though with slightly reduced range.
二、Why It Matters
If you’re using your trail camera for wildlife tracking, security, or monitoring remote property, most activity may actually happen at night. Without IR, your camera would miss half the action — or worse, scare animals away with a visible flash.
Infrared light solves that by giving you:
- Reliable night vision without alerting animals(Night Vision Function Overview)
- Automatic switching from day to night mode
- Quiet, hidden operation with no visible flash or sound
三、A Natural Pairing with PIR
When combined with
PIR motion detection(
What is PIR), IL becomes even more powerful. The PIR sensor detects heat and movement, then IL turns on so the camera can record what triggered it — all within seconds.
In Summary
Infrared light helps your trail camera stay useful even when the sun goes down. Whether you’re tracking deer, monitoring feeders, or just keeping an eye on your property, IL ensures you don’t miss anything that happens after dark — and it does it silently.