Night Vision and IR Range Calculator
A stated infrared range is the distance the camera own lamp reaches under ideal conditions, not the distance at which it can still identify anyone. Real identification distance after dark is always shorter than the daylight DORI figure.
Values update as you change the inputs. Where a figure cannot be computed honestly from what manufacturers publish, this calculator says so rather than showing a zero.
Cameras that publish an IR range
Only cameras whose makers actually state an infrared range carry that figure here. Where it is not published, this site leaves it blank rather than estimating.
REOLINK RLC-810A PoE Security Camera, 4K Wired Outdoor
$84.99The default 4K PoE bullet in this catalog: person and vehicle detection on the camera itself, so alerts are not triggered by every passing shadow.
- Resolution
- 8 MP
- Lens
- 4 mm
- Storage
- PoE, needs an NVR or NAS
Prices change often.
REOLINK PoE Security Camera RLC-810A 2 Pack, 4K, 100ft IR Night Vision
$194.99Two of the same camera, which is what most expansions actually need, at a lower price per unit than two singles.
- Resolution
- 8 MP
- Stated IR range
- 100 ft
Prices change often.
REOLINK RLC-1212A 12MP Bullet Outdoor PoE Camera
$129.99Twelve megapixels on a single camera, which buys real DORI identify distance on the one approach where you actually need a face rather than a shape.
- Resolution
- 12 MP
Prices change often.
Amcrest UltraHD 4K 8MP Outdoor Bullet Security IP PoE Camera, 98ft NightVision
$94.95Amcrest publishes its IR range and its lens focal length in the listing, which is rarer than it should be and is what makes a coverage calculation possible before you buy.
- Resolution
- 8 MP
- Stated IR range
- 98 ft
- Lens
- 2.8 mm
Prices change often.
Amcrest UltraHD 4K 8MP IP PoE AI Camera, 129 degree FOV, 49ft Color Nightvision
$109.99A 129 degree field of view covers a whole driveway from one mount, at the cost of pixel density: the wider the lens, the shorter the distance at which it can still identify anyone.
- Resolution
- 8 MP
- Field of view
- 129 degrees
- Stated IR range
- 49 ft
Prices change often.
Amcrest 5MP IP PoE AI Camera with 49ft Color Night Vision, Outdoor Bullet
$74.99Colour night vision rather than infrared monochrome, which preserves clothing and vehicle colour, the two details a police report actually asks for.
- Resolution
- 5 MP
- Stated IR range
- 49 ft
Prices change often.
The formula
This calculator compares your subject distance against the range the manufacturer published, and computes pixel density at that distance.
If a manufacturer does not publish an infrared range, this calculator returns nothing rather than estimating one. Inventing that figure would be the single most misleading thing this site could do, because a reader would plan a camera position around it.
Common questions
What does a security camera published infrared range actually mean?
A published IR range is the distance a camera own infrared lamp can illuminate under ideal conditions in the maker own testing, against a reflective target with a clear line of sight. It is not the distance at which anyone could be identified in the resulting image, which is almost always considerably shorter than the stated illumination range on the box.
Can this calculator estimate a night vision range a manufacturer does not publish?
No, and it never will. If a manufacturer has not published an infrared range for a camera, this calculator returns nothing rather than guessing one, because inventing that figure would be the single most misleading number this site could offer to anyone trying to plan a camera position around real visibility after dark.
Why is the identification distance at night shorter than the daytime DORI figure?
Daylight DORI distances assume even ambient lighting reaching the sensor, while infrared illumination falls off sharply with distance and depends entirely on the specific lamp fitted to that camera. A camera that identifies someone at 28 feet in daylight, by DORI geometry, will not identify them nearly that far in full darkness lit only by its own IR lamp.
How do I know if a subject is within a camera IR range?
Compare the real distance to the subject against the manufacturer published infrared range for that specific camera model. If the subject distance sits within the published range, the scene should be illuminated, though not necessarily identifiable, and this calculator also reports the pixel density and daylight DORI level that same distance would reach if the shot were taken in daylight instead.
Does pixel density still matter at night if IR range is fine?
Yes. Illumination and pixel density are separate limits that both have to be satisfied. A subject can sit well within a published IR range and still fall below the pixel density DORI needs for observation or identification, since IR range only confirms the scene will be lit, not how much detail the sensor and lens combination resolves at that distance.
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Keep going
A calculated figure is a planning number, not a promise. Every answer here comes from published standards and manufacturer specifications, and real installations vary with light, weather, scene motion and how a camera is actually aimed. Where a figure cannot be computed honestly from what manufacturers publish, this calculator says so rather than showing a zero.
Before you point a camera at anything. Aim at your own property and your own boundary, never into a neighbour's windows. Cameras in bedrooms, bathrooms or anywhere with a reasonable expectation of privacy are a serious legal problem, including for guests and anyone who works in your home. Audio is legally different from video, many US states require the consent of every party to a recorded conversation, and several recorders capture audio by default, so check your own state before enabling it. This is researched general information and not legal advice.