Night Vision vs Infrared.

Difference Between Night Vision and Infrared

Despite their differences night vision and infrared technology are often discussed in the same breath when it comes to enhancing visibility in low-light or no-light conditions.

These two devices operate on fundamentally different principles and offer distinct advantages and limitations. This article aims to clarify these differences, helping you understand which technology might be better suited for your needs.

1) Night Vision

How Night Vision Works

Night vision devices, work by amplifying existing light, including the lower end of the infrared spectrum that’s invisible to the human eye. They collect even the tiniest amounts of light (from stars, the moon, or ambient sources) through an objective lens.  The Night vision devices can either use image intensification or a CMOS ((Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensor.

  • Image Intensification

This is typically found in analog or traditional night vision scopes. Ambient light enters the device through the objective lens and hits a photocathode, converting photons into electrons. These electrons are then accelerated through a microchannel plate (MCP) where they’re multiplied, increasing the signal strength.

The amplified electrons hit a phosphor screen, converting them back into photons, which then create a visible image that’s much brighter than the original light input.

  • CMOS

These are used in the digital night vision devices. Unlike image intensification, CMOS chips directly capture light on a CMOS sensor and convert it into electrical charge. This signal is further processed to adjust the brightness. An example of a high-quality digital night vision scope is the Sightmark Wraith 4K

Types of Night Vision

The quality of night vision devices is often categorized by generations, with Gen 1 being the most basic and Gen 3+ offering the best performance in terms of clarity, light amplification, and lifespan of the image intensifier tube.

See Also. Generations of Night Vision

Advantages of Night Vision

  1. Night vision provides a high level of detail which makes it better for target identification.
  2. Modern (digital) night vision is budget-friendly

Disadvantages of Night Vision

  1. Requires some light to function optimally. Total darkness or heavy fog can degrade performance

 

2) Infrared (Thermal Imaging)

Infrared devices, often called thermal imaging, detect heat (infrared radiation) emitted by objects instead of amplifying visible light. They convert the thermal energy into an electronic signal, which is then processed to produce a thermal image (thermogram).

Advantages of Infrared

  1. Works in complete darkness, and inclement weather where night vision might struggle.
  2. Can detect living beings or heat sources even when camouflaged or hidden.

Disadvantages of Infrared

  1. The detail of the images might not be as sharp as with night vision.
  2. Pricier than night vision devices.

 

Key Differences Between Night Vision and Infrared.

The main difference between the two is that night vision needs ambient light to function effectively, whereas infrared does not, as it focuses on heat rather than light.

In summary;

  • Night vision requires nearby visible light to work effectively while infrared doesn’t require any light to work properly
  • Night vision takes a scene and magnifies the light, then translates it into images while infrared translates heat signatures into thermogram images. Objects with higher heat signatures are shown in yellow, orange, or red color.
  • Night vision is lessened by conditions such as dust, smoke, rain, and fog while infrared is not affected by such and can see in total darkness.
  • Night vision is a cheaper technology, conversely, Infrared can be more expensive.
  • Infrared is better for camouflaged targets than night vision
  • Night vision can be thwarted by a bright light while infrared can be thwarted by cooling

Night vision is better for:

  • Seeing at night
  • CCTV and surveillance
  • Wide-angle views
  • Creating images that look more natural

Infrared is great at:

  • Search and rescue operations like firefighting
  • Spotting warm bodies and objects over a greater distance
  • Commercial inspections and surveys
  • Seeing humans or animals at night

Final Thoughts

We hope this article has perfectly covered the Difference Between Night vision and Infrared. Get more information about Night vision and infrared in the below articles.

See Also