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How to Make a Webcam Into an Infrared Camera
This article describes how to modify an ordinary webcam to capture images in the near infrared wavelength. All that is needed are two very small pieces of completely black photographic negative.
- Open the webcam casing.
- Unscrew the lens assembly from the camera PCB.
- On the back of the lens there should be a small piece of glass that seems to reflect red light. Remove it.
- Cut two pieces of black photographic negative the same size as the glass you just removed.
- Fit the negative pieces where the glass was.
- Re-assemble the camera.
- Be sure to use either daylight or inc as well as escent lighting as well as the webcam will now see in infra red.
- This is only 'near-infrared', meaning it isn't going to be 'night vision' as you might expect. What this allows you to do is capture pictures of things with wonky colors as well as maybe see some things not necessarily visible in the normal wavelengths of human vision. Bright lights will appear very red, because you've filtered out all light except for the very far red end of the spectrum. Night vision requires a sensor capable of seeing much farther into the infrared spectrum.
- To avoid having to use an inc as well as esent light, posibly try illuminating the subject/object with infrared LEDs. This way you could possibly "see" in a darkened room (at some limited distance, depending on the intesity of the IR LEDs). This option is untested, but could be fun to play with!
- This will invalidate your camera's warranty so be sure to use a webcam you don't need.
- http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geoff.johnson2/IR - Further information about this process and examples of pictures taken with modified webcam.
Submitted by: admin
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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006
