Outdoor infra red illuminators are well established and are integral to many CCTV systems. They typically are deployed alongside a black and white camera in areas where there are low-light conditions, and where traditional lighting is not appropriate.
Gordon Buchanan, a freelance cameraman who sometimes works for the BBC, has found a spectacular new use for infra red illuminators and claims that they have revolutionised his night-time filming.
Lost Land of the Volcano is a three-part nature documentary series that follows a scientific expedition to the island of New Guinea. During filming an international team of scientists, cavers and wildlife filmmakers ventured deep into the heart of the remote tropical island of New Guinea to explore a giant extinct volcano – Mount Bosavi. The team lived deep in the rainforest and searched for rare and endangered species.
Using Bosch’s AEGIS illuminators, the team found a previously undiscovered species of cuscus in the crater, where it has developed in isolation from its other relatives, in time becoming a sub species of the silky cuscus family. Identified as it left its daytime hideout and went in search of food in the forest at night, the Bosavi cuscus – which looks like a small bear – is a marsupial that lives in trees, feeding on fruits and leaves.
Having struggled for more than a decade using what he describes as ‘Frankenstein’ like lighting contraptions ranging from rally car headlights and hunting spotlights, Gordon has welcomed the advances in infrared technology that enable him to capture broadcast quality night-time footage. “Every lighting method I have used up until recently has had a drawback – carrying heavy acid batteries on my back and only having two hours filming power being just a couple of them,” he says. “Now the team is able to access more remote areas as transporting compact infrared units are no longer an issue. The battery packs last for several hours and are interchangeable with our cameras.”
Field of view was another issue for Gordon. Historically illuminators have provided an uneven blanket of light causing ‘hot spots’ in the captured image but, as Gordon explains: “The AEGIS UFLED units give the most consistent covering of light of any I have trialled. The distance the infrared light travels is also second to none.”
With this level of technology now available infra red lighting has a number of advantages, particularly in areas of poor visibility or where ‘white lighting’ is not possible. Infra red is invisible to the human eye and can provide long distance illumination. It has low running costs and zero maintenance and can optimise camera performance.