21 Scenes Lux Readings For Video Surveillance

By: John Scanlan, Published on Aug 11, 2016

IPVM went to numerous locations and measured the lux readings / light levels at each one. Here is an example of the approach we took and output created:

Many surveillance professionals know that knowing light levels is important but tend not to have a good sense of what light levels realistically are.

This directory of 21 measurements / images helps professionals better understand and anticipate the light levels commonly faced.

**** **** ** ******** locations *** ******** *** lux ******** / ***** levels ** **** ***. Here ** ** ******* of *** ******** ** took *** ****** *******:

**** ************ ************* **** that ******* ***** ****** is ********* *** **** not ** **** * good ***** ** **** light ****** ************* ***.

**** ********* ** ** measurements / ****** ***** professionals ****** ********** *** anticipate *** ***** ****** commonly *****.

[***************]

Key ********

****** ***** ****** *** typically ***** ***. *** example, **%+ ** ****** scenes ******** *** *** readings ** ***** *** Lux *** **** * out ** *** ** indoor ****** ******** *** lux ******** ** ***+ and **** *** ******* that ****** ***** *** an ****** ***** ******* natural ******** ** **** in.

** ********, ***** ******* outdoor ****** ********* *** 10,000+ *** ******, ******* a ***** *** ** light ****** *** **** is ********* ***** ** surveillance *******.

** **********, ***** **** indoor ******* *** **** common, *** ****** ******* will ********* **** ******** poor ***** ****** (lux), **** **** ** mind **** ********* ****** performance ** ***** ***** levels *** ********* ***** quality (*.*.,*** *** ***** ******** Tested).

Outdoor ***** ******

*** ******** ****** ** have ******** ** ***** are ****** ****** (*-** lux). ** **** *** included ****** ****** **** as ****** *********** ***** greatly **** *** ******* of *** ******, ********* *** ***** **************** ******** ******* **** average, *** ****** ********** models *********** ********** ** simply *****.

******* ****** ** ***** of **** **** ********* the ******* ***** *** not ****** **** ******* exterior *** ***** ****** are ** **** ***.

Test ******

*** **** ****** *** their ********** *** ****** can ** **** *****. Readers *** ************ * .*** **** of ***** ****** (~***).

Measuring ***** ******

** **** ******, *** levels **** ******** **** the ***** ****** *** camera, ** **** ******** an ******** *********** ** lux ******* ******. ** ********, **** lighting ********* *** *************** measure *** ****** **** the ***** ***** **, which ******** **** ****** downward ********, ********, ***., but ** *** ** accurate ************** ** ***** on ******.

** ****** *** ** use * *** ***** and *** *********** ** these ************ ** **** video, **** ***********: ***** * *** Meter******:

Lighting ***************

******* ** *** *********** in *********** *******, ********* should *** ****** ***** to ***** ***** ***************, though ** ** ****** to ** ***** ** what ************ ********* ********* for ******** *****.

***** *** ******* ******* for ******** ****** ***********, with *************** *********** ******* (***)********* ** ******** ********* and *********, ****** *** the **** **** *** general ***, *** ******** to ********. **** ** these ********* *** *** publicly *********.

*** ****** ****** ******* Services *********************** **** ************ ******* ***** ****** in **********, ***** *** similar ** ***** ********* guidelines ** ****. *********, the *** ********** ********* 500 *** ** **** areas (*******, ******** *****, kitchens, ***.), *** ***** in ****** ***** **** as ********, *******, **********, etc. (*****, ***** ****** are ******** **, ****** lights).

Recommendations ****** ** *******

*** *** **** ****, interior *********** ***** ****** should ** ********** *** daytime ******* **** **** cameras. *******, ********* ****** beware **** ***** ***** higher ********** ****** (***, 4K, ***.) ** ***** sensitivity ** ********* ******* compared ** *****/**** ****** historically ****. ******* ****** see ****** *** ***** ******** Test*** **** ******

Comments (9)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/12/16 12:48am

Are the above images showing how the measurements were taken. It looks like the meter and hand have been photoshopped in as they are in the exact same position in every photo. I assume a photo was taken of the meter at each location as the image does show the reading on the display and then overlayed on the scene. Also the angle of the hand would be reading more of what is behind the camera than the scene itself.

Thumbnail me

Campbell Chang

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/12/16 01:11am

Cannot tell if serious...

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Campbell Chang | 08/12/16 01:25am

Ok, so it is Photoshopped as I assumed. They went to a lot of effort when an overlayed text of the measurements would have been fine.

Thumbnail scanlanprofile

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/12/16 02:06pm

The photos were taken a moment after the lux reading was documented. I have a very talented coworker who handles our video production and some of our image work.

Undisclosed #2

08/12/16 05:06pm

What are the cons of standing where the camera is to be and pointing the lux meter towards where the subject will be?

Naively perhaps, one might think that would correlate more to "lux level at sensor".

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 08/12/16 05:21pm

Because in that case you are reading the light level at the camera, which has nothing to do with the light level where the subject/target is.

A camera reacts to light reflected off an abject, and different objects have different reflectivity (clothing is around 15-20% typically). You need to know how much light is available where your subject will be so you can attempt to determine how much of that light will actually make it back to the camera's sensor.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Brian Karas | 08/13/16 03:43am

You need to know how much light is available where your subject will be so you can attempt to determine how much of that light will actually make it back to the camera's sensor.

That's what I'm saying, why not measure the light that will actually make it back to the camera?

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Brian Karas | 08/13/16 04:49am

I forgot we did this already. Never mind :)

Michael Miller

08/12/16 05:13pm

Hunan Springs made the list! Nice

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