Our experiments with creating ghost hunting cameras - did they work?
Ghost Hunting Cameras: Learn Before You Buy a Ghost Hunting Camera
If you are looking for ghost hunting cameras, then let's first examine what often happens during ghost investigations. Many use digital cameras in the dark, snapping photographs using the camera's flash and night time setting to “brighten” the photo. Unfortunately, this set-up for photographing ghosts is ripe for errors, producing false orbs, light bars and orange haze. Ghost hunting cameras should not be using the flash unit or night time settings if you want to virtually eliminate false anomalies in your ghost pictures. (Photo: A 12.1 megapixel digital ghost hunting camera converted to see in the dark.)
IR-Converted Ghost Hunting Cameras: A Better Option to Purchase
The flash unit and night mode digital camera settings can be eliminated by using ghost hunting cameras that are capable of seeing in the dark when Infrared (IR) lighting is present. Most ghost hunting cameras that offer this capability are expensive because they are converted using more pricey cameras. They are a good option, but not everyone can afford $500 or more to purchase an Infrared-converted camera. These cameras are also known as an IR-Vis-UV or Full Spectrum Cameras. (Note: Cameras that have only night vision are not the same and are not the best option.)
The IR digital ghost hunting cameras we converted were from either new or used compact models and were much more affordable. Not only can they see in the dark with an Infrared light source, but the eye of the camera is not filtered. This means the range of visibility is expanded to see more than a normal digital camera. (To understand this better, please read our article about Full Spectrum Cameras. Also see, Full Spectrum Lighting.) Cameras with just Infrared night vision do not have this expanded visibility.
(Photo: How darkness looks with Infrared lighting to the ghost hunting cameras we converted.)
More Benefits of Ghost Hunting Cameras Converted to See in the Dark
As we mentioned, false anomalies are a problem for ghost investigators using compact digital cameras with flash. With our ghost hunting cameras, the amount of false anomalies captured will drastically be reduced when using the correct flash settings in conjunction with IR illumination. Additionally, the environment will not be interrupted (nor will your eyes) by the sudden burst of a camera flash. This allows the ghost hunter to investigate more discreetly. Most of our ghost hunting cameras also record full spectrum AVI video. After the ghost investigation, simply take out the SD memory card and place it in your computer's card reader. Open the folder to easily review the images or videos. Ghost hunting video cameras are also available. They shoot video and take photographs, too. (Photo: An IR light, such as this, makes nighttime look like daylight to the full spectrum camera.)
Ghost Hunting Cameras: Lighting Up the Darkness
Obviously, Infrared flashlights and IR illuminators made for camcorders work well to light up the dark for these cameras to see. However, mounting incandescent black light bulbs in clamp lights works great, too. We clamp them onto tripods, making a dark room look like daylight to the IR ghost hunting cameras. It's also important to note that lower level lighting that may be around during an investigation (such as the moon, street lights, exit sign lights and other ambient lighting) is also seen by the unfiltered eye of the full spectrum camera. You have to try it to believe it!
(Photo: Full spectrum video cameras (camcorders) are also available for ghost investigation.)