Build Your Own IR Illuminator

Building your own IR Illuminator

This article was first written as a series of posts in a thread on various forums. I've decided to combine them here for the sake of clarity.

Since I first wrote this article, several people have built their own versions. If you don't fancy building your own one, you could always buy a ready made version at the following link...

For quite some time now, I've been wanting to build my own IR Illuminator because the Sony HVL-IRM just didn't have enough "oomph" for the job it was intended for.

Don't get me wrong, the Sony illuminator is good up to about 30-35 feet and is good in the locked off camcorder role in a small room, but it does have some annoying downfalls - just ask any paranormal investigator who's also the group's videographer.

Firstly, it doesn't cover the whole screen but only a small central portion (a rectangular "hotspot"). In other words too narrow an angle of coverage.

Secondly, it just doesn't have enough "throw" to cover larger area, such as a large indoor area, etc.

With this is mind, I did some searching on the net and discovered that there's a woefully inadequate supply of kits available in the U.K. to build you own. :( The ready-to-role ones on eBay were either just too expensive or the shipping costs were horrendous.

With this in mind and also being in the position of visiting the U.S. for 3 months, I set about acquiring a small self-assemble kit from an electronics mail order firm over in Texas.

The kit consists of a small circular circuit board about 2 inches in diameter and 36 IR LEDS (20 degree spread), plus 4 resistors. From what I learned over the internet, I had to choose ones that were compatible with the Sony camcorder Nightshot setting and that some of the IR LEDS weren't of the right wavelength.

With this is mind I got the 850nm version of the kit. This put the price up somewhat, but it works very well.

Here's a photograph of the completed kit. It took me less than an hour to solder the LEDS and resistors into place...

The only problem with this kit is that it requires 15V DC to run it and most power supplies are 12V. You can get one that is 15V if you look around. That is one of the reasons I would like to get the larger 72 LED version as it runs of 12V and can be powered more easily and can be portable.

Here's a photo of the assembled kit in a rough and ready project box, if you like a working prototype...

Here's a couple of screen captures of comparison shots using the built in light, Sony Extender and DIY illuminator.

As you can see, the DIY one is far brighter. The door in the centre of the shot is a cupboard at a distance of 40 feet from the camera.

I'm trying to get a 72 LED version which comes in 2 versions, a 20 degree spread and a 50 degree spread. The 50 degree spread is the one that I'm after.

As promised, here's the 72 LED kit version.

As some of you have known, I've been wanting to build my own IR illuminator kit for sometime as the Sony one is deficient in it's range and angle of coverage.

After a week of waiting, my package from the States finally arrived.

Here's a shot of the contents of the kit...

I laid the kit out and checked all the contents were there. Thankfully, BG Micro included a few extra LEDs for the kit - 74 to be exact, but I'll be only using 72.

Time to get the tools ready and wait for the soldering iron to heat up fully...

First job is to solder in the resistors. Here's the first one done - just another 11 to go.

My soldering isn't the neatest, but at least it works first time.

That's the 12 resistors in place now, thank goodness.

Now on to fitting the first row of IR LEDs, just another 11 row to do (6 LEDs in each).

Well, that's all the LEDs in place now.

The reverse side with all the solder connections.

Lastly, just to wire up the power cables and test it.

Job done and it works, can't wait till night time so that I can test it properly and get some comparison shots of it next to the Sony one!

Now I just need to find a project box to fit it into.

As promised earlier, here's the comparison shots...

Bare in mind that the door that's been highlighted with a red square is 27 feet away from the camcorder... It was filmed on a Digital 8 Sony camcorder in 16:9 widescreen mode.

With built-in NightShot Plus light only (no extender).

With Sony IR extender (HVL-IRM).

With IR Illuminator kit (72 IR LEDs 50 degree spread).

This is the wide angle version of the 72 IR LED illuminator, if I'd used the 20 degree one, I would have had a brighter area - but the coverage wouldn't have been as great.

Forgive this crude example, but it shows more clearer the differences between the 20 degree and 50 degree kits... The yellow area is covered by the 50 degree model, covering more widely the surrounding area but not reaching that far into the distance. The red area is the 20 degree kit covering a narrower area, but reaching further into the distance than the 50 degree one can. I hope this helps...

Finally got a box that the kit can fit into.

Power connector on back for a 2.1mm barrel jack.

Ventilation holes top and bottom - resistors and LEDs get hot!

I bought another kit the other day and after assembling it here's the screen shots. It's another 72 LED version, but with a narrow field of view giving a longer "reach" for distant areas.

Here's the 20° version on it's own.

Here's a combined view of both the 20° and 50° versions used together for both distance and fill-in use to illuminate the whole area.

Again the distance to the door down the hall from the camcorder is 27 feet.

I believe the two of these use in combination would be very useful for the likes any large halls, etc.

Up till now, the IR illuminators that I've built have been for static use with a stationary camcorder (lock-off). For sometime, I've been wanting to build one that would affix to the existing "flash" bracket that comes with the Sony illuminator.

This would overcome the "hotspot" effect that the Sony ones suffer from and provide a greater amount of light, plus a wider angle of coverage. The only problem was trying to get a small enough project box to fit it into and also finding a "coldshoe" that I could use with the project box...

Here's what I came up with...

36 IR LED Kit (50 degrees) fitted into project box (minus cover).

With cover.

The hole in the cover was cut using a hole cutter attachment fitted to my power drill. The diameter of the hole is about 2 1/4 inches given that the board that the LEDs sit on it about 2 inches. The inside of the cover is fitted with a piece of clear polycarbonate to give some protection from the elements and to allow the light to pass through.

Attached to the Sony "flash" bracket.

Close up.

Mounted ready for use on the camcorder (still needs external power to run it).

Here's the resulting screen shot of the IR illuminator in action (door in the distance is 27 feet away).

Hope you like the results as much as I do.

Here's the difference between the Sony extender and the 36 IR LED wide angle version that I use whilst filming attached to the camcorder. It's just a short video clip taken at an investigation back in June 2007. Firstly, I used the Sony one, after that I switched to my own one.

Investigation footage...

As you can see, the coverage is far more even that the Sony one and doesn't have the sharp "fall off" of illumination either.

Here's a photo of me using it to film a recent investigation

And finally, here's a screenshot from a recent investigation recorded with a Sony Digital 8 camcorder filmed in 16:9 (widescreen)