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Night Vision

Thermal imaging cameras, such as LWIR uncooled microbolometers, have excellent detection abilities at night. However SWIR InGaAs cameras are a good compliment to thermal imaging cameras. While thermal imaging can detect the presence of a warm object against a cool background, a SWIR camera can actually identify what that object is. SWIR nightvision is based on reflection of infrared rays from atmospheric glow rather than on thermal

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radiation; moreover SWIR InGaAs cameras have a much better dynamic range than thermal imagers. Obviously, a VISNIR InGaAs camera benefits from its ability to see more wavelengths when there is some visible light present.
Additionally, by using SWIR illumination for example 1550nm LEDs or lasers, a scene can be covertly illuminated, i.e., viewing is only possible with a SWIR camera.