Security monitoring is at the forefront of most homeowners’ minds, especially when it comes to keeping your home safe at night. Rightfully so, many individuals feel the ability to monitor their property at night is an essential feature for any security system. With this in mind, I wanted to research whether Blink cameras have night vision.

All current models of Blink security cameras (outdoor, indoor, and mini) have infrared night vision. Depending on the model you’re using, the configuration and customization may vary, however.

If you’re interested in Blink security cameras and are looking for a solution for nighttime monitoring, they are a solid choice. All three of their current products, Blink outdoor, indoor, and mini, offer night vision to keep your property secure 24/7. In the remainder of this article, we will take an in-depth look at how Blink cameras use night vision, as well as some tips on configuring your system.

Blink security cameras all provide high-quality HD monitoring, designed to keep you safe and informed. They’re affordable and don’t require a monthly subscription to operate (although there is an optional $3/month subscription service), making them an excellent option for budget-friendly security systems.

Before examining the night vision feature on Blink security cameras, let’s look at the current models to better understand which device will best suit your needs:

You can purchase any of the mentioned Blink devices here:

  • Blink MiniBlink IndoorBlink Outdoor

Depending on your security system, Blink offers a variety of competitive features. I was especially curious about how Blink cameras implement night vision for accurate security monitoring.

Infrared technology is becoming common in security monitoring devices, as it can more accurately detect movement, reducing the number of false alarms. Blink cameras use night vision with infrared LEDs, so your camera can still see even in low light situations.

Let’s take a closer look at how the devices use night vision to monitor your house in the dark, securely, and accurately.

Infrared Night Vision

Before Infrared night vision, many security cameras used (and still use) white light illumination allowing the cameras to detect movement in a lit area. This method lacks the subtly of infrared and can be set off by any activity, making it hard to determine if it’s a legitimate alert.

However, Blink security cameras use LED lights that emit infrared light (invisible to human eyes). They use an image sensor in conjunction with the infrared to detect objects in the surrounding area. Basically, the Blink cameras’ LED lights discreetly illuminate the image sensor’s surrounding area, creating black and white nighttime images.

Adjustable Infrared Intensity Settings

In addition to monitoring with infrared technology, Blink cameras also offer a unique, customizable feature to adjust your cameras’ infrared intensity. This effectively allows the user to customize their cameras infrared, depending on the environment it is being used in.

For example, if you’re using a Blink camera outdoors, you may want to turn the intensity to its highest setting, allowing for more accurate monitoring in the dark. However, if you’re using it strictly indoors, you would want to decrease the intensity to reduce glare and obstruction from objects in your house.

To adjust the infrared intensity on your Blink camera, make sure you have the Blink Home Monitor app installed.

Tips for Enabling IR Night Vision

Since all current models of Blink Cameras (including the XT and XT2 models) have infrared night vision, the process of enabling and customizing the settings is relatively the same across the board. If you are looking for a guide on how and where to place your security camera, Blink Support offers a helpful guide here as well.

Here are some quick steps to help get you started configuring your device’s infrared settings:

  • Download and install the Blink Home Monitor App (iOS and Google Play).Open the Blink Home Monitor app and navigate to the home screen, where you will see a slider icon to access your camera’s settings.Once you have navigated to your camera’s settings, find the section marked “Night Vision” near the screen’s bottom.From here, you can adjust the IR Intensity (Low, Med, or High) as well as the Night Vision control.Off: IR Illuminator will not operate.On: IR Illuminator remains on, regardless of environmental lighting.Auto: IR Illuminator will automatically activate when operating in low lights.

You may need to adjust your IR intensity based on your camera’s placement. However, regardless of where you decide to install your device, Blink cameras can be used in various scenarios.

  • Off: IR Illuminator will not operate.On: IR Illuminator remains on, regardless of environmental lighting.Auto: IR Illuminator will automatically activate when operating in low lights.

In Summary

Night vision is an essential feature when it comes to home security monitoring. The ability to monitor your property, regardless of the time of day or environmental conditions, adds security to any system. With any of the current models of Blink security cameras, you can not only benefit from accurate infrared night vision, but you can customize your system’s settings to best suit your needs.

Curious about other devices like the Ring doorbell and whether it also has night vision? Check out this article!