LUX
Key Security Camera Specification
Used more often than lumens when discussing security cameras, a lux is a unit of illumination. It measures the amount of uniform light that falls on one square meter (expressed in one lumen per square meter). Security camera specs use the lux to indicate how much light they require to operate, with lower lux levels indicating a camera as more effective in lower ambient light. Look for 0.2 lux or less when choosing a low-light camera, and 2 lux or higher for daylight cameras.
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An infrared camera can actually be used in 0.0 lux levels. For more details on types of CCTV Security Cameras click here.
The charts below show examples of how much light is generated for the given source and how it compares between foot candles and lux.
| Type of Light | Foot Candle | LUX |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Sunlight | 10000 | 100000 |
| Full Daylight | 1000 | 10000 |
| Overcast Day | 100 | 1000 |
| Dusk | 10 | 100 |
| Twilight | 1 | 10 |
| Deep Twilight | -1 | 1 |
| Full Moon | -0.01 | 0.1 |
| Quarter Moon | -0.001 | 0.01 |
| Moonless Night | -0.0001 | 0.001 |
| Overcast Night | -0.00001 | 0.0001 |
| Type of Light | Foot Candle | LUX |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing-Rough | 20 | 200 |
| Manufacturing-Fine | 100 | 1000 |
| Retail | 50 | 500 |
| Banks Lobby | 20 | 200 |
| Bank Tellers | 50 | 500 |
| Hospital - Operating Room | 1800 | 18000 |
| Offices - General | 30 | 300 |
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