How We Evaluate Security Cameras
Night Vision Decoded is a research-based reference, not a camera-testing lab. We do not claim to have physically tested any camera's night vision in a controlled environment. Here is exactly what we do and don't do.
What we do
- Read manufacturer spec sheets, retailer listings, and published third-party standards (like IEC/EN 62676-4, the source of the DORI framework) for each product we cover.
- Report exactly what is disclosed versus undisclosed for sensor size, aperture (f-stop), and minimum illumination in lux — treating "not disclosed" as a real, citable finding rather than filling the gap with a guess.
- Distinguish manufacturer marketing claims (e.g. "100 ft night vision") from standards-based facts (e.g. DORI pixel-density thresholds), and label our own calculations as derived estimates, never as measurements we performed.
- Name an honest drawback for every product we mention.
- Use tagged Amazon search links, not direct product links, and never invent or reference specific ASINs.
What we don't do
- We never publish exact prices — only general price bands, since prices change constantly and we are not a live pricing engine.
- We never publish star ratings or review counts.
- We never claim to have tested a camera's night vision, low-light performance, or durability ourselves.
- We never give legal advice about recording laws, audio consent requirements, or neighbor-facing camera placement — we point to the fact that laws vary by jurisdiction and recommend checking local law or an attorney.
Corrections and versioning
Our datasets (the Night Vision Reality Index and the DORI Pixel-Density Decoder) are versioned. If we find an error or a manufacturer discloses a spec that was previously undisclosed, we update the page and CSV in place and bump the version and date. See each dataset page's "Methodology & Versioning" section for its specific correction history.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This does not influence which specs we report as disclosed or undisclosed.