Key Facts: Security Camera Night Vision
This page is our maintained fact reference — the standards and specification facts our guides are built on, restated in plain prose. We report disclosed specs and published standards, never our own lab test claims.
The DORI standard
DORI stands for Detect, Observe, Recognise, Identify — four escalating surveillance tasks defined by the international standard IEC/EN 62676-4, each requiring a specific minimum pixel density on the subject (measured in pixels per meter, px/m): Detection needs roughly 25 px/m, Observation roughly 62.5 px/m, Recognition roughly 125 px/m, and Identification roughly 250 px/m. Full breakdown in What Is the DORI Standard? and the DORI Pixel-Density Decoder dataset.
What advertised IR range actually measures
An advertised "night vision range" (e.g. "100 ft") is almost always measured to the Detect criterion — something is visibly present — not Identify, where you can make out a face. Manufacturers rarely state which DORI criterion they used, so two cameras claiming the same range can have very different real-world usefulness for actually recognizing who is in frame. See What Does IR Range Actually Mean? and Can My Camera Identify a Face at Night?
The specs that go undisclosed
Sensor size, aperture (f-stop), and minimum illumination in lux are the three specs that actually predict low-light performance — and on most consumer security cameras, at least one of the three is not published on the retail spec sheet at all. Megapixel count and "IR range in feet" get marketed instead, because they sound impressive and cost nothing to state favorably. See the Night Vision Reality Index for the model-by-model disclosure record.
Color night vision needs added light
"Color night vision" does not mean the sensor sees color in total darkness — it means the camera adds enough visible light (a built-in spotlight, floodlight, or ambient porch light) for its sensor to render color. Turn the light source off, or point the camera beyond its throw, and it falls back to monochrome infrared like any standard IR camera.
Glass and scene reflectivity defeat IR
Infrared illuminators reflect off glass back into the camera's own lens, typically washing the image out with glare rather than illuminating what's beyond the window. IR performance is also scene-dependent: a dark, non-reflective yard absorbs far more IR than a light-colored wall or driveway, so the same camera's real-world range varies by scene, not just distance. See Do Security Cameras Work Through Glass?
Subscriptions and local storage
Most wireless battery cameras give free live view and push notifications, but gate recorded clip history and AI alerts behind a monthly subscription (Ring Protect, Arlo Secure, Nest Aware). A shrinking set of brands (eufy, some Reolink and Wyze models) offer genuine local storage with no subscription required, at the cost of losing off-site backup if the camera or hub is stolen or destroyed. See Do I Need a Subscription?
Recording laws vary by jurisdiction
This is not legal advice, but the factual landscape is worth knowing: video-only recording of your own property is broadly permitted in the US, audio recording is a separate legal question with two-party consent rules in a number of states, and cameras pointed at a neighbor's yard or windows raise separate privacy-law concerns that vary by state and country. Check local law before installing an audio-capable camera or one that could capture a neighbor's private space. More in Is Recording My Neighbor's Yard Legal?
How these facts are maintained
These facts are drawn from the published IEC/EN 62676-4 standard, manufacturer spec sheets, and general optics/imaging principles, reviewed against our guides and updated on the date shown above when standards or disclosed specs change. We do not test cameras ourselves, we do not publish prices or star ratings, and every pick names an honest drawback. Our full methodology is at How We Evaluate Security Cameras.