Backup Camera in Cab

[rd_macgregor]

I am going to install front and rear cameras on my tractor and wondered if the rear camera would work properly if I mounted it inside the cab, looking back through the glass. I realize I'd need to keep the glass clean, but wondered if the IR would still work through glass.
Anybody know from experience?
Thanks.

 

[joefromga]

The ir's work as well as you shining a flashlight from inside the cab to see outside at night. No good.

If you can turn them off the backup lights should provide plenty of light to see. A black and white camera will generally see better in the dark.

 

[dickfoster]

The ir's work as well as you shining a flashlight from inside the cab to see outside at night. No good.

If you can turn them off the backup lights should provide plenty of light to see. A black and white camera will generally see better in the dark.

Black and white cameras see better in the dark because they have no IR filter and no color filters both of which eliminate a lot of light and so reduce imager sensitivity a lot. IR filters are usually applied to color imagers in order to exclude infrared light which is a cause of color crosstalk considered to be a form of noise.

When considering light sources for use with cameras, if you're using B&W to gain IR or night sensitivity, then you might what to choose lights sources that are rich in near IR output like standard filament lights or halogen filled lamps. Anything that gets hot is likely to put out a lot of near IR as well. LEDS are poor sources of near IR and output light in visible wavelengths only which is one of the reasons they so much more efficient. Silicon is naturally sensitive down to near IR which human eyes aren't sensitive to.

 

[LittleBill21]

ir does not work through glass period. it will reflect directly back into the lens rendering it useless

 

[dickfoster]

ir does not work through glass period. it will reflect directly back into the lens rendering it useless

That's not exactly true but he would have better all around results with the camera mounted outside the cab. The less stuff it has to look through the better. Even some visible light will be reflected and scattered by the cab window, the amount depends on what the window is made of and how clean it is. Remember with a typical B&W silicon based camera sensor, either CCD or CMOS, you're talking about near IR, call it 700-800 nM, not true IR which is close to and includes heat which requires completely different sensor physics to detect.

 

[PILOON]

Most of those cameras are designed for external usage.
I mounted mine (with double back tape) on the outside of my rear window and it works just fine, even at -30 deg.
It has sat out there for 2 years now and still just fine.
The only drawback is my strobe lights falling snow and I get flashes of yellow snow LOL.

 

[TractorGuy]

Most of those cameras are designed for external usage.
I mounted mine (with double back tape) on the outside of my rear window and it works just fine, even at -30 deg.
It has sat out there for 2 years now and still just fine.
The only drawback is my strobe lights falling snow and I get flashes of yellow snow LOL.

Don't eat the yellow snow. :licking:

 

[rd_macgregor]

It wouldn't have occured to me to use double-sided tape to secure a camera to the rear window. I'll keep this option in mind.
Thanks for all the responses; I guess inside mounting isn't a good idea, so I'll go to Plan B.

 

[PILOON]

It wouldn't have occured to me to use double-sided tape to secure a camera to the rear window. I'll keep this option in mind.
Thanks for all the responses; I guess inside mounting isn't a good idea, so I'll go to Plan B.

Just make sure it is 3M tape, LOL.

 

[joefromga]

You can use neo magnets through the glass as well. Use felt to limit scratch.