January4, 2007:
A Japanese manufacturer (Toshiba) has developed a much better low
light color video camera. The IK-1000 is small (2.3 x 2.3 x 5.2 inches), weighs
one pound and is 30 times more sensitive than current low-light cameras. The
camera can capture low-res color images (at 30 frames per second) in starlight
conditions. Power consumption varies between 6-12 watts. Toshiba is selling the
camera for military and security applications. Used in UAVs and ground based
surveillance systems, cameras like this become a powerful weapon. As these
night vision cameras have gotten more sensitive, smaller and lighter over the
last decade, they have made it more difficult to operate at night, if the
opposition has such devices. More sensitive cameras, like the IK-1000, enable
the user to identify enemy activities at longer ranges, and in more detail.