It’s a given: Taking photos or videos at night is a challenge for all cameras. Some handle it well, but most just fall to pieces after the sun goes down. But even cameras that are adept at capturing low light still suffer from issues like noise and coloring. It’s the same for video, and who really wants to watch green-tinted night vision footage, unless you work in security or solve crimes for a living. Enter the Komamura Falcon Eye KC-2000, a new 720p camcorder from Japan that promises to deliver nighttime and low-light video in full color.
Compared to a regular camera or a night vision cam, the KC-2000 records “color night vision” video that looks as if it was shot in daylight. Unlike night vision, the KC-2000’s image quality keeps a lot of the details and coloring information, allowing users to accurately identify things in the image. The camcorder uses a 2/3-inch CMOS sensor that, with a minimum of an f/1.4 lens and 1/30 shutter, can capture full-color, low-light scenes down to 0.005 lux at 720/30p. The camera can be fitted with any CS-mount lens and standard camcorder accessories, and is made out of a weatherproof aluminum housing. The KC-2000 can also shoot still photos, and because it records on to SD cards, the information can be easily transferred.
The company lists military, surveillance, rescue, environment research, law enforcement, nature, news, and night photography as some of the areas that could benefit from the camcorder. The camcorder will start shipping this month, but the company warns that quantities will be limited and in short supply for 2014. Komamura Falcon Eye isn’t listing pricing (expect it to be pricey); instead, it’s deferring people to dealers, and is only exporting the camcorder to certain countries.
The KC-2000 is a handheld, interchangeable lens model that you can use anywhere, but the company also offers the KC-1000, a compact camera with a breakout control unit, and the KC-1100, a CCTV-style (closed-circuit) camera within an enclosed unit. The latter two requires installation. Check out the company’s website for more details and video of recorded footage.
(Via The Phoblographer)
