IR lights and what they do

A good place to start the conversation about IR lights is discussing the difference between infrared and visible lights. The simplest way to explain the difference is to say that visible light is what our eyes can pick up naturally. Infrared light on the other hand is not visible to the human eye without special equipment. IR light is not on the visible spectrum for humans, but we can tell an IR light is working by a dim glow of the bulb itself when powered on.
There are different brands and types of IR lights, but we mostly only care about two different ones: 850nm and 940nm. These are the two most common types on the market currently. The main difference between these two types of IR lights is throw distance and visibility. Now early we said that IR was considered invisible to the human eye, and while this is true in the sense that we cannot see the light thrown like a flashlight, we can still pick up the glow of the bulb. in an 850nm IR there is a distinguishing glow that we can see, whereas on a 940nm IR, the glow is much dimmer. Hunters make the designation to choose one of these lights based on what type of hunting they do. For hunters who like to get up and personal with their game, a 940 may be a better option as the glow from an 850n, IR could spook the game. For hunters who are less worried about being busted, and like to watch the game come into call, or have longer range shots, an 850nm IR is the standard.
At the end of the day both an 850nm and 940nm IR can get the job done in the field, it is up to you to decide which setup is best for you.

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