SCENE 01 / NIGHT VISION FILMING
Night Vision Filming
Low-light and infrared cinematography for your Irish production.
Here is how this works in practice. Night vision filming uses specialized infrared and low-light camera systems to capture footage where conventional cameras fail. In Ireland, this technique is key for logging nocturnal wildlife—red deer in Killarney National Park, puffins on the Skellig Islands, grey seals along the Atlantic coast, and basking sharks off the western shores—as well as for capturing night landscapes along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Here is the short of it. We source night vision and infrared camera packages through rental houses in Dublin and Wicklow, including Ardmore and Ashford Studios. We set up skilled crews familiar with the Wicklow Mountains, Connemara, and the Ring of Kerry. Our team works alongside Screen Ireland. The Office of Public Works to secure permits for filming in national parks and covered heritage sites.
Capabilities
Night Vision Services
Specialized equipment and expertise for filming in darkness.
01
Night Vision
- Gen 3 intensifiers
- Digital night vision
- IR illumination
- Starlight sensors
- Low-lux cameras
See in Darkness
02
Camera Systems
- Sony a7S series
- RED Komodo
- Canon ME series
- Specialized sensors
- High ISO capability
Ultra Sensitive
03
IR Lighting
- Covert IR floods
- Near-infrared LEDs
- IR laser illuminators
- Invisible to eye
- Long-range units
Invisible Light
04
Applications
- Wildlife documentary
- Security content
- Paranormal filming
- Night landscapes
- Surveillance scenes
Diverse Uses
See the Invisible
Capabilities
Our Process
Requirements Review
Knowing your night filming needs, look needs, and tech way.
Equipment Selection
Choosing the right night vision technology based on your creative and practical needs.
Production
Pro night filming with proper IR lighting and camera setup for best results.
Post-Production
Processing night footage with appropriate grading and noise reduction.
On Location
Pulsar Digisight + Sony A7S III low-light + Canon ME20F-SH ultra-low-light cinema for Killarney red deer, Antrim grey seals and Burren karst flora
Here is how this works in practice. Ireland's night-vision filming bench is tightly oriented around the unique low-light wildlife and cultural-heritage briefs that define the local market. Killarney National Park red deer rutting (the only native Irish red deer herd. With peak activity at dusk and dawn), Connemara mountain hare nocturnal behaviour, Burren limestone karst flora night-blooming sequences, Atlantic puffin nesting on Skellig Michael UNESCO (peak feeding flights at dusk and dawn), grey seal pup-rearing on the Antrim Coast (autumn night feedings), badger setts in Wicklow Mountains National Park, otter activity along the Shannon and Lee rivers.
Here is the short of it. Plus the wider BBC NI Earth + RTÉ Wild Ireland + TG4 Gaeltacht night-wildlife brief. Senior credits also cover heritage night-shoots at Newgrange Brú na Bóinne UNESCO (Winter Solstice lighting event filmed under strict OPW heritage protocol), Skellig Michael UNESCO off-limits-zone night work. Dublin Castle lit heritage walks. Belfast Cathedral Quarter night-streetscape work. Plus the wider tourism-board Wild Atlantic Way + Causeway Coastal Route astrophotography campaign work (Donegal Dark Sky Reserve and Kerry Dark Sky Reserve carry the darkest skies in Western Europe).
Here is the breakdown. Gear flow runs Pulsar Digisight Ultra N455 LRF + Helion XQ50F + Krypton FXG50 night-vision and thermal scopes for wildlife observation, Sony A7S III + FX3 + FX6 + Canon EOS R5 C extreme-ISO low-light bodies (ISO 409,600 native + dual-base ISO build style for clean low-light footage). Canon ME20F-SH ultra-low-light cinema camera (ISO 4,000,000 maximum. This has the gold standard for moonless-night cinema), ARRI Alexa 35 dual-base-ISO Reveal Color Science. Plus Astera Helios pixel-mapped low-power IR augmentation for controlled fill. Pulsar Trail 2 LRF XP50 + ATN ThOR LT 320 5-15x thermal options for thermal-night hybrid work.
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Heritage UNESCO night-protocols (Skellig Michael + Giant's Causeway + Newgrange Brú na Bóinne) need OPW Ireland + National Trust Northern Ireland sign-off plus silent-zone protocols. Section 481 32% relief plus 40% regional uplift covers night-shoot day rates and bilingual EN/Irish (Gaeilge) wildlife-guide planning is standard.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What night vision technologies do you use?
Here is the breakdown. We source Gen 3 image intensifiers, digital night vision, Sony a7S high-ISO cameras, and infrared-sensitive sensors through rental houses in Dublin and Wicklow. Gear selection depends on whether you're filming red deer in Killarney or aurora chasing on the Inishowen Peninsula.
Can you film Irish wildlife in complete darkness?
Yes. With IR lighting we can film in zero-lux conditions without disturbing nocturnal species. This is key for capturing red deer, Irish hares, pine martens, and nesting seabirds across Killarney National Park, the Burren, and the Skellig Islands.
What's the difference between night vision looks?
Image intensifiers deliver the classic green-tint look, IR cameras produce monochrome visuals, and high-ISO cameras can capture natural color in very low light. We match the technology to your creative brief.
Is IR illumination invisible to animals?
Near-infrared (850nm) is invisible to humans and most Irish wildlife, while 940nm far-infrared is completely undetectable. Both are ideal for filming deer, pine martens, and seabirds without disturbing them.
What resolution is possible at night?
Modern systems capture 4K and beyond in very low light. Actual resolution depends on ambient conditions and chosen technology—we advise on the best fit for your shoot.
Can you film night landscapes in Ireland?
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Yes. Using high-ISO cameras we capture moonlit Cliffs of Moher, Milky Way astrophotography in the Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve (one of only three gold-tier reserves worldwide), and aurora borealis over Donegal. Kerry gives top-tier dark-sky conditions.
Related Services
Productions in Ireland that need this often pair it with Thermal Imaging, Wire Cam Systems, and Gimbal Filming for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Director of Photography Services and Time-lapse & Hyperlapse.
On Set
Need Night Vision Filming?
Tell us about your low-light filming requirements and we'll light the darkness.