'Special lens'

[Rover 9]

http://www.kaya-optics.com/

Found this website that claims that this lens can see through fabric. Does the science stack up?

2 wrongs don't make a right - but 3 lefts do.

[mccordia 73]

Most camera's with nighshot CCD have this 'limited' option picking up the infrared..if any lens can really enhance this..dont know..but it sounds sketchy.

I think there was a lot of media hoopla on this subject a few years back.
But even with high priced infrared camera's the effect is supposedly very limited. Seeing slight hints of nipples/pubes through filmsy/thin silk fabric etc.

Just doing a simple google search on this lens mostly comes back with forum posts of people who say its not/hardly working.
But I guess they like clinging onto the old X-Ray goggles legend, and probably make a nice buck in the process..

And it may just be me, but I cant really see any practical application for this IFR 'clothless' filming.
If the person is ok with you checking them out underneath their clothing, they'll probably show you the rest as well.

I mostly seems to be aimed at perverts who want to enjoy a day near the swimmingpool (as ladies pubes/niplles, and kids near a swimming pool are their website examples?? wtf?)

If its nipples you want, just go to the european beaches or Mardi Grass festival

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[brettski74 0]

Quote

http://www.kaya-optics.com/

Found this website that claims that this lens can see through fabric. Does the science stack up?

It's not a lens. It's a filter. Yes, the science is sound. Think of infra-red light as just another colour, albeit one that the human eye cannot see. Some fabrics while effective at blocking visible light may transmit some infra-red light. The filter just helps your camera in night-shot mode to pick this stuff up by filtering out all the "noise" from the visible light so you can concentrate on just the infra-red image that you want to see. Generally speaking, natural fibres are just as impervious to infra-red light as they are to visible light, so things like cotton, wool, etc won't help. Some synthetic fibres will transmit some infra-red light, but the dyes in the fabric may not. I suspect that you'll find it works best with thin, light-coloured synthetic materials, in which case, you'll probably see almost as much through the fabric with the naked eye - the intra-red filter will just allow your camera to produce a clearer b+w image of what you already see through the fabric.

There are several manufacturers and/or dealers out there that make these, but I mostly agree with mccordia. The number of people walking around with appropriate clothes to take advantage of this is going to be small, except in summer, and the ones that are dressed "appropriately"... well, you may not need a video camera and fancy filter, anyway. Aside from a few minutes of party trick fun, I don't see the point. If you really want to see what's under someone's clothes, you'd probably do better by just asking them. [Wink]