Since ghosts/spirits/entities are not visible to the normal eyes, unless they want you to see them, you need specific equipment. We have already discussed in brief the major types of equipment you might require while hunting ghosts. In this blog, we will look at the first piece of equipment – cameras for ghost hunting. We will also discuss the significance and importance of the camera for ghost hunting in the paranormal investigation.
Cameras for Ghost Hunting
When it comes to the camera for hunting ghosts, we will look at three types – the digital camera, the full-spectrum camera, and the regular traditional cameras. With the boom of technology, many investigators are leaning towards digital cameras more. So let’s first discuss the aspects of a digital camera. In addition, we will look at the pros and cons and if you should choose it or not!
Digital Cameras for Ghost Hunting
In this day and age, Digital cameras are the biggest gift to ghost hunters. There are many advantages of digital cameras. Here, we have listed the advantages of a digital camera in ghost hunting as well as a few disadvantages.
Advantages of Digital Cameras
Digital cameras for ghost hunting are cheap. In comparison to standard film cameras, digital cameras are less expensive and durable. Since you don’t need to buy any film, they have a lesser price tag. Your pictures are ready right away—no film to develop. Today, most digital cameras come with A/V cables. It is very handy since you have the ease to connect it with a laptop or your desktop to view the footage instantly.
Another advantage of a digital camera for ghost hunting is that it is comparatively easy and quick in transferring pictures. Whether it’s your PC or laptop, you can transfer the pictures and edit them on the go. You can also easily add any enhancements, or edit and analyse the pictures. The memory card helps in providing much-needed storage. Also, since you can transfer the pictures from the card to the desktop, the memory card is ready to use again. Therefore, you can take as many or as less, pictures as you want while conducting an investigation.
Ghosts Are Visible in IR or UV Spectrum
The latest digital cameras for ghost hunting come with a sensitivity feature for infrared or IR photography. It’s common knowledge among paranormal investigators that ghosts or spirits are captured better in IR light. The reason being – they believe that the paranormal beings reside in that spectrum of light.
Another advantage of a digital camera for ghost hunting is the improved quality and fantastic features. Since they are slim and compact, you can carry them around in your pockets. Digital cameras are also water and weather-proof, therefore, no added hassle in outdoor investigations. The special features allow photography under any condition or circumstance.
The biggest advantage of a digital camera is the technology itself. That is the sole reason behind digital cameras being marvels of software and technology. When you press the button, a complex optical enhancement of the image of the object you’re pointing at is made. The optical enhancement algorithms scrub the image to enhance clarity. Thus, any undue movement or shaking of the digital camera for ghost hunting is negated. This is how the shot you capture is made the best it can be.
The disadvantage of Digital Camera
Although digital cameras have numerous plus points, they come with their fair share of disadvantages. The images produced by a digital camera aren’t the real image. But it is the camera’s interpretation of what it sees. That’s great for regular photography; however, it can be a hindrance for the paranormal investigator.
The next disadvantage comes with the software. The very software designed to improve and enhance picture quality becomes a hindrance. At times, digital cameras enhance the pictures. What then happens is that the credibility and reliability of the picture vanishes. For eg- due to over-enhancement, a lens flare or speck of dust can look like an orb.
Digital cameras operate on batteries entirely. Therefore, it is essential to have a ready supply of fresh batteries on hand, especially during an investigation. A digital camera can suck up battery power when hundreds of pictures are clicked. And more so, with the flash on. The spirits drain batteries and this becomes a major drawback for digital cameras.
There is a bit of a credibility gap with Digital photos. Since they can be manipulated easily and touched up more than a film picture, reliability becomes a problem. This is why digital cameras quickly become obsolete. Another reason is the advancement of technology, which is growing at a very fast pace. This also applies to the various add-ons in the digital cameras for ghost hunting – memory card, software, image moving systems, etc.
Traditional Cameras for Ghost Hunting
Traditional film-style cameras for ghost hunting have been used by paranormal investigators for quite a long time. And they still have a strong presence in the paranormal field. Typically, 35mm cameras using film with speed between ISO 400 and ISO 800 are most common for the paranormal field. They are usually not large, expensive or fancy cameras. Even a one-time-use disposable camera is a handy tool.
Advantage of Traditional Camera
One of the biggest advantages of the traditional film style cameras for ghost hunting is the negatives. The negatives can be later enhanced and analyzed. This is the sole reason why the credibility of pictures taken from traditional film style camera is higher. And more than that of digital cameras. If one doubts the images taken for a hoax or fraud, one can analyse the negatives to determine the correct results. Also, with a negative, enlargements are easier to produce and result in a clearer picture.
Another feature or advantage of the traditional film style camera is that the film is “objective”, more than that of digital cameras. Since there is no software to enhance the films, the reliability of the images are higher.
The film cameras for ghost hunting just captures the light that comes in through the lens. This is why in the images a dot is a dot and a bright light appears just as a bright light. Hence, it captures the mirror image of what is present. Therefore, it is hard to discard a paranormal image taken with a film camera as merely an obsolete example of technology. Also, traditional cameras can also use infrared film to capture images in the IR spectrum.
The disadvantage of Traditional Camera
As is the case with advanced digital cameras, film cameras also have their fair share of drawbacks. The film files are always at the risk of damage due to much exposure to heat or mishandling. Also, damage can be incurred while developing films. Although it is uncommon it does happen.
Similarly, due to a fault in the development process, any unusual or potentially paranormal images captured may be incorrect. Sometimes a film can be improperly placed into the cameras for ghost hunting. As a result, the mistake is not noticed until the pictures are developed. By then, it is too late. One can also run out of extra film while conducting an investigation. At times, the film camera can cause a false image. This happens when there is a crack in the lens or body that lets even the slightest amount of light in—even in the dark with a flash.
Finally, the last drawback with film pictures has to be scanned. Therefore if you have to load it on your PC, to enhance or analyse it, you will need to first scan the image, which can be extra work for some. This also results in contamination from dust and fingerprints.
Full-Spectrum Camera for Ghost Hunting
With the advent of technology, the full-spectrum cameras for ghost hunting gained momentum and popularity. Mainly because of its reliability, the full-spectrum camera is preferred by a lot of paranormal investigators out there. This camera can film in the entire light spectrum, from ultraviolet (UV) to IR. Usually, these cameras are in the form of a camcorder, which we will discuss later. Here, I would like to digress a bit and talk a bit about the different sources of light. All of these are important to a paranormal investigator.
Sources of Light and its Use in Full-Spectrum Cameras for Ghost Hunting
The three sources of light that we will discuss are UV, IR, and white lights. IR stands for infrared. It also means “below red.” One thing to note is that the infrared light is not visible to the naked eye. The IR technology is used by the militaries around the globe for night-vision goggles and also on movie sets.
Ultraviolet or UV light is the next source of light we will consider. Like IR, UV, or “Beyond Violet,” light is also not visible to the naked eyes. This light is the reason behind various issues – health issues like sunburn and certain types of cancer. The UV light is also called black light.
The light that is visible to the human eye is called white light. This white light is just a fraction of the entire light spectrum. And this is where the role of a full-spectrum camera comes in. Such cameras block out the white light and only film in the UV and IR spectrum.
Therefore, the images captured from a full-spectrum camera appear in “purple screen.” It looks like a night shot with a purple tint. Since it’s believed that the entities that are free of their mortal bodies reside in either the UV or IR spectrum, the full-spectrum camera becomes a handy tool, thereby enhancing the process of gathering evidence.
To Wrap it Up
In essence, these are the three types of cameras used for ghost hunting. Each of them has its fair share of pros and cons. However, these still are a marvel of technology. In addition, they have always helped in gathering some phenomenal images as evidence.
