Running a boat home after dark is a different job than running it in daylight. Channel markers, other traffic, floating debris and shoreline all disappear the moment the sun goes down, and a spotlight only shows you what you are already pointed at. A night vision camera puts a second set of eyes on the water, feeding a live full-color picture to your chartplotter or MFD so you can see what a spotlight would miss.
Black Oak builds two Nitron cameras for this job: the Nitron XR1 and the Nitron XD Pro. Both are full-color, ultra low-light cameras. Both work with the light from the moon, the stars, shore and docks, both pair with an 850nm infrared (IR) light for runs with no light at all, and both perform inshore and offshore. The XD Pro is the more capable of the two. Shop the full lineup in the Night Vision Camera Packages collection, or read on for how the two compare, when to add IR, how to mount them and how the install goes.
Nitron XD Pro vs. Nitron XR1
Nitron XD Pro (full color, our most sensitive camera)
The XD Pro is our top camera. It has about twice the viewable pixels and twice the sensitivity of the XR1, with a sensor rated to 0.0000025 lux, a wider 50 degree horizontal view and video up to 4K at 60 frames per second. That extra sensitivity is why it performs best offshore on the darkest nights, when there is little or no light from the moon or shore. The housing is rated IP69K, and it mounts on a standard 2 in or tall 4 in upright base or as an undermount. If you want the best picture we make, start here.
Nitron XR1 (full color, low light)
The XR1 is a full-color, ultra low-light camera with a 42 degree horizontal view, video up to 4K and an IP67 housing, in upright or undermount versions. It shows a clear color picture inshore, along the coast and offshore. We often show the XR1 with IR because it is sold as a camera alone or as a ready-made system with one of four IR packages: Enhanced IR, Enhanced IR Plus, Low Pro IR and Low Pro IR Extreme. The IR light is an add-on that lights the water for the camera on nights with no ambient light. It is not what makes the XR1 a night vision camera.
Which one
Either camera, with IR added when you need it, will handle just about any night on the water. Choose the XD Pro if you want the sharpest, most sensitive picture, or you regularly run far offshore on dark nights. Choose the XR1 if you want a strong full-color camera at a lower price. For runs with no moon, shore or dock light, add an IR light to either camera. Not sure? Call 800-348-1287 and tell us how you run.
Choosing a mount, IR and video output
Mounting: upright or undermount
An upright camera sits on top of a hardtop, T-top or arch, looking forward. An undermount camera hangs underneath a T-top or hardtop. If the camera will hang upside down, order the undermount version: we build it for inverted mounting so the picture is right side up, because most displays cannot flip the image on their own. The XD Pro also offers a tall 4 in base for extra clearance.
Adding IR: keep it behind the camera
Infrared is invisible to your eyes but bright to the camera, so it lights the water ahead on your screen without wrecking your night vision at the helm. Mount the IR light behind the camera, never in front of the lens, and keep its beam off the bow, rails and windshield. Light that spills across the lens or bounces back shows up on your screen as glare. Two layouts work well: the camera under the T-top with the IR light on top, or the camera on top with the IR light below it, angled so the beam clears the bow.
Video output: HDMI or analog
Match the camera to your display's video input. If your display has an HDMI input, order the HDMI version: it carries the full digital picture and looks about twice as good as analog on any display. If your display has both inputs, choose HDMI. The analog version ends in a standard BNC (coax) connector for displays with analog video inputs, and it comes with a BNC to RCA adapter for displays with an RCA video jack. Look up your exact display on our night vision camera compatibility chart, which lists 241 chartplotter models and any extra cable each one needs.
Installing and wiring a Nitron camera
- Pick the mounting location before you drill anything. A hardtop, T-top, radar arch or tower mount with a clear view forward works best. Keep the lens away from exhaust and engine heat.
- Dry-fit the camera and confirm cable clearance before final mounting. The 25 ft harness needs a clear run back to the helm and a dry, accessible connection point.
- Run the video lead (HDMI or BNC, matching what you ordered) to your display, following an existing wire chase where one exists rather than drilling a new pass.
- Wire power to a switched 12V DC circuit on a 5 A fuse, ideally its own breaker, so the camera is not tied to a circuit you might cut at night.
- Power up and set your display's video input to match the camera before final aiming. Final aim is easier at dusk, when you can judge the low-light picture.
- If you added IR, aim it the same direction as the camera, keep it behind the lens and keep its face clean. Salt film on the lens or the IR light costs more picture than the difference between IR packages.
Real-world use cases
Running home after dark: the most common reason boaters add a Nitron camera is the ordinary one, a full day on the water that runs past sunset and a channel you would rather not navigate on memory alone.
Offshore at night: both cameras work offshore. The XD Pro's extra sensitivity gives the best picture on the darkest nights, and IR on either camera lights the water when there is no ambient light.
Night fishing and the run out before first light: paired with the lighting setup covered in our night fishing lighting guide, a Nitron camera extends what you can see past what deck and underwater lights alone can cover.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the XD Pro and the XR1? Both are full-color, ultra low-light night vision cameras, and both work inshore and offshore. The XD Pro has about twice the viewable pixels and twice the sensitivity of the XR1, a wider 50 degree view and video up to 4K, so it gives the best picture on the darkest nights.
Is the XR1 an infrared camera? No. The XR1 is a full-color low-light camera. It is often sold with an IR light bar, which lights the water for the camera when there is no ambient light, and IR pairs with the XD Pro the same way.
Do I need IR? Near shore, usually not. Offshore on nights with no moon, shore or dock light, our team recommends adding an 850nm IR light to either camera.
Which video output should I order? If your display has an HDMI input, order HDMI for the best picture, even if it also has analog. If it only takes analog video, order the analog version. Check your model on our compatibility chart.
Nitron cameras are designed and assembled in Sarasota, Florida, assembled to order, and ship same or next business day. Shop the full Nitron lineup and IR packages in the Night Vision Camera Packages collection.
