We present the results of deep near-infrared imaging and ISOCAM observation
s of three selected regions localized in the northern part of the Chamaeleo
n I dark cloud, in order to search for the low-luminosity population. In an
area of 3 x 3 arcmin(2) centered on the bipolar molecular outflow, which i
s the densest part of the cloud, we have discovered a new Class I source (h
ere named ISOCAM-Cha INa2) with a spectral index alpha = 1.9 and 1-18 mu m
luminosity of 0.6 L. that is most probably responsible for the observed CO
outflow. The comparison between the observed K-magnitude distribution for t
his region and that obtained for a region outside the outflow and adjacent
to the star HD 97300 indicates the possible presence of a very low luminosi
ty young stellar population in the densest part of the cloud.