Thanks for the tip and the images! I don't have siding (have brick) but while looking at your link to the wall plate you used I saw another FLAT wall plate from Arlington, the 8161, that someone could use under a soffit or on a flat surface. Although they cost as much as a box, someone may prefer the slimmer profile, so I'm passing this info along.I kind of doubt that there will be a smaller varifocal turret anytime soon, but who knows.
This form factor came out a few years ago. Dahua has gone on to shrink the size of their fixed-lens turrets in newer camera series, but those series don’t have a varifocal turret model at all.
I found a siding mount block with barely enough room behind it to hide the camera pigtail. I liked its look better than the normal junction box.
Arlington Industries 8131-1 8131 Wall Plate, 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch Siding & Shingles, White Arlington Industries 8131-1 8131 Wall Plate, 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch Siding & Shingles, White - Electrical Boxes - Amazon.com
I've most if not all of my 5231's zoomed all the way out for maximum angle. Perhaps as I add more cameras in the future I'd zoom a few in for better detail ... that said, would there be any notable difference between a 6mm camera and a vari-focal zoomed into the same 6mm shot?IPVM Camera Calculator V3 makes that pretty easy to do, even without camera experience. Using that tool, here's what the angles of the three fixed-lens 5442 models look like on the front side of my house. There's a ton more useful info on that page that I didn't screenshot (like the PPF value, which is recommended to be 100+ to ID someone).
The only slightly confusing thing about that tool is that you need to add the Dahua model number for the 5442 (IPC-HDW5442TM-AS) in order to see all of the lens options (which are listed as degrees (113', 89', 56') instead of mm (2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm). If you enter Andy's model number for the 5442 (IPC-T5442TM), they only have the 2.8mm (113') lens in their database.
2.8mm
View attachment 50729
3.6mm
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6mm
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IIRC, if the cameras use the same image sensor, the differences should be minimal. Sometimes there's a small minimum illumination lux difference between varifocal and fixed models, but I haven't seen that called out much one way or the other.that said, would there be any notable difference between a 6mm camera and a vari-focal zoomed into the same 6mm shot?
A 1/2.8" sensor has a significantly different chop factor than a 1/1.8" sensor, correct? I believe the 1/2.8 is ~6.67 while the 1/1.8 is ~4.84. So with the same lens wouldn't the 1/2.8" sensor have a longer effective focal length? Or did I get that backwards?I think that If the image sensors are different (i.e. a 6mm 2MP 1/2.8" vs a 6mm 4MP 1/1.8"), the width of the image may be different.
Wonder if @wopi82 can comment, he's a wizard with stuff like that!A 1/2.8" sensor has a significantly different chop factor than a 1/1.8" sensor, correct? I believe the 1/2.8 is ~6.67 while the 1/1.8 is ~4.84. So with the same lens wouldn't the 1/2.8" sensor have a longer effective focal length? Or did I get that backwards?
Thanks for the reply ... I'd read somebody saying they were going to get a single vari-focal to determine what focal range cameras they should buy for various locations so I'm trying to understand why somebody would just get all vari-focal and have whatever shot you want. I don't think the cost is much of a factor so just trying to understand if there were some other advantage of better quality photo without vari-focal...IIRC, if the cameras use the same image sensor, the differences should be minimal. Sometimes there's a small minimum illumination lux difference between varifocal and fixed models, but I haven't seen that called out much one way or the other.
I think that If the image sensors are different (i.e. a 6mm 2MP 1/2.8" vs a 6mm 4MP 1/1.8"), the width of the image may be different.
That is a good question, it is possible to do it that way. The price for an overview camera is just a little cheaper than the varifocal models, which may play a factor in peoples decisions. I have learned that people want the best picture, the best camera, the best everything, but they only want to pay 10 dollars.Thanks for the reply ... I'd read somebody saying they were going to get a single vari-focal to determine what focal range cameras they should buy for various locations so I'm trying to understand why somebody would just get all vari-focal and have whatever shot you want. I don't think the cost is much of a factor so just trying to understand if there were some other advantage of better quality photo without vari-focal...
That's right. You have given very precise values. Due to these diferences the 5442TM-ASE has 113 degrees h-fov for 2.8mm lens, while 5241TM-ASE has 106 degrees for the same lens. Actually, when I calculated fov difference for both sensors, it came out bigger than Dahua is claiming. If one is giving 113 deg. fov than the other should give arround 97 deg. fov.I believe the 1/2.8 is ~6.67 while the 1/1.8 is ~4.84.
With the fixed lens, is it correct that you cannot zoom in further and gain additional clarity and that any zoom is just optical zoom?I tested the fixed 3.6mm ASE (which I have two of covering my driveway) and VF 5442 bullets side by side and the fixed is clearly brighter with default settings FYI. Nothing wrong with the VF mind you, but the fixed was clearly brighter.
Yes, that's what I meant to say ... Optical is actually the Vari-focal which does allow for enhanced imagery whereas Digital only makes the tiny pixels larger and loses clarity as it's increased.Close, any zooming you do with a fixed lens is Digital zoom, which will pixelate and degrade the amge
I bought 4 IPC-HDW5231R-Z camera's from Andy back in Jan 2018. I am really happy with these and am looking to add 4 more camera's. I was thinking about purchasing these, but I dont see them in stock on Amazon. Any other recommendations?