REVIEW: SD6AL445XA-HNR-IR 4MP 45x Starlight IR AI PTZ

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
Yeah, I figured that was asking too much of it LOL.

I am shocked how slow the shutter can go in auto and color and get plates on a PTZ. My PTZ (not this one but the 49425) can get plates at 1/25 shutter if it locks onto the vehicle earlier enough. Certainly possible if someone has a location where a car is going to/from the camera. I think the tracking aspect allows the shutter to be slower than a fixed.
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
Yeah I may play with Auto in color tonight as well. Currently runing 1/60 and am able to get human tracking AND my exit plates reasonably well.
 

Attachments

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
There is another member here with a decent amount of street lights and runs his 49225 on auto in color with incredible results.

I tried it briefly and didn't work in my situation, but I may give it a try with some backlight on and see if that is the trick.

Maybe between us both testing we can figure this out. I would assume it is the same sensor in these 4MP 1/2.8" units?
 

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
That looks good. I am starting to get more convinced that PTZs can operate more on auto or slower shutters because the camera moving with the subject negates some of the issues fixed cameras have at those same settings.?.?.

I am trying mine on auto in color and was shocked it wasn't worse. Just need more subjects at night LOL. I do not have as much light as you, so I had some artifacts but if I can dial in a mostly auto setting I will post a video here.
 

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
OK mind blown.

Setting mine in color to auto shutter and then gain priority to limit it to 50 so that it didn't get ghosty due to lack of light, the image is brighter and no real difference over setting shutter speed.

Now for the downside (but can probably be overcome) is that my tracking is perfect using manual setting shutter speed, probably because of the surroundings darker it stays focused on the subject and tracks it correctly, but had trouble tracking with auto shutter.

Going with auto shutter and now that the whole image is brighter, it would zoom in too fast to the person and then mainly on torso and then would decide that the grass was what it was tracking and then lose the person. I never had it do that under manual setting shutter speed 0 to 20ms.

So I am going to play with this some more and find that point where it tracks but can slow the shutter down even more.

Your test may now open up a lot more potential for running color with PTZs with slower shutters than we are used to with fixed cams.
 
Last edited:

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
I'm afraid we're going to see increased motion blur when we switch back to color. In B&W the IR compensates for the lack of light I think and allows the slower shutter?

I'm seeing blur already. Though backing down DNR from 40 to 30 helps. But in Auto I have no Gain control...
 

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
All of my testing tonight with auto shutter has been in color and so far (limited I will admit) the cars that go by and my only two subjects that walk their dog every night appear better than when I was forcing a manual shutter speed of 0-20ms. I had to run higher gains and other settings at that shutter speed to get a bright enough image that it introduced noise and ghost.

Under exposure you can switch to gain priority which I believe leaves it at auto shutter but you control the gain. Now I will have to wait for a perp in the middle of the night or the early morning walkers to test it.

This is zoomed way in digitally so that you can see all the flaws, but this was manual shutter:

1612674717430.png

And this is with auto shutter:

1612674774896.png

Vehicles were doing 35mph. The pic and video look much better not zoomed in digitally obviously, but I wanted to see the differences when digital zoomed at the point that the PTZ would struggle most (perpendicular compared to more of a coming to or away from the PTZ.

At lot more noise and artifacts introduced by forcing the shutter and I do not think the manual shutter is that much better from a detailed standpoint. People walking was basically no difference. I will have to walk/jog briskly past and see if it is detailed.

Even if I decide not to go auto, it is showing that we can go with a slower shutter than we can with a fixed cam.
 
Last edited:

Pacs

n3wb
Joined
Feb 9, 2021
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Location
Australia
Anyone able to help with viewing videos in this thread to help with the auto tracking?

Can’t seem to access videos saying they are unavailable
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
Sorry, many of my videos are gone from boycotting Youtube

Autotracking is as simple as setting your IVS rules (tripwire or Intrusion) choosing Human or vehicle filter, and playing with the Target size setting until it zooms enlough to keep the whole subject in view without zooming too much. This setting is trial and error depending on your distance. Start with 40

IVS-Human.jpg
 

aerobahn

n3wb
Joined
Oct 5, 2023
Messages
12
Reaction score
3
Location
TX
Great review, thanks. Anyway to fix or re-upload the videos on the first page. Strongly considering buying this camera.
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
Naw, those all went away when YouTube started censoring big time. Fuck them

What do you want to see? It tracks well, great laser IR, and the right sensor allows it to do well in color at night if you have enough ambient light.
 

aerobahn

n3wb
Joined
Oct 5, 2023
Messages
12
Reaction score
3
Location
TX
Yea based on your other videos it looks solid!

Would you recommend it as the best PTZ camera in the $750-1000 price range? If not, which would you recommend?
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
Last edited:
Top