IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E Soft Focus?

We have 4 IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E cameras setup as LPRs. One of our main cameras has developed soft focus in day mode. If I get the center of the frame in focus, the surrounding parts of the frame are slightly out of focus. I also notice the focus tends to shift by itself after a few days sometimes as well, and I have to go readjust it. Is there a setting I need to adjust? It doesn't happen on any of the other cameras.

Out of Focus shows what it looks like after a few days after it's been adjusted
Edge Refocus shows what happens right after I use auto focus, and shift it 2 clicks towards near. I have to adjust it slightly so the top half of the frame is in focus, leaving the middle of the frame slightly out of focus.

I suspect it has always been there and you just didn't notice - maybe the time of day or growth of the vegetation pronounced the effect.

The more you zoom in, the depth of field narrows. We all see this to some extent zooming in with the camera for LPR purposes.

It is why most of us have someone park a car in the center of the field of view and we manual focus to get the plate. That is all we care about, not the edges.

@Bitslizer did a test with a reflective pole on either side of the road and at the zoom we are out, one of the poles is in focus and the other isn't.

You need to tweak the contrast and birghtness as well, leaving it at defaults is never the best option.
The Yuku plant is also possibly cause the focus issue, it's focusing on it from time to time.
Use the manual focus as @wittaj suggested, or move the field of view to the left to get the plant out of view.
Try lowering the brightness to 45-46, and leave contrast where it is.

looney2ns said:

You need to tweak the contrast and birghtness as well, leaving it at defaults is never the best option.
The Yuku plant is also possibly cause the focus issue, it's focusing on it from time to time.
Use the manual focus as @wittaj suggested, or move the field of view to the left to get the plant out of view.

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Sorry, to clarify, I use auto focus to get the frame in focus, then I switch to manual focus and make minor adjustments so the area where the plates are will be most in focus.

However after a few days, it always shifts slightly and I have keep going back and refocusing it. I do understand that when you zoom in, it narrows the field of focus, but even the focused areas seem not quite as sharp as the other cameras.

I have another IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E coming from the opposite angle. It's less zoomed in (55% vs 85%), but pretty much the entire frame seems to be in focus no matter which corner you are in. Does the 30% extra zoom make that much of a difference?

The problem with this inside gate camera is that it always stays in B&W during the day, even though all the settings are identical to the other 3 cameras.

Lastly, do you have suggestions for the contrast and brightness? The toughest lighting is early morning and early evening when the sun is shining directly on the plate, or opposite the plate

That much zoom can make a difference on softness on the edges.

How are you getting plates at night? Do you have enough light that it stays in color?

If it is switching to B/W, that is potentially a different focus than when it is in color and is then throwing off the focus.

Here are my settings for both my cams day and night. Get your zoom and focus for each cam day and night. Write it down. My LPR-E cam looses focus if it restarts. Have yet to figure it out. I check them daily and they do not drift. Of course your settings will differ since the installs are different. But this may help you out.

I know it's a pain the ass, but I wonder if another 5241 reacts the same way, installed in that location, Or Vica Versa, if the Bad actor, becomes good in another location. That would tell me if it's a location problem vs a camera problem.

my 5241.......If your dedicated to plates, give up on the lesser irritations. leave other surveillance duties to Overview camera's.

wittaj said:

That much zoom can make a difference on softness on the edges.

How are you getting plates at night? Do you have enough light that it stays in color?

If it is switching to B/W, that is potentially a different focus than when it is in color and is then throwing off the focus.

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^^^^
This
A combination of 85%+ zoom and the day/night/day switchover will definitely cause the focus issue.

Try this
1) Use the "schedule" profile to go from color (day) to B&W (night0 to switch over to IR/B&W 30-45 minutes BEFORE sunset. And then the same in the morning, have it switch back to color 30-45 minutes AFTER sunrise.
2) back off zoom just a wee bit. You can afford to, and anything from 85% and up has always been potentially problematic on these cams.

***Also, I would not suggest using Shutter priority 1/4000. (or any range especially at night) and especially for plates, use a fixed manual exposure. 1/2000 should be plenty. I capture 45+mph vehicle tags with 1/1000

And yet they still come to my rear lot at night and attempt to cut off catalytic converters. regardless of plate capture, and decent cameras. #3 reported 1 hour ago. cut rear half off. front half had too much bracket hardware in the way, and they left it unfinished. Kia Sol.....

Flintstone61 said:

And yet they still come to my rear lot at night and attempt to cut off catalytic converters. regardless of plate capture, and decent cameras. #3 reported 1 hour ago. cut rear half off. front half had too much bracket hardware in the way, and they left it unfinished. Kia Sol.....

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Probably stolen car anyhow