Best PTZ camera for Wildlife

[NLAnaconda]

Hi,

I have built an offgrid remote controllable wildlife camera. It is powered by 12V 110AH deep cycle battery and has a directional antenna to a remote 4G mobile mast.
Currently the camera is a Foscam FI9928P which is complete trash. It says it can look forward (0 deg) but when you zoom in, it zooms to the ground.

So. I'm looking for a better camera to upgrade the installation.

I'm currently testing the Dahua DH-SD49425XB-HNR, which is a awesome upgrade compare to the Foscam but it is a little bit loud. It sounds like it has a fan inside or something.

Anyway, my question is:
Im looking for the best PTZ cam for wildlife observation (forest)

The requirements are:

• 12V powered (as energy efficient as possible )
• A proper zoom (25 or more)
• As quiet as possible (don't want to scare little Bambi)
• Good night vision (100m or more)
• Auto tracking (Love it if that is possible, but not a hard requirement)
• H265+ Encoding (To save 4G data, I can handle max 700KB/s)
• 1080P (or higher) 25fps

The budget is $1000.

Can you help me out?

 

[wittaj]

I have the 49425 and it sounds like R2D2 LOL. It isn't loud by any means, but it is a moving object, so you will hear some.

My neighbor has this one and is quieter than mine. I don't even remember hearing it right under it. As to it's worthiness for wildlife, let's see if someone has a better option.

Amazon.com: EmpireTech PTZ1A225-HNR-XA 2MP 25x Starlight Smart AI Network Positioning Camera Replace PTZ1A225U-IRA-N English Version

Buy EmpireTech PTZ1A225-HNR-XA 2MP 25x Starlight Smart AI Network Positioning Camera Replace PTZ1A225U-IRA-N English Version: Dome Cameras - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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[NLAnaconda]

I have the 49425 and it sounds like R2D2 LOL. It isn't loud by any means, but it is a moving object, so you will hear some.

My neighbor has this one and is quieter than mine. I don't even remember hearing it right under it. As to it's worthiness for wildlife, let's see if someone has a better option.

Amazon.com: EmpireTech PTZ1A225-HNR-XA 2MP 25x Starlight Smart AI Network Positioning Camera Replace PTZ1A225U-IRA-N English Version

Buy EmpireTech PTZ1A225-HNR-XA 2MP 25x Starlight Smart AI Network Positioning Camera Replace PTZ1A225U-IRA-N English Version: Dome Cameras - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I agree it isn't very loud. But I mean while it is not moving I still hear the thing. Like there is a fan inside or some electrical 'buzzing'. Don't know how to describe it.
A question about that PTZ1A225-HNR-XA , does the tracking also work for animals? Or is it only for humans/cars? The docs say "objects" So I think it can track animals.
I think the 'quietness' are the pro's of that one and the cons the worse image quality right? Hmmm hard to decide.

 

[wittaj]

Yea, there is a cooling fan in many of the PTZs.

It is the same sensor as what is in the 49425 so the image quality is the same, just a different style of PTZ that can look straight up LOL (unless you invert it).

The dahua cams AI are for humans and cars, but that can be overcome by creating another IVS for objects and then specify a minimum object size for what you want to track.

 

[NLAnaconda]

Thank you! I replace the 49425 for the PTZ1A225. I think the autotracking is a super plus if it works on animals + being more quiet is also a plus

 

[GeoffColl]

I'm in the market for a replacement to my Reolink PTZ - but what's the quality of images at night in any of these above options or, indeed, any other PTZ cameras? The Reolink is appalling at night, though the daytime images are good (when it works - just started defaulting to factory settings every few hours!).

 

[holiday]

I had a Reolink PTZ RLC-423 (first PTZ in my life).. that was a few years back,
came here, read all the stories about Reolink... so i returned it and bought a Dahua SD59225U-HNI.

never looked back..

 

[GeoffColl]

I had a Reolink PTZ RLC-423 (first PTZ in my life).. that was a few years back,
came here, read all the stories about Reolink... so i returned it and bought a Dahua SD59225U-HNI.

never looked back..

It was mine, too! However I didn't pop in here to realise the error of my ways until it was too late!!!!

 

[NLAnaconda]

Hi,

As I'm the starter of this topic I will post a little update.
As stated I wanted to build an offgrid wildcam in the middle of the woods. Which, I can tell you, is a bit hard

The setup
Camera: Dahua DH-SD49425XB-HNR
Batteries: 2x 110Ah 12V deep cycle batteries (used as a 24V setup)
Power supply: 410Wp Solar panel
MPPT controller: Victron 100/15
24V/12V converter: Victron Orion 24/12
Internet: Teltonika RUT240 4G modem with a directional antenna and an unlimited 4G internet subscription

The reason why I keep the main voltage at 24V is because the solar panel should load the batteries better, but also because I use 100m of wireing between the power source and the camera.
The voltage drop (cable resistance) at that distance for 12V is too high so I upped it to 24V and convert it back to 12V near the camera.

The settings
The camera cannot run at max settings because the internet connection cannot handle it. It is very hard to get a proper signal deep in the woods. I am limited to around 0.3 / 0.4Mbps (which is slow). That is why the H265+ encoding comes in place because with that encoding I get pretty good images.
This are the settings I use:

Encode mode: H.265
Smart codec: On
Resolution: 1920x1080 (1080P)
Framerate: 10 (A wildboar is not a F1 car )
Bit Rate Type: VBR
Quality: 5
Max Bitrate: 2048

Because every "viewer" starts its own stream from the camera I cannot control the camera with the main stream.
The mainstream goes to Youtube. If I want to control the camera with the main stream it would open another connection and the internet connection will struggle and stop.
So I use the "sub stream" for controlling the camera.

The substream settings are:
Encode mode: H264H
Resolution: 704x576(D1)
Frame rate: 7
Bit Rate Type: CBR
Bit rate: 192
I Frame interval: 14
SVC: 2

Conclusion
For me it was hard to build this camera. I'm a complete noob to PTZ camera's, solar panels, or DC voltage. Also the extreme limited 4G coverage was hard. The provider marked the area as "no signal". But with a proper directional antenna I managed to get a (low) signal.
In the end I am very happy with the setup. It is now running 7 weeks without maintenance. Video is stable and a the wildlife doesn't give a sh*t about the camera.

A regional TV company contacted me to start a cooperation for a "nature" program they are going to make. So that was a big compliment.

Images:




Wildlife images from stream:






Video fragments:
Keep in mind that this is with a max bandwith of around 400kbps. The camera can do a whole lot better. But still it is very good quality for that speed.

Baby boars	Rabit around 50 m from camera
Bird of prey	Badger under the camera
Male deer wants to have fun with female deer	Big deer (rare in this area)

 

[GeoffColl]

Thank you - very interesting set up!

Mine's relatively 'simple'; PTZ camera at end of 100 metres + 10 metres CAT6, overlooking a pond. Been working adequately for months; until this week! Fox took one look at camera in its early days and ran away, never to be seen again!

 

[wittaj]

Go with the 2MP version of the camera @NLAnaconda is using and never look back! The 4MP needs more light (double) than the 2MP version. The 2MP will give you better nighttime performance in the dark wilderness.

Purchase it from @EMPIRETECANDY here as his are the only ones that still have autotrack capabilities.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-SD49225XA-HNR-Starlight-Network-Tracking/dp/B081RJJQT4/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&m=A329YQ83EBQGJF&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1617889930&redirect=true&s=merchant-items&sr=1-7

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Thanks to @NLAnaconda fantastic videos, the nightvision for this SD49425XB-HNR is not bad, but at forest/remote place the 2MP SD49225XA-HNR can do better job.
In the future if you need some cam for watching wildlife can contact me, maybe i can donate one cam.
JUST FOR FUN!

 

[NLAnaconda]

Hey @EMPIRETECANDY ,
I was first looking for the 2MP version but the shop said that the 4Mp was the newer version and I didn't think of it. I thought, 4 is better then 2: so good deal .
I am thinking about adding some extra floodlights as the solar panel is generating more than enough juice. But for now, I'm happy enough

 

[wittaj]

It is simple LOL do not chase MP - do not buy a 4MP camera that is anything other than a 1/1.8" sensor. Do not buy a 2MP camera that is anything other than a 1/2.8" sensor.

If a camera is offered in two different resolutions and they are both on the same sensor, which is the case with the 49225 and 49425 PTZ, unless you have a ton of light, go with the lower MP....this is even more critical with a PTZ that will be PTZing across a wide range of differing light conditions at night. Especially if you want to try to force color at night.

Now you can overcome that with a lot of IR illuminator floodlights, but yeah for what you are doing, the 4MP works well.

 

[GeoffColl]

Go with the 2MP version of the camera @NLAnaconda is using and never look back! The 4MP needs more light (double) than the 2MP version. The 2MP will give you better nighttime performance in the dark wilderness.

Purchase it from @EMPIRETECANDY here as his are the only ones that still have autotrack capabilities.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-SD49225XA-HNR-Starlight-Network-Tracking/dp/B081RJJQT4/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&m=A329YQ83EBQGJF&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1617889930&redirect=true&s=merchant-items&sr=1-7

Thanks - that link gives me $121 just for postage - I'll have a look at the uk version. Cheers.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Can buy from us directly, just send you a dm, would be bit cheaper ship from HONGKONG than from USA.

 

[Ryushin]

I'm currently testing the Dahua DH-SD49425XB-HNR, which is a awesome upgrade compare to the Foscam but it is a little bit loud. It sounds like it has a fan inside or something.

Anyway, my question is:
Im looking for the best PTZ cam for wildlife observation (forest)

The requirements are:

• 12V powered (as energy efficient as possible )
• A proper zoom (25 or more)
• As quiet as possible (don't want to scare little Bambi)
• Good night vision (100m or more)
• Auto tracking (Love it if that is possible, but not a hard requirement)
• H265+ Encoding (To save 4G data, I can handle max 700KB/s)
• 1080P (or higher) 25fps

Where you able to get autotracking working with this camera for wildlife? If so, what settings did you use.

 

[NLAnaconda]

No, autotracking does not work with wildlife.

 

[Michael James]

Yea, there is a cooling fan in many of the PTZs.

It is the same sensor as what is in the 49425 so the image quality is the same, just a different style of PTZ that can look straight up LOL (unless you invert it).

The dahua cams AI are for humans and cars, but that can be overcome by creating another IVS for objects and then specify a minimum object size for what you want to track.

I just purchased the SD49225XA-HNR. I am wanting to "track" my 125 lb Newfoundland dog around the fenced in backyard (80' x 100' x 80' and camera is mounted around 12 feet up on corner of the house). Can you provide some step by step directions on how to do this: creating another IVS for objects and then specify a minimum object size for what you want to track.

 

[wittaj]

That would be correct. Unfortunately you cannot completely turn off the objects options, but you can trick it with the min size you want to track.