Better camera suggestion

JayUK

n3wb
Aug 13, 2022
14
5
England
Hi all,

I currently have this "cheap" 2MP camera mounted under my eaves (two story house), with a separate IR illuminator (mounted next to it). At night there is always a little background light.

As you can see the image is poor.

Can anyone suggest a dahua or hikvision replacement that would work better, which won't cost a fortune.

J.

ps - I know I'm hoping for the impossible.
 

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I Think for most accurate suggestions we would need more info. Is your goal to make an overview or what is it. DORI specs at that distance could be different cameras. Secondly what is your budget? I myself have recently bought some T54IR-ZE-S3 and 4K/T from Empiretech. The cameras are outstanding quality and to a fraction of the price If with logo. The 4MPs varifocals are all placed to identify at around 5-6 m from target zoomed in. The 4Ks are placed as overview cameras where there are sufficient light from steetlamps etc. so the color part works as intented.
 
Image doesn’t look so bad to me, other than being too high to provide good ID.
A 4 MP Dahua 5442 should work fine. Would add some detail and likely some better IR. Unless you’re ok with running the white light LEDs of the 4KT/X which are great overview cameras.

Generally folks try to do too much with a single camera. Use that position for overview and add another lower and zoomed to your choke point
 
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I agree with BRF, maybe climb up there and turn that thing to the right so the siding isn’t reflecting IR. Still will have the lower roof but it might help it see a little bit further. Or maybe give night color a try if there’s some ambient light? This was a before and after where the cams IR’s were blinding itself
IMG_0020.pngIMG_0023.png
 
That bush has to go :lmao:
 
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I was looking to get a 4KT (2.8mm) and mount it about 15' up, pointing down the drive towards the road. I was thinking of using that as a more close up camera.

Is it possible to get a a 4K-X with zoom, I'd use that to replace the existing cheap 2MP camera?
 
HI @JayUK

What is your goal ?

Do you want to see if someone is parked in the driveway ?


I was looking to get a 4KT (2.8mm) and mount it about 15' up, pointing down the drive towards the road. I was thinking of using that as a more close up camera.

Is it possible to get a a 4K-X with zoom, I'd use that to replace the existing cheap 2MP camera?
Hi all,

I currently have this "cheap" 2MP camera mounted under my eaves (two story house), with a separate IR illuminator (mounted next to it). At night there is always a little background light.

As you can see the image is poor.

Can anyone suggest a dahua or hikvision replacement that would work better, which won't cost a fortune.

J.

ps - I know I'm hoping for the impossible.
 
I was looking to get a 4KT (2.8mm) and mount it about 15' up, pointing down the drive towards the road. I was thinking of using that as a more close up camera.
A 2.8mm lens 15' high is not going to be a 'more close up camera'. Close up for a 2.8mm lens is like 5-6 feet, depending on the sensor.

As others have asked, you need to define exactly what you are trying to achieve here. A newbies curse is always trying to do too much with a single cam. There is nothing wrong with having a 2.8mm for an overview cam. Just don't expect it to give you useable facial images at distance.
 
I was looking to get a 4KT (2.8mm) and mount it about 15' up, pointing down the drive towards the road. I was thinking of using that as a more close up camera.

Is it possible to get a a 4K-X with zoom, I'd use that to replace the existing cheap 2MP camera?
This is a Color4K-180T 3.6mm at 35' to 40' install height. I'm not IDing anyone with this one.

However, it is part of the rest of my system and not my only means of watching.

Sky East 2023-11-27 01.37.09.275 PM.jpg
 
@Ri22o Although that is a real nice picture, I'm not sure it's useful when half of the vertical view is the sky. i.e. I do not expect criminals to parachute in. Does it makes sense to angle this 180deg camera downward?
 
@Ri22o Although that is a real nice picture, I'm not sure it's useful when half of the vertical view is the sky. i.e. I do not expect criminals to parachute in. Does it makes sense to angle this 180deg camera downward?

That is his skycam LOL. It was intentional. He has 3 more doing the same thing.

 
@Ri22o Although that is a real nice picture, I'm not sure it's useful when half of the vertical view is the sky. i.e. I do not expect criminals to parachute in. Does it makes sense to angle this 180deg camera downward?
Have you never heard of the Chinese and their spy balloons? :idk:

That being said, it actually is very useful as an overwatch FOV. I can see where someone may have come from or gone to. It does very well at night, as well. Tilting it down would gain nothing but more of my roof and the houses immediately next door. (And I would lose a lot of the horizon, which is the purpose.)

Sky East 2023-11-20 02.00.15.55 AM.jpg
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Ideally I would like to identify people entering/walking down my driveway (and possibly my neighbours driveway - over the fence)

I'm happy to keep the existing camera as a crude overview camera (it has detection alerting setup).

The distance from the end of the drive to the camera on the wall is about 30 feet or so. Looking at EmpireTech specs, the 2.8mm is slightly out of range for identify, the 3.6mm would be better. Or am I misunderstanding the DORI information?

I am a newbie, I'm here to learn and take advise where I can :thumb:
 
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Looking at EmpireTech specs, the 2.8mm is slightly out of range for identify, the 3.6mm would be better. Or am I misunderstanding the DORI information?
Get a varifocal so that you are not disappointed in the FOV from whatever fixed lens you select. Until you have a good working knowledge of typical FOVs, that would be the way to start out. The cam that looney linked to above would be a great one for you.
 
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I was hoping to stay full colour as I have some background light.

I don't believe there is a (reasonably priced) varifocal full colour camera (1/1.2")?
 
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