Camera locations and lens size

JFire

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I want to install 2 cameras on the front of my house but am unsure of the proper location and lens size to use. I will likely add cameras on both front doors at a later date. What size lens will I want for that?

My goal is to cover the cars and capture people coming down the sidewalk either direction.




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klasipca

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I would just get 2 mini ptz for both corners. The rest you can read in Huisun subforum
 

klasipca

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You didn't say anything about your price range, those PTZs are $150. If you are looking at $100 range you could look at Hikvision/Dahua turrets, but it will be hacked Chinese firmware and won't be as good for night vision along with fixed lens.
 

JFire

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You didn't say anything about your price range, those PTZs are $150. If you are looking at $100 range you could look at Hikvision/Dahua turrets, but it will be hacked Chinese firmware and won't be as good for night vision along with fixed lens.
For 150 I'll keep them on my radar. What section would I find threads on the english/multi language cameras? I'm confused on what's hacked etc.

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klasipca

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JFire

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So if it says English firmware or multi language assume it's hacked firmware? I also assume that degrades the nv? Or the Chinese just don't value nv?

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JFire

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@klasipca I haven't even received my first order of cameras and I just ordered the ptz. I've been impressed with the video posts. Thankfully my wife said but what you want for Father's day. I just did.

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klasipca

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@klasipca I haven't even received my first order of cameras and I just ordered the ptz. I've been impressed with the video posts. Thankfully my wife said but what you want for Father's day. I just did.

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I am on my 6th order for mini ptz, they are too addicting
 

SyconsciousAu

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I want to install 2 cameras on the front of my house but am unsure of the proper location and lens size to use. I will likely add cameras on both front doors at a later date. What size lens will I want for that?

My goal is to cover the cars and capture people coming down the sidewalk either direction.




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An Unmarked Crown Vic with a spotlight out the front? I wonder what you do for a living.

How far is it from your front door to the kerb? How wide is the street? Also how far from the corner of the building to the edge of the front door on either side?

I know it currently isnt in the budget, but I would recommend working towards two fixed lens cameras and a pair of mini PTZ for that application.

I am on my 6th order for mini ptz, they are too addicting
My name is Klasipca and I'm an addict. It has been one week since my last mini PTZ order :D
 

klasipca

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An Unmarked Crown Vic with a spotlight out the front? I wonder what you do for a living.

How far is it from your front door to the kerb? How wide is the street? Also how far from the corner of the building to the edge of the front door on either side?

I know it currently isnt in the budget, but I would recommend working towards two fixed lens cameras and a pair of mini PTZ for that application.



My name is Klasipca and I'm an addict. It has been one week since my last mini PTZ order :D
Haha... almost, but I am simply replacing v1s because of motion detection bug
 

JFire

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It's probably 20 feet from door to curb. Standard residential 2 way street. Not sure length corner to corner. I think I'm going to put the ptz on the right side on a corner mount that the one guy posted that he made from a 4x4. I'll use a fixed camera on the left side as the porch awning will make a ptz useless there.

If I want to put cameras on the front door and that side porch what lens mm do you suggest? Should I mount the ptz 6-8' from ground? I'm just worried about someone grabbing it as it will be way more noticeable than a dome. @klasipca do the ptzs have auto track capability?

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SyconsciousAu

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Haha... almost, but I am simply replacing v1s because of motion detection bug
I'd offer to buy your old version 1's if it wasn't for the extortion conducted by the crime gang known as USPS to get things to Australia.
 

klasipca

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It's probably 20 feet from door to curb. Standard residential 2 way street. Not sure length corner to corner. I think I'm going to put the ptz on the right side on a corner mount that the one guy posted that he made from a 4x4. I'll use a fixed camera on the left side as the porch awning will make a ptz useless there.

If I want to put cameras on the front door and that side porch what lens mm do you suggest? Should I mount the ptz 6-8' from ground? I'm just worried about someone grabbing it as it will be way more noticeable than a dome. @klasipca do the ptzs have auto track capability?

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If you are worried about someone grabbing it then perhaps dome/turret would be a better option, because with enough force you could rip them along with the arm. I did mount mine about 7 feet, but in our neighborhood I am not worried about someone targeting my cheap ip cams.
 

SyconsciousAu

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Here are a few options you might want to look at and what sort of results you could get.

Making the following assumptions
3mp Cameras with 1/3" sensors
Doorway is 1.5m (5 Ft) wide and the rooms each side are 4.5m (15ft) from edge to the side of the doorway.
6m (20ft) to the Curb
7.5m (25ft) wide roadway

With a 2 camera budget I would get 6mm lenses and mount them where your red circles are.

Option 1

Mount them facing each other

That would give you about 420 pixels per metre (ppm) from each camera at the edge of the door way furthest away from the camera.

You should be able to see the kerb, and the entirety of the footpath at 7.5m from each camera with a resolution of 340 ppm. That is slightly below the 352ppm recognition standard in the Australian standard.

You should be able to see the far side of the road at 16.7m (56ft) from each camera.

Advantages.

You have great coverage at a recognition resolution of anyone approaching your front door regardless of which way they are looking
Resolution at the footpath is still fairly high and will be facing pedestrians walking in both directions.
Your cameras cover each other.

Disadvantages
You have a triangular shaped blind spot directly in front of the door that is 7 feet wide at the near kerb and nearly 60 feet wide at the far curb in the street

Option 2

Turn one camera out towards the street by 44 degrees.

Advantages

Reduces the blind spot in the street significantly

Disadvantages

Cameras no longer cover each other.

You now have a blind spot in your front yard and on the footpath for pedestrians approaching from that direction.

Option 3

Go 4mm lenses instead

Advantages

The blind spot on the far side of the road is a triangle only 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall.

Disadvantages

You dont have recognition resolution on people approaching the front door

Option 4

Get a third (and Fourth) camera and cover the gap.

Advantages

Total coverage

Disadvantages

Increased cost and storage bandwidth.

Not presently in the budget.

Option 5

Mix and Match

Put a 2.8mm lens next to the door and a 4mm in the corner.

Advantages

Resolution coverage at the door

Very little in the way of blind spots

Disadvantages

The resolution in most of your coverage is observation only.


These are just a few suggestions. What you need to decide is what is most important to you, and, if you intend to upgrade over time, what sacrifices are acceptable now to achieve your optimum end result. Personally I would go with option 1 and then find the money to put in more cams to cover the gaps as you go along.
 

JFire

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Here are a few options you might want to look at and what sort of results you could get.

Making the following assumptions
3mp Cameras with 1/3" sensors
Doorway is 1.5m (5 Ft) wide and the rooms each side are 4.5m (15ft) from edge to the side of the doorway.
6m (20ft) to the Curb
7.5m (25ft) wide roadway

With a 2 camera budget I would get 6mm lenses and mount them where your red circles are.

Option 1

Mount them facing each other

That would give you about 420 pixels per metre (ppm) from each camera at the edge of the door way furthest away from the camera.

You should be able to see the kerb, and the entirety of the footpath at 7.5m from each camera with a resolution of 340 ppm. That is slightly below the 352ppm recognition standard in the Australian standard.

You should be able to see the far side of the road at 16.7m (56ft) from each camera.

Advantages.

You have great coverage at a recognition resolution of anyone approaching your front door regardless of which way they are looking
Resolution at the footpath is still fairly high and will be facing pedestrians walking in both directions.
Your cameras cover each other.

Disadvantages
You have a triangular shaped blind spot directly in front of the door that is 7 feet wide at the near kerb and nearly 60 feet wide at the far curb in the street

Option 2

Turn one camera out towards the street by 44 degrees.

Advantages

Reduces the blind spot in the street significantly

Disadvantages

Cameras no longer cover each other.

You now have a blind spot in your front yard and on the footpath for pedestrians approaching from that direction.

Option 3

Go 4mm lenses instead

Advantages

The blind spot on the far side of the road is a triangle only 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall.

Disadvantages

You dont have recognition resolution on people approaching the front door

Option 4

Get a third (and Fourth) camera and cover the gap.

Advantages

Total coverage

Disadvantages

Increased cost and storage bandwidth.

Not presently in the budget.

Option 5

Mix and Match

Put a 2.8mm lens next to the door and a 4mm in the corner.

Advantages

Resolution coverage at the door

Very little in the way of blind spots

Disadvantages

The resolution in most of your coverage is observation only.


These are just a few suggestions. What you need to decide is what is most important to you, and, if you intend to upgrade over time, what sacrifices are acceptable now to achieve your optimum end result. Personally I would go with option 1 and then find the money to put in more cams to cover the gaps as you go along.
I will add cameras over time. I currently have 2 4mp 2.8mm cameras and the mini ptz on the way. I'm going to place the 2.8 dome on the left circle and the ptz on a corner mount near the right circle. The other 2.8 will go in the back. I'll grab another mini ptz mid summer and then work on the 6mm for porch and front door. I originally ordered 3.6mm for the domes but they messaged me and told me they were out of stock. I didn't want the hassle of refund and finding new store. I ordered from the link posted this thread.

Thanks for your input.

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