Camera Placement Suggestions & Pole Design Ideas

[Overcon]

Hey All, I have a Hikvision PTZ I am looking to place in my front yard to capture all activity in and around the front of the house (as it has motion detection and tracking). I am looking for suggestions on where to place the camera and ideas on how to place the pole and maybe make the pool look less like a pole with a camera than maybe a fake Palm Tree with the camera kind of camouflaged.

Not so much to actually hide the camera but to make it less utilitarian and more fitting into the yard. I am not sure if there are poles like this or if anyone has ideas on how to spruce on up, hence the post.

Here is a pano of my front yard to help get some ideas. Hope the image isn't too big. i did shrink it down and optimized it for web, so shouldn't be too bad unless you are on a modem

 

[NoloC]

Maybe set it up temporarily and test your theory about "capturing all activity" with auto-tracking. I'm guessing you will be disapointed. Especially if there are multiple targets. Consider multiple fixed cams recording 24/7 with motion alerts.

 

[Overcon]

I have fixed cam's covering the area, this is to track people walking around the yard / driveway / side of the house (mostly kids). The tracking for this camera is pretty spot on. I use the same model at work and it does well. Sure multiple targets will not be tracked, but the fixed cameras will get those, just not in as nice of detail.

 

[looney2ns]

Use this for location ideas: Camera Calculator / Design Software Keep PPF>100.

Your picture won't display at all for me.

 

[SyconsciousAu]

Why not hang it off the corner of the house? Cant be sure but the corner of the house in the right of that panoramic seems like it would see all the areas you want.

If you are going to go a pole get a local metal shop to fabricate you one out of some 100mm x 100mm x 3mm or 4mm Square Hollow Section with a baseplate welded on. Set some threaded rod into concrete. Painting the pole matte black will stop the eye being drawn to it. If you wanted to soften it train a fast growing climber up it.

Edit: I can't emphasise enough that for a PTZ you need to have a rigid mount otherwise you will get wobble.