Camera Recommendations

[Teeling611]

After reading so much information on cameras I have gotten myself confused over all the prices and option. At first I was going to get less expensive cameras but now I don’t think that’s the best route to go. This is what I’m looking at now. Varifocal, wide angle, night color, and a big must have is audio, good audio! I also need two good indoor cameras. I was looking at cube cameras but most get poor ratings. I‘m still researching indoor cameras. Ceiling mounted would probably be my best bet. Again very good audio. AI function in camera or controlled by BI still a question.

Any suggestions with model numbers would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[wittaj]

Varifocal and night color do not exist on the ideal MP/sensor ratio - only fixed cams and a $2,000 PTZ.

Varifocal and wide angle don't go together LOL. Wide angle are 2.8 or 3.6mm lens. Varifocal is used to optically zoom in, but it is a set it and forget it.

You need to decide do you want wide angle see a lot but only DETECT and OBSERVE, or varifocal that you zoom in to pinch points to IDENTIFY.

Plus you need enough light or the full color camera is useless. They are great cameras, but it needs light or you are willing to use the built-in white light. Should you not want to use the white light or do not have ambient light, then you need a camera that can see infrared.

Audio is kind of a bonus with these types of cameras. To say good audio is debatable.

See this thread for more on the importance of focal length, along with the commonly suggested cameras in terms of cost and performance day and night, These cameras represent the best all-around choices for what you are trying to accomplish.

The Importance of Focal Length over MP in camera selection

At the urging of several folks here, I created a thread to show the importance of focal length and how focal length can be more important than megapixels (MP). I mentioned some of this in the post regarding The Hookup’s latest video demonstrating different cameras, including one sold from a...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[Teeling611]

Varifocal and night color do not exist on the ideal MP/sensor ratio - only fixed cams and a $2,000 PTZ.

Varifocal and wide angle don't go together LOL. Wide angle are 2.8 or 3.6mm lens. Varifocal is used to optically zoom in, but it is a set it and forget it.

You need to decide do you want wide angle see a lot but only DETECT and OBSERVE, or varifocal that you zoom in to pinch points to IDENTIFY.

Plus you need enough light or the full color camera is useless. They are great cameras, but it needs light or you are willing to use the built-in white light. Should you not want to use the white light or do not have ambient light, then you need a camera that can see infrared.

Audio is kind of a bonus with these types of cameras. To say good audio is debatable.

See this thread for more on the importance of focal length, along with the commonly suggested cameras in terms of cost and performance day and night, These cameras represent the best all-around choices for what you are trying to accomplish.

The Importance of Focal Length over MP in camera selection

At the urging of several folks here, I created a thread to show the importance of focal length and how focal length can be more important than megapixels (MP). I mentioned some of this in the post regarding The Hookup’s latest video demonstrating different cameras, including one sold from a...

ipcamtalk.com

You’re killing me here I was going by your recommendation of the 5442 but it doesn’t have audio. All I want to do is focus on certain area without having to move the camera. Then I will just leave it set in that position. I have very little light in the area.

 

[wittaj]

You’re killing me here I was going by your recommendation of the 5442 but it doesn’t have audio. All I want to do is focus on certain area without having to move the camera. Then I will just leave it set in that position. I have very little light in the area.

The 5442 varifocal has a mic but not a speaker.

I assure you though that you should buy a camera for the picture quality, not the audio LOL.

Two-way talk is more like walkie-talkie and not good for a conversation. A quick "Get the ef off my property" is about all it is good for LOL>

You can always add an external speaker to the 5442 if you wanted two-way.

 

[ludshed]

Everything he said^!
Or if you can find a PFM camera be sure to let us know!
Understanding the dynamics of a mic in windy conditions may be difficult unless you’re a musician who has had to double as sound guy!

 

[Teeling611]

Everything he said^!
Or if you can find a PFM camera be sure to let us know!
Understanding the dynamics of a mic in windy conditions may be difficult unless you’re a musician who has had to double as sound guy!

Thanks I’ll have to scrap the audio portion. Have any suggestions I can research?

 

[mat200]

Thanks I’ll have to scrap the audio portion. Have any suggestions I can research?

Hi @Teeling611

Do check out the DORI notes from the cliff notes and review those.

That should help narrow down what you want / need.

Remember also getting a good angle for a possible facial ID image capture is important if you want to potentially ID someone.

 

[ludshed]

Thanks I’ll have to scrap the audio portion. Have any suggestions I can research?

Audio solutions? Just visible light, these guys will be able to help more than me.

 

[Teeling611]

Hi @Teeling611

Do check out the DORI notes from the cliff notes and review those.

That should help narrow down what you want / need.

Remember also getting a good angle for a possible facial ID image capture is important if you want to potentially ID someone.

Thanks I’ve read them and so much more. I know what I want at least in my head. This is getting way too complicated trying to explain what I’m looking for and I can see why. Simply speaking I want to look at my monitor and see someone on my porch, driveway, yard etc. Wittaj has given me options such as the 5442. I we just looking for other suggestions similar to his.

 

[wittaj]

The 5442 is a workhorse and still the gold standard, even almost 4 years after it's debut. It is simply a great model in terms of price, performance day and night, and reliability. It is the camera that other cameras are compared to in performance testing.

It is probably the most commonly suggested or recommended series due to so many options - a full color version, a fixed lens version, a varifocal version, etc. It is simply a solid performer.

It represents the best quality at night with IR. The 4K series has probably unseated the 5442 for the 2.8 or 3.6mm fixed lens version IF, and that is a big IF, someone has the light or is willing to use the built-in white LED. But the 4K on the 1/1.2" sensor cannot see infrared and is not available in varifocal, so it is currently a limited camera in terms of flexibility for many field of views.

Until the 4K is available in varifocal, I see the 5442 series being one of the top recommended cameras for a while.

 

[Rob2020]

The 5442 series is really the best option, especially when you consider you are getting the best value to go along with great specifications.

I have tried other options and the 5442 is still the best especially for the reasonable cost.

For outdoor use, the fixed lens 5442 3.6MM on the PFB Dahua mount is especially clean and professional looking.

 

[samplenhold]

The turret 5442 cams have a mic. The bullet 5442 cams do not.

It is a good idea to have a mic on at least one outside cam per area. But it is not really game changer. Most of my outdoor cams are turrets and have a mic. The mini-wedges at my front door have a mic. The indoor domes have mics. None of these cams were chosen due to the mics. They were chosen to perform the video aspects of the system. Having a mic was a bonus.

 

[Teeling611]

I was looking at these cameras. Good price point, $80.00, good ratings, but doesn’t appear to have AI feature. Will these work with BI‘s AI functions? Thanks.

Loryta 4MP 1/2.9" CMOS Starlight POE IR Turret IP Camera WDR IP67 Weatherproof Outdoor,Support IVS, SMD Plus. ,Built-in Mic, Built-in IR LED, High Image Definition, Fixed Lens IPC-T2431T-AS S2 2.8mm

 

[wittaj]

Yes they will work with BI.

But 4MP on a 1/2.9" sensor will not give you the low light performance you said to be seeking...remember the deer examples that a couple of us showed you.

You would be better off with a 2MP on a larger 1/2.8" sensor.

 

[Teeling611]

Yes they will work with BI.

But 4MP on a 1/2.9" sensor will not give you the low light performance you said to be seeking...remember the deer examples that a couple of us showed you.

You would be better off with a 2MP on a larger 1/2.8" sensor.

Thanks I’m trying to get something that you suggested but still trying for that lower price point.

 

[wittaj]

What you will find is that almost every manufacturer sells a higher MP on that smaller 1/2.9 or 1/3" sensor. It is strictly a budget camera being sold to target the unsuspecting or naive consumer chasing MP.

Chase sensor size, not MP.

You can get away with some of the budget cams inside as you get a lot of IR bounce so it adds more "light", but outside they just don't cut it.

And then you said you want to use BI AI and you said you want night color and that just isn't going to happen unless you have stadium quality light. Look at my deer example with the budget cam couldn't switch to color with floodlights, but the 5442 did go to color, plus it was a better overall image.

Sure you can run the camera on auto/default and make it look like it is high noon when it is dark out, but then motion will be a complete blur and BI AI won't cancel it out.

It is a compromise and I know you are trying to find lower price points, but you cannot get everything you want at the price points you are looking at.

If I could take back and return every camera I have bought where I was trying to be cost-conscious, I would do it in a second. Replacing the budget cam with a better cam in under a year isn't actually cost-conscious and I have a box full of cams where I tried to go the cheap route and they just didn't cut it. If all it can tell me is what time something happened but not provide anything useful to the police, it is a wasted purchase.

And by cost-conscious I meant buying the $80 camera versus the $120 camera, not like a $800 camera LOL.

Knowing what I know now, being concerned about cost, I would go with either the T3241 or the T2231, but then I would look and for just a little more I could get the much better 5442

 

[wittaj]

For those that find this thread later when they are new to this site and looking for camera recommendations and this thread pops up, here is the thread with the deer examples being discussed above.

Deer in the back yard...

This is from a $50 Amcrest camera that I could never rely on for ID of anyone, but I get to see the deer that come through on occasion...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[samplenhold]

I have two T2431 cams in my garage. They work well for that purpose. But they are not great with movement in lower light or on IR. By lower light I don't mean at night. Even in low daylight they are not great. They also have a plastic mount ring, not metal.

I have on of the T2231T cams on my front porch. It does a much better job than the T2431.

 

[looney2ns]

You have already been given good options in the past.
You're making this more difficult than it needs to be.
PIck/Buy one of these, and they will fit your needs.
Buy once, cry once.

Best option $189. With builtin audio and AI.
Review-OEM Loryta IPC-T5442T-ZE Varifocal 4mp camera (Dahua) | IP Cam Talk

Second best option $143. With Builtin Audio and AI
Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal | IP Cam Talk

3rd best option $125. NO AUDIO, but does have AI.
Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS Ver 2, 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera | IP Cam Talk

Indoors: Review-Dahua IPC-K42A 4mp Indoor Cube cam 2.8mm | IP Cam Talk

 

[Mike A.]

I was looking at these cameras. Good price point, $80.00, good ratings, but doesn’t appear to have AI feature. Will these work with BI‘s AI functions? Thanks.

The 2431 does have IVS AI Human/Vehicle detection. So you can use it either way - on-cam AI or BI's AI.

Agree with @samplenhold about low-light performance. Not great when things are moving in low light but better than I expected overall for the cost.