EmpireTech aka Dahua LPR Settings

[anonymoosed]

Problem I am trying to solve: I am not sure why the mailbox number is extremely clear but I still cant capture the plates. Even when reviewing the video manually you cant see the plate.

Information:

1. Model of Camera EmpireTech Z12E S2 Version Smart 2MP 5mm–60mm Motorized Vari Lens, IP67,IK10, IPC-B52IR-Z12E S2 (White)
2. Blue Iris codeproject AI
3. First test worked -
4. Second test - after making some changes. I wanted the mailbox to not get in the way so I changed some zoom. Picture is clear but license plates are blurry. You can read the numbers on my mailbox.
5. Another camera on the same pole for reference of distance. Each fence post you see is 10ft so its about 80ft from the mailbox
6. Picture of the camera from the camera directly
7. Picture of my daytime settings

Steps I've taken since:
1. I tried to put the camera back to the previous settings. Figured I messed something up but that didnt work
2. Figured I didnt remember the previous settings before so I reset the camera back to default and tried again
3. Removed and Re-added camera from blue iris

Still the same issue even after following the same video settings.

 

[anonymoosed]

Im thinking its a setting and not camera placement. I tried rekor scout as well and it appears to be detecting. The USPS is slow speed. The second one is 45-60mph

 

[actran]

@anonymoosed What is providing you with the vehicle make/model?

With respect to getting sharper images for plate # extraction, if you have camera exposure set to auto, instead set shutter speed manually, try 1/500. If that is not good enough, try 1/1000

 

[bigredfish]

Exposure= AUTO

There's your biggest problem.

Try manual range 0-3

 

[bigredfish]

And while you're at it, back 3D/2D NR down to 35

And HLC backlight does NOTHING during the day. Turn it to OFF

 

[anonymoosed]

@anonymoosed What is providing you with the vehicle make/model?

With respect to getting sharper images for plate # extraction, if you have camera exposure set to auto, instead set shutter speed manually, try 1/500. If that is not good enough, try 1/1000

I downloaded a free trial of Rekor Scout to see if the plate issues were a BI issue or a camera issue

Exposure= AUTO

There's your biggest problem.

Try manual range 0-3

And while you're at it, back 3D/2D NR back to 35

And HLC backlight does NOTHING during the day. Turn it to OFF

Done

 

[bigredfish]

Not GAIN 0-3, - Exposure/shutter 0-3

 

[anonymoosed]

Not GAIN 0-3, - Exposure/shutter 0-3

This right?

 

[bigredfish]

yes - you may need to use an even faster shutter depending on the speed of the vehicles. I'm using 0-0.5.

Here's my current Day settings at 100ft. YMMV


You have the newer interface but same camera. More zoom will help

Overview cam


Z12 LPR cam

 

[anonymoosed]

yes - you may need to use an even faster shutter depending on the speed of the vehicles. I'm using 0-0.5.

Here's my current Day settings at 100ft. YMMV
View attachment 183907 View attachment 183908 View attachment 183909 View attachment 183910

You have the newer interface but same camera. More zoom will help

Overview cam
View attachment 183915

Z12 LPR cam
View attachment 183912 View attachment 183913 View attachment 183914 View attachment 183916 View attachment 183917

Just waiting on a car to pass that direction so I can see if the changed worked. Could you also post your night settings as well? I am about the same distance and dialing in the night makes me want to punch things.

 

[anonymoosed]

@bigredfish the cars on the road will be moving at 45-60MPH. I have more zoom ability but it will give me a smaller window to capture the plate. I assume that might be ok?

 

[bigredfish]

Again ymmv, use it as a starting point

 

[bigredfish]

Yes a tighter zoom will help.

At that speed you may need faster shutter. I think 0-1 or 0-0.5 will be fine for daytime, NIGHT you may need to go to 1/2000 or 1/4000 but note that will make things darker so you may also have to adjust Gain and Exp Comp up to offset.

 

[bigredfish]

If you can get away with slower shutter and not get motion blur, great. My settings are a bit extreme as far as fast shutter. You'll have to experiment

Day somewhere between 0-1 and 0-3
Night min 1/1000 to as fast as 1/4000

 

[The Automation Guy]

I agree that the exposure settings were the biggest reason you were not getting clear images. Hopefully with a faster shutter speed, you can clean that up. That being said, I will make one additional comment.......

You have to understand where your focal plane falls on the image. Many people would assume the focal plane would be the red line because instintively they think it follows the road. But the focal plan is always going to be parallel with the camera's front lens. Assuming the camera is focused on the mailbox, the red line is NOT the camera's focal plane. The blue line is actually where the camera is focusing. Therefore you might have to back the focus up farther down the road depending on where you want your "sharpest" image to be located.

Now if your depth of field is large (deep) enough, it really doesn't matter. But if you still feel you are getting non-sharp images after playing with the exposure settings, try moving the focus point farther down the road.

PS - this topic actually brings up another point. Use manual focus, not auto focus. Pick a point where you want the camera to be focused on and then leave it on manual focus. This way passing objects don't mess the focus up. The camera is not going to work fast enough to "lock focus" on a fast moving car if it is set to autofocus and the camera decides it needs to change the focus.

 

[anonymoosed]

I agree that the exposure settings were the biggest reason you were not getting clear images. Hopefully with a faster shutter speed, you can clean that up. That being said, I will make one additional comment.......

You have to understand where your focal plane falls on the image. Many people would assume the focal plane would be the red line because instintively they think it follows the road. But the focal plan is always going to be parallel with the camera's front lens. Assuming the camera is focused on the mailbox, the red line is NOT the camera's focal plane. The blue line is actually where the camera is focusing. Therefore you might have to back the focus up farther down the road depending on where you want your "sharpest" image to be located.

Now if your depth of field is large (deep) enough, it really doesn't matter. But if you still feel you are getting non-sharp images after playing with the exposure settings, try moving the focus point farther down the road.

I think im understanding. Forgive the terrible drawing. I have two options. I can push the focal length on the other side of the mailbox but it would be a lot longer distance. The other option would be to face it more towards the road versus out but I'm worried its such a small window that it would capture just the plate and not the vehicle.

Is there a way to focus on a specific spot versus zooming in and out>?

 

[anonymoosed]

If you can get away with slower shutter and not get motion blur, great. My settings are a bit extreme as far as fast shutter. You'll have to experiment

Day somewhere between 0-1 and 0-3
Night min 1/1000 to as fast as 1/4000

Thank you for all your help

 

[bigredfish]

Agree with @The Automation Guy however, I use Semi-Auto focus. Using a schedule profile I force the camera into NIGHT mode approx 45 min BEFORE sunset allowing it to get a good focus while there is still enough light. Same on daytime, I switch 45 min AFTER sunrise to color. Once the profile change occurs, the focus does not change.

Others here use a 3rd party utility or other means via BI to get exact focus numbers

 

[The Automation Guy]

I think im understanding. Forgive the terrible drawing. I have two options. I can push the focal length on the other side of the mailbox but it would be a lot longer distance. The other option would be to face it more towards the road versus out but I worried it was such a small window it wouldnt capture the vehicle but just the plate.

Is there a way to focus on a specific spot versus zooming in and out>?
View attachment 183930

Honestly I think the camera (and focus point) is fine where it is. The other thing to keep in mind is that the lines on the picture represent a one dimensional object on a two dimensional image. When the license plate passes directly over the blue line, it is actually going to be somewhere between the blueline and the red line in the video frame capture. So while the plate is physically right above the blue line it will appear farther down the road on the image (but before the mailbox would block it).

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[anonymoosed]

Settings changed test

test2

Appreciate the help everyone. I think you helped me fix the day time. I'll post back when I have night images to share. I have some from last night but they're terrible