Focal range - finding the right cam

[TallPaul]

Ok, so I want to add a camera outside the front of the house that will be mounted in one corner of the property boundary looking accross the front (which is sensible option with access road layout).

Want to be able to get good view in front of the house at 16m (52ft) to 18m (59ft), it did not feel like I needed something long range so I looked at HFH5442E-ZE and the Dori ranges at full zoom 12mm would be identify at 13m/43ft and recognise (or if your working in feet recognize) at 26m/85ft. So max zoom is just falling outside identify range.

I did a bit of research and the ANPR forums darling is the HFW5241E-Z12E, but then you jump from 2.7-12mm zoom to 5.3-64mm, which is wayyy more than needed. You also drop to 2MP, so at 16m/52ft you drop from 200ppm (4mp) to 145ppm (2mp) at the same HAoV about 47deg, zooming into 32deg brings it back to around 200ppm.

Just like goldilocks it seems the HFW5442E-Z4E with its 8-32mm would be zoomed neatly all the way out at the same FoV, but giving 220ppm already, and zoomed in a bit gives 300ppm.

I tried some online tools, and looked at Dori distances (all telephoto end of zoom):

	Detect	Observe	Recongise	Identify
HFH5442E-ZE	131m(430ft)	52m(171ft)	26m(85ft)	13m(43ft)
HFW5442E-Z4E	400m(1312ft)	160m(525ft)	80m(262ft)	40m(131ft)
HFW5241E-Z12E	883m(2897ft)	353m(1158ft)	177m(580ft)	88m(289ft)

You would think the middle option would be the best (Z4E) but its $$ over the other two and I can't help wondering if the standard 5442 is enough - but it makes me nervous to plan to be at the extreme of the zoom range from the start in case as I have no adjustment.

Can anyone add any real world advice to get me off the fence on what to get here - Black Friday approaches!

Don't mind the more expensive cam's if its "the one" but if I end up with them zoomed out into the 5442 range its a waste of funds that could be spent on other parts of the system.

 

[mat200]

Ok, so I want to add a camera outside the front of the house that will be mounted in one corner of the property boundary looking accross the front (which is sensible option with access road layout).

Want to be able to get good view in front of the house at 16m (52ft) to 18m (59ft), it did not feel like I needed something long range so I looked at HFH5442E-ZE and the Dori ranges at full zoom 12mm would be identify at 13m/43ft and recognise (or if your working in feet recognize) at 26m/85ft. So max zoom is just falling outside identify range.

I did a bit of research and the ANPR forums darling is the HFW5241E-Z12E, but then you jump from 2.7-12mm zoom to 5.3-64mm, which is wayyy more than needed. You also drop to 2MP, so at 16m/52ft you drop from 200ppm (4mp) to 145ppm (2mp) at the same HAoV about 47deg, zooming into 32deg brings it back to around 200ppm.

Just like goldilocks it seems the HFW5442E-Z4E with its 8-32mm would be zoomed neatly all the way out at the same FoV, but giving 220ppm already, and zoomed in a bit gives 300ppm.

I tried some online tools, and looked at Dori distances (all telephoto end of zoom):

	Detect	Observe	Recongise	Identify
HFH5442E-ZE	131m(430ft)	52m(171ft)	26m(85ft)	13m(43ft)
HFW5442E-Z4E	400m(1312ft)	160m(525ft)	80m(262ft)	40m(131ft)
HFW5241E-Z12E	883m(2897ft)	353m(1158ft)	177m(580ft)	88m(289ft)

You would think the middle option would be the best (Z4E) but its $$ over the other two and I can't help wondering if the standard 5442 is enough - but it makes me nervous to plan to be at the extreme of the zoom range from the start in case as I have no adjustment.


Can anyone add any real world advice to get me off the fence on what to get here - Black Friday approaches!

Don't mind the more expensive cam's if its "the one" but if I end up with them zoomed out into the 5442 range its a waste of funds that could be spent on other parts of the system.

Hi @TallPaul

Also check the DORI section of the cliff notes.

Many of us have felt that the DORI ranges listed by Dahua and others are too ideal ( basically need a 100% straight on facial ID capture to get those numbers )

So when planning you can think of the DORI listed by Dahua to be just a bit too long for most real world cases ( perhaps use 80% of that number when planning imho )

 

[TallPaul]

Thanks mat200, so that is what I felt was probably the case, I can cross of the base 12mm 5442 and need to chose between the 2MP 64mm 5241E and the more expensive, but probably the right choice, 5442-Z4E 4MP which gets higher res as well as 32mm reach (even if its parked at half its reach at 16mm in this use case).

 

[Flintstone61]

5442 ze first cam
2nd cam is the overview for my 5241z-z12 in the last pic. Zoomed into a trap zone for plates. About 1/2 way on zoom.

 

[Flintstone61]

To me the ZE is a wide angle camera for general view. If you want to tighten up on something the angle diminishes quite a bit
Every use scenario is unique.

 

[Flintstone61]

5442ZE VS. 5442 6mm
for your consideration.
6mm is 11 feet high, looking down at an angle to trap plates mostly.
the ZE is at 6.5 ft. high, and can get some plates, but not as many as the 6mm.
As has been said many times here. 1 camera can do 1 job well, if you try and get it to do 2 jobs, one suffers.
Think about 2 cams eventually at that location

 

[TallPaul]

Thanks, I will, be playing with deepstack but not compromising overall image for a
plate at night etc. ANPR is not my objective here.

I have a 2231 as well but it’s at the front door and zoomed out, I may swap it with a 2.8mm 2431 which has proved to be a great budget option somewhere else. I should maybe try that at the weekend as a test and use the 2231 in planned location to see FOV