Front door cam - 6mm?

[RobertM]

Researching past entries on front door cam placement and type of lens. Seems like the IPC-HDBW4231F-AS would fit my situation. From what I've read on this site, folks initially go with the widest angle lens then regret the lack of reach so wish they got the 3.6mm. Then some even wonder if they should've gotten the 6mm since they feel there's too many wasted pixels (side to side) and they would've benefitted more by the long facial recognition of the narrower FOV. Also have read about rotating the lens and corridor mode to catch more of the north/south instead of east/west.

Have any folks gone with the 6mm at the front door (looking outward) and then wish they got the 3.6mm? I don't care about packages left next to the door - I care about getting facial recognition quality as far out as practical. I would also place the physical camera relatively low - like five or six feet high - and capturing a good face shot at least for the moment they stepped into the 'capture zone'. Then all other times I'd benefit from the 6mm lens' long view for sidewalk/mailbox coverage. I know a bad guy could bash the camera (it would be painted brick red and securely attached) but here are my POSITIVE assumptions about a lower camera placement: 1. Visitors/bad guys would KNOW the camera was there, 2. They'd know that the cam captured their face dead-to-rights even if they had a tightly pulled hoodie because the cam would be eyeball height by the time they noticed it, and 3. they'd know that the homeowner was tactical and most likely a capable person.

Or am I assuming too much from the bad guys' point of view?? Such as "crackhead doesn't think that much!"

Attached is a photo of the front door's view outward - which would catch the side walk approach, section of front yard/driveway, and mailbox.

Thoughts?

 

[bp2008]

I've seen enough videos of guys sneaking up to a house and getting their face right up in a camera... In one case only to reach over and bend it away (some crappy Nest cam). Most bad guys aren't too smart -- that is why they are risking their freedom to steal other people's stuff.

I imagine 6mm would be okay right there. It would be a lot easier to hide from such a camera (e.g. off to the side of it) but lets be honest, nobody is going to try that.

 

[RobertM]

In theory they wouldn't see/recognize the camera before it was too late - and by then their face was already captured in detail... but I get your point that they aren't too smart to begin with! ;-)

 

[bug99]

I have found that it is difficult to cover the front door area well with one camera. This is because the camera is too close when the person is right there. If you use too wide of a lens, it is worthless for ID out past about 7 feet, however. This is actually why one of mine is about 8 feet up at the upper corner of the door, to get it a bit further away, but at the expense of a bit more top of head than i would like. It is out of the line of sight a bit, so that is good, but that is not why it is there. It started life down where you mention.

If it were me, and the budget allowed, i might use a 3.6mm on the right side up high (play around with it mounted on a stick before securing it down), and a second varifocal on the opposite side of the down spout to the camera you have there now, catching people walking up the sidewalk. Depending on how deep the porch is to the step, 6mm might be a good choice as well.

Using corridor mode for either or both seems like it is worth trying out for a sidewalk, but in the end, you will probably use standard orientation to get more width in the frame at any given zoom. Getting shots of feet are of low value and you want the least amount of sky in the background to improve the dynamic range of the shot.

One other note. I have found that people look down when they step up so that they don't trip. What this means is the spot that would normally be the best ID shot might just end up with top of head vs face. This places extra need to see them well while at the door itself.

 

[DavidDavid]

A mistake a lot of people make is that criminals are rational decision makers.

 

[randytsuch]

I wouldn't assume they are idiots, not with the proliferation of security cams.
I've seen videos here with guys either in hats or hoody's, and I bet that's at least partially because of cams.

Many of my neighbors are getting cams, and almost all of them have the cams too high for facial recognition.

 

[bp2008]

Would be neat if you could hollow out a brick from the steps and put a covert camera in there pointed up toward face height.

 

[RobertM]

Quick side question... in physical areas where multiple cams might cover an area better - do you believe a strobe/flashing motion sensor (LED) light would better serve the tricky area? This site has an excellent archive of bad guy videos whereby a traditional motion sensor light activates on them as they're checking car door handles or coming up to a house entrance - and it doesn't frighten them away. However, when the motion sensor light actually strobes/flashes the bad guy scrams. Perhaps the bad guy believes the on/off/on is being done manually by the homeowner inside or perhaps the bad guy just hasn't seen enough of that style of motion sensor light yet...

 

[randytsuch]

I would expect a flashing light to mess up the camera exposure as it has to adjust from bright to dim.
As for scaring off, I guess it depends on the bad guy lol.

 

[bug99]

anecdotally, i have noticed that rather than complexly hide the camera, if it has a little light or better yet makes a noise when the person is in position, it causes the person to stair directly at the camera, getting a great shot. This will likely only work once for each customer, but it is sort of amazing to see in action. People are programmed to look at a noise near their head. I think ideal is hidden until right up close.

 

[RobertM]

Thanks bug, appreciate the universal human nature of self-protection or curiosity with noise near the head. Believe I'll eventually get the 6mm at eyeball height, painted to match the brick - and pointed so that the target cone is going to hit the face for the 95th percentile. Now I need to bust the brick or hire someone to do it for a clean, secure install.