Front Door Camera Places - Opinions?

[eddiequeue]

Hi All,
I'm currently about to add my second IP camera, a Hikvision 3MP w/4mm Lens (Technically it's a TrendNet Clone). I got a good deal on a pair of these, I would have preferred a 2.8mm lens but oh well. I'm currently trying to decide where to place this camera and would like some opinions. The garage is unfinished inside and I'm able to run hardwired POE to either of these two locations now before it's finished in.

Option 1: Facing towards the door

Pros:
- I can clearly see packages placed on the doorstep, and would capture footage of someone taking one.
- Less obvious placement, less likely to be noticed by friendly visitors.

Cons:
- I would have to rely on my garage / driveway camera for getting a photo of a face if the person doesn't turn around and walk back on the sidewalk (some visitors in the summer time going door to door would just walk across the lawn to the next house)


Option 2: Facing the sidewalk from the eave above the front door

Pros:
- Gets a great shot of faces of anyone approaching the front door.

Cons:
- Would be very likely to be noticed (visiting friends will detect my tinfoil paranoia hat)
- There is a pillar on the front step that might get in the way a little bit.
- Because of the 4mm lens packages placed directly under it on the step wouldn't be in camera view (But I would probably see someone leaving with a stolen package, but wouldn't be able to glimpse the package sitting there from the live-view like on the other location)


Overall the house is in a good neighbourhood, but the economy here is in a slump and crime is on the rise. I'll have continuous recording with BlueIris on the cameras going back several weeks if that helps. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Del Boy]

I'd be amazed if anyone voted for Option 1 unless they were joking.

Cameras are more normal now than ever before. You'll find visiting friends will ask you to recommend one.

 

[woodyl]

I'm considering a similar issue. I don't mean to hijack your thread, but I'd like to get some guidance. This will be my first experience with an IP camera, and I will probably go with a setup similar to your Option 2. The camera will be on an eave that runs perpendicular to the front door and is about 8' above and to the side of the door. My question is what lens size to use. Viewing people at and approaching the door will be the first priority, but it would be useful to also cover some of the driveway beyond. Again, I don't mean to hijack your thread and if this is off-topic, I'll be glad to start a new thread.

 

[ruppmeister]

I personally would go with option #2. It gives the best facial shot for anyone coming up to the door and, you can turn the camera 90* and set it up in corridor mode if you want to see packages at the door. Best of both worlds really.

 

[zero-degrees]

i'd be amazed if anyone voted for option 1 unless they were joking.

Cameras are more normal now than ever before. You'll find visiting friends will ask you to recommend one.

^^^^^^^* that! +1

 

[nayr]

put a wicker trunk next to your front door so packages can be put inside something, then you can put a simple contact switch on the trunk and you'll know when there is a package inside without dedicating a camera just to look at the ground.. this will net you the benefits of knowing a package is inside and hiding your packages from plain sight until you can collect them.

With a front door camera you want to look at your cameras and ID who is at the door, think peep-hole. Looking at someones back side wont be much help.. put it as close to eye level as you can looking straight out to the road.. you'll also be able to see activity at the street, not enough to identify people but likely enough to ID the vehicle make/model/color.

Put up a clever no soliciting sign on your front door and everyone will be too busy reading your proclamation nobody will ever notice the camera.. one or two visible cameras does not make a person paranoid looking anymore, now when you have half a dozen obviously visible cameras from the street people might start to think your a little paranoid.. but by then you should have the vast majority of them very discretely located.

My front door camera is in plain sight, and I still had to point it out to my UPS man when he asked about it.. conversation went something like: "UPS: You always open the door right as I walk up, you have cameras or something? Me: Yeah that one right there <points at the camera above my head>. UPS: Hah, if that was a snake it'd of bit me!"

Your friends wont care unless you start to put them up inside, then there going to wonder if they can take a shit in privacy or if everything they say is being recorded.

 

[Kawboy12R]

I'd much prefer having my camera near the door at or just above face height looking out than looking at my door. Not worth it to me to see a package sitting there compared to what I'd lose for vision with the camera staring at the door all day and at the backs of the heads of visitors. With a single cam pointing out you'll get video of everybody with an opportunity to steal the package and a REALLY good chance of seeing them leaving with it. Nayr's idea is a good one or you could place a second REALLY cheap IP camera above your front door and have it looking down. If you're running wire for the first main camera looking out from the front door, an extra run of Cat 5 to the same location is under a dime a foot. Lots of options available for well under $50 shipped (or even under $30) if you don't mind AliExpress, EBay, etc. Heck, even putting the cheapo in location 1 would be fine and double your chances of a clear face shot of someone leaving, but if it's a one-cam solution then I'd have it looking outwards. Two cams at the front door? The more I think about it, a 2nd really cheap wide angle camera in location 1 would show your packages even in the corner by the door plus give you a really good idea what's going on in a 90 or possibly over a 100 degree arc. I wouldn't sacrifice the driveway camera for the second front door camera in location 1 though. If you think you'll ever get more cameras or want a cheap spare wire already installed, double up your runs of cat 5 to your cameras and leave some spare wire at the ends so you can install another pointing elsewhere.