Hi

[snowleopard1950]

I am new here, my background is building out infastructure for new offices.... Running Cat5/5e/6/6a and in some instances Cat 7. Setting up firewalls, AD Servers, Exchange servers, imaging pc's, etc. In most of the offices I build out, the client chooses to go cheap and gets Swann CCTV systems.

I am looking for guidance in building out a 4K system for my home with reasonable 4k PTZ POE cameras with a minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice. I would want to build out a custom server for the storage with a used rack server I have laying around using Linux or Windows Server. Storage is not an issue for me. Looking for 4k 30FPS or 60FPS recordings and I will add storage as needed to maintain say 30 days footage.

I see Foscam and Amcrest 4K cameras out there, but I am sure there are other options that I am not aware of for the cameras, but I am not looking Pelco camera's either because at $8000/ per camera they are a little out of reach. I also don't want PTZ cameras the size of basketballs either.

 

[mat200]

I am new here, my background is building out infastructure for new offices.... Running Cat5/5e/6/6a and in some instances Cat 7. Setting up firewalls, AD Servers, Exchange servers, imaging pc's, etc. In most of the offices I build out, the client chooses to go cheap and gets Swann CCTV systems.

I am looking for guidance in building out a 4K system for my home with reasonable 4k PTZ POE cameras with a minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice. I would want to build out a custom server for the storage with a used rack server I have laying around using Linux or Windows Server. Storage is not an issue for me. Looking for 4k 30FPS or 60FPS recordings and I will add storage as needed to maintain say 30 days footage.

I see Foscam and Amcrest 4K cameras out there, but I am sure there are other options that I am not aware of for the cameras, but I am not looking Pelco camera's either because at $8000/ per camera they are a little out of reach. I also don't want PTZ cameras the size of basketballs either.

Welcome @snowleopard1950

I know the Dahua brand best so let me see if I can assist a bit here...

Requirements:
1) PTZ POE camera
2) 4K
3) minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice
4) 4k 30FPS or 60FPS
5) I also don't want PTZ cameras the size of basketballs either

Dahua OEM international model of PTZ
A) Lite series.. hmm only as 2MP or 4MP

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/allProducts/4572/5?tab=1171

ok let's try the next series up ( high tier models )
B) Pro series.. hmm only available as 5MP, 4MP, or 2MP

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/allProducts/4572/5?tab=1161

ok, let's try the next series up.. yes, will be more pricey - but these are really nice cameras...
C) Ultra series - yes! finally "4K" models...

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/allProducts/4572/5?tab=1151

ok let's find one with enough zoom...

lowest zoom seems to be 20x.. so this looks like the model you want:

SD8A820WA-HNF

SD8A820WA-HNF

www.dahuasecurity.com

SD8A820WA-HNF
4K 20x Starlight+ IR PTZ AI Network Camera

> 4/3” 8Megapixel STARVIS™ CMOS
> Powerful 20x optical zoom
> Starlight+ technology
> IR distance up to 500m
> Support face recognition
> Deep-learning-based auto tracking and perimeter protection
> Support metadata
> Support Hi-PoE
> Smart wiper
> IP67

wait.. still need to check fps...

Frame Rate

Main stream:4K(1–25/30fps), 1080P/1.3M/720P (1–25/30fps)

good news! Can do 30 fps ( will need to ensure it is set appropriately ntsc iirc )



1) PTZ POE camera - YES
2) 4K - YES
3) minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice - YES
4) 4k 30FPS or 60FPS - YES

looks like this is the one for you!!! Great news!

oh.. wait one more requirement... the basket ball one... hmmm several sizes of basketballs.. lets check using the NBA size... first the camera size

Dimensions	Φ262mm×415.6mm (10.31"×16.36“)
Net Weight	8.5kg (18.74lb)

The official size of the basketball used by the NBA is 29.5 inches in circumference.


hmmm .. ok what is the diameter? .. oh here it is: "A standard NBA basketball has a diameter between 9.43 and 9.51 inches "

ahhh.. darn it.

Requirements:
1) PTZ POE camera - yes
2) 4K - yes
3) minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice - yes
4) 4k 30FPS or 60FPS - yes
5) I also don't want PTZ cameras the size of basketballs either - NO

Sorry @snowleopard1950 looks like you're going to need to adjust your requirements in some form or another on this one.

This noted, do remember to check out the cliff notes. I highly suspect you're going to need to rethink your specs and review the requirements / needs / wants you have.

 

[snowleopard1950]

Welcome @snowleopard1950

I know the Dahua brand best so let me see if I can assist a bit here...

Requirements:
1) PTZ POE camera
2) 4K
3) minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice
4) 4k 30FPS or 60FPS
5) I also don't want PTZ cameras the size of basketballs either

Dahua OEM international model of PTZ
A) Lite series.. hmm only as 2MP or 4MP

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/allProducts/4572/5?tab=1171

ok let's try the next series up ( high tier models )
B) Pro series.. hmm only available as 5MP, 4MP, or 2MP

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/allProducts/4572/5?tab=1161

ok, let's try the next series up.. yes, will be more pricey - but these are really nice cameras...
C) Ultra series - yes! finally "4K" models...

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/allProducts/4572/5?tab=1151

ok let's find one with enough zoom...

lowest zoom seems to be 20x.. so this looks like the model you want:

SD8A820WA-HNF

SD8A820WA-HNF

www.dahuasecurity.com

SD8A820WA-HNF
4K 20x Starlight+ IR PTZ AI Network Camera

> 4/3” 8Megapixel STARVIS™ CMOS
> Powerful 20x optical zoom
> Starlight+ technology
> IR distance up to 500m
> Support face recognition
> Deep-learning-based auto tracking and perimeter protection
> Support metadata
> Support Hi-PoE
> Smart wiper
> IP67

wait.. still need to check fps...

Frame Rate

Main stream:4K(1–25/30fps), 1080P/1.3M/720P (1–25/30fps)

good news! Can do 30 fps ( will need to ensure it is set appropriately ntsc iirc )




1) PTZ POE camera - YES
2) 4K - YES
3) minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice - YES
4) 4k 30FPS or 60FPS - YES

looks like this is the one for you!!! Great news!

oh.. wait one more requirement... the basket ball one... hmmm several sizes of basketballs.. lets check using the NBA size... first the camera size

Dimensions	Φ262mm×415.6mm (10.31"×16.36“)
Net Weight	8.5kg (18.74lb)

The official size of the basketball used by the NBA is 29.5 inches in circumference.



hmmm .. ok what is the diameter? .. oh here it is: "A standard NBA basketball has a diameter between 9.43 and 9.51 inches "

ahhh.. darn it.

Requirements:
1) PTZ POE camera - yes
2) 4K - yes
3) minimum 4x optical zoom, 8x or 12x would be nice - yes
4) 4k 30FPS or 60FPS - yes
5) I also don't want PTZ cameras the size of basketballs either - NO

Sorry @snowleopard1950 looks like you're going to need to adjust your requirements in some form or another on this one.

This noted, do remember to check out the cliff notes. I highly suspect you're going to need to rethink your specs and review the requirements / needs / wants you have.

Apparently that is one thing that is not possible yet.... Decent PTZ cameras that are not the size of traffic monitoring cameras on the freeway.... Those would look like bee hives hanging off the eve's of a home. If camera manufactures can make large point and shoot cameras with 83x zooms, getting a PTZ Camera with a similar lens, abit, 20x or less, it should be able to fit in the palm of your hand.

I tried all of your links and for some reason they re-direct to Dahua's global map landing page, not to the products you were pointing out.

 

[bigredfish]

Click the link twice. Second time you’ll. Get to the International site

 

[mat200]

Apparently that is one thing that is not possible yet.... Decent PTZ cameras that are not the size of traffic monitoring cameras on the freeway.... Those would look like bee hives hanging off the eve's of a home. If camera manufactures can make large point and shoot cameras with 83x zooms, getting a PTZ Camera with a similar lens, abit, 20x or less, it should be able to fit in the palm of your hand.

I tried all of your links and for some reason they re-direct to Dahua's global map landing page, not to the products you were pointing out.

HI @snowleopard1950

I felt the same way as you did until numerous members started to share some of the repairs / upgrades they were doing on PTZs. The camera's internals turn out to not be too large, it's all the gearing, motors, and various casing / gaskets designed to keep the camera IP66/IP67 rated .. so once I started to wrap my head around all of that I started to accept the larger size than I wanted to see.

Also do see Bigredfish's comment - Dahua website is not as easy to deal with on deep links as it was previously so you'll need to do the double load trick to get what you want.

 

[snowleopard1950]

Thanks everyone. Is there an alternate to PTZ style cameras that have similar functions? I guess the dome cameras with 4x optical zoom would be the next closest thing.... but I would be loosing PTZ.

 

[mat200]

Thanks everyone. Is there an alternate to PTZ style cameras that have similar functions? I guess the dome cameras with 4x optical zoom would be the next closest thing.... but I would be loosing PTZ.

Hi @snowleopard1950

sounds like you're mentioning a varifocal camera. Those are designed to customize your FOV in a "set and leave it" way. While you can zoom in and out with them - the gears are not designed to be as robust as a PTZ which will be doing zooming in and out more frequently.

At this time it is probably a good idea for you to actually decide and write down what your functional requirements are.

Also do check out the cliff notes in the wiki.

My guess is that while the PTZ camera seems to be a neat idea - you can probably do what you want with 2-3 fixed cameras ..

 

[snowleopard1950]

Hi @snowleopard1950

sounds like you're mentioning a varifocal camera. Those are designed to customize your FOV in a "set and leave it" way. While you can zoom in and out with them - the gears are not designed to be as robust as a PTZ which will be doing zooming in and out more frequently.

At this time it is probably a good idea for you to actually decide and write down what your functional requirements are.

Also do check out the cliff notes in the wiki.

My guess is that while the PTZ camera seems to be a neat idea - you can probably do what you want with 2-3 fixed cameras ..

Where I live, it is relatively safe, but over the years crime has gone up a little bit.... People trying to break into cars at 2am, a new high school was built so there are students trying to pull mail boxes out of the ground, tossing rolls of paper in the tree's, etc, People walking their dogs on the sidewalk and letting them poo in the grass and not cleaning up after the dog.

I guess my number 1 issue is I want stills from the video that can identity the people/ cars and animals well enough that they can be used to file a police report. I am not looking for standard def dash cam video from the 1980's like in the show cops where you can say...... well it could be that person, but it could be someone else.

So to set my requirements.... 1. 4k resolution. 2. If I can motion zoom to the mailbox/sidewalk (60-80ft optical) digital zooms just get fizzy. POE is important. Run 1 cable. .....PTZ would have been nice, but I am not installing basketballs/globes/ bee hives or wasp nests on the corners of my home.

I am looking at the cliff notes and I will check the wiki.

 

[mat200]

Where I live, it is relatively safe, but over the years crime has gone up a little bit.... People trying to break into cars at 2am, a new high school was built so there are students trying to pull mail boxes out of the ground, tossing rolls of paper in the tree's, etc, People walking their dogs on the sidewalk and letting them poo in the grass and not cleaning up after the dog.

I guess my number 1 issue is I want stills from the video that can identity the people/ cars and animals well enough that they can be used to file a police report. I am not looking for standard def dash cam video from the 1980's like in the show cops where you can say...... well it could be that person, but it could be someone else.

So to set my requirements.... 1. 4k resolution. 2. If I can motion zoom to the mailbox/sidewalk (60-80ft optical) digital zooms just get fizzy. POE is important. Run 1 cable. .....PTZ would have been nice, but I am not installing basketballs/globes/ bee hives or wasp nests on the corners of my home.

I am looking at the cliff notes and I will check the wiki.

HI @snowleopard1950

Look for SouthernYankee's welcome message to new members and check out the reviews of cameras he has links to.

60-80 feet away means you'll need a camera with a tight FOV
if stuff is happening in low light conditions you may want to look at the reviews of the Dahua OEM 2MP starlights and 4MP starlight+ models.