Licence plate recognition without IR?

[Z2TT]

Hello.

I'm just wondering, in dark areas with minimal street lighting, or let's say even in areas in the bush where there is no lighting - using ultra low light cameras, such as Hikvision Darkfighter, is it possible to run a fast shutter speed, but still be able to capture number plates clearly at night while the car is moving?

Or does there always need to be some form of IR beaming into the number plates in order to get some light reflecting back into camera.

I'm wondering would the residual light of the number plate lamps on the car be enough for a good low light camera to pick up without IR? Has anybody tried this?

Thanks

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Search posts on this forum tons of discussion on license plate set ups.

 

[nayr]

Darkfighter wont do dick without IR too.. if you dont have IR or a big visible flash-strobe, dont bother even trying to get plates at night because its never going to happen..

 

[Kawboy12R]

I had better luck with my Axis P3364VE than my Darkfighter reading plates in my driveway with no IR under similar easy conditions. IR is basically a necessity though.

 

[Z2TT]

I mainly am asking this because I had seen some Videos where Mobotix cameras are used and they are getting Licence plates. I know that Mobotix cameras do not run IR at all as it's their policy that they are against moving components, yet the videos show them capturing licence plates - I don't know if they are running External IR though.

 

[Z2TT]

I mainly am asking this because I had seen some Videos where Mobotix cameras are used and they are getting Licence plates. I know that Mobotix cameras do not run IR at all as it's their policy that they are against moving components, yet the videos show them capturing licence plates - I don't know if they are running External IR though.

I had thought the residual light from licence plate lamps on the cars would be enough for a Darkfighter or other non IR low light cams to pick up.

 

[Kawboy12R]

I haven't really tried a "plate only" setting without IR with mine. The problem isn't just getting enough light to capture the plate though. Lights in the FOV cause significant lens flare around the light which blows out the plates. There might be a way to tune it down and make it easier to catch rear plates in particular, but really the easiest way, particularly for fast-moving plates, is to make them as bright as possible with IR and use a really fast shutter speed to darken them down and freeze them in place.

I did play with the Darkfighter settings a bit to tone down the lights but stopped trying when it started compromising face detail. I don't like what WDR does to the image so I leave it turned off which is a handicap.

 

[nayr]

how is a light emitting diode a moving component? and you bet your ass they are using external IR, link to video?

 

[nayr]

ah the IR cut filter, that makes alot more sense.. however they still require LED's on em for getting plates at night