License Plate Camera Installation

[rfj]

I am getting tired of all the stuff that gets stolen in our neighborhood. Hence, I want to install a dedicated camera to read license plates of cars driving up and down our neighborhood. This will be a dedicated camera just for license plates. I need to do some research what to purchase. But my initial question is about positioning. I could possibly install one next to a 'general' camera on the eaves. However, that is some 30' set back from the street, some 10' high and the max I can see is probably 60' away due to cars being parked on the curb and our cars in the driveway. The angle would probably be around 45 degrees, i.e. less than ideal. That is why I was thinking of installing a cam right along the pedestrian way and kind of hide it behind some plant or something. However, in that case the cam would be close to the ground, i.e. almost the height of license plates which apparently is not an ideal angle. Considering this, what are my best options to place a cam to read license plates?

The Best License Plate Recognition Security Camera | Nelly's Security

This LPR is more than a camera. Sure, it takes pictures of license plates. But it also converts those pictures to text and stores all plates in a database.

www.nellyssecurity.com

 

[samplenhold]

Before you go purchasing that cam, realize that it is an 8-32mm varifocal. Zoomed all the way in may not be enough zoom for your purpose. There is a whole section of this forum dedicated to LPR.

LPR

Licence Plate Reader cameras

ipcamtalk.com

The best way for you to answer your question is to do some tests. See the threads below.

LPR Case Study: Scoping, Planning, Proof of Concept, Installation, & Results

Introduction This thread is about my journey into LPR (License Plate Recognition) after having about 18 months of experience with IP cams and having quite a bit of my system finished. I am not an expert on LPR, or IP cameras either. But I have spent a lot of time working with my system and...

ipcamtalk.com

New to LPR? Considerations Before You Begin

Thought I would throw together a post on my experiences so far with LPR in an effort to help others that are considering running down that rabbit hole. There are some practical considerations you should know about LPR. I am approaching this from the position of using Blue Iris and Plate...

ipcamtalk.com

After checking those out, formulate questions and ask them here.

 

[samplenhold]

Additionally, most of the folks here use the Dahua HFW5241E-Z12E which is a 5-60mm varifocal 2MP bullet cam. While it is not marketed by Dahua as an LPR cam, it fits nicely in that niche due to it's 12x optical zoom lens.

 

[samplenhold]

Here is another thread that shows actual LPR being provided to law enforcement.

Use of Overview and LPR Cams to Document Midnight Vehicle Distributing Offensive Flyers on Lawns

We were out of town and I was checking my cams remotely one morning and noticed one of the Deputies that regularly patrol my subdivision had been at my front door. She has come to me a few times requesting video as she knows I have fairly good coverage of the streets at my corner. I noticed that...

ipcamtalk.com

There are others if you look on the camera captures threads.

Camera Captures

Let's see what your camera captured!

ipcamtalk.com

 

[rfj]

Well, I quoted that link more because of the positioning of the camera than the camera itself. They say the cam should be some 6-10' off the ground (depending on distance) but I really don't want to put such a high pole up along the walkway. It would look pretty ugly. So I am not sure if it's better to have a cam close to the ground and close to the street or a cam some 10' high at about a 45 degree angle to the street (and some 25' away from the street).

As for the cam, I really don't need an LPR cam. LPC is just fine. It's not that I need to look at recorded licenses plates on a daily basis, not even weekly basis. I just want to be able to show an actual license plate next time the police comes to our home and asks if they can see video footage. I will check out the threads you posted for camera recommendations.

 

[wittaj]

Here is my plate capture from 175 feet out and cars going by at 45mph. No ambient or street lights. My angle is about 40 degrees vertical, 45 degrees horizontal. Camera is 35 feet above street at this location. The Z12E is an incredible unit!

 

[rfj]

@wittaj that is pretty impressive. So I guess I can place the additional cam on the eaves as my situation is somewhat similar to yours (10' off the ground pointing about 45 degrees to the street, covering both lanes to catch cars going both ways, some 60' away, a bit of street light, etc). Maybe I should first buy the cam and then find the best spot. Looks like everybody likes that Z12E. I was kind of going the other way around trying to find the best location and then trying to figure out the camera (zoom, turret vs bullet, etc).

 

[wittaj]

You cannot go wrong with the Z12, so I would agree get the camera and then see where it works best for you. You would be surprised how many get plates at least than "ideal' angles.

Not all of us get perfect setups like straight on shots at plate level, but with a camera with great optical zoom like the Z12E and the ability to dial in the settings like shutter, we can make less than ideal work.

 

[rfj]

@wittaj Ok, I guess that is the way I will go, i.e. buy the cam first and then figure out the location. At around $250 it seems a reasonable deal if it does the job. I will search for the best place to buy it.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

If within 120ft, use this Z4E also working great.

LPR For IPC-B5442E-Z4E

Here are some pics for LPR with IPC-B5442E-Z4E. Zoom in to Max. Drive way around 120ft. Just do some simple setting.

ipcamtalk.com

 

[biggen]

The Z4E is good but I had one out to about ~100ft and it just wasn't enough zoom for my personal taste. "Downgraded" to the Z12 and never looked back!

 

[wittaj]

@wittaj Ok, I guess that is the way I will go, i.e. buy the cam first and then figure out the location. At around $250 it seems a reasonable deal if it does the job. I will search for the best place to buy it.

The best place to purchase is from Andy @EMPIRETECANDY here either via DM or his Amazon store.

And I agree with @biggen - if you are in the USA, I have found the Z4E at 50-60 feet doesn't produce a large enough plate for my liking. If you are in a country with big @$$ plates the size of the car bumper, then the Z4E is probably ok. I tried the Z4E at 50 feet and didn't like it, so I repurposed it to another area and got another Z12E lol.

But the Z12E and Z4E are the same price, so might as well go with more zoom! 2MP is perfectly fine for LPR.

 

[rfj]

Attached is a screenshot of the two positions I am considering. Both of them would look towards where I took the picture because the neighbors trees block the view to the street the other direction. Actually, thinking about it, my wife often parks the car on the street and so do people working nearby so it would block the view. Maybe I would have to put the cam right in the center of where the bark is. We are considering planting a tree maybe 2/3 in so maybe I could actually put the cam on the tree. Kind of going on a limb here because I am not sure this will happen. But if I mount the cam on the eave I have to mount it at an about 45 degree to the street or otherwise I will again be blocked by cars parked on the street.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Maybe have a look at a fake rock for the position closest to the street. It would blend right in.

 

[samplenhold]

Maybe have a look at a fake rock for the position closest to the street. It would blend right in.

There are several threads where folks have done creative cam mounts. Birdhouses, fake rocks, mailbox posts, etc. Search the forum for ideas.

You already have flower pots. Maybe a new one at the arrow w/cam inside?

 

[samplenhold]

Additional thought. I would expect that the view being blocked would be worse than a high angle. Using the Z12E pointed down the road a bit will cut down on the angle. Again, test it out. for the soffit, set up a test rig at that point. It might be fine.

 

[Flintstone61]

I'm using that camera as well. it's about eye level on me. about 6 ft off the road. attached boldly to the side of the Condo garage door. Opposite of hiding. Blatantly hanging the white contrasting Camera's at the door, has stopped the overnight parking in front to 0%. So it curbs some behavioral stuff. 5442 2.8 mm over view shown as well for some idea of how far away im catching the plates. These are 90% resolution email alerts.

 

[TVille]

For location, I have very good luck at 35 degree angle around 125 ft, and I think @wittaj is close to that angle at 175 ft. So you can leave it on the house, IF you can get the angle shallow enough without obstructions.

 

[rfj]

Is this HFW5241E-Z12E still the best license camera to get? I just got quoted $230 which is kind of expensive but I am willing to spend this money if it does the job (cam will be in the frontyard maybe 1' or so above the ground, solely to record license plates.).

 

[wittaj]

Yes it is. Depending on your distance you may be able to get one with less zoom but most find they like the more zoom the Z12 provides. And you won't find the less zoom model for much less cost either.