Will my nvr support 8mp camera?

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

Hi I have a ace-nvr318 model nvr set up with 8 current cameras running. The cameras are all hikvision cameras.

I'm looking to replace a 4mp camera with a 8mp hikvision camera so I can read licence plates of vehicles driving in and out of a area.

Any recommendations on cameras? I'm looking at the DS-2CD2387G2P-LSU/SL or a regular 8mp hikvision turret camera. Anyone seeing these working with this specific nvr?

And if so will they work with my nvr in terms of recording and streaming. I'm assuming the cameras are plug and play like the others I've set up (plugged into the corresponding port and they started working).

Thank you

 

[mat200]

Hi I have a ace-nvr318 model nvr set up with 8 current cameras running. The cameras are all hikvision cameras.

I'm looking to replace a 4mp camera with a 8mp hikvision camera so I can read licence plates of vehicles driving in and out of a area.

Any recommendations on cameras? I'm looking at the DS-2CD2387G2P-LSU/SL or a regular 8mp hikvision turret camera. Anyone seeing these working with this specific nvr?

And if so will they work with my nvr in terms of recording and streaming. I'm assuming the cameras are plug and play like the others I've set up (plugged into the corresponding port and they started working).

Thank you

Welcome @Camerasupgradeyvr

"i I have a ace-nvr318 model nvr set up with 8 current cameras running"

I was unable to find much on that particular model on a search .. do you have more info, specs, data sheet on it ?

 

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

Not sure where to find that info tags just the info that showed on the maintenance tab on my nvr settings.

Any help would be appreciated as we have some unsavoury types in our area and the concern is for children outside of vehicles driving by throwing cans and garbage at peoples homes.

 

[wittaj]

Do keep in mind that chasing MP isn't the answer, especially if you get a budget 8MP shoved on a sensor designed for 2MP.

Focal length for the area to IDENTIFY is much more important. See this thread:

The Importance of Focal Length over MP in camera selection

At the urging of several folks here, I created a thread to show the importance of focal length and how focal length can be more important than megapixels (MP). I mentioned some of this in the post regarding The Hookup’s latest video demonstrating different cameras, including one sold from a...

ipcamtalk.com

Most will say 4MP is the sweet spot.

Further 8MP cameras suffer from having a small focus area and anything before or after that distance is blurry/soft.

2MP is more than adequate for plates.

You would have to set the camera up specifically to read plates. You need the proper camera with OPTICAL zoom for the distance you are covering and the angle to get plates.

Regarding plates, keep in mind that this is a camera dedicated to plates and not an overview camera also. It is as much an art as it is a science. You will need two cameras. For LPR we need to OPTICALLY zoom in tight to make the plate as large as possible. For most of us, all you see is the not much more than a vehicle in the entire frame. Now maybe in the right location during the day it might be able to see some other things, but not at night.

At night, we have to run a very fast shutter speed (1/2,000) and in B/W with IR and the image will be black. All you will see are head/tail lights and the plate. Some people can get away with color if they have enough street lights, but most of us cannot. Here is a representative sample of plates I get at night of vehicles traveling about 45MPH at 175 feet from my 2MP 5241-Z12E camera (that is all that is needed for plates):

See the LPR subforum for more details.

 

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

With my current 4mp hikvision branded camera it isn't picking up plates clearly. Almost there but not quite. The Camera itself isn't mounted very close for safety reasons but I'm just shy of seeing a plate that I can make out.

 

[wittaj]

Switching to 8MP won't solve that.

This isn't Hollywood where you can digital zoom. You can a smidge but not much. And at night forget it. The other issue with most of the 8MP cameras is they don't have infrared, so it will be useless at night to get plates unless you have stadium quality lighting.

You need a camera with OPTICAL ZOOM, not digital zoom.

As I showed in my picture, that is a plate from 175 feet away. No 8MP camera will read a plate at 175 feet away. Most 8MP cameras are fixed lens of 2.8 to 3.6mm and you need about 64mm focal length to read at plate at 175 feet.

You would be better off to figure out how far away the plate is and then get the proper focal length camera. Even if it is 720P it will do better than a digital zoom.

 

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

I'm also interested in the DS-2CD2T87G2-L.

Any input?


Thank you

 

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

Switching to 8MP won't solve that.

This isn't Hollywood where you can digital zoom. You can a smidge but not much. And at night forget it. The other issue with most of the 8MP cameras is they don't have infrared, so it will be useless at night to get plates unless you have stadium quality lighting.

You need a camera with OPTICAL ZOOM, not digital zoom.

As I showed in my picture, that is a plate from 175 feet away. No 8MP camera will read a plate at 175 feet away. Most 8MP cameras are fixed lens of 2.8 to 3.6mm and you need about 64mm focal length to read at plate at 175 feet.

You would be better off to figure out how far away the plate is and then get the proper focal length camera. Even if it is 720P it will do better than a digital zoom.

The plate needing to be ready is about 40 feet away. At night I have pretty good lighting at the front of my driveway which lights up the road well right there.

Which camera would you recommend that will be more clear I guess or precise in this?

 

[wittaj]

You would be surprised how much light is needed to capture plates at night.

You need to run faster shutters and the faster the shutter, the more light that is needed.

That is why most of us have an all black image except for the plate because we are able to take advantage of the reflective properties of the plate with infrared to read them.

If you are truly 40 feet, then you could use the 5442-Z4E, but if it is more, then go with the 5442-Z12E.

If you wanna stay with Hikvision, that relates to a focal length somewhere between 30mm to 45mm. The camera you linked maxes out at 6mm and doesn't have infrared, so when you realize that you need infrared then you have a useless camera.

Take your existing camera and at night change the shutter to 1/2000 and post a screenshot.

Most of us favor the 5442-Z12E as it has double the focal length and most underestimate the distance and then they have the wrong camera.

 

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

You would be surprised how much light is needed to capture plates at night.

You need to run faster shutters and the faster the shutter, the more light that is needed.

That is why most of us have an all black image except for the plate because we are able to take advantage of the reflective properties of the plate with infrared to read them.

If you are truly 40 feet, then you could use the 5442-Z4E, but if it is more, then go with the 5442-Z12E.

If you wanna stay with Hikvision, that relates to a focal length somewhere between 30mm to 45mm. The camera you linked maxes out at 6mm and doesn't have infrared, so when you realize that you need infrared then you have a useless camera.

Take your existing camera and at night change the shutter to 1/2000 and post a screenshot.

Most of us favor the 5442-Z12E as it has double the focal length and most underestimate the distance and then they have the wrong camera.

Will the 5442-z12e work with my nvr that I have? I'm not the best at this stuff but am trying to do the best I can.

I also need to capture my drive way in there also I'm assuming the high mm cameras will have a small area of focus so I'm a bit out of luck right now. So essentially I need a camera with overall good picture quality that can capture a decent area.

I think I am asking too much lol

 

[wittaj]

Yes you are asking for too much LOL.

One camera cannot be the be all/see all. Plates is a camera and overview is a different camera. There may be some overlap during the day, but not at night.

If the NVR is ONVIF compliant and IF you have enough channels left and IF you haven't exceeded the bandwidth of the NVR, this camera will work. It will lose some of the AI features not being the same brand, but with a camera to read plates those don't work anyway, so you would be fine.

 

[mat200]

Not sure where to find that info tags just the info that showed on the maintenance tab on my nvr settings.

Any help would be appreciated as we have some unsavoury types in our area and the concern is for children outside of vehicles driving by throwing cans and garbage at peoples homes.

You will need to determine more about your NVR to answer your questions .. perhaps contacting those who sold you this kit ...

 

[Camerasupgradeyvr]

Thank you all so much I'm still debating just simply just changing the 4mp dome camera I have for now to a hikvision 8mp and see if it can give me a little more clarity in my current set up. The guy who sold me the unit isn't helpful at all anymore essentially wants to be paid to ask a question.

 

[mat200]

Thank you all so much I'm still debating just simply just changing the 4mp dome camera I have for now to a hikvision 8mp and see if it can give me a little more clarity in my current set up. The guy who sold me the unit isn't helpful at all anymore essentially wants to be paid to ask a question.

Did you get this as a new NVR or used?

If you got it new, you should have papers that came with it.

Also Try the company that has their name on the NVR ..

 

[wittaj]

I assure you simply switching out 4MP to 8MP won't be the answer....especially at night....

You need focal length not more MP.

Some people need to learn the hard way like this one LOL...

Finally installed my 2x IPC-HFW71242H-Z-X cameras

With a little hiccup, I finally received my cameras from Andy last week. The IPC-HFW71242H-Z-X cameras are built like a tank, a very solid product. To me, I like the picture quality. Being a very busy person, I could not play around much to test them. still need to adjust the angle, zoom...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[looney2ns]

Nope, you can't simply throw more megapixels at it to solve the problem.
See:
New to LPR? Considerations Before You Begin | IP Cam Talk