Looking for outdoor PTZ that's not a massive big brother camera for my house

JeremyT

JeremyT

n3wb
Mar 20, 2019
4
1
Vancouver, WA
Hey all,

I don't live in the best of neighborhoods (neighbor 150-200ft away is a Level 3 sex offender who loves to stir the pot in the neighborhood). A couple of years ago I set up a unifi system that worked for a while. I've since gotten tired of the quality of unifi cameras and their lack of keeping up with the times. I just set up my own Blue Iris server (holy crap is this software amazing) using my UVC-G3's

I'm looking to upgrade at least one of my cameras with a PTZ that is better quality (especially at night). I am feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that's out there. I'm currently leaning towards Dahua, but I'm not particularly married to any brand so long as the quality and features are there.

Must haves:
  • Good night vision (see info on neighbor above)
  • PTZ - More discreet than ones like 49225TNI
  • At least 4x zoom
  • Built in audio
  • <$300
  • Fully functioning with Blue Iris
Nice to have
  • 4MP-8MP - I know resolution isn't everything with camera's but it can only help if something happens further away
  • Auto-Tracking is pretty awesome, but absolutely not necessary and would likely go unused 99% of the time after an initial "look what the camera can do!"
I've been eyeing the SD52C225U-HNI, but not sure especially since I don't think it has built in IR. We usually have our porch lights on and there are a couple of street lights in the neighborhood, so that may not be a huge issue.

The camera will be mounted under the roof overhang in the front corner of my house (foot-print is a 30'x30' square) facing across my lawn. It will be somewhat protected from the rain/sun, but could easily get wet during windy rains. Sun would hit it pretty much only in the morning but would be shaded for the rest of the day.

I'm also not against companies like Amcrest as well. I've been eyeing their IP8M-2454EW.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
why ptz? you are guaranteed to miss any action you are not pointed at,
so if you must cover various areas, get various cameras, especially if you are just getting started...
 
  • Like
Reactions: looney2ns and fenderman
My reasoning for PTZ is in the event something does go down I can easily point the camera in the direction needed, otherwise I'll have it getting a wide picture of my property like my current camera's get. I don't have a budget for a lot of camera's and would like my next camera purchase to be as flexible as possible.
 
JeremyT said:
My reasoning for PTZ is in the event something does go down I can easily point the camera in the direction needed, otherwise I'll have it getting a wide picture of my property like my current camera's get. I don't have a budget for a lot of camera's and would like my next camera purchase to be as flexible as possible.
Click to expand...
Are you going to be watching the camera 24/7? if not how do you intend to point the camera?
 
JeremyT said:
My reasoning for PTZ is in the event something does go down I can easily point the camera in the direction needed...
Click to expand...

So what are the chances you'll be in position waiting for "something" to go down? Not good.

For the price of a good PTZ, you can buy 2 excellent 2MP Starlight variable focus cameras and see everything that happens 24/7. The chances on you getting the value out if the PTZ are slim, unless you stay home all day, each day, sitting by the PTZ controls, in which case there are other issues ;) What about when you sleep?
 
  • Like
Reactions: looney2ns and fenderman
that's a false economy. you'll spend 2-3 times as much on a good PTZ as you would for a few very good fixed or VF lens units...

anyways, if you stick with Hikvision or Dahua, you'll at least have a quality unit.
Amcrest was previously OEM'ing Dahua's, but not sure about their newer stuff...

oh, and auto-tracking is pretty much a gimmick, from what i've read.
sometimes useful, but not so much when it get stuck on a tree swaying in the wind instead
of the guy breaking into your car...
 
  • Like
Reactions: RobGee
Welcome to the forum.

Please read the cliff notes and other items in the wiki. The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras or ICPT Night eye cameras (https://store.ipcamtalk.com/) if you need good low light cameras.

Do not use wifi cameras.

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan

Use multiple cameras. Use correct camera placement, to capture faces.
 
I won't be monitoring it 24/7, but there have been plenty of times where having a PTZ option would have been incredibly helpful in terms of catching things going down as they were going down. As in, I was aware of what was going on and would have been able to utilize the PTZ functionality to provide video evidence with positive ID to the PD. It of course wouldn't be of any use for those instances that I wasn't aware, which I plan to have it at a wider angle and only zoom in when needed.
 
All I'll add is that a ptz can be incredibly useful as part of a well done overall system of static cameras. Well placed and aimed static cameras is of course the priority. But they have finite capability. Once aimed, that's all you get from them until you readjust them and lock them in again. So you place them and aim them wisely. And if needed, you augment them with a quality ptz that can get right to the heart of the matter that you may need beyond the reach of the static cameras. Yes, you'll have to be at the controls manually for the very best results. But bottom line, you'll have that power to do so when needed. You'll also have the capability to set presets and call the ptz to look specifically at areas which other static cameras or motion detectors trip motion. Don't be bashful about the zoom on them. Get as much zoom as you can afford- 27x at least.

I understand why people here are quick to dissuade the notion of a ptz. It makes sense most of the time to advise that way. But when I need to work my ptz at any time there is a need, I have never once thought the camera is a waste and I've been pleased I decided to include one in the set up. Even if it remains a static camera 99% of the time, when I need to move that sucker it's worth having. That's my feeling about it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: YYZed, Alan Carter, Cameraguy and 7 others
Thank you, @looney2ns! The SD42212T-HN looks very promising! I will be researching this camera a bit more. Also, thank you for your thorough reviews, I appreciate them!

@Shockwave199, yup! I argree with you on this. There have been multiple times where having the PTZ functionality would have been a night and day difference. When we have issues in our neighborhood, I can usually hear it from inside our house and can quickly pull up the camera's to see what's going on. I plan on having presets set up for certain problem area's so I can get the camera's pointed in the right area within a matter of seconds from hearing racket outside.

Edit: Our neighborhood is set up in such a way that sound travels down from one end of the street to the other quite well. So even if something happens all the way down the street, I can usually hear it inside the house x(
 
  • Like
Reactions: looney2ns
I had replaced my earlier G3 camera with the Dahua SD49225T-HN. Having a PTZ means I can automatically have the camera zoom to a preset whenever another camera or sensor triggers an event. But the thing is really too large and imposing for a residence.
 
Shockwave199 said:
All I'll add is that a ptz can be incredibly useful as part of a well done overall system of static cameras. Well placed and aimed static cameras is of course the priority. But they have finite capability. Once aimed, that's all you get from them until you readjust them and lock them in again. So you place them and aim them wisely. And if needed, you augment them with a quality ptz that can get right to the heart of the matter that you may need beyond the reach of the static cameras. Yes, you'll have to be at the controls manually for the very best results. But bottom line, you'll have that power to do so when needed. You'll also have the capability to set presets and call the ptz to look specifically at areas which other static cameras or motion detectors trip motion. Don't be bashful about the zoom on them. Get as much zoom as you can afford- 27x at least.
Click to expand...
Agree 100% on this. I have several fixed-focus and varifocal cameras monitoring my property. But I do have one SD49225T-HN out front on the corner of the house. During the day it watches the street and provides backup LPR in situations where someone's car blocks my westward-pointing LPR camera. At night it zooms in to monitor my parked car in case a door checker comes by.

So this camera replaces two -Z12E cameras, for less money. I don't regret installing it one bit. In fact, I'm debating installing another one to assist in monitoring the alley behind my house.
 
All the sheep will spout "PTZ's are dumb, put up 4 stationary IPCs instead, blah blah blah blah", but....

The SD1A203T-GN is my goto IPC now for the ubiquitous residential 'soffit-cam'. The are starlight, the IR is not behind the dome so no glare and minimal spider web issues, low profile (one of the smallest pro-grade IPCs available) and being PTZ they have these advantages: ordering the approbate lens becomes a nonissue as the user can adjust thru BI any time to their liking and repositioning is super easy. Also, spouses LOVE LOVE LOVE the PTZ features as they tend to be nosy while at work, etc...

And the SD1A203T-GN is dirt cheap for what you are getting.

So you can have every soffit-cam be infinitely (re) adjustable without climbing a ladder, and the homeowner gets PTZ functionality that they desire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cameraguy
A mixture of both fixed and ptz cameras here.. do what is best for your situation . Ultimately you should know best since it's your area and know the lay of the land. I have a ptz on garage facing incoming traffic that auto tracks but then have another camera stationary to backup when camera is tracking and leaves the sight area the tracking camera where the IVS tracking is set. I remember when I had one camera.. that didnt last long.. The list continues to grow..


First 3 pics are the sd59225u-hni tracking..
4th pic is my stationary continuing to watch incoming traffic
 

Attachments

  • 1553822218424.jpg
    1553822218424.jpg
    685.7 KB · Views: 84
  • 1553822275558.jpg
    1553822275558.jpg
    514.6 KB · Views: 84
  • 1553822293335.jpg
    1553822293335.jpg
    442 KB · Views: 87
  • 1553822239990.jpg
    1553822239990.jpg
    506.8 KB · Views: 86
Check out Hikvision's PanoView line. They make cameras with multi image sensors plus a PTZ in the center so you can get 180 or 360 degree view plus the PTZ functionality
 
Just my 2c while putzing on the forums for a second... If you plan on leveraging IVS (tracking), sure PTZ could augment/help... otherwise the static cameras will be better/cheaper overall. You're requirements are a tad unrealistic for your price range.
 
wtimothyholman said:
Agree 100% on this. I have several fixed-focus and varifocal cameras monitoring my property. But I do have one SD49225T-HN out front on the corner of the house. During the day it watches the street and provides backup LPR in situations where someone's car blocks my westward-pointing LPR camera. At night it zooms in to monitor my parked car in case a door checker comes by.

So this camera replaces two -Z12E cameras, for less money. I don't regret installing it one bit. In fact, I'm debating installing another one to assist in monitoring the alley behind my house.
Click to expand...
@wtimothyholman how does the SD49925T-HN do with capturing plates?

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk
 
pb11186 said:
@wtimothyholman how does the SD49925T-HN do with capturing plates?
Click to expand...
During the daytime (which is the only time I use it for LPR - it monitors my parked car after dark) it works perfectly well. I have tested it in LPR nighttime mode, however, and the only issue I saw compared to my -Z12E cameras was that the LED illumination range wasn't as great. If you're trying to capture plates at a range greater than 60 feet, you may need to use a separate LED spotlight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EMPIRETECANDY
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom