Another Tell me what to get thread

HomieTheClown

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Hey Guys and....gals?

I was knee-deep into the security camera world thanks to this awesome site. However life happened and now I'm trying to get my feet wet again. I'm hoping to maybe get pointed in the right direction if anyone has a sec.

The only thing have is the ColorVU camera which for a novice like me have been great. I'm trying to get some good cameras as quickly as possible because of some porch pirating going on in my neighborhood. I definitely want a LPR camera at spots 1,2, or 3 (in the attachment). I saw the Dahua IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E but it was almost 3 years old and I figure there had to be worthy successor right? I don't think I can pay $700 for a PTZ lpr at this time. Besides getting a camera to read license plates for the front yard, I would also like another camera that you can recommend also for the front yard and one for the back yard. I prefer to stick to Hik or Dahua since they seemed to be the preferred brands. I plan to buy 3 cameras for now (4 total) and then finish the other 2 in time. Your thoughts are most appreciated. I'll answer questions as soon as I see them. Thanks y'all. Go Br****n!
 

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wittaj

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The 5241E-Z12E is still the current king of optical zoom and for plate reading (for a camera that doesn't actually AI read and log the plates). Unless you go to a PTZ, the next largest optical zoom is the 5442-Z4E but it is half the optical zoom of the Z12E.

You need to identify the areas you want to cover and pick a camera designed to cover that distance. In some instances, it may be a 2MP or 4MP that is the right camera. DO NOT CHASE MP!!!

It is why we recommend to purchase one good varifocal and test it at all the proposed locations day and night to figure out the correct focal lengths and cams.

A few other tips....It is simple LOL do not chase MP - do not buy a 4MP camera that is anything smaller than a 1/1.8" sensor. Do not buy a 2MP camera that is anything smaller than a 1/2.8" sensor. Do not buy a 4K (8MP) camera on anything smaller than a 1/1.2" sensor. Unfortunately, most 4k (8MP) cams are on the same sensor as a 2MP and thus the 2MP will kick its butt all night long as the 4k will need 4 times the light than the 2MP... 4k will do very poor at night unless you have stadium quality lighting (well a lot of lighting LOL). Starlight, ColorVu, Full Color, etc. are simply marketing terms, so don't be sold on those names.

To identify someone with the wide-angle 2.8mm lens that most people opt for, someone would have to be within 13 feet of the camera, but realistically within 10 feet after you dial it in to your settings.

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My neighbor was bragging to me how he only needed his four 2.8mm fixed lens 4k cams to see his entire property and the street and his whole backyard. His car was sitting in the driveway practically touching the garage door and his video quality was useless to ID the perp not even 10 feet away. Meanwhile my 2MP varifocal optically zoomed 60 feet away to the public sidewalk provided the money shot to the police to get my neighbors all their stuff back. Nobody else had video that could provide anything useful, other than what time this motion blur ghost was at their car.

Here are my general distance recommendations, but switch out the Dahua 5442 series camera to the equivalent 2MP on the 1/2.8" sensor or equivalent Hikvision works as well. These cameras meet all your requirements.
  • 5442 fixed lens 2.8mm - anything within 10 feet of camera OR as an overview camera
  • 5442 ZE - varifocal - distances up to 40-50 feet (personally I wouldn't go past the 30 foot range but I like things closer)
  • 5442 Z4E - anything up to 80-100 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 60 feet but I like things closer)
  • 5241-Z12E - anything from 80 feet to almost 200 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 150 feet because I like things closer)
  • 5241-Z12E - for a license plate cam that you would angle up the street to get plates up to about 175 feet away, or up to 220 with additional IR.
  • 49225 PTZ - great auto-track PTZ and in conjunction with an NVR or Blue Iris and the cameras above that you can use as spotter cams to point the PTZ to the correct location to compliment the fixed cams.
You need to get the correct camera for the area trying to be covered. A wide angle 2.8mm to IDENTIFY someone 40 feet away is the wrong camera regardless of how good the camera is. A 2.8mm camera to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet is a good choice OR it is an overview camera to see something happened but not be able to identify who.

One camera cannot be the be all, see all. Each one is selected for covering a specific area. Most of us here have different brands and types, from fixed cams, to varifocals, to PTZs, each one selected for it's primary purpose and to utilize the strength of that particular camera.

So you will need to identify the distance the camera would be from the activities you want to IDENTIFY on and purchase the correct camera for that distance as an optical zoom.

If you want to see things far away, you need optical zoom, digital zoom only works in the movies and TV...And the optical zoom is done real time - for a varifocal it is a set it and forget it. You cannot go to recorded video and optically zoom in later, at that point it is digital zoom, and the sensors on these cameras are so small which is why digital zoom doesn't work very well after the fact.

Regarding a camera for plates (LPR) - 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 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 camera (that is all that is needed for plates):

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sebastiantombs

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Some links to appropriate threads for you -

Review - 8MP 1/1.2" sensor full color camera


5442 Reviews

Review - Loryata (Dahua OEM) IPC-T5442T-ZE varifocal Turret

Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+

Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ Turret

Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Turret, Full Color, Starlight+)

Review: IPC-HDBW5442R-ASE-NI - Dahua Technology Pro AI Bullet Network Camera

2231 Review
Review-OEM IPC-T2231RP-ZS 2mp Varifocal Turret Starlight Camera

3241T-ZAS Review

Less expensive models -
 

HomieTheClown

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Yeah the Z12E is a no brainer. I guess sometimes in the tech world, I get carried away with trying to get the latest 'tech' and forget that sometimes there are products out there that are superior even if their dated.

On a side note I was trying to decide between the HFW5442E-ZE and HFW5442E-Z4E if price is not an option. I think I understand the differences between the two camera but I am still unsure. I definitely do not wish to have buyers remorse so I am still thinking about it. the Z12E would be the LPR camera so I was thinking this camera (ZE or Z4E) could be used as a backup? Or perhaps used in a better way? Dang I need help....
 

wittaj

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The difference between the 5442 ZE and Z4E is the focal length. The ZE maxes out around 12mm (or maybe 13.5 don't remember), and the Z4E is 32mm or half the Z12E, so it then could only be used about half as far as the Z12E.

I have all three and they all serve a purpose. I am a fan of zoom, so unless you know the ZE is sufficient, go with the Z4E.

Most of us that have tried felt like the Z4E for LPR maxes out at about 60 feet, so if your plates are within that, it would be a suitable backup.
 

Flintstone61

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The ZE isnt good for plates in my installation. Unless it's right in your driveway and sitting still. Now If I had a smaller lot and had 3-4 cams to do overlapping crossfire,,,,It might work good in a tight "trap loaction" within 30-40ft.5442-Ze.jpgScreenshot 2021-11-10 215445.pngScreenshot 2021-09-20 212159.png
 

Flintstone61

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Now if I could get another one of these 5442 6mm I'd buy 3 LOL. If you decide to go for it, and make dedicated camera out of a 5442,,,,it is highly tunable. I think the ZE would do the same as the 6mm if I installed it right here. just have to adjust the zoom and leave it...1 Job.
Think about using the 5442 ZE as the spotter or overview cam for the 5241 Z12.





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