Any way to get 3mp 12mm camera capture license Plates?

[Lebeter]

This seems more like a shutter speed problem than a focus problem with my limited photography knowledge. When comparing to those photos with the UPS truck, the truck is actually driving away from the camera allowing subject/plates to dwell in the frame longer vs the angle of these shots where the vehicle is only in the frame briefly. That is why you had better luck with the slow moving trash truck. You could also try moving your birdhouse closer to the street line and aiming it further down the street to get the subject/plate to stay in the frame longer. Have you tried using the fastest shutter speed? Separately, I had a problem with the IR lights reflecting off the birdhouse housing when I built something similar like this, so the camera glass was nearly flush with the birdhouse opening when I was done to get rid of the IR washout. I was stuck boring the hole out of the birdhouse at an angle slightly to get the downward angle I wanted with the camera.

 

[bp2008]

I agree, increase shutter speed if moving things are blurred. It doesn't get much more basic than that.

 

[nayr]

that is an awesome birdhouse camera, thanks for sharing!

I would also tend to agree, at the angle your hitting no single frame will have a good shot w/out a high shutter speed... and high shutter lowers sensitivity in low-light dramatically.

moving the camera closer to the traffic so there is less horizontal motion would be the first thing to try... the faster the traffic the harder its going to be to get a good image at any dramatic angle.

 

[bp2008]

should be possible during the day, even if it means 1/1000 or faster shutter speed. During the night, then you'd need a ridiculously bright light for that shutter speed to work.

 

[Lebeter]

Thanks nayr, yeah anyone could build it for about 40 bucks @ lowes. I built two of these. the birdhouse is 9.95, but i put two of them back to back and attached them to each other. birds have actually nested in the back one. get a 2x2 post, the house has a recess underneath to fit right on top of the post. It will prevent one of the doors from opening depending on which house you slide onto the post, and then a decking concrete pier to mount the post to. the conduit is another option as well. I sealed the houses with silicon, used some decking screws to attach stuff and used a small stainless L shaped bracket to attach the camera to the door. the dahua bullets work great for this as the hood is remove-able and you can use the hood screw/boss to attach the camera to the bracket. you'll need a 2.5" holesaw to cut the hole larger for a dahua bullet in the birdhouse. Easy project.

that is an awesome birdhouse camera, thanks for sharing!

I would also tend to agree, at the angle your hitting no single frame will have a good shot w/out a high shutter speed... and high shutter lowers sensitivity in low-light dramatically.

moving the camera closer to the traffic so there is less horizontal motion would be the first thing to try... the faster the traffic the harder its going to be to get a good image at any dramatic angle.

 

[nayr]

should be possible during the day, even if it means 1/1000 or faster shutter speed. During the night, then you'd need a ridiculously bright light for that shutter speed to work.

well since license plates are so reflective it may still work; but only for plates.. little else will be visible except car lamps and plates.. this is why its urged people dedicate a camera to LPR and not attempt to dual purpose a parameter camera.. settings for LPR at night tend to ruin the image for any other uses.. it'll be a totally black image except the plates and tail lights at night.

 

[bigbadw]

Here are pictures from the Star focusing tool, set at 4m (12 feet) and 8m (24 feet). (the reason for two pictures each is, one is from the jpeg, the other is a snapshot from the video) I think the pictures demonstrate what fenderman says, that it is out of focus. Please advise if this isn't correct.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to disassemble the camera. Couldn't find any google search instructions on how to take the case apart. It is the Hikvision mini bullet, just in case anyone knows how to take it apart? It has one screw on the back designated for ground, and 3 rubber stops inside of three places I'd expect to see a screw.

.

 

[Git]

Wrightwood Surveillance has instructions to change out the lens on a 2032

http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=388

 

[bigbadw]

Here is from 30 feet away.

 

[bigbadw]

Wrightwood Surveillance has instructions to change out the lens on a 2032

http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=388

Thanks Git! That is what I was looking for! There must be screw heads beneath the rubber I see down there.

 

[Lebeter]

Can you give us some feedback after changing the exposure time to the smallest fraction. At least try a few of these settings if the light is altered too much with the shortest exposure. Try a few cars passing by and see if the results change.

 

[bigbadw]

This is 1/750 with it turned manually into night mode (black and white) to try to get the maximum detail. I also added a color picture of the vehicle driving from the other camera. (note: 1/250 just gave me too much pixilation. Not sure why)

 

[bigbadw]

Here is 1/500. Again, in black and white mode hoping to enhance the license plate.

 

[vector18]

IMO, your going to need a higher MM lens and bring the plates closer in.

 

[bigbadw]

What lens would you recommend?

 

[vector18]

You can try bringing the camera closer to the subject, or try an 8mm lens. It would be real nice if these manufacturers starting selling 2-12mm varifocal IP cameras at a reasonable price. But, zooming closer to your subject will help alot with the clarity of the license plates.

 

[bigbadw]

I've had some success this morning with adjusting settings. The first one is a 1/500 and the second photo is 1/750. I've been adjusting contrast (95), Brightness (35), Gain (100), Sharpness (99), WDL (6), Noise level (100). I am getting pixelation, but within those frames I get a great pic of the license plate.

 

[bigbadw]

You can try bringing the camera closer to the subject, or try an 8mm lens. It would be real nice if these manufacturers starting selling 2-12mm varifocal IP cameras at a reasonable price. But, zooming closer to your subject will help alot with the clarity of the license plates.

vector18, I think I've just found a Hikvision variable. Is this the type of camera you are talking about?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GFFPFEU...20&ascsubtag=4a251a2ef9bbf4ccc35f97aba2c9cbda

 

[Lebeter]

I thought this was already a 12mm lens? You could probably find a 16mm mega m12 for 1/3 sensor on ebay to replace it with. Although, the further you zoom it in at this angle will mean even less frames to capture as something passes. going to have to kick up your frame-rate possibly for motion detection. The 25mm someone posted didn't appear to fit the HIK bullet housings without further modfications? The 1/750 is definitely a lot better, compare that to your other pictures where the whole car is blurry. Have you tried further with 1/1000 or 1/2000? Is it getting too dark to adjust the other settings? I got a few 3mp hik domes last night so was able to take a look at the interface.



Taken right off Wikipedia

• 1/8000 s: The fastest speed available in production SLR cameras (as of 2013), also the fastest speed available in anyfull-frame DSLR or SLT camera (as of 2013). Used to take sharp photographs of very fast subjects, such as birds or planes, under good lighting conditions, with an ISO speed of 1,000 or more and a large-aperture lens.[SUP][5][/SUP]
• 1/4000 s: The fastest speed available in consumer SLR cameras (as of 2009); also the fastest speed available in anyleaf shutter camera (such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1) (as of 2013). Used to take sharp photographs of fast subjects, such as athletes or vehicles, under good lighting conditions and with an ISO setting of up to 800.[SUP][6][/SUP]
• 1/2000 s and 1/1000 s: Used to take sharp photographs of moderately fast subjects under normal lighting conditions.[SUP][7][/SUP]
• 1/500 s and 1/250 s: Used to take sharp photographs of people in motion in everyday situations. 1/250 s is the fastest speed useful for panning; it also allows for a smaller aperture (up to f/11) in motion shots, and hence for a greater depth of field.[SUP][8][/SUP]

 

[bigbadw]

I thought this was already a 12mm lens? You could probably find a 16mm mega m12 for 1/3 sensor on ebay to replace it with. Although, the further you zoom it in at this angle will mean even less frames to capture as something passes. going to have to kick up your frame-rate possibly for motion detection. The 25mm someone posted didn't appear to fit the HIK bullet housings without further modfications? The 1/750 is definitely a lot better, compare that to your other pictures where the whole car is blurry. Have you tried further with 1/1000 or 1/2000? Is it getting too dark to adjust the other settings? I got a few 3mp hik domes last night so was able to take a look at the interface.

View attachment 1602

Yes, it is a 12mm right now. Fenderman pointed out that the focus was incorrectly adjusted by the manufacturer, but I am scared/'fraid to crack open the case and try to adjust... I did try the highest level of exposures earlier, but now that I have it adjusted to start grabbing some better pictures, I will continue to experiment with that variable.

Also, I turned off the night vision feature. The camera is so close to the road that the red light from the infra-red was glaringly obvious and obnoxious. Making the camera an easy target for folks. I wish there was a less obvious night vision technology....