Camera Mounting Options?

TDC

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Ideally, I would like to install Dahua turret cameras underneath the eaves. However, the tree in the one picture and lack of space in the other picture seems to limit placement.

Can the lens orientation be changed so the turret cameras can be mounted vertically?

Are there any recommended options? I don't want to drill any holes in the brick or attach a mount to my house that will make it look like a bank.

Thanks for any information and recommendations!
 

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looney2ns

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Ideally, I would like to install Dahua turret cameras underneath the eaves. However, the tree in the one picture and lack of space in the other picture seems to limit placement.

Can the lens orientation be changed so the turret cameras can be mounted vertically?

Are there any recommended options? I don't want to drill any holes in the brick or attach a mount to my house that will make it look like a bank.

Thanks for any information and recommendations!
Yes.
Keep in mind, you want to know who did it, not just what happened. So don't mount cams higher than 7-8'
98% of people will never notice your cameras, no matter how they are mounted.
 

TDC

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Yes.
Keep in mind, you want to know who did it, not just what happened. So don't mount cams higher than 7-8'
98% of people will never notice your cameras, no matter how they are mounted.
My soffits are unfortunately 11' high. Is there another mounting option besides drilling holes on the brick walls?
 

sebastiantombs

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You could use a pendant mount, but then you're getting into the "looks like a bank" area with the WAF. Alternately, conduit or tubing, metal not PVC, could be painted to match the house but you'll still need mounting holes but at least they're relatively small.
 
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TDC

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You could use a pendant mount, but then you're getting into the "looks like a bank" area with the WAF. Alternately, conduit or tubing, metal not PVC, could be painted to match the house but you'll still need mounting holes but at least they're relatively small.
That's what I was afraid of. The height of my soffits are just unfortunately too high for ideal placement.

Thanks again for your reply.
 

sebastiantombs

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Another thing to consider is that you could use higher focal length lenses on the cameras. Keep in mind that will give you a better view but will cut the overall field of view. It would probably take two cameras in each location, one 3.6mm and one 6mm as examples only, to get reasonable coverage. The best thing to do is get one varifocal and test each location at night, with a hoodie or cap on, to see if you, or your wife, can accurately identify yourself. A test rig, in your case would need a step ladder with a 2x4-10 clamped securely to it and the camera mounted at the top end of the 2x4.

Even with all that, lower is still better and you can experiment with that test rig to see exactly what the differences are by moving the camera down to seven feet or so. The change in angle, and how that makes identification easier, is amazing.
 
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To elaborate on what @sebastiantombs stated above, a varifocal cam on a test rig can help you determine what fixed lens cam and positioning you need. My test rig:
DSC_4614.JPG

To get a good face shot of someone moving through your field of view, you need a low angle of attack. See diagram below.
Angle of attack.jpg

So for a higher mounted cam, you have to set your focal point further out to get a lower angle, which gives you a more horizontal face shot. That would mean a longer lens (just like on a DSLR camera). So a 2.8mm gives a very wide angle and the focal point is close. A 13.5mm lens is much narrower FOV and the focal point is further out, or as some say is 'zoomed in'. If a cam is mounted above the head, the closer the perp is to the cam the less horizontal a face shot you get to the point where the only thing you see is the top of the head.
 
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