Cameras with metal housings.

[Krieger]

Hey all,

I'm looking for some (relatively) cheap cameras, butt they MUST have metal housings. I live in the Southern US, and my house gets full sun all day. Any plastic that is outside is toast within 6 months.

I'm currently looking at the IPC-T2431T-AS camera, but all the tech spec sheet from dahua says is that the housing is metal and plastic. Are there any similar cameras with all metal housings in a similar price range (ideally <100)?

I am ambivalent to whether they are bullet cameras or turret cameras.

Thanks

 

[Flintstone61]

I just installed the T3241 tonight thats an all metal device. not sure what they list for at the moment.

 

[Flintstone61]

these things see very well. and have audio and zoom.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082XR73CC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Flintstone61]

 

[Krieger]

these things see very well. and have audio and zoom.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082XR73CC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

After watching a bunch of videos and reading a bunch of reviews, I might just got with the 5442. It seems exceptional in low light. I just can't seem to find any reviews/comparisons to other manufacturers, like hikvision or amcrest.

 

[wittaj]

Amcrest is made by Dahua that makes the 5442, except Amcrest is the consumer grade OEM so it uses cheaper parts, less than ideal MP/sensor ratio's and cheaper electronics.

But yes, it is better to buy once and get something good. The 5442 is the current king of the cameras by many of us here. If you go with a $100 camera, soon you will wish you spent just a bit more for better video at night.

Comparing Hik and Dahua is like comparing Toyota and Honda. People have a preference. Most here prefer Dahua.

Keep in mind that Dahua and Hikvision make cameras for a lot of companies, so brands like Lorex, Amcrest, etc. will not be as good as the original. But then we also have cameras that are true Dahua or Hikvision OEM, just not labeled with their brand. They are sold by a member here @EMPIRETECANDY

Amazon

AliExpress

 

[Krieger]

Amcrest is made by Dahua that makes the 5442, except Amcrest is the consumer grade OEM so it uses cheaper parts, less than ideal MP/sensor ratio's and cheaper electronics.

But yes, it is better to buy once and get something good. The 5442 is the current king of the cameras by many of us here. If you go with a $100 camera, soon you will wish you spent just a bit more for better video at night.

Comparing Hik and Dahua is like comparing Toyota and Honda. People have a preference. Most here prefer Dahua.

Keep in mind that Dahua and Hikvision make cameras for a lot of companies, so brands like Lorex, Amcrest, etc. will not be as good as the original. But then we also have cameras that are true Dahua or Hikvision OEM, just not labeled with their brand. They are sold by a member here @EMPIRETECANDY

Amazon

AliExpress

Those are the ones I've been looking at. The issue is, due to the location, size, and shape of my house, I need full coverage on pretty much every side, which is going to run about 8-10 cameras at least. There's street access from two sides of my house, access through my neighbors yard on another side, and there is a fence along the back, but that can be easily climbed as well.

 

[wittaj]

You will find that cameras multiply like rabbits LOL.

We all started with we only need X number and then.....

So the best approach that many of us have learned over time, so we share with NOOB like you to either accept or not, is you need a range of cameras.

A mistake too many people make are getting all wide-angle fixed lens see the whole neighborhood. And then the rookie mistake is to hang these on the 2nd story...

It is easy to get lured in to thinking the wide angle "see the whole neighborhood" because you are watching it and you see a neighbor go by and you are like "Look at that I can tell that is Heather out walking." and "Yeah I can tell our neighbor 4 down just passed by". Or you watch back the video of you walking around and are like "yeah I can tell that is me".

Little do we realize how much WE can identify a known person just by hair style, clothing, walking pace, gait, etc.

Then one day the door checker comes by. Total stranger. Totally useless video other than what time the door checking happened.

Then you realize that this wide-angle see the whole neighborhood comes at a cost and that cost is not being able to IDENTIFY who did it. These 2.8mm wide angle cameras are great overview cameras or to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet of the camera. At 40 feet out you need a different camera.

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 the advice to you is you can get cheaper cameras for overview cameras so that you can see what is going on, and then spend money on a few varifocals that you optically zoom in to pinch points to get IDENTIFY.

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

 

[sebastiantombs]

I have a total of ten on the house, two on each end, shorter side, and three on the front and rear, longer sides.

Bang for the bucks the 3241 or 5442 is the only way to go. Watch the focal length as well if you don't buy varifocals. 2.8mm, and 3.8mm to a lesser extent, don't work well for ID capture especially at night unless the subject is within 15 feet or less.

 

[Krieger]

You will find that cameras multiply like rabbits LOL.

We all started with we only need X number and then.....

So the best approach that many of us have learned over time, so we share with NOOB like you to either accept or not, is you need a range of cameras.

A mistake too many people make are getting all wide-angle fixed lens see the whole neighborhood. And then the rookie mistake is to hang these on the 2nd story...

It is easy to get lured in to thinking the wide angle "see the whole neighborhood" because you are watching it and you see a neighbor go by and you are like "Look at that I can tell that is Heather out walking." and "Yeah I can tell our neighbor 4 down just passed by". Or you watch back the video of you walking around and are like "yeah I can tell that is me".

Little do we realize how much WE can identify a known person just by hair style, clothing, walking pace, gait, etc.

Then one day the door checker comes by. Total stranger. Totally useless video other than what time the door checking happened.

Then you realize that this wide-angle see the whole neighborhood comes at a cost and that cost is not being able to IDENTIFY who did it. These 2.8mm wide angle cameras are great overview cameras or to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet of the camera. At 40 feet out you need a different camera.

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 the advice to you is you can get cheaper cameras for overview cameras so that you can see what is going on, and then spend money on a few varifocals that you optically zoom in to pinch points to get IDENTIFY.

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

I'm well aware of all the points you have made, I've read the entirety of the cliff notes and spent about 40 hours looking over this forum before posting, not very appreciative of the attitude.

I have a total of ten on the house, two on each end, shorter side, and three on the front and rear, longer sides.

Bang for the bucks the 3241 or 5442 is the only way to go. Watch the focal length as well if you don't buy varifocals. 2.8mm, and 3.8mm to a lesser extent, don't work well for ID capture especially at night unless the subject is within 15 feet or less.

Maximum distance from my house to the street is 40 feet, less in most cases. Any points of ingress will be within the Identify range. Only thing would be having some 6mm cameras to view the vehicles.

 

[sebastiantombs]

You may be sadly disappointed with 6mm at a 40 foot range. I started with 3.6mm cameras and, as they get upgraded, am replacing them with 6mm in almost every case. The exceptions are two that will remain as 3.6mm because the range is in the 10 to 15 foot arena.

 

[wittaj]

I'm well aware of all the points you have made, I've read the entirety of the cliff notes and spent about 40 hours looking over this forum before posting, not very appreciative of the attitude.


Maximum distance from my house to the street is 40 feet, less in most cases. Any points of ingress will be within the Identify range. Only thing would be having some 6mm cameras to view the vehicles.

WOW....It wasn't an attitude - nowhere did you say you have spent 40 hours and read the wiki - you started with looking for metal cameras and then morphed into you are looking for more cameras....so it was simply a common courtesy reply to someone who has only had an account for less than a day to make them aware in the event they were not aware. A simple thanks is more appropriate than replying with an attitude...

Now here is an attitude reply LOL - if you were familiar as you say, you would know that nobody here would suggest a 6mm for 40 feet. You need 12mm minimum. And you would know Amcrest is consumer grade cheaper Dahua...

And when you start a reply with "not very appreciative of the attitude" (which wasn't an attitude BTW), that will shut most people down here from offering any suggestions for fear you will snark back with "I know that"....

Good luck...

 

[Krieger]

You may be sadly disappointed with 6mm at a 40 foot range. I started with 3.6mm cameras and, as they get upgraded, am replacing them with 6mm in almost every case. The exceptions are two that will remain as 3.6mm because the range is in the 10 to 15 foot arena.

I don't care if I identify people on the street. If they break into my neighbors house, then maybe they should have invested in a camera system. As long as my identify can cover all points of ingress to my house, then that's fine with me. The only exception are my vehicles/mailbox, but that can be easily remedied.

 

[garycrist]

An automobile has 2 sides, but, everyone is so concerned about filming the ROOF! ( needs 2 cams).
Sometimes each corner of ones home needs 2 cams. (one for the side or windows etc. and one for looking outbound)

What everyone is trying to say is, one needs in most cases, to take layered approach to one's system.

 

[Krieger]

An automobile has 2 sides, but, everyone is so concerned about filming the ROOF! ( needs 2 cams).
Sometimes each corner of ones home needs 2 cams. (one for the side or windows etc. and one for looking outbound)

What everyone is trying to say is, one needs in most cases, to take layered approach to one's system.

With the current layout that I'm planning, just the front of my house will have 6 cameras, so I definitely understand layering it. The problem is trying to reduce that number of cameras. Currently, I have a 25foot boat blocking all of my vehicles, so any cameras covering the front points of ingress into my house will not be able to cover my vehicles. In order to get a solid Identify at cars at the end of my driveway, I need to use a 6mm camera. Using said 6mm camera then kills the FOV close to the house. I'm trying to find other avenues for my layout, such as mounting cameras on my mailbox or something along those lines.

Then comes the issue of my truck. It's at the front of the driveway, but my soffits are 8 feet and the roof of the truck is over 7 feet. I can't cover both sides of it with 1 camera, and I can't see people over the roof unless they're Shaquille O'neal. It's also right at, if not past the edge of my house (driveway is along the edge of the house) so I can't cover the vehicle with another camera unless I stick it in a tree, and I can't cover the camera watching the vehicle unless I place 2 more cameras.

 

[Flintstone61]

If you have any shady locations we’re the plastic wont take a hit, the Amcrest 1179ew’s can do a good job in certain situations.... And keep your total average cost per camera down.
I’m putting up 2, 3241’s 3, 1179e’s 1 -5442 z4 bullet and I got 2 used 5231ze-12’s that may or may not go up

 

[Krieger]

If you have any shady locations we’re the plastic wont take a hit, the Amcrest 1179ew’s can do a good job in certain situation. And keep your total average cost per camera down.
I’m putting up 2, 3241’s 3, 1179e’s 1 -5442 z4 bullet and I got 2 used 5231ze-12’s that may or may not go up

The main areas they are going to be are east/west facing. I got a 1179ew in today, it's pretty decent. I also bought a 3.6mm 5442 to test out. I'm thinking of just using the amcrest inside and putting all the 5442 outside, and then turning my reolinks into christmas ornaments.

 

[Flintstone61]

Yeah I put mine in the garage, and the 3 season porch, and one out on the front porch.(faces North) 365 days of shade.
The 5442 is on a west wall. used silicone on the jct box and mount point to seal it up, painted it to blend with Siding. gutter scheme. ( almost matches), a littleless glaring than the white on brown.

 

[Flintstone61]

IR, have not changed defaults yet. finally getting a breather.

 

[Broachoski]

I bought a couple Amcrest T1179's in 3.6mm about 3 years ago and though I do not like the flimsy mounting bracket, the plastic housing has held up well to Texas sun. For $50 each I am happy with their function.