Appreciate the feedback, the Z4E would certainly be maxed out for my use, where as the Z12 would have plenty breathing space. I am quite reluctant to buy 2MP now, once you see the 5442 series quality and IR performance, difficult to argue against them.
Maybe I will have to settle on a Z12 for this application, interesting that power draw on both cameras is similar but IR range on Z12 is in theory greater, assume they have a narrower beam focus.
Remember not to chase MP and choose the focal length to OPTICAL zoom for the distance to IDENTIFY is much better than more MP and DIGITAL zoom.
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
Excerpt from that thread:
Here is a great example of two images taken at the same time (early AM while still dark out) of the same person 60 feet away from just slightly different angles - one from the 5442-ZE 4MP set to 3.6mm that I digitally zoomed to make the person about the same size as the person in the 2MP varifocal optically zoomed.
Could this digitally zoomed image be used by police to IDENTIFY.
In case someone cannot figure it out, the 4MP that is
digitally zoomed in is the B&W picture and the 2MP varifocal
optically zoomed in is the color picture LOL.
I think most would agree that the
optically zoomed 2MP picture beats the
digitally zoomed 4MP picture - you can make out details and read some of the signage and make out bolts, etc. that are just a blur on the 4MP, which is being benefited by the same light the 2MP camera is getting plus the IR.
EDIT: someone asked in a later post here why the 4MP with the better sensor was in B/W while the 2MP was in color. The answer is simple. The 4MP didn't require IR illumination - That camera was not set up to IDENTIFY at that distance, but rather up close within 10-15 feet of the camera and I CHOOSE to run it in B/W for the faster shutter to get a cleaner capture. That 4MP runs fine in color and is actually brighter than the 2MP.
This Thread was an afterthought long after those images were taken or I would have done a color to color comparison (but wait I have something close).
However, I am always tweaking my cams and will bounce back and forth between B/W and color and I happen to have a similar shot of the 4MP fixed lens in color from a different day.
So in theory, the 4MP B/W was at its best opportunity to get a clean digital image due to the white light and Infrared light it was getting and that is also kinda evident comparing the 4MP color versus B/W images.
So as you can see, this shows that whether it was in color or B/W, at night with limited light, it will be a messy digital zoomed image whether it is in color or B/W, but the B/W would stand a better chance due to seeing infrared light, but an OPTICALLY zoomed camera will produce the best image for a set distance.
