DS-2CD2432F-IW best lens for baby monitor

[dannydandan]

Hi,

I'd like to purchase this camera for use as a baby monitor. Which lens should I get, the 2.8mm or 4mm?
Also, somebody pointed out there's a risk with IR for baby's vision? Is the IR on this camera stronger or more dangerous than those that ship with any other video baby monitor?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[fenderman]

The 2.8 is probably best as it will give you the widest angle....
It is not different than the ir on any other IR on regular monitors...you can disable the ir by leaving it in day mode.
You can also disable the ir only led only, (but still allow the camera to detect ir light) which will allow you to use a secondary ir source that is not pointed at the baby...for example you can bounce some ir light off a wall or something

 

[dannydandan]

Thanks!!
If it's no different than the IR on consumer baby monitors use then I'll assume it's fairly safe
Any tips on where to purchase this from? Also, if it only comes with 4mm, would that work as well or should I insist on the 2.8?

 

[blake]

Here with us you have Nelly's Security, Wrightwood Survellience and milkisbad from LTS. The choice is yours.

 

[fenderman]

I would get the 2.8..you get more area, you loose a bit of detail...why not get more coverage...almost everyone stocks the 2.8..

 

[fenderman]

I would get the 2.8..you get more area, you loose a bit of detail...why not get more coverage...almost everyone stocks the 2.8..
Dont forget the Nelly's discount coupon..they have great service and support (they are a site vendor here)
http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php?1807-IPCT-Members-Only-Promo!
If you want to save a bit, wrightwood has the DS-2CD8464F-EIW low light 1.3mp on sale for 100...(1.3 will have better low light performance than the 3mp)..note that it appears that its the 4mm version tough..http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_91&products_id=365
It also have 2 leds which may be more than you want in the baby room based on your initial post..

 

[bp2008]

That $100 on-sale cam from wrightwood looks great. I'd actually choose it over a 2432 for a baby monitor due to the low light sensitivity. If the uncertainty of shining IR at the baby all night is a concern, $15 or so will get you a small IR illuminator from amazon that you can point elsewhere and the scattered IR would be enough to see the baby at least.

 

[dannydandan]

Thanks guys.
I got the 2432
Any recommendations for the microphone settings? It's not quite as sensitive as I'd like it to be. I want to be able to hear the baby without placing it directly over the crib.

 

[fenderman]

Crank it all the way up to 100 and disable the environmental filter...thats the loudest its going to go..

 

[dannydandan]

Thanks! Is there any way to disable the status lights (blue and yellow) on the front?

 

[fenderman]

Thanks! Is there any way to disable the status lights (blue and yellow) on the front?

Electrical tape ...

 

[dannydandan]

lol
That'll do I guess

 

[dannydandan]

Why is the yellow light blinking anyway? Network activity? Is that by design?

 

[dannydandan]

With the 2.8 lens, do I have to place it closer to the baby if I want to get more detail, or is there a zoom option?
I don't care for any of the surroundings

 

[fenderman]

With the 2.8 lens, do I have to place it closer to the baby if I want to get more detail, or is there a zoom option?
I don't care for any of the surroundings

You will need to place it closer..or manually zoom in with whatever app you are using to view..if you dont care about surroundings then a 4mm or 6mm would be a better option.

 

[DaveP]

A very quick and dirty method of lens calculation for 1/3" CCD Cameras .... (found on the internettywebby and it's worked for me, so no kudos or cabbages expected)

1. What area size do you want to view (sometimes the horizontal size is relevant, sometimes its the vertical.. use whichever is the most important)
2. How far away will the camera be

And the sum is..

Camera distance x 4.8 / size = lens focal length

Then use the lens that is the closest number down

 

[dannydandan]

Ok so help me out here guys
An average crib is 54" in length. That's all I need to see, nothing more. So assuming I'd like to put it as further away as possible from the crib (because of the IR), I should probably go with 6mm lens right?
IR is up to 10m according to Hik, so I could easily place it 10-15 feet away and still get a good picture of the baby.

 

[DaveP]

Well if size were to be 54" and the result was 6mm...

Then if I've done my sums right.. the distance away to fill the image width would be about 6 feet

10 feet away = 10mm to fill the entire width & 15 feet away = 16mm, so if you really really want to fill the frame, then what I'd do............ and no I'm not advising that you embark down my route of madness, but I'd get the camera with what ever mm lens and swap it.

However, the road to after market lens is rocky and can be full of pain, but if your experienced in taking electronic stuff apart and it's still working when reassembled, then the lens from the supplier I use are good and the maths hold true

 

[dannydandan]

Well, I don't want to toy with aftermarket lenses. So sounds like my best bet for this Hikvision camera is to get the 6mm lens.
I want to be able to see the baby breathing, moving, etc. Nothing else that happens in the room is of any interest to me

 

[fenderman]

Here is a useful post by @networkcameracritic if you choose to disassemble the unit.
http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php?98-Hikvision-DS-2CD2432F-IW-Dissassembly&highlight=lens