IPC-HFW5231E-Z12 LPR from 137 feet

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
Yep, if the camera is working for your needs, no need to update! It tends to fix something you were not using and introduces an error on something you were using.

The focus issue is likely a result of the sunrise/sunset utility not working.

Until I went to that, I would just go into the schedule in the camera GUI several times a year and adjust it there.
 

blazin912

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
168
Reaction score
41
Location
MA
Need help for my night settings

Video -
H.265
Smart Codec OFF
1920x1080
30 FPS
CBR
6144 Kbps
Iframe 30

Conditions -

Picture

Brightness - 48
Contrast - 52
Sharpness - 60
Gamma - 44

Exposure

Anti-flicker - Outdoor
Mode - Manual
Shutter - 1/500
gain - 5-40
Iris - 46
Exp. Comp - 48
3D NR on
Grade - 40

Backlight
HLC 70

Illuminator Manual
100/100

Distance to middle of street --- ~215 ft measured on both IPVM and Axisgis

I have a shielded cat6 running to a different, closer, corner of my house, but the angle would be more severe closer to 90 degrees due to obstructions. I could use this corner to mount an IR light, but it would be pretty filtered by trees/etc to hit the same spot. If I pointed in the general direction or slightly ahead, would there be any potential benefits from bounced IR? Is it needed? I'm thinking I've got one of the more challenging use cases :(

We have 1 street light that pulses on/off periodically and sits ~ 300 feet from this spot in the road.

Screenshot 2020-10-20 134656.png
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
It does look like more IR would help.

I’ve been playing with a wider open Iris with good results. Try bumping that to 65-70 and see how it looks. Can probably then play with gain.
 

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
24,445
Reaction score
47,568
Location
USA
Here are my settings that worked at 200 feet, but I thought the plates were too small and added some guesses, so I turned it closer with a less than desirable angle but could get more plates (see image below at 156):

H.265, Codec off
1920*1080
Frame rate 10
VBR
Quality best
bitrate 4096

1603230441212.png

1603230466040.png
 

blazin912

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
168
Reaction score
41
Location
MA
I'm back, my daytime is working well. Night not so much. Too dark.

I'm thinking about getting tendelux 200ft illuminator. I saw somewhere that the light should source from near the camera so the reflected light returns to the origin for the camera to see the license plates.

True/false?

I have two positions to place the light, one is closer to the cars but not in direct line of the camera it would be sort of shooting the cars from the side. The second is right next to the camera but the distance is about 200 feet.

As I've shown before cars are filling the frame at my distance fully zoomed in. I know it is recommended to have the plates themselves come close to filling the frame, I just can't get that close with reasonable angle.

Thoughts?

2 lights? Both locations?
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
No I don’t fill the frame with plate, about 2 car widths

200 ft is a stretch with the Z12 IMHO

Yes you’ll need stronger IR more or less same angle as the camera. 200 ft rating on an IR unit means you’ll get 100-150 useful IR and it will be pretty dispersed at that distance. Cut IR ratings in 1/2.

Gain and Iris both make a huge difference in brightness of the plate reflection
 

blazin912

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
168
Reaction score
41
Location
MA
No I don’t fill the frame with plate, about 3 car widths

200 ft is a stretch with the Z12 IMHO

Yes you’ll need stronger IR more or less same angle as the camera. 200 ft rating on an IR unit means you’ll get 100-150 useful IR and it will be pretty dispersed at that distance. Cut IR ratings in 1/2.

Gain and Iris both make a huge difference in brightness of the plate reflection
You think I have a chance with the image I showed above?
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
All things are possible with enough time and money ;)
If you can get enough IR on it and use Gain and iris to your advantage, and if it doesnt lose focus, which at max zoom it tends to do. *(new firmware supposedly has a fix for Manual Focus for this), it might work.

I'm just saying you're at the limits of consistent plate recognizing at that distance and angle and you'll probably need to consider stronger more focused IR like that of Scene Electronics
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2018
Messages
7,386
Reaction score
25,889
Location
Spring, Texas
You think I have a chance with the image I showed above?
To me, that image looks out of focus. It looks like mine when the focus strays a little, like going from 1620 to 1600.

While I have not installed an IR illuminator, I have studied it quite a bit and if needed, I would get the one below. It is small and POE powered. There are several FOV you can choose from. It also has a day/night sensor.
POE IR ill.JPG
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
Those look cool. Axton has a good reputation. Is that 30 degrees at 60 ft?

I see now it says rated at 130ft, again knock some off for true effective range
 
Last edited:

blazin912

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
168
Reaction score
41
Location
MA
To me, that image looks out of focus. It looks like mine when the focus strays a little, like going from 1620 to 1600.

While I have not installed an IR illuminator, I have studied it quite a bit and if needed, I would get the one below. It is small and POE powered. There are several FOV you can choose from. It also has a day/night sensor.
View attachment 76738
That light looks awesome, but I'm not sure it's true POE. Nothing mentioned in data sheets or setup. They show a pair of wires to supply 9-18v, that's it.

Would that work with a ubiquiti 60w poe switch?
 

bigredfish

Known around here
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
17,019
Reaction score
47,484
Location
Floriduh
Direct I believe... (Scene)

Just an example. I would study the beam/angle/distance you need to be certain which illuminator to buy.

Personally before I bought an expensive illuminator I'd find a way to get a cheap one close to the target point temporarily to see how well the camera can focus at that distance over say 2-3 days. Any way you can do that by enlisting a neighbor?
 

blazin912

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
168
Reaction score
41
Location
MA
Direct I believe... (Scene)

Just an example. I would study the beam/angle/distance you need to be certain which illuminator to buy.

Personally before I bought an expensive illuminator I'd find a way to get a cheap one close to the target point temporarily to see how well the camera can focus at that distance over say 2-3 days. Any way you can do that by enlisting a neighbor?
No chance, got a lot of distance between houses. The 215 feet is ~1/2 way between our houses.

And I'm shooting across my property to get a good angle so they'd almost be shining light back at me.

I think the axton stuff looks good but I believe b&h is wrong here, doesn't look to use normal A or B pairs for power...
 

blazin912

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Sep 15, 2019
Messages
168
Reaction score
41
Location
MA
Direct I believe... (Scene)

Just an example. I would study the beam/angle/distance you need to be certain which illuminator to buy.

Personally before I bought an expensive illuminator I'd find a way to get a cheap one close to the target point temporarily to see how well the camera can focus at that distance over say 2-3 days. Any way you can do that by enlisting a neighbor?
As for focus, I'm using the sunrise/sunset service to drive the camera to known focus every morning/night are we saying the focus shifts even if you keep that constant?
 
Top