IPC-HFW5231E-Z12 - What is the focus issue?

[nbstl68]

OK, Thanks, I didn't know you could bake those things dry. Looks like I'm going in...Time for some "experimental surgery" then. I've not opened one of these things up before. Any 'gotchas' in doing so, like finding out a wire is connected to a circuit board and the housing after I yank it apart or things that may fall out and break in the process I have to watch out for?

I am assuming there are some sort of rubber O-rings or other type seals between the camera and lens cover housing...maybe weren't seated right and let the moisture in?
If I find something like that should I grease\lube them before replacing to try to affect a better seal?

I was wondering about if a firmware upgrade may help the focus thing. I've been in contact with Andy he sent me a link to a thread for a ver 13...but mid thread there is posted a link for a " not yet official (as of a few months ago) ver 16 supp to urgently patch something. Think I should do ver 16 or 13?

edit: just saw a reply from Andy and he said "try 16 should be good for you".

 

[wittaj]

There is a thread somewhere on here explaining the process - It is actually popping the black lens covering off. And then many when they put it back together place some silicone around it before they seat it back in the event it wasn't seating properly.

 

[nbstl68]

ooh. interesting...wouldn't have thought to start by trying to pry the front lens covering off. I'll take a closer look & search for the mentioned thread,

 

[wittaj]

Found it!

Assistance with removing condensation from Dahua HFW5231E-Z12

Hello, How is everyone? Happy Holidays in advance! I have a few Dahua IPC-HFW5231E-Z12 and at least one of them is facing issues with water vapor/condensation. I am in South Texas, so its not like we are dealing with freezing temps etc. I have been in touch with the retailer, the great...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[sdwatachcam]

The desire to "lock the focus" seems to be a common need/desire. Has anyone, maybe EmpireTech Andy, requested this as a feature in the Dahua firmware? It's certainly a feature I would like to see.

 

[wittaj]

The desire to "lock the focus" seems to be a common need/desire. Has anyone, maybe EmpireTech Andy, requested this as a feature in the Dahua firmware? It's certainly a feature I would like to see.

This model is no longer in production, so they will probably not provide additional firmware for this model.

The replacement model, the 5241E-Z12E has that ability.

 

[sdwatachcam]

This model is no longer in production, so they will probably not provide additional firmware for this model.

The replacement model, the 5241E-Z12E has that ability.

Thanks for letting me know. I do not actually have a 5231, but I'm having the same/similar issue with a 5842H-ZHE and to a lesser degree with a couple of 5442T-ZE's. So I'll hope that this lock feature may expand to additional models.

 

[Bitslizer]

This model is no longer in production, so they will probably not provide additional firmware for this model.

The replacement model, the 5241E-Z12E has that ability.

Huh...? I thought the difference for the 5241 vs 5231 was the AI function? can we still dial/set focus via the web UI or sunrise/sunset with the 5231? I got 2 of those second hand coming

 

[wittaj]

Thanks for letting me know. I do not actually have a 5231, but I'm having the same/similar issue with a 5842H-ZHE and to a lesser degree with a couple of 5442T-ZE's. So I'll hope that this lock feature may expand to additional models.

They do (at least the 5442 series) - look in the focus and zoom settings - if the focus has a manual focus, that is how you get it to "Set" it for the differences between day and night profiles if yours has an issue with it.

Keep in mind this "lock the focus" issue is usually only related to the origins of this thread, which is using the 5231E-Z12E for license plate captures requires a fast shutter 1/2000 and at night the picture is completely black and thus has nothing to focus on.

Usually auto focus should work in most situations because there is enough light for it to focus.

 

[wittaj]

Huh...? I thought the difference for the 5241 vs 5231 was the AI function? can we still dial/set focus via the web UI or sunrise/sunset with the 5231? I got 2 of those second hand coming

Yes, the AI function was the main difference, but an updated firmware to the 5241 allows the ability to set the focus "manually" so that is will continue to go to that between day and night profiles.

The 5231 can manually adjust the focus, but it would lose it the next day after going night then day then back to night, whereas the 5241 you can set a manual shutter number for day and night and it will go to that each day as it cycles through the profiles. Again, this is mainly only for people using it for LPR, which I know you plan to do.

For the 5231 and LPR, you have to either use the reflective tape method to allow it to focus, use the camera schedule profile and kick it into night 45-60 earlier, or use the sunrise/sunset utility that bp2008 wrote to do this every day.

 

[Bitslizer]

Yes, the AI function was the main difference, but an updated firmware to the 5241 allows the ability to set the focus "manually" so that is will continue to go to that between day and night profiles.

The 5231 can manually adjust the focus, but it would lose it the next day after going night then day then back to night, whereas the 5241 you can set a manual shutter number for day and night and it will go to that each day as it cycles through the profiles. Again, this is mainly only for people using it for LPR, which I know you plan to do.

For the 5231, you have to either use the reflective tape method to allow it to focus, use the schedule profile and kick it into night 45-60 earlier, or use the sunrise/sunset utility that bp2008 wrote to do this every day.

anyone tried hacking the 5241 firmware to flash on the 5231?

 

[wittaj]

anyone tried hacking the 5241 firmware to flash on the 5231?

Different chipsets so it will not work, but if you want to try it, go for it and hope you don't brick it LOL.

Actually I prefer the utility bp2008 wrote better and use that for my 5241 as well (and all of my Dahua cams for that matter).

 

[nbstl68]

I started using the day\night switch to IR earlier in the evening before it gets too dark to focus and it gets the focus pretty good at night but the day time switch back is always blurry. By manually tweaking the focus, for my current use, watching a bucket of corn in the neighbor's yard to alert for deer), I have found the AF peak and AF max numbers in the camera GUI don't seem to mean much of anything, (they go up or down no matter what the focus direction).
However, hovering over the focus slider gives me a set value and the best focus day night is a value of 900\940.
So is there a way, either in the camera GUI or in BI to tell the camera to go to those exact focus values at day night switch over?

 

[Bitslizer]

I started using the day\night switch to IR earlier in the evening before it gets too dark to focus and it gets the focus pretty good at night but the day time switch back is always blurry. By manually tweaking the focus, for my current use, watching a bucket of corn in the neighbor's yard to alert for deer), I have found the AF peak and AF max numbers in the camera GUI don't seem to mean much of anything, (they go up or down no matter what the focus direction).
However, hovering over the focus slider gives me a set value and the best focus day night is a value of 900\940.
So is there a way, either in the camera GUI or in BI to tell the camera to go to those exact focus values at day night switch over?
View attachment 87539

I think that can be configure to set the focus value via the sunset sunrise utility being often talk about

 

[looney2ns]

I started using the day\night switch to IR earlier in the evening before it gets too dark to focus and it gets the focus pretty good at night but the day time switch back is always blurry. By manually tweaking the focus, for my current use, watching a bucket of corn in the neighbor's yard to alert for deer), I have found the AF peak and AF max numbers in the camera GUI don't seem to mean much of anything, (they go up or down no matter what the focus direction).
However, hovering over the focus slider gives me a set value and the best focus day night is a value of 900\940.
So is there a way, either in the camera GUI or in BI to tell the camera to go to those exact focus values at day night switch over?
View attachment 87539

Be sure to focus with the focus speed set to 1 to obtain the numbers.
Dahua day/night switch utility - DahuaSunriseSunset | IP Cam Talk

 

[nbstl68]

I am going to play with the switch utility mentioned above this weekend if time permits.
Maybe a dumb question, but if I left the camera on just one profile, B&W 24/7, would it still try to change focus when it gets dark\light out? For this particular camera I'm fine with B/W. Or is the IR turning on\off automatically with day\night what triggers the re-focus?

 

[bigredfish]

O it won’t. That’s what I do on one of mine

 

[wittaj]

Yep, running 24/7 B/W certainly works as well. I did that for a year before I decided to run color in the daytime and thus needed the utility to do that.

 

[FlipNJ]

They do (at least the 5442 series) - look in the focus and zoom settings - if the focus has a manual focus, that is how you get it to "Set" it for the differences between day and night profiles if yours has an issue with it.

Keep in mind this "lock the focus" issue is usually only related to the origins of this thread, which is using the 5231E-Z12E for license plate captures requires a fast shutter 1/2000 and at night the picture is completely black and thus has nothing to focus on.

Usually auto focus should work in most situations because there is enough light for it to focus.

Hey sorry to hop in here but just had a pickup truck screech around my cul de sac and almost hit my truck. I need to install a camera dedicated for LPR. Like now! lol. 5 cameras on the front of my house and there is no way to identify the vehicle besides it is blackish and a Ford. So... * Is the Loryta 5241 you reference here the go to that is not a fortune? Pretty sure one of my cam locations is perfect for this. it's about 80 feet to the target area so wondering if 12x is sufficient. (60mm/5mm) Thinking targeting the left side of that circle because the cars are not moving left or right at all at the right time. very still plate movement. It may be 100 feet. Pic was taken with my phone, it os blurry but wanted to show the angle.

 

[wittaj]

@FlipNJ - the 5241Z-12E is still the go to camera.

At night, we have to run a very fast shutter speed (1/2,000) and in B/W with IR and the image will be black. All you will see are head/tail lights and the plate. Some people can get away with color if they have enough street lights, but most of us cannot. Here is a representative sample of plates I get at night. This is 175 feet from my camera:

You will be fine at 80 feet LOL. But I wouldn't try a lesser zoom camera. A member here tried the 5442-Z4E with 32mm focal length and it struggled beyond 60 feet.

More zoom is good for getting plates.

Amazon.com : Loryta IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E IP Camera 2MP Starlight WDR IR Bullet AI Network Camera English Version

Amazon.com : Loryta IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E IP Camera 2MP Starlight WDR IR Bullet AI Network Camera English Version

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