I am not pushing the IP2M-853EW - just showing my results. It would be great if others could do similar with other models of PTZ's - especially any 4mp cams. I have a thing for the versatility of a PTZ.
Some shots were last night using my night / color settings (starvis) and the day shots were this morning with cloudy conditions.
For distances I use google maps measuring on satellite mode and open a 2nd tab to use street view and verify locations of mailboxes, etc. because the 2 dimension view from the cam itself can be deceiving on depth perception.
Finally, I did notice a serious degradation using the digital zoom out to 16x but only while trying to use the color/starvis at night - daytime I see no degradation at 16x.
My attempts last night with B&W LPR settings were pretty good and IR intensity at 15% was getting great plate reflection at 350 ft. but I took no snapshots.
I also noticed that just using a 12x optical and then BI's built in digital zoom gave slightly better results than using the cams digital zoom - so, zooming a snapshot after the fact would likely produce better images than the 16x zoom I have here.
This vehicle is 150 ft from Cam using 12x optical and then adding another 4x digital to that for 16x:
The stop sign behind it is exactly 300 ft.
This curb shot at the same angle is almost exactly 200 ft and is about the size of a license plate.
I went B&W with that last shot
This truck plate is just past the fire hydrant at 523ft and ofc is at 16x zoom. You can read that the truck in front of it is a Silverado also - plate obscured.
Looking East I got these and some are blurred due to tree limbs only:
The blue car is 277 ft with the truck in front of it at 292 ft and the one on the right side of the road by the stone mailbox is 290 ft
This light pole is 422 ft away:
Here are a few I didn't expect - the Camry with the paper plate is 450 ft and the truck at the top left is 555 ft
And just for grins I could see this mailbox at 682 ft - so why not
Finally, these vehicles were in motion between the 300 to 250 ft area
I forgot until last night that this camera also has Auto and Manual zoom control, so I think you could lock in a distance for LPR and not have to worry about it losing focus.
Again, I will try to tinker around tonight with the LPR setting and see how it works with moving vehicles at night.
I was messing with that red truck last night and having a hard time and finally realized the damn thing was over 523 ft away - regardless - LPR is for moving vehicles and in reality, even though I shoot my movers between 100 and 120 ft., I will try to get some at the 250-300 ft range and if I shoot that stop sign across the main street, those will be 390 ft.
Will do my best to will follow up with night LPR shots ASAP.
