LPR - Night time

[wittaj]

With the cameras on the mailbox, the turret I suggested is more than adequate and is a smaller form factor than the Z12E bullet that is about a foot long once installed with a junction box.

While the Z12E bullet is the go to camera here, most have that on their house or in a tree. That is a big bullet to put on the mailbox and will be an easy target. A turret painted to match the mailbox will blend in easier.

At the mailbox, the 2MP turret I linked is more than adequate. You full zoom the stinker and capture plates at about 30 feet away from the mailbox and at a better angle than you will ever get with a 2.8 or 3.6mm camera at the same location.

More MP is not needed to capture plates. The Z12E that many use is a 2MP camera.

 

[samplenhold]

but with plexi cutouts on each side with the cameras safely mounted inside the mailbox structure.

You cannot cover the cam front with plexiglass. It will reflect the IR back into the lens.

See these threads on LPR set ups. The 5442-Z4E that close to the road would work fine. I use one for overview of the intersection at my house. Get good plates during the day and some at night due to good street lighting. I also use two Z12E cams for true LPR.

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[jeremycolvin]

ok... so clearly the three main choices for me are:

1) IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E - $206 (PAL or NTSC) -or- $255.10 if I get it from Andy's store on here - which I believe is the NTSC version.
Pros:
A) 5.3 mm - 64mm motorized lens (Left of the mailbox, about 70-100 feet is a stop sign that cars are theoretically supposed to stop at. This would be a great spot to aim at for license plate capture. with the 64mm zoom, I'd be able to reach closer to that stop sign.
B) High frame rate - 30FPS if I go with NTSC or 25FPS if I go with PAL

Cons:
A) only 2MP - but this should be plenty for LPR
B) slower shipment time if I go with the $206 option. Faster (I would assume) if I went with Andy's option.
C) Would be big on the mailbox post - but I don't really care about that.

2) IPC-B5442E-Z4E - $250+?
Pros:
A) 4mp

Cons:
A) Can't find any "in stock" anywhere. I have found the IPC-B54IR-Z4E, but not the B5442
B) Only 8-32 zoom
C) Would be big on the mailbox post - but I don't really care about that.

3) IPC-T3241T-ZAS -
Pros:
A) Would be smaller on my mailbox post

Cons:
A) Only 2.7 - 13.5 mm zoom
B) I don't like these types of mounts. (I have 4 of this type and don't like the mounts)

SOOOOO....
I think I'm leaning mostly towards the Z12E - mainly because of the zoom which I feel would give me better options for optimal capture zone (stop sign on the left side and start capturing further down the road on the right side with more "in frame" time with the zoom.

But the question now is: NTSC or PAL ?

NTSC is 30 FPS (20% more than PAL) (19% less than PAL)
PAL is 25 FPS (20% less than NTSC) (19% more than NTSC)

So the question is, what is more important, FPS or Lines of resolution? - I'm thinking that FPS would be more important because the vehicles are moving (driving), so the slightly faster shutter speed may result in a slightly less blurred picture, whereas the PAL version would technically capture a more "detailed" picture... but might be slightly more motion blurred than the NTSC version.

Anyone have any thoughts on any of this?

 

[wittaj]

Shutter speed is the most important factor, along with OPTICAL zoom.

2MP is fine.

I capture plates at 8FPS at 45mph and the car is in and out of the frame in under .5 seconds. The picture I posted above is from 8FPS with a 1/2000 shutter.

That is how important shutter speed is.

PAL or NTSC is simply a toggle switch in the camera GUI - you can switch it at any time.

If you don't go with the turret on the mailbox then go with the Z12E for the higher zoom.

People have tried the 5442-Z4E and feel at about 60 feet is the limit. The Z12E can go 200 feet. My image above was from 175 feet with no streetlights just the camera IR.

 

[bigredfish]

You dont have to decide, the ones I have all allow you to switch between either

 

[Mike A.]

NTSC vs PAL is just a simple software switch on the cam. It's not a hardware thing where you need to buy one or the other version. You can change as you want it.

The other risk with the $206 version is that it may be a hacked Chinese market cam with firmware that can't be updated. Andy's will be fine for sure.

 

[jeremycolvin]

Shutter speed is the most important factor, along with OPTICAL zoom.

2MP is fine.

I capture plates at 8FPS at 45mph and the car is in and out of the frame in under .5 seconds. The picture I posted above is from 8FPS with a 1/2000 shutter.

That is how important shutter speed is.

PAL or NTSC is simply a toggle switch in the camera GUI - you can switch it at any time.

If you don't go with the turret on the mailbox then go with the Z12E for the higher zoom.

People have tried the 5442-Z4E and feel at about 60 feet is the limit. The Z12E can go 200 feet. My image above was from 175 feet with no streetlights just the camera IR.

You dont have to decide, the ones I have all allow you to switch between either
View attachment 168531

Thank you for the info!

 

[bigredfish]

Some will differ, but IMHO more FPS is better when it comes to LPR cams. Is it a HUGE difference?, no, but it can be helpful at times. The difference between 25 and 30 isnt an issue either way

IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E 30 FPS?

 

[jeremycolvin]

NTSC vs PAL is just a simple software switch on the cam. It's not a hardware thing where you need to buy one or the other version. You can change as you want it.

The other risk with the $206 version is that it may be a hacked Chinese market cam with firmware that can't be updated. Andy's will be fine for sure.

Good point - but since I need 2 of them, it's almost $100 difference - and there is a statement on the page "DAHUA original firmware, Upgradable,2 year guarantee"

 

[bigredfish]

Get the wife some flowers
Heck you saved $1100 from the ones you quoted in your first post

 

[wittaj]

It sounds like a hacked camera - go with Andy and get a known good camera.

 

[jeremycolvin]

Get the wife some flowers
Heck you saved $1100 from the ones you quoted in your first post

LOL - very true... but also is true that I'm already $2500 over budget on the project - which started as "Honey, I want to put up our old security cam system from our old house on our new one, I already have everything I need" ... 3,000 feet of outdoor rated cat 6 wire, out door rated channel enclosures, a trencher rental to dig 120 foot trench, pvc burial pipe, steel above ground pipe, and a 50 foot boom lift to install the on house cams later... "we already have everything" turned into $2,500 very quickly. lol - if I keep adding to it I fear she'll hit my Harley budget! lol

 

[Mike A.]

Good point - but since I need 2 of them, it's almost $100 difference - and there is a statement on the page "DAHUA original firmware, Upgradable,2 year guarantee"

Ask them for a dump of the page showing the firmware version.

 

[Ri22o]

People have tried the 5442-Z4E and feel at about 60 feet is the limit. The Z12E can go 200 feet. My image above was from 175 feet with no streetlights just the camera IR.

For reference.

This is my driveway 5442T-ZE at full zoom. The distance to the blue car across the street is about 108'/33m.


This is my back gate B5442E-Z4E at full zoom. I am approximately 60'/18.3m away.


Same camera and gate at 80'/25m.


This is one of my HFW5241E-Z12E LPRs at full zoom. Distance to the kill zone is approximately 140'/43m.

 

[jeremycolvin]

During the daytime, my current system works fine... but it sucks at night, which is why I need different cams.

 

[Flintstone61]

get this. Your targets are close. the field of capture is narrow....There is more forgiveness to the z4 cam on settings. you wouldn't need the z-12 if they are coming right past your box. you'll get lots of frames to review some of which will be in excellent focus.
Why havent you found this link on Amazon....you say they arent available. In my 2.5 years of experience on this forum. seeing what i've seen, Do not buy a dahua from another source, get it from Andy at Empiretech or Loryta ( same source)

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-IPC-B5442E-Z4E-Starlight-8mm-32mm-Motorized/dp/B07ZGF9BRW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2BRETG04TIC57&keywords=5442+z4e&qid=1690273726&sprefix=5442+z4e%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-2

 

[jeremycolvin]

get this. Your targets are close. the field of capture is narrow....There is more forgiveness to the z4 cam on settings. you wouldn't need the z-12 if they are coming right past your box. you'll get lots of frames to review some of which will be in excellent focus.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-IPC-B5442E-Z4E-Starlight-8mm-32mm-Motorized/dp/B07ZGF9BRW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2BRETG04TIC57&keywords=5442+z4e&qid=1690273726&sprefix=5442+z4e%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-2

Yes... but on the left side, I'm thinking that the stop sign would be a great place to target the capture zone, which is about 75-100 feet ish from the mailbox.

 

[wittaj]

My concern would be the IR reaching that far from that low height and/or IR bounce messing up the exposure. A lot of the IR will be lost into the ground.

 

[Flintstone61]

On that side you could use either one. If you want the plates from both sides of the road, you will have to get an angle that will not be so far zoomed in that you miss part of either travel lane.

 

[Flintstone61]

You don't need plates at the stop sign, like Wittaj said they're might not be enough IR out there. your better off catching about midway.