LPR / Security Cam duty

[biggen]

I can't tell if the grain is from the rain or not.

 

[pbc]

I can't tell if the grain is from the rain or not.

Not raining in this one:

View attachment LPR.20200627_205221_1.mp4

 

[pbc]

On the IR Light, are folks using auto?

 

[pbc]

That camera (the Z12) has issues with keeping focus during the Day/Night switch, particularly over 80% zoom. It helps if you can have the switch occur while there's still enough light for it to find something to focus on.

I'm using the utility with a fixed zoom, though not sure what happens when it was auto switching from night to day due to that setting i had in there.

 

[biggen]

Post your video settings. Lets see what you have going on. I think you need a darker image (e.g. faster shutter speed). Below is one of mine from last night. See how dark it is. @bigredfish 's images are even darker if you look at some of his previous posts.

No, my captures aren't that grainy. I also have my IR at manual at 100%.

 

[pbc]

I think you could zoom in a little more and go further down the road where the "pinch point" is smaller and maybe get bigger plate image and still have all three lanes? Maybe the center of the image be those first set of turn arrows?

View attachment 64822

BTW, if it matters, the first set of turn arrows per IPVM calc are 220 feet away.

 

[pbc]

Post your video settings. Lets see what you have going on. I think you need a darker image (e.g. faster shutter speed). Below is one of mine from last night. See how dark it is. @bigredfish 's images are even darker if you look at some of his previous posts.

No, my captures aren't that grainy. I also have my IR at manual at 100%.

I updated the firmware this morning, and for some reason my exposure settings reverted to Auto. But they were 1/2000 with shutter priority for night.

 

[biggen]

So 1/2000 should be good. Are you you using a fixed shutter or a range? I also use "Manual" and not shutter priority but I'm not sure if that makes a difference. Here are some of my setting for comparison.

What about your actual video settings? Codec? Bit rate? etc...

 

[pbc]

Why h265 vs 264?

I have a feeling as you and others have said, I'll need to aim at the incoming side of the street and forget about trying to capture 3 lanes as focus is an issue. Really shows up in B/W how challenging it is even during the day.

 

[pbc]

So 1/2000 should be good. Are you you using a fixed shutter or a range? I also use "Manual" and not shutter priority but I'm not sure if that makes a difference. Here are some of my setting for comparison.

What about your actual video settings? Codec? Bit rate? etc...

Also what are your daytime settings?

 

[biggen]

H265 for space savings. I run BI in a VM so I don't get any performance benefit (Intel Quick Sync) from using H264 because of this so I might as well use H265.

Night time is the equalizer. Capturing tags in the day time is a breeze compared to night. Don't give up yet on both lanes but I'd probably zoom in a bit more. We don't have front plates in my state so I'd have to focus on the lane going away from the house if it was my setup.

Daytime settings below. I have backlight turned off during the day.

 

[wittaj]

With the sunrise/sunset utility someone created here, it allows you to use two zooms - so you could have a little wider in the daytime color mode to get all three lanes and then zoom in for nighttime B/W if you cannot see the plates at that wide of an angle.

But the nighttime plate B/W images will be way better at night than during the day. One of the main reasons why I ended up using the utility so that I could do color during daytime.

Also, unless you know the firmware is going to fix a problem you have, most do not update the firmware - if the camera is working don't risk something happening!

 

[pbc]

Never noticed this option before, do folks have it on manual or semi-auto?

 

[biggen]

Mine is set for auto but my focus tab looks different than yours. I’ve never messed with it. You may have to change yours depending on where you want to capture the plates along the road.

 

[wittaj]

I don't have that on mine, must be a new firmware update.

I would be inclined to run manual - I think at your direct straight on angle that you will get headlights more than most here and that may temporarily make the image bright enough for the sensor to think it can change the focus.

 

[pbc]

Strangely I get a "Save Failed" when I try to set that parameter at anything other than blank and save it.

 

[wittaj]

Maybe a bug as part of the firmware update. I guess try as blank and see if it works.

If not, try to revert back to firmware prior to the update.

 

[biggen]

Temperature changes will alter focus if it’s any thing like telescopes. You probably have to check it daily to make sure it’s always in focus if going manual. I don’t know. Have to play with it.

 

[bigredfish]

Never noticed this option before, do folks have it on manual or semi-auto?

View attachment 64920

Never seen that tab on my 5231 or 5241...?

 

[pbc]

Probably came with the firmware I just installed as I didn't see it before.