Mini-Review - 5442-Z4E-S3 AKA B54IR-Z4E S3 - Replacement to the 5442-Z4E
- Thread starter wittaj
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flynreelow
Known around here
- Dec 12, 2016
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Parley
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I am happy to report that Andy's B541R-Z4E-S3 are the best cameras yet for license plate gathering. All 4 locations are a marked improvement over the standard 5445E-Z4E camera. Locations LP1 and LP2 are the longest and they use the maximum IR setting. I was wondering if I might need the extra IR devices, but I found out that I do not need them. The IR on the camera is sufficient. I found that using the "Customized Scene" worked the best for me. Also, under exposure I used "Custom" under the shutter speed. At my LP4 location I set the speed at 1-2ms and at LP1 I used 0.5-1.5ms for some examples. You can go to two decimal places to really fine tune the shutter speed. I did up the HLC setting in most places. Most of the other settings were left at the factory setting. I will post 4 pictures so that you can get a feel for it. They will be a hard to read California Retro plate, a paper plate, a dirty plate and a normal standard front plate which are usually the harder ones to read. One of the keys is balancing the IR and the shutter speed. You do not want to wash out the highly reflective plates, but you still want to be able to read the non-reflective plates. Did I say that I can highly recommend this camera. 
Front California retro plate which are the hardest to read.
California Paper plate. Usually, the rear plate comes out best. Front plate readings are iffy.
Here is a dirty plate that someone tried to sabotage the nighttime readings. If necessary, I can go frame by frame to read them. This is one of the worst ones.
Here is a typical normal plate.
Front California retro plate which are the hardest to read.
California Paper plate. Usually, the rear plate comes out best. Front plate readings are iffy.
Here is a dirty plate that someone tried to sabotage the nighttime readings. If necessary, I can go frame by frame to read them. This is one of the worst ones.
Here is a typical normal plate.
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I am happy to report that Andy's B541R-Z4E-S3 are the best cameras yet for license plate gathering. All 4 locations are a marked improvement over the standard 5445E-Z4E camera. Locations LP1 and LP2 are the longest and they use the maximum IR setting. I was wondering if I might need the extra IR devices, but I found out that I do not need them. The IR on the camera is sufficient. I found that using the "Customized Scene" worked the best for me. Also, under exposure I used "Custom" under the shutter speed. At my LP4 location I set the speed at 1-2ms and at LP1 I used 0.5-1.5ms for some examples. You can go to two decimal places to really fine tune the shutter speed. I did up the HLC setting in most places. Most of the other settings were left at the factory setting. I will post 4 pictures so that you can get a feel for it. They will be a hard to read California Retro plate, a paper plate, a dirty plate and a normal standard front plate which are usually the harder ones to read. One of the keys is balancing the IR and the shutter speed. You do not want to wash out the highly reflective plates, but you still want to be able to read the non-reflective plates. Did I say that I can highly recommend this camera.
I have one in a box ready to deploy after the snow melts a bit so I can install the PTP connection at my front driveway. What is the capture distance you are using for that IR?
Hoping I get similar results as you.
Parley
Known around here
I paced it off and the longer ones are 75 to 100+ feet. That would be LP1 and LP2. The shorter ones are less than that with the close in shots maybe 25 feet. I took some more pictures tonight and I will post them tomorrow. Excellent results IMHO. These will be the normally hard to read plates that are not reflective such as the paper plates and the California retro plates. Let me know your distance.
Im looking at placing this cam with a target distance of around 40 feet. This will be in a new location at the driveway entrance and will have a great angle around 20 degrees.
I have the older version of this cam now further up the driveway with about a 60 foot target distance and 45 degree angle. The night images aren't the best. Getting maybe 50% capture rate.
If I don't get off my butt and set up the PTP for the new camera soon, I might swap out the old for the new camera in the old location and see how it does.
I also have plans for another LPR to capture street traffic. For this street LPR, I have around 125 feet and 45 degree angle with fast moving vehicles up to 50 + mph. With that distance and vehicle speed I am thinking of the DHI-ITC431-RW1F-IRL8. Will probably need an external IR .
I have the older version of this cam now further up the driveway with about a 60 foot target distance and 45 degree angle. The night images aren't the best. Getting maybe 50% capture rate.
If I don't get off my butt and set up the PTP for the new camera soon, I might swap out the old for the new camera in the old location and see how it does.
I also have plans for another LPR to capture street traffic. For this street LPR, I have around 125 feet and 45 degree angle with fast moving vehicles up to 50 + mph. With that distance and vehicle speed I am thinking of the DHI-ITC431-RW1F-IRL8. Will probably need an external IR .
I don't think the ITC431 would cover 125 feet - the focal length maxes out at 40mm, which isn't that much more than the Z4E. I think you need the Z12E.
There are two spec sheets floating around on the internet. The older one dated 2020 has 10-40mm zoom lens. The newer one dated 2023 has a 10-50mm zoom. Im hoping that will do it at that distance.
EDIT: I do have some leeway with that distance and could shorten it but with a steeper angle.
Parley
Known around here
Looks like you are going to order or have two of Andy's B541R-Z4E-S3 cameras. Maybe temporarily put one at the long distant location and see how it works out.
Parley
Known around here
Here are some photos from last night. A few of these are from the longest distance locations I have. I will give commentary with each photo.
This photo shows the brightness limit for me. I can still read it and that much brightness helps with the non-reflective and dirty plates at the other end of the scale. It is a balancing act.
Here is the low reflective California retro plate at my longer distance camera.
Here is a non-reflective paper plate at my longer distance camera.
Here is a photo another dirty plate that the owner went to a lot of trouble to make it non-reflective. However, he left the front plate alone.
Here is a photo of the front plate of the very same car. He left this plate alone for a very easy read.
This photo shows the brightness limit for me. I can still read it and that much brightness helps with the non-reflective and dirty plates at the other end of the scale. It is a balancing act.
Here is the low reflective California retro plate at my longer distance camera.
Here is a non-reflective paper plate at my longer distance camera.
Here is a photo another dirty plate that the owner went to a lot of trouble to make it non-reflective. However, he left the front plate alone.
Here is a photo of the front plate of the very same car. He left this plate alone for a very easy read.
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looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
I know you stated somewhere earlier, but could you list the distances and zoom you have on each picture/location? Thank you.
Parley
Known around here
Parley
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I just went out an paced the distances off again to what I would call the center of the viewing distance. So, some plate photos will be closer and some further from the center of the photo. My step is 25 inches or just over 2 feet. I will be a little conservative on the distance. I will post 4 photos with a reference point.
Camera LP1 is 37 steps or 74 feet.
Camera LP2 is 35 steps or 70 feet.
Camera LP3 is 35 steps or 70 feet.
Camera LP4 is 22 steps or 44 feet.
LP1, the center is at the end of the yellow line. 74 feet from the face of the camera.
LP2, the center is where the lady is walking and 70 feet from the face of the camera.
LP3, the center is to the end of the S in the "STOP" on the pavement and is 70 feet from the face of the camera.
LP4, is 44 feet to the bottom of the circular shadow and the face of the camera.
Parley
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I am fine tuning my cameras tonight and ran across this one. This guy really did a number on his rear plate. Totally unreadable. Best job I have seen yet. So far over 3 nights I have been batting 100% and I thought this is the one that will finally get me. Then I thought, let me check out to see if he has a front plate. Turns out that he did. It also turns out he did some work on it to try and hide it, but it was not enough. Andy's cameras came through again.
LP2 unreadable rear plate. Heck, I can read the plate on the parked car which is maybe 150+ feet away.
So now I go to my LP4 camera to check for a front plate. He messed with it, but I can read it. It reads 88105J1.
LP2 unreadable rear plate. Heck, I can read the plate on the parked car which is maybe 150+ feet away.
So now I go to my LP4 camera to check for a front plate. He messed with it, but I can read it. It reads 88105J1.
Do you think that the plate would be readable in the daytime? Or is this some kind of coating that stops IR?
bigredfish
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I’ve seen LE use something similar. Looks to be a spray or maybe liquid applied with a brush. Defeats IR but plate is still normally visible during the day…
Parley
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I think it is readable in the daytime. When I walk around my housing tract, I can spot the license plates that people have put a coating on to try and defeat the reflection qualities of the plate.
@Parley I know (think) I asked this before - are you sure you can't get one or more of those to run in color? You have way more light than I do and you have better angles and shorter distances than I do and I would think a 1/500 shutter could probably get plates in color for at least one of those cams?
Parley
Known around here
Maybe. I did experiment in color at one point in time and that did not work out. Now that I know a whole lot more about this camera I will give it a another try. My LP4 location would be the prime candidate as it is the closest to the street. However, in a few weeks I will be ordering another one from Andy for general observation. It will replace a standard 5442E-Z4E which is located in an area that I can also use it for license plates. At that time, I will experiment with license plates in color and see how that works. Here is a picture from that location.
