Need a camera capable of picking up license plates from about 200 feet away

[kelkin]

I live in an apartment complex that has had the occasional issue with theft of delivered packages from porches, break-ins on cars, and other issues. I put up my own security cameras (D-Link) which do the trick to an extent as I just caught a woman driving in and stealing packages off my porch. The D-Link cameras even though HD can't even pick up a license plate from 50 feet away.. not enough detail and the pic is blurry if you zoom in.

Since I have a window that faces the only entrance/exit to my section, I want to put a camera up that can record cars as they enter and exit. I don’t need license platerecognition though that’s a nice plus if it doesn’t cost extra. All I reallywant is to be able to SEE the plate number. My windows is about 200 feet directlyin front of the entrance. Is anyone aware of an inexpensive wireless IP cameracapable of performing the task? I used Blue Iris as my ‘DVR’.
-Keith

 

[GBot]

This one is popular though I haven't looked for where to buy and am not sure about price. https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7259
Huisun 10x LPR (License Plate Reading) settings

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[hook3m]

For the money you wont find a better more versatile LPR camera than the Huisun 10x Mini PTZ. Mine is permanently dedicated to reading license plates. I would probably go with version 1 as I believe version 2 currently has a focus issue in manual mode when switching from day to night modes. Should be resolved with firmware at some point though.

 

[kelkin]

Thanks! Sounds like this is the one! Do you know if they make, or another company makes a similar version of this camera that's wireless? I forgot to include that in my original post. I'm mounting this in my window, turning off the infrared, and pointing it out. Hard wiring isn't an option for me.
-Keith.

 

[hook3m]

If you want wireless you will need to look at other options or use a wireless to Ethernet adapter. Without IR it's going to be very difficult to read license plates at night and IR isn't going to work through a window due to the reflection.

 

[kelkin]

If you want wireless you will need to look at other options or use a wireless to Ethernet adapter. Without IR it's going to be very difficult to read license plates at night and IR isn't going to work through a window due to the reflection.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I already have two wireless cameras which I have turned the infrared off and depend on ambient lighting at night but it doesn't work great. I am going to look into outdoor infra-red lighting panels, I haven't gotten around to it yet but I'm figuring someone must make an outdoor infrared light I can plug in. I don't mind leaving those outside.. I'd rather lose a $30 light than the camera.. and the light I figure I can just put on a stake in the ground.

 

[pozzello]

the Huisun mini-PTZ would give you ~100ppf (pixels per foot of width)
at 200ft when fully zoomed in (narrowest/longest view == 50mm lens).

This might be OK for most daytime plate recognition, but behind a pane of glass won't help.
and nighttime, not at all, unless you can place strong IR much closer to the driveway entrance
(but still roughly along the cam's line of sight, as plates are retro-reflective)

Perhaps you can work with the apartment management to find a closer location than inside your apartment?
Make the video accessible to anyone who lives there (via web link with login), put a sign up at the entrance
that plates are being recorded, and people will either appreciate it, or not come in if they are not welcome.

heck, just putting up the sign may have the desired effect... ;-)

 

[klasipca]

You can make any cam wireless... I have a post here, but this is what it would look like.

 

[kelkin]

the Huisun mini-PTZ would give you ~100ppf (pixels per foot of width)
at 200ft when fully zoomed in (narrowest/longest view == 50mm lens).

This might be OK for most daytime plate recognition, but behind a pane of glass won't help.
and nighttime, not at all, unless you can place strong IR much closer to the driveway entrance
(but still roughly along the cam's line of sight, as plates are retro-reflective)

Perhaps you can work with the apartment management to find a closer location than inside your apartment?
Make the video accessible to anyone who lives there (via web link with login), put a sign up at the entrance
that plates are being recorded, and people will either appreciate it, or not come in if they are not welcome.

heck, just putting up the sign may have the desired effect... ;-)

I wish putting up a sign would be a deterrent, but having two obvious cameras in plain view wasn't enough to stop this moron from stealing my packages the other day.

 

[pozzello]

sorry to hear that. yeah, people are stupid. she probably didn't even notice the 'obvious' cameras.
now, if you can have BI flash the porch light or make a beeping sound when it detects motion,
that may be enough to alert a potential baddie that they are being observed and should steer clear...