It is not recommended to buy kit/complete system, but rather to purchase each camera for the goal of that camera.
To further this point.
One camera cannot do it all.
You cannot see everything and still see details. Getting good details does not allow you to see everything; it is a give and take.
This is why a good system will have cameras that complement each other. This is also why a PTZ is a complement to a good, already established system and should not be heavily relied on by itself.
When planning your system and layout start by focusing on choke points and set up fields of view to capture details and give the ability to ID. This means all this camera will be able to do/see is the very narrow scope of its job. You can then deploy a more general overview cam to give context to the details. This overview cam can support one or more of your choke point ID cams.
For instance, as an extreme example. I am deploying this camera. It's
only job is to see people walking down the path behind my house. This is what I see 99% of the time when I look at the feed.
However, this is what I see when someone walks down the path, 95' feet away.
I then have these two cameras I can use to get a better idea/context of what they were doing and where they may have come from or gone to. The kill zone is between the green lines and the camera is on the fence at the bottom, center of the picture. You can see someone just entering the KZ and the 3.6mm focal length of this cam gives absolutely no details other than it might be a person.
This is the person in the above wide angle shot, and there is no way you would have been able to tell it was a male, in a red, flannel shirt, with sunglasses, and a receding hairline.
Below are a couple links to some of my threads which you might find helpful. I have learned a lot since joining and try to pay it forward when possible.
This is my on-going "build" thread.
After posting my thread on where/whether to install the 4K-X I realized I may need to adjust the locations of some of my cameras and with Andy's sale coming up I wanted to get some opinions so I can buy any new hardware I may need. A little about where I live: My street is lit primarily by...
ipcamtalk.com
This is one I put together with images from my journey showing the differences between focal lengths, install heights, changing fields of view, etc.
I have gained a lot of knowledge since I signed up and wanted to share my experience and examples of improvements and changes for others who are coming from a "I want 2.8mm cameras everywhere to see everything" system mentality. My ongoing "build/looking for advice" thread can be found here...
ipcamtalk.com
