New with questions

[cltjames]

I'm a new user interested in purchasing my first security camera. Need to be able to see about 80 ft away in a fixed location at night (parked car with little light). In front of the green box is where i park.

 

[SouthernYankee]

I would go with a variable focus lens. Or at least a 6mm lens.
====================================

My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) in the wiki also.

Quick start
1) If you do not have a wired monitored alarm system, get that first
2) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras if you need good low light cameras.
3) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
4) Do not use wifi cameras.
5) Do not use cloud storage
6) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
7) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
8) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
9) Do not use reolink, ring, nest, Arlo cameras (they are junk), no cloud cameras
10) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
11) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
12) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location. My test rig: rev.2
13) (Looney2ns)If you want to be able to ID faces, don't mount cams higher than 7ft. You want to know who did it, not just what happened.
14) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
15) camera placement use the calculator... IPVM Camera Calculator V3
16) POE list PoE Switch Suggestion List
17) Camera Sensor size, bigger is general better Sensor Size Chart
18) Camera lens size Which Security Camera Lens Size Should I Buy?


Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED . Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
.................... Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED review
IPC-T5442TM-AS ..... Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-B5442E-ZE ...... Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+
IPC-T2347G-LU ...... Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS .... Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW2231T-ZS-S2 . Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE .... Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE ... IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I ... Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
IPC-T5241H-AS-PV ... Review-OEM IPC-T5241H-AS-PV 2mp AI active deterrence cam
IPC-T3241-ZAS ...... Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal -- 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal
IPC-HFW2831T-ZS ... Review-Dahua IPC-HFW2831T-ZS 8MP WDR IR Bullet Network Camera -- 8MP Bullet 1/1.8” sensor variable focus.
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
N22AL12 ............ New Dahua N22AL12 Budget Cam w/Starlight -- low cost entry
IPC-T2347G-LU....... Review-Loryta OEM 4MP IPC-T2347G-LU ColorVu Fixed Turret Network 4mm lens & Junction Box -- 4MP ColorVu
.................... Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera.

Other dahua 4MP starlight Dahua 4MP Starlight Lineup

My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A Review-Dahua IPC-K35A 3mp Cube Camera

If interested in Blue Iris and other setup items see the following post

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

Before asking a question search the forum first...
The best way to search the forum is to use Google
In the google search window enter.. site:ipcamtalk.com ?????? ..where ?????? is the items/terms you are interested in.
Example site:ipcamtalk.com PALE MOON BROWSER

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess

 

[cltjames]

I appreciate it, but I am not reading that wall of text. I'm already overwhelmed as is, which is why I came here. I have been searching everywhere online and opinions differ greatly. I'm at the point i just want a camera with video proof of excellent night footage at or around 80 ft with little to no light.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Stop being lazy and do your home work.

 

[cltjames]

I have, prick. Which is why i'm having trouble between 2mp or 4mp for night. I've heard 2mp is better. I've also read that an ir illuminator might be needed. So an already tested camera with video proof for a similiar situation would be much easier than digging through conflicting pieces of info all over the web.

 

[SouthernYankee]

From that height of you picture all you are going to see is the top of the guys head and what they did to the car. No camera will ID a person from there. Do not waste your time or money.

The correct camera is highlighted in the post above.

 

[biggen]

The problem you have is distance. The infrared emitters in the cameras won't be able to illuminate a subject very well at that distance. Secondly, you need a very high focal length in order to zoom in and see a face at this distance.

I'd try this though: Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal No guarantees it will work at this distance however.

 

[cltjames]

Never said i wanted clear facial id. 80 ft is not far for a security camera. Stop being lazy and read what i wrote if you are going to reply. I also never said i was going to place the camera there. A lot of assumptions going on.

 

[biggen]

Christ almighty. This is what I get for helping a newb. You said you needed to see 80 feet away. We ASSUME that means you want to I.D. people. Not fucking bird watch.

Screw off and figure it out yourself.

 

[saltwater]

Never said i wanted clear facial id. 80 ft is not far for a security camera. Stop being lazy and read what i wrote if you are going to reply. I also never said i was going to place the camera there. A lot of assumptions going on.

Pot, kettle, black

 

[cltjames]

Not really, i was quoting SouthernYankee. He responded with suggestions that completely ignored what i asked. Nice to know the useless members early. Angry old men lol. I know none of you talk like this to people in person.

 

[saltwater]

Not really, i was quoting SouthernYankee. He responded with suggestions that completely ignored what i asked.

That's not completely true. On the little information that was provided, he suggested the following,

"I would go with a variable focus lens. Or at least a 6mm lens. "

This addressed your initial question. I reckon he was spot on with his advice, on the little information that was provided.

 

[mat200]

Not really, i was quoting SouthernYankee. He responded with suggestions that completely ignored what i asked. Nice to know the useless members early. Angry old men lol. I know none of you talk like this to people in person.

Hi @cltjames

SouthernYankee replied to you and took the time to customize his reply.

You are being disrespectful and inconsiderate of this time considering you have not paid him any money for it.

imho you should apologize.

I'm a new user interested in purchasing my first security camera. Need to be able to see about 80 ft away in a fixed location at night (parked car with little light). In front of the green box is where i park.

I appreciate it, but I am not reading that wall of text. I'm already overwhelmed as is, which is why I came here. I have been searching everywhere online and opinions differ greatly. I'm at the point i just want a camera with video proof of excellent night footage at or around 80 ft with little to no light.

I have, prick. Which is why i'm having trouble between 2mp or 4mp for night. I've heard 2mp is better. I've also read that an ir illuminator might be needed. So an already tested camera with video proof for a similiar situation would be much easier than digging through conflicting pieces of info all over the web.

Never said i wanted clear facial id. 80 ft is not far for a security camera. Stop being lazy and read what i wrote if you are going to reply. I also never said i was going to place the camera there. A lot of assumptions going on.

 

[fergenheimer]

Hello Cltjames, there are a lot of good reviews here, but you are right, it takes a lot of time to read, watch and learn. I would also vote for the 2231 that bigger and Southern Yankee highlighted. My garage is about 80 ft from my barn. Pictures are zoomed out and full in. If the full in is satisfactory for you, great go with it. It is a 4x. If you need more, research a 12x. Note that it is fixed so zoom all the way in and point where you need it, i.e. the pad mount transformer. Then zoomed out, you get the whole area.