Nighttime shots from Dahua CVI cameras

[fenderman]

Lighting helps A LOT! I would advise against motion activated because it will cause the camera to go into day mode from night mode which screws the image for a second or two during the change...you can use the schedule to change it night mode during the evening but a better solution is dawn to dusk lights on full time..if you have a switch that controls it use a regular dual head fixture and this switch which uses your gps coordiates to adjust relative to sunrise sunset.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AP92N2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Use led bulbs (dont get the spot ones, get a flood that spreads the light, the spots will be too bright and wash out faces and only focus on one area, it may be hard to find outdoor led floods (cree makes one with a wider beam than its normal outdoor spot) but i use indoor damp rated bulbs out side with no issues)
While its always good to have ambient light, another option is to add more IR..there is a thread about various models...wrightwood sells a particularly good one for about 60...
Finally, you may want to consider one of these hikvisions http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php?1413-New-Hikvision-Bullets-DS-2CD2T32
You can choose ir strength up to 80m (30, 50 or 80 are the options)...the 2mp has the widest angle of view i think....

 

[Lance]

If I had exterior lighting set up like that, then I wouldn't need night vision at all right? That switch controller is awesome!
I didn't think the hikvisions worked with Dahua NVR's

 

[fenderman]

Yeah, i dont think the motion detection will work if you use hiks on the dahua nvr but it will record 24/7...With enough light you will not need night vision, in fact the camera will change to day (but you could force night mode via schedule)...I am a proponent of lighting because you will generally get a better image without ir and it is a deterrent in itself...
The switch is awesome, works perfectly...you need a neutral wire though...you probably have one tough..

 

[Lance]

Would soffit lights shining straight down work? Or do you need floods shining out into the yard? Trying to avoid my house looking like a prison perimeter.

 

[fenderman]

They will certainly help a lot but not as much as the floods..cant hurt to try those first...or perhaps standard outdoor fixtures
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Lighting-Sl9422-7-Hawthorne-One-Light/dp/B000HBI8GA/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1416195672&sr=8-11&keywords=outdoor+light+fixtures

use led bulbs or downlight units to minimize electric use..its hard to tell without seeing the placement of the lights

 

[blake]

I also encourage any customers I have to use exterior lighting using efficient bulbs rather than depending on ir. You get such a better picture at night.

 

[Lance]

would these work? One by each cam shining out? Trying to keep the cost and wattage low.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterpoof-Outdoor-Security-Floodlight-Equivalent/dp/B006STWHE4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416446361&sr=8-1&keywords=10w+led+flood

Also a word of WARNING. If you take the lens off and unscrew the LED board, be careful. I was adjusting the focus on mine tonight trying to see if I could get a better image and the LED board bumped the outer case and shorted out like 9 of the LEDs. My mistake.

 

[fenderman]

Those should work but they are very industrial looking..Also it has a 9,000K color temperature, that is VERY unnatural and will look blue...i prefer a fixture where you can swap out the bulb so that you can mess with various wattage bulbs or even use a dimmer...
Here are various designs http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=outdoor+light+fixture&rh=i:aps,k:outdoor+light+fixture
I prefer the clear ones as they dont absorb the light like the shaded ones do...

 

[Lance]

thanks! I don't really want to drill and run wires through my bricks, I was trying to stay with something I could mount in the eave soffit area. Those first LED ones I posted looked light enough and can be had in lower K temperatures. At any rate, focusing up on the neighbors Christmas lights helped a lot with the tuning it in. I'll have to buy a couple at lowes and temp mount them to see wht the outcome is.