Opinions and suggestions on placement camera choices?

[rufunky]

The idea is to deter people from illegally dumping behind the building. If that doesn't work I'd like to be able to capture and possibly log license plates.

I'm not sure if there would be any benefit of using a true LPR camera as the vehicles will be slow moving and forced through a choke point.

Just wanted to get some opinions / suggestions on placement and camera choices here.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Cameras on the rear should be mounted opposite each other to provide opposing fields of view. A PTZ will invariably be looking the wrong way at the wrong time. An LPR camera also needs an overview camera to get vehicle make, model and color. An LPR camera is a dedicated camera and only good for LPR, not vehicle identification.

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[rufunky]

Thanks sebastiantombs.

Is this what you are suggesting? What are your thoughts on a 3rd in the middle where the first ones where?

 

[wittaj]

So the active deterrence is a good camera for an alarm and audible siren or warning (I have 3 of them so I am a fan of them), but it will suffer from the same issue as any 2.8mm camera. To identify someone with the wide-angle 2.8mm lens that most people opt for, someone would have to be within 13 feet of the camera, but realistically within 10 feet after you dial it in to eliminate motion blur at night.

Too many come here after the fact and placed an active deterrence 15 feet high and they lose all ability to IDENTIFY someone just in the vertical direction.



Here are my general distance recommendations, but switch out the Dahua 5442 series camera to the equivalent 2MP on the 1/2.8" sensor or equivalent Hikvision works as well.

• 5442 fixed lens 2.8mm - anything within 10 feet of camera OR as an overview camera
• 5442 ZE - varifocal - distances up to 40-50 feet (personally I wouldn't go past the 30 foot range but I like things closer)
• 5442 Z4E - anything up to 80-100 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 60 feet but I like things closer)
• 5241-Z12E - anything from 80 feet to almost 200 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 150 feet because I like things closer)
• 5241-Z12E - for a license plate cam that you would angle up the street to get plates up to about 175 feet away, or up to 220 with additional IR.
• 49225 PTZ - great PTZ and in conjunction with an NVR or Blue Iris and the cameras above that you can use as spotter cams to point the PTZ to the correct location to compliment the fixed cams.

You need to get the correct camera for the area trying to be covered. A wide angle 2.8mm to IDENTIFY someone 40 feet away is the wrong camera regardless of how good the camera is. A 2.8mm camera to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet is a good choice OR it is an overview camera to see something happened but not be able to identify who.

One camera cannot be the be all, see all. Each one is selected for covering a specific area. Most of us here have different brands and types, from fixed cams, to varifocals, to PTZs, each one selected for it's primary purpose and to utilize the strength of that particular camera.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Unlike wittaj I'm not a fan of TIOC cameras. They are only good for overview of at a close approach point, like a door or window. The lights and siren are rather weak and from the videos I've seen posted miscreants just ignore them anyway. Usually miscreants won't pay attention to surveillance cameras in the first place.

Like wittaj says each camera is placed with a specific purpose in mind and with a specific focal length. Given the photo you posted I'd say the 5442T-ZE would be the best bet. It's a varifocal so you can set the focal length to what is needed for each location to provide proper identification.

I would suggest a second camera with the LPR camera to give you make, model and vehicle color. The LPR, when properly set, will only provide a view of the license plate and head/tail lights.

 

[wittaj]

And @sebastiantombs is correct as well - most up to no good totally ignore floodlights coming on, a siren, etc. But it is a good overview cam and it might spook someone, especially in a residential subdivision.

Given your location, I doubt it would spook an illegal dumper. But it may. If you are getting a camera for overview purposes, then yea go ahead and get one.

And the camera for LPR isn't a true LPR camera. We take a camera and set it up such to get the plates. Given how close you would be, you could probably use this camera:

Amazon.com

Shutter speed is the most important component. Most of us run B/W to take advantage of the reflective properties of a plate which is why we can run a faster shutter to get the plates. Once you decide to keep it in color, the shutter speed slows way down and might not be fast enough to actually capture a plate. Very few can run LPR at night in color.

You may have enough light and the car moving slower to capture, but you may also need to decide what is more important - the overview or the plate. Most of us have to run two cameras.

At night, we have to run a very fast shutter speed (1/2,000) and in B/W with IR and the image will be black. All you will see are head/tail lights and the plate. Some people can get away with color if they have enough light, but most of us cannot. Here is a representative sample of plates I get at night of vehicles traveling about 45MPH at 175 feet from my 2MP camera (that is all that is needed for plates):

 

[mat200]

I would add at least one clearly obvious camera very close to the area where people are most likely to dump .. and a big sign at the choke points re no dumping and cameras ..

 

[rufunky]

Great information guys. Thank you.

I understand the deterrence cameras will not be able to identify people so the AI part is useless. I just want an over view of what is going on as well as a visual and audio alerting them that someone is aware of what they are up to. Example couch, recliner, mattress etc. being dumped. This is what I am hoping the LPR will due via help of the local authorities / license number and registration attached to said license plate.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Does your state have both front and rear plates? If not two cameras will be needed to insure capture no matter which way they come in or leave. In fact it's probably best to do it that way even if there are front and rear plates since it doubles the chance of a good plate capture.

 

[rufunky]

Does your state have both front and rear plates? If not two cameras will be needed to insure capture no matter which way they come in or leave. In fact it's probably best to do it that way even if there are front and rear plates since it doubles the chance of a good plate capture.

Yes, but its in the city so people don't exactly follow the laws