security at night is bad

[Funkyduck]

Another problem you have is that the sensor size is too small for "good" night time performance at 8MP. A 1/2.5" sensor can provide a reasonable picture at night in a 2MP camera, but when going to 8MP the light is cut to, roughly, less than 25% of what reaches each pixel in a 2MP camera.

Allright, i did not know that sensor size is more important than MP's :-(
What replacement do you suggest with same type of camera?

 

[Funkyduck]

I don't think the tree is the main problem right now. It will be a much bigger problem when it grows some more.

Right now the biggest problem is the camera doesn't have good enough low-light performance. See the Noise Reduction Ghosting clip here: Common issues with camera image

Secondary to that, the camera's view angle is too wide.

I'd suggest as an alternative a 4MP starlight varifocal. Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+

The tree is an olive tree. It stay the size it is now

not good enough low-light performance, but Hikvision called it the Darkfighter . I looked at noise reduction ghosting, but I don't understand how to fix it, if it is even possible to fix it.

You say the camera view angle is too wide. I replaced the camera's from 2.8mm lens to 4mm lens now. I hoped that will help.

I would like to have a replacement that look like the other cams and still can read numberplates.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I don't have any Hikvision cameras and am not familiar with their models, but the current "king of the hill" is the Dahua 5442 series and Hikvision has an equivalent series. 4MP with a 1/1.8" sensor. It can maintain color with fairly low ambient light, black and white with no IR if there's a little ambient light and, of course, it has built in IR for no ambient light situations. There is also a "full color" model but that uses built-in white LEDs, mini floodlights, to provide enough light to keep it in color at night. Dahua, and I'm sure Hikvision, has varifocal and zoom versions in turret form factors.

 

[Funkyduck]

In other threads you were cautioned to not go after high MP cams and that sensor size was important. But you bought the 8MP cam on the 1/2.5" sensor anyway. You also stated it was for bird watching and not for security. So now you are complaining that the cams you bought for bird watching are not good for security. But they are the ones that people stated would not have good low light night performance.

You can't expect a cam chosen for bird watching to be used for security. Your problem is that the sensor is small, the MP count is high, and the lens is too wide.

These cams in this thread are cams I allready bought and they are for security at my home. The other thread was about watching birds in the garden of my father.

 

[Funkyduck]

I’ll just help with interface. With Ir

Smartlight is your camera’s light. It has on , off and auto mode( smartlight) I am suggesting you go from mode ”auto” to ” manual” and set the distance to very low “ low light level” and slowly raise it. Easy to play with and doesn’t cost anything. May not help.

Oke, I said it to manual and to 25. Now I can read licenseplates in the dark. I am not sure if people now are better to identify.

 

[Funkyduck]

You are trying to do too much with one camera. You need two cameras 1) to cover the immediate yard and 2) zoomed to cover the street for ID if you are so inclined. You're not going to do both well with one camera.

At this side of my home, I only see the tiny yard and the street.
I have 3 camera's now

 

[Funkyduck]

I don't have any Hikvision cameras and am not familiar with their models, but the current "king of the hill" is the Dahua 5442 series and Hikvision has an equivalent series. 4MP with a 1/1.8" sensor. It can maintain color with fairly low ambient light, black and white with no IR if there's a little ambient light and, of course, it has built in IR for no ambient light situations. There is also a "full color" model but that uses built-in white LEDs, mini floodlights, to provide enough light to keep it in color at night. Dahua, and I'm sure Hikvision, has varifocal and zoom versions in turret form factors.

So I also have to change these camera's for a better sensor I understand. 1/1.8 sensor is where I have to look at? And can I still read lisenseplates with 2MB or 4MB?

 

[sebastiantombs]

Yes, you can still read license plates at 2 or 4MP. The trick is the focal length and illumination, IR or visible light depending on the camera and each, unique, situation. There's and entire, long, topic area on reading license plates in here. Have a look-see.

 

[Funkyduck]

Yes, you can still read license plates at 2 or 4MP. The trick is the focal length and illumination, IR or visible light depending on the camera and each, unique, situation. There's and entire, long, topic area on reading license plates in here. Have a look-see.

I try to find an Hikvison camera by sensor size, but I can not succeed :-(