seeking a better camera for this location

[geezer]

One of my cams is a Dahua HFW43005S-V2. It's 3MP, has a 3.6mm lens, is more than two years old.

The setting has just enough ambient and street lighting to allow setting Color mode at night.

I recently bought a 4MP HFW4431M-I2 thinking it it might be better but it wasn't so I didn't bother going up the power pole to install it.

Based on the image below, would anyone suggest a fixed lens camera that might be better at the mid- and far- distance? Noise is definitely a consideration. Thx.

 

[Myllerman]

More megapixels will only make nightvision worse (if the sensor size and type is same).
What you need is Dahua Starlight cameras or atleast a Dahua camera with Starvis sensor.
Optics also matters, larger apature like F1.4 lets more light in for example but DOF might suffer in the corners depending how close you focus it.

Why do you want fixed lens ? Cost ?

There is IPC-HFW4231E-S for example. Its not very powerfull IR but if you go colormode that wont matter. I cant guarantee what result you will get only point you in the right direction.
You need to look at the specs a decide if its what you need.

2MP is less than you have now but better low light. Its a tradeoff. There are higher MP Starvis sensors if you need more res at the cost of somewhat lower low light capability.

IPC-HFW4231E-S | Dahua Technology

 

[mat200]

Hi geezer, perhaps you should consider the varifocal version of the camera which Mylerman mentions, HFW5231R-Z or the Turret version HDW5231R-Z

 

[geezer]

I mentioned fixed lens mostly because my budget for this is tight. Also, this system is usually not monitored so it would almost always be left extended at 3.6mm. With the existing 3MP cam, on the NVR's 1080p monitor, I can zoom in at least 30% in Live View or Playback before it pixelates.

I like the IPC-HFW4231E-S mentioned by Myllerman; I just wonder if I will miss the extra megapixel, 'cause the main area of interest begins at mid-distance.

Adding to my uncertainty about 2MP cameras is the aspect ratio. Most of what I care about runs up the vertical line of the street. With a 3MP camera I get 1536 pixels vertically as opposed to 1080.

Since I want more resolution, more sensitivity, and less noise, all for $150 or less, I guess I'll be waiting a long time.

Just FYI, this camera is part of my modest home system, extended out to the street corner via 50+ meters of double-jacketed CAT 5E with a support strand. It was originally just intended to catch the guard sleeping at night (they put up the gate arms so they won't be disturbed), but it has twice been used as evidence when delivery trucks have come through and broken off one of the raised arms.

 

[bigredfish]

If that picture is a 3.6mm lens, then a varifocal 2.8-12mm 2MP Starlight should easily get you better nighttime image and tighter focus, either of the two models @mat200 suggested above.

 

[geezer]

"tighter focus"

Hmm. I'm trying my best to think this through. Would a 2.8-12mm lens, extended to 3.6mm and centered on the guard shack, give me as much depth of field as my current fixed length lens?

The answer would matter to me because this system is generally un-monitored, no one around to observe and zoom in on an incident in progress which might be happening further out.

Apologies if I'm over- or under- thinking the factors involved.

 

[bigredfish]

DOF with a 2.8-12mm lens zoomed to about 4mm - pretty good I think...

(Change Youtube player to 1080p)

 

[geezer]

Thanks, bigredfish. Very convincing videos, especially considering that YouTube has added further compression. I will ask Andy for a price. The only listings I found on AliExpress were all fake in that they don't have Sony sensors.

 

[Myllerman]

Thanks, bigredfish. Very convincing videos, especially considering that YouTube has added further compression. I will ask Andy for a price. The only listings I found on AliExpress were all fake in that they don't have Sony sensors.

HAC-HFW3231E-Z is a HDCVI camera thought but mayby you didnt mean that you would buy that one.

 

[geezer]

Ah, I missed the model number so clearly displayed on YouTube. No, I meant the IPC-HFW5231R-Z mentioned by matt200 as a varifocal alternative to the fixed lens IPC-HFW4231E-S.

 

[Myllerman]

Ah, I missed the model number so clearly displayed on YouTube. No, I meant the IPC-HFW5231R-Z mentioned by matt200 as a varifocal alternative to the fixed lens IPC-HFW4231E-S.

Ok good, would have sucked ordering a HDCVI camera by mistake hehe.

 

[bp2008]

Don't forget you can mount cameras in portrait/corridor mode and get a very tall, less-wide image.

 

[bigredfish]

Ok good, would have sucked ordering a HDCVI camera by mistake hehe.

Sorry yes, the 3231 is the HDCVI brother to the 5231 IP cam.

Was simlpy addressing/demonstrating the depth of field question

 

[bug99]

One of my cams is a Dahua HFW43005S-V2. It's 3MP, has a 3.6mm lens, is more than two years old.

The setting has just enough ambient and street lighting to allow setting Color mode at night.

I recently bought a 4MP HFW4431M-I2 thinking it it might be better but it wasn't so I didn't bother going up the power pole to install it.

Based on the image below, would anyone suggest a fixed lens camera that might be better at the mid- and far- distance? Noise is definitely a consideration. Thx.

View attachment 25635

Based on your image, you are wasting more than 2/3 of your pixels to the sides (compare the width of the lanes at the guard shack to the width of the frame at that location). I would use the 2mp 5231 turret zoomed all the way in (12mm). I might use it in corridor mode as mentioned above to get all of the street and no sides, but experimentation is needed. It looks like you are about 5 feet left of center. Are you going to fix that to see the other lane or focus on only one lane? You will need wide dynamic range in the frame to deal with those lights, and even then it will only be so good.

 

[geezer]

This is a T-intersection, with the main street coming in past the camera and the connection to the other street visible in the lower left. A 2MP camera rotated to 1080x1920 would be very interesting but I would then need a 2nd or 3rd camera at other angles to get a full view of the pedestrians and cars and where they go.

As much as I'd love it, that's just not feasible, for reasons of cost, the long spans between power poles, palm trees in the wrong places, and more.

At the moment, subject to change, I think I'll spring for the IPC-HFW5231E-Z.