Starlight or not

[venture996]

I am mounting an eyeball Dahua camera by my garage. It will be about 8' high, roughly 2 feet below a twin floodlight fixture (76w halogen bulbs, could switch them to LED but have not). Trying to decide if I should go with a 2mp starlight camera, or a higher resolution non-starlight (only question is due to the flood light). Can someone with experience please comment/recommend?

 

[ThomWi]

IMO starlight is worth it. My starlight camera reacts very quickly to the flood lights being turned on and adjusts so as not to be over exposed. When the flood lights turn off it changes the exposure again and you can see just as well, if not better, than when the lights were on. Basically the flood lights are just for human benefit. The camera will work very well with or without them.

 

[looney2ns]

Don't chase megapixels, the 2mp Starlights will work fine.
As always, test your proposed locations 24hrs or more first before permanent mount.
2x4, 5gal bucket, and rocks make a portable test rig.

 

[mat200]

I am mounting an eyeball Dahua camera by my garage. It will be about 8' high, roughly 2 feet below a twin floodlight fixture (76w halogen bulbs, could switch them to LED but have not). Trying to decide if I should go with a 2mp starlight camera, or a higher resolution non-starlight (only question is due to the flood light). Can someone with experience please comment/recommend?

Hi @venture996

Get 2 cmeras - one 2MP and one 8Mp and place them on opposites sides of the garage door!

Seriously, get 2 cameras - even if both are starlights, thieves turn away from cameras all the time.

 

[crankcasy]

So true I have lots of video of people coming onto my property and retreating as soon as they spot a camera.

 

[pozzello]

+1 on more cams! you are more likely to get a usable shot of someone's face (or other features) for ID if you cover each area from more than a single angle...
but yeah, for smaller area, 2mp is plenty. if you need to cover a bigger area, then higher resolution can make sense, as long you also have ID-capable cams at the choke points...

 

[Parley]

I agree with the 2MP. IMHO the technology is not quite there yet for the higher MP resolution at night. At least in most people's price range.