Using IPC-HFW5231E-Z12 - can't read at night. Recommend settings?

[Dseg42]

I can see license plates in the day time perfectly.
The plates are about 20yrds out on a 15 degree angle.

I can't see anything at night though, the plates are just too blurry.
Tried a few things like putting the Shutter at 1/1000 and 1/2000.
I think I have enough light from a street light or the car's license plate lights.
Just can't get it to not be blurry.

 

[kevkmartin]

These are my night settings. You won’t be able to see anything but plates, headlights / taillights at night when set up correctly.

 

[kevkmartin]

Oh, and IR on manual, 100%

 

[DarkHelmet]

You need to set up separate day and night profiles and trigger them with something. Either a script on your computer, home automation system...something. Info for http commands here. Continue experimenting with shutter speed, you're on the right track, you just need it faster it looks like.

In addition to the night profile, you need to send another http command to focus the camera manually, to a number you need to figure out. Nayr's lua script here in which you can see his manual focus setting is: "
http://username:password@IP-ADDRESS/cgi-bin/devVideoInput.cgi?action=adjustFocus&focus=0.495868&zoom=0 " The "495868" number is what you'll change to whatever focus setting you find works for you.

I'd leave IR on Smart so that it turns off during the day. Sadly, IR isn't part of the profile.

 

[Dseg42]

Thanks for the feedback. I will try those settings tonight.
The camera has a profile management setup so I can set a different profile for day and night.
Just need to get the profile correct for night.

 

[RJF]

The settings identified in the thread below worked for me.

Dahua IP-HFW5231E-Z5 LPR settings

 

[DarkHelmet]

Thanks for the feedback. I will try those settings tonight.
The camera has a profile management setup so I can set a different profile for day and night.
Just need to get the profile correct for night.

ah, you are using the schedule? gotcha. just have to remember to keep that updated as the sun cycle and DST changes

 

[kevkmartin]

Actually, I recommend using the SMALLEST Iris setting you can get away with. This will give you the deepest possible depth of field, and make more plates be in optimal focus.

 

[Dseg42]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.
Ended up using something similar to what @kevkmartin had, worked great

 

[bigredfish]

Does anyone know if you can avoid the focus shift bug by keeping both Day/Night in B&W mode even with different exposures etc?

In other words is the focus shift defect only affected by COLOR/B&W or is it the changing of the Night/Day profile regardless of color setting?

Right now I'm running a constant "normal" profile using same settings for day/night, the only thing that changes is when IR kicks on/off..


Thanks

 

[tangent]

Does anyone know if you can avoid the focus shift bug by keeping both Day/Night in B&W mode even with different exposures etc?

In other words is the focus shift defect only affected by COLOR/B&W or is it the changing of the Night/Day profile regardless of color setting?

Right now I'm running a constant "normal" profile using same settings for day/night, the only thing that changes is when IR kicks on/off..


Thanks

It isn't a bug exactly. It's been discussed before, but here's a recent thread you should look at: Infrared focus shift - explanation

Dahua could do a better job of handling the switch between day and night. For example having a box for you to input latitude and offset from calculated sunrise/sunset as well as options to restore the focus exactly where it was.

 

[bigredfish]

Yep saw that but it had been a while. Thanks. Shame Dahua doesnt seem to care enough to provide a solution. One mans bug is another's physics of electromagnetic waves

Bottom line, my older Axis cameras work fine and handle the change perfectly, the Dahua's dont and really shouldnt be used for long zoom LPR unless you are willing to use and tweek a 3rd party script to "fix" it.

 

[925Trader]

Oh, and IR on manual, 100%

can you clarify this for me? IR wants to be on with these settings? Or off? Im trying to monitor the intersection on the corner I live on and at night Im fighting headlights. They just wash everything out so far. Ive just adjusted to your settings so we will see how it goes tonight.