Video of guy checking doors and got in one...So looking for better starlight cameras to replace or add.

Wolf4Ever

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I don't normally go though footage just cause, but a neighbor came by saying their truck was broken into last night. So I looked and this is what I found...good stuff is around 3:10. So I'm wanting to replace these or add to them at least one as good as I can get starlight. I know its a big ares and I really need 2 or 3 overlapping cams but can't afford to do so right now. So maybe a good PTZ with auto tracking I know there not perfect and can change focus depending on size of object moving but then I could maybe get across the way if I was here to manually do so. Really just wanting to get the first row and maybe 4-5 spaces where I park in good quality mainly no blur so I can get whatever details there maybe. Current cams are 2 IPC-HFW1831E 1 2.8mm and 1 4mm. I have messed with the settings some but didn't get better results changing the shutter or gain, just got darker but still had blur, so I guess not enough light though I though it was. I have read about the settings and what not but know nothing compared to @wopi82 or other main contributors.

 
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This area would benefit with a Starlight camera. But yeah we all need to make sure our doors are locked. I am guilty of leaving mine open. So i know have a reminder from alexa every nite at 10 to lock all doors including car.
 

CCTVCam

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Must admit can't understand it in the US. No-one would ever dream of leaving doors unlocked in the UK. Also fit a car alarm. Not only does it protect yours, but it communal parking the alarm going off is likely to spook any perp away from the others.
 

mikeynags

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I would ask what are you trying to cover? Is it just your car or the whole lot? If it is the whole parking lot, you'll need more than just one cam to cover it appropriately.

The lot seems to have some decent lighting but additional IR could also provide benefits here. I would also look at the IPVM camera calculator tool to assist with determining which cameras and what focal lengths you should be running.

I agree with Starlights cams being very good - there are the new Starlight+ cams with the large 1/1.8 sensors as well which perform really well at night.
 

Cameraguy

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I would ask what are you trying to cover? Is it just your car or the whole lot? If it is the whole parking lot, you'll need more than just one cam to cover it appropriately.

The lot seems to have some decent lighting but additional IR could also provide benefits here. I would also look at the IPVM camera calculator tool to assist with determining which cameras and what focal lengths you should be running.

I agree with Starlights cams being very good - there are the new Starlight+ cams with the large 1/1.8 sensors as well which perform really well at night.
Check out Andy's new hikvision colorvu cams
 

Wolf4Ever

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Check out Andy's new hikvision colorvu cams
I'm going to try the 4K Darkfighters and will try to get a comparison. Mainly getting the highest MP I can as it's a large view or I would go lower.
 

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Considering the distance to the cars, and the wide angle of the lens, that is actually a pretty good result. If your landlord were OK with it, you could get a Starlight Z12 (super-zoom lens) and aim it lengthwise down the row of cars from a shallow overhead angle, in Corridor orientation (tall, not wide) so it puts lots of pixels on people standing between the cars. Like this model: US $229.99 5% OFF|2019 New Arriving Model IPC HFW5241E Z12E 2MP Starlight WDR IR Bullet AI Network Camera ,free DHL shipping-in Surveillance Cameras from Security & Protection on AliExpress - 11.11_Double 11_Singles' Day

If that's not going to fly with the landlord, you could similarly aim it straight across the lot at a high zoom, shooting at face level, and hope your target goes through its field of view.
 

mech

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Also, could you point out which parking spots your car usually gets in the scene?
 

Wolf4Ever

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I have talked to them about it before as they do have cameras in spots though why to high like 3" from the roof in the center and the apts. are two stories. They don't seem to care and there is nothing my end as they don't want to run underground cable or a AP client/bridge. They also don't want access to my cams. So this is pretty much as good as it will get until I move or get a house. I don't mind helping a neighbor but mainly only care about my stuff or if there any dealings or something going on.
Capture1.PNG
I try to park in the center in theses four spots, but may change with the 8k turrets. I'm still thinking of kinda doing what you suggested either with a PTZ in my other window at an angle, so I can control it if needed, or another cam corridor orientation and see what happens. I tried the 5442TM-AS there as well but it's just to much to cover I need two or three overlapping and there fine for the first row, but not enough pixels for the back. I would need to different lens or a vf. I would love a 12mp but it's to much for me, I had one from Cantonk or whatever they are, was great for like a week then died. I could recognize a face at the mailboxes. So then I found Andy and no issues yet, love good products at a good price and not double like locally I get making a profit but not that much.
 

mech

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I have talked to them about it before as they do have cameras in spots though why to high like 3" from the roof in the center and the apts. are two stories. They don't seem to care and there is nothing my end as they don't want to run underground cable or a AP client/bridge. They also don't want access to my cams. So this is pretty much as good as it will get until I move or get a house. I don't mind helping a neighbor but mainly only care about my stuff or if there any dealings or something going on.
View attachment 49621
I try to park in the center in theses four spots, but may change with the 8k turrets. I'm still thinking of kinda doing what you suggested either with a PTZ in my other window at an angle, so I can control it if needed, or another cam corridor orientation and see what happens. I tried the 5442TM-AS there as well but it's just to much to cover I need two or three overlapping and there fine for the first row, but not enough pixels for the back. I would need to different lens or a vf. I would love a 12mp but it's to much for me, I had one from Cantonk or whatever they are, was great for like a week then died. I could recognize a face at the mailboxes. So then I found Andy and no issues yet, love good products at a good price and not double like locally I get making a profit but not that much.
That's a tricky one! If you had the same spot every time, a zoomed-in 2MP Starlight varifocal could provide tight coverage of your own spot in the nearby row for pretty cheap. Andy does have the 5442 in the Z4E back in stock, the one with the 8mm-32mm lens US $240.0 5% OFF|2019 New Arriving cameras IPC B5442E Z4E 4MP WDR IR Bullet AI Network Camera free DHL shipping-in Surveillance Cameras from Security & Protection on AliExpress - 11.11_Double 11_Singles' Day so that would be 4MP Starlight with a long lens if you wanted to just focus across the lot and try for face shots as your prowlers move across its line of fire. But that one's $240.

Ultimately, getting anyone arrested even with good face photos has been a challenge in my experience (pretty substantial). I'm still working to get my local car prowler chick taken down after she hit our lot twice in two weeks, even though the police actually know her name. In that girl's case, I got lucky on her first visit because she came up the stairs and went right by a decent camera in good light, and I was able to also match her up to some daytime photos of her going past a very focused 5MP camera with a 50mm lens.
 

Wolf4Ever

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Nice, I'm just mainly trying to see if it's someone around here, as a moped was also stolen a few weeks ago and was able to get the back print off a hoodie/jacket. Was going to see if it matched the one in this video but haven't looked yet. I'm like 1 mile from OU and there is lots of traffic, so I'm just looking to see if its the same people or I see them around here or at OU as I work there.
 

Wolf4Ever

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I'm getting there I just got a SD49225XA-HNR from Andy and surprised it's doing so well being only around 6 1/2' off the ground and behind double pane glass. Still learning and trying to figure out the best setup, but over all close to the cam and my cars its doing good so far. I will lose tracking at times and may or may not pick backup, I think being so close to the cars is affecting it more then anything. I haven't updated my NVR to V .4 yet waiting on Wildcat_1's review and hoping I can learn something as I haven't had a PTZ in awhile and it was a KT&C x12 analog one and no fancy stuff. I'm still messing with placing triplines/intrusions and seeing what works best and less false alerts. Hoping once I update my NVR to V .4 and more testing/bugs are worked out I can have the PTZ only track people and not vehicles. So far does both but vehicles less.

 
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Cameraguy

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I'm getting there I just got a SD49225XA-HNR from Andy and surprised it's doing so well being only around 6 1/2' off the ground and behind double pane glass. Still learning and trying to figure out the best setup, but over all close to the cam and my cars its doing good so far. I will lose tracking at times and may or may not pick backup, I think being so close to the cars is affecting it more then anything. I haven't updated my NVR to V .4 yet waiting on Wildcat_1's review and hoping I can learn something as I haven't had a PTZ in awhile and it was a KT&C x12 analog one and no fancy stuff. I'm still messing with placing triplines/intrusions and seeing what works best and less false alerts. Hoping once I update my NVR to V .4 and more testing/bugs are worked out I can have the PTZ only track people and not vehicles. So far does both but vehicles less.

Try increasing the tracking time to like 30 secs
 

Wolf4Ever

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Ok, will do tonight and see what happens. I won't have much time to play with it until this weekend after Thanksgiving.
 

Rebelx

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Very tricky backlighting to capture any faces. I reckon it's best to improve illumination or sensor lighting, fake security cams with blinking lights and car alarms etc. Do the basics well.

If I were the robber, I would wear hoodie and even a mask at night. There is no way you gonna catch me with a star light if the car door is unlocked. :)

During the day, yes the cams might be useful as wearing a mask will draw attention in a public place.
 

Wolf4Ever

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I would ask what are you trying to cover? Is it just your car or the whole lot? If it is the whole parking lot, you'll need more than just one cam to cover it appropriately.

The lot seems to have some decent lighting but additional IR could also provide benefits here. I would also look at the IPVM camera calculator tool to assist with determining which cameras and what focal lengths you should be running.

I agree with Starlights cams being very good - there are the new Starlight+ cams with the large 1/1.8 sensors as well which perform really well at night.
Mainly cars, but like having the whole view to see whats going on and that my neighbors keep bothering me for footage anytime something happens. I just put the 4K 2.8mm in the back window not as good as the front but good enough.
I'll just keep the PTZ on my cars where ever I park if with in site, as people are brave around here as a moped was also stolen not to long age. Though I did see it it was to blurry to really help as the shutter speed on the 4K is like 1/15 or lower the last time I messed with it to get ok lighting. I have tried monochrome and no IR due to the glass but its no better than color so I just kept the color.
 

Wolf4Ever

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Very tricky backlighting to capture any faces. I reckon it's best to improve illumination or sensor lighting, fake security cams with blinking lights and car alarms etc. Do the basics well.

If I were the robber, I would wear hoodie and even a mask at night. There is no way you gonna catch me with a star light if the car door is unlocked. :)

During the day, yes the cams might be useful as wearing a mask will draw attention in a public place.
I would improve on it if I could, but not an option at least yet. Maybe as more stuff happens maybe they will let me mount some outside, as the office has asked me for footage a few times.
I'm in a college town and like 1-2 miles from OU, most kids around aren't the smartest to say the least. I wish they would act more like adults than kids and not party so much.
 
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