Weather/Sunset Camera Setup?

[DaveK]

While I wait for Fedex to deliver parts (a couple of PoE Switches), I was wondering about setting up a weather/sunset camera. I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to post the pictures at intervals of 2-5 minutes, but I'm a little concerned about possibly screwing up a camera.

Th natural direction for pointing a weather camera where I am is almost directly to the West, which would also result in occasional awesome sunsets. My concern is about the camera pointing into the sun and the possible harmful effects on the image sensor. I'm sure there are some setups that would do fine, and others that would fry the sensor the first time I did it.

So, any guidance on this? I'm currently using Dahua 4300 series IP cameras which have 3MP resolution. They're decent cameras, especially for the price, but I don't want to trash one just to try this out. Anybody else doing this with these or similar cameras? Any other suggestions on affordable cameras that can do this job? Any other suggestions or guidance?


Thanks!

 

[dalepa]

I point my hikvision 2632 to the sunset daily for more than a year... No problems so far...

 

[DaveK]

Very nice time-lapse! I presume that the 2632 does not have an auto-iris?

 

[kbarb]

Dalepa, you there ?

I ran across your time lapse movie (above) - it's really great.

I'm just thinking now about using an IP video cam for time lapse, as you did. I have a couple of questions . . .

I need to set up a time lapse rig for a big construction project - about a half a city block & six stories high - for maybe a year or two.

Usually, most people would buy a dslr and an intervalometer, but an IP cam seems simpler, and sufficient, since I'm not trying to make a piece of art.

It looks like you've used the Hikvision DS-2CD2632F-I(S) . . .

--- Can you set the snapshot interval to once a minute, or even 1 every 3min, or longer ?
It appears so in the manual.

--- Can you choose the full 3 megapixel (2048 x 1536) for the snapshot ?

Any other caveats you can think of offhand ?

Thanks !

Kent

San Francisco

 

[dalepa]

I'm not an expert on long time lapses, but you should be able to use BlueIris to record every 3 minutes...



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kbarb]

Oh, ok.
I thought were using the camera's (Hikvision's) onboard software, which has a snapshot function.
That's what I was asking about.

The Hikvision manual shows the settings, but w/o the camera I can't see the choices of what's possible for resolution or interval.

 

[oldrolla]

Its certainly do-able.
I have a DS-2CD2732F-IS and there is a snapshot feature.
Just set it up to write to the SD card every how often you want.
You will just have to pop the SD card out every so often and download the files.

 

[kbarb]

Ah, perfect - thanks a lot ! !

 

[rick1812]

Most likely a dumb question, but how do you input the weather data? Do you need the DS-2CD2632F-IS or does the DS-2CD2632F-I have the same ability?

I point my hikvision 2632 to the sunset daily for more than a year... No problems so far...

 

[bp2008]

His weather data overlay was added using Blue Iris to put on the overlay, and some 3rd party software to obtain the weather data. It is not a direct function of the camera.

If you are interested in doing something similar, you will need a copy of Blue Iris and then I recommend you download Blue Iris Tools for the weather data. You can find Blue Iris Tools linked at the top of this forum (just under the words "IP Cam Talk"), or here: http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php?t=198

 

[Phil van Syoc]

Another option would be the free software (weather underground) http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/VanWeather/1/show.html
My Foscam 19804W looks straight into the sun every day and no harm done.