IR Sensitive B/W Camera

[AVCONSULTING 0]

Any suggestions on a low cost (that means no Extreme CCTV) b/w camera that would have good spectral response in the 850N range? Has to have proven spectral response for IR. Thanks.

[rory 0]

WHAT do you mean when you say low cost?

 

GE's KTC-540E Cam Plus Camera, has sr in the 730-1100 nm range.

$183

[AVCONSULTING 0]

Thanks Rory. I'm passing along the information to my customer. It might be exactly what he needs. Tough to find IR sensitive cameras anymore in a low price range.

[MetzLyov 0]

Alen, here is another option from Sanyo that is little more expensive, but does a great job - http://www.selectsst.com/ssh_pdfs/VCB-3574IR_prod.pdf

[AVCONSULTING 0]

Thanks for the link but I checked the Sanyo site earlier for that model since I remember it being IR sensitive and there was no mention of it on the Sanyo site. I wonder if it has been discontinued.

[MetzLyov 0]

It is actually in their website under special application section. This is a current product and we have bought them recently. Here is the URL on their site:

 

http://sanyo.com/industrial/security/cameras/special/index.cfm?productID=148

 

This camera permorms exceptionally. Not sure if it can be categorized as "cheap", but it is very cost effective..

 

Hope this is helpfull

[rory 0]

It is a cheaper brand than GE but costs more, so I would go with the GE cam plus over the Sanyo. The sanyo does perform as I have used their Day Night, but have found the GE Cam Plus cameras to be much better.

[MetzLyov 0]

Rory,

 

Please pay attention to the question on hand. Alen is asking about low end IR camera, not a day/night camera. Besides, comparing GE brand to be better than Sanyo, well I have something to say there too... Sanyo has been in business more years manufacturing quality CCTV equipment than GE, who basically bought many manufacturers and incorporated their products under GE brand name. From my experience in the company where we move tremendous amount of CCTV products, it is a very well know fact that GE cameras are not what they claim to be, including their CamPlus variations. When comparing both brands, lets not forget that GE is just new player and may eventually become one of the largest player, however their present list of cameras do not come anything close to Sanyo, American Dynamics, Bosch, Pelco or Panasonic. Everything looks great on paper, but in a real world, they lag major. Just look into their claims on their latest and greatest DVRs with 120FPS - if you use it, you will come to realize that it is true 60FPS attempting to work at 120FPS in turbo mode, which is not real....

[rory 0]

Actually, he was asking about a B/W Camera with a good Spectral Response. That GE Camera is a B/W camera with a good spectral response.

 

AS for the DVRs, that is the same also for linux based DVRs that claim high recording speeds, even PC based that claim super high speeds do that at only lower resolutions.

 

As for Cam Plus, I have used them, as well as Phillips and Sanyo, and find GE's to be the better product hands down.

 

Kalatel (now owned by GE) has been in the CCTV business for many if not more years than some of those names you just posted.

 

Everything that GE (Kalatel) claims, you get 100%. Thats the only reason why I use them over the rest, the day that that changes, I will start using another brand. I also use Panasonic, but only for Day Night WD.

 

On that note, every manufacturer has its flaws, none are perfect, and they all produce faulty products from time to time.

Edited November 26, 2004 by Guest

[MetzLyov 0]

Rory,

 

I agree with you on the fact that every manufacturer does make mistakes on the specs and on the products. However, we also used their CamPlus cameras in large quantities and from picture quality comparison, they are not any better than Sanyo. May be better than Pelco, yes, that I will agree with.

[rory 0]

I never said I didnt like Sanyo, I have it in the field also

 

But I like the physical look of the Cam Plus for in retail stores, banks, etc, with no housing.

[MetzLyov 0]

Rory,

 

Now we are talking. You like the physical looks and esthetics I agree with you. At least we got this out of the way, but then they are not better than Sanyo

[rory 0]

Rory,

 

Now we are talking. You like the physical looks and esthetics I agree with you. At least we got this out of the way, but then they are not better than Sanyo

 

If Im going to use a Kalatel DVR, then Ill just go with their camera also, makes sense, especially when their camera give great video. Also, I actually was selling all Sanyo Cameras at one time, but the pricing was basically the same as Kalatel, so went back to Kalatel. I do like their Day Night Dome though, have used that a few times. I can only sell one of each product type, unlike my distributors that sell 1000's of different brands.

 

Other than Kalatel, I sell Pano, Provideo, and Extreme CCTV, all having their specific purpose.

[rikky 0]

Hi guys,

Just 1 thing related to the camera issue:

Does it really make sense to go for an IR sensitive camera without installing any additional IR lamps??

[rory 0]

I guess that depends on AV, he was asking about it

[Cooperman 0]

rikky,

The short answer is, it depends on the source of available light.

If any existing 'white light' sources are low energy / fluorescent based then their is very little IR emitted.

 

If there is any lighting available which uses hot filament bulbs, although the visible light level may be very low, there could still be a usable amount of IR available, which a highly IR sensitive camera would be able to exploit.

 

As for the argument of who's equipment is better than whom, and which manufacturer has been around the longest, I'll just offer this modest contribution to the argument.

 

In the very late 1970's, the main CCTV camera manufacturers were (in no particular order), Ikegami, Panasonic, RCA, Philips, Marconi, JAI, Hitachi Denshi, JVC, Grundig, Cohu, Bosch, General Electric and Sanyo!

 

If I remember correctly, small players like Sharp, Elbex, Microel and Sony, were also joined by a tiny company set up by Mr Baxter and Mr Hall, which we now all know as Baxall. Apologies to any that I've missed out!