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Anyone use mini/small cameras?

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Ive been thinking about what cameras to use for my front door surveillance but there isn't a place to put a camera without being extremely visible or in reach for vandalism. I've been looking at little mini 1inchx1inch cameras that can be hard to notice and at face level for identifying who is at the front door or porch area. Any experience with these and if so, how is their performance?

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i bought a similar one.it is called Door Peephole Security System with Wired Video Camera, 2.8 inch Display, DVR Viewer.After 3 month's using,it is still working very well.

204105_1.jpg

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I have a few of the mini CNBs. Actual image quality is pretty nice. They are just slightly bigger than a bottle cap from a 2 liter soda. They are pretty bad in low light though, but as long as you have a porch light you should be ok.

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i bought a similar one.it is called Door Peephole Security System with Wired Video Camera, 2.8 inch Display, DVR Viewer.After 3 month's using,it is still working very well.

204105_1.jpg

Have it hooked up to a DVR?

 

I have a few of the mini CNBs. Actual image quality is pretty nice. They are just slightly bigger than a bottle cap from a 2 liter soda. They are pretty bad in low light though, but as long as you have a porch light you should be ok.

Are these fairly simple to connect to a DVR and what mm lens do you have on it? Saw some that go up to 16mm.

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I have a few of the mini CNBs. Actual image quality is pretty nice. They are just slightly bigger than a bottle cap from a 2 liter soda. They are pretty bad in low light though, but as long as you have a porch light you should be ok.

 

I ran a mini-cam for a while in one location, and the low light performance was awful, as you'd expect from a tiny lens over a tiny sensor.

 

My front door cam is about 10' away from the door, under the eaves. It's not noticeable at all from the street, and is obvious from the front door if you happen to look there, but I don't care about that.

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I have a few of the mini CNBs. Actual image quality is pretty nice. They are just slightly bigger than a bottle cap from a 2 liter soda. They are pretty bad in low light though, but as long as you have a porch light you should be ok.

 

I ran a mini-cam for a while in one location, and the low light performance was awful, as you'd expect from a tiny lens over a tiny sensor.

 

 

Yeah, I wish CNB would offer a TDN lipstick (or slightly bigger) 24VF based type camera with a fixed lens. No reason it can't be repackaged as such. Seems like the options are a big dome or a bullet with IR.

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I got a 600tvl pin hole camera off ebay Link here "feel free to delete link if need be" http://www.ebay.com/itm/260953917746?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

The camera footage is pretty impressive considering firstly it cost $50 bux and secondly its tiny.

 

low light is average but no light is no good.

 

The lens is a cone shape & I put a 3.5mm hole in piece of timber then used a router to recess the camera into the timber at a depth so just the tip of the cone is poking out so it is virtually invisible, pretty sweet if that's what your into.

 

I will eventually do this in the front door, the only trouble is its a solid brick wall with no cavity so its going to be a bit of stuffing round chasing in the cables etc.

 

I only just got it, so I cant vouch for it longevity.

 

Cheers.

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Hi, I read about your problem and i think you need some professional CCTV installer assistance. There are some good professional Security camera installer you need to talk to them. I strongly believe that you will found certain results of your choice.

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A peephole camera has a great angle of view but strangely enough, I haven't yet found one that has backlight compensation. The main problem with these cameras is that someone facing the camera is backlit by the daylight and therefore silhouetted against the backlight, All you see is a dark figure .

The best solutions I have seeen are those in intercom systems that have LED light support. Obvious? Yes but they work and besides most visitors will not want to attack your camera, those that do can be a dealt with by police as you will already have recorded their image,

 

You can use a mini bard camera the has backlight compensation. housed in an armoured housing on the wall t the side of the door

Here in the picture you see one I have to the side of my front door housed in a corner housing. It's caught milk bottle thieves, teenagers running a mock, people stealing my mail, and warned me of many would be criminals loitering near my front door. I am far from pleased with the performance but I have to say it's still been worthwhile.

 

187969_1.jpg224272_1.png

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A peephole camera has a great angle of view but strangely enough, I haven't yet found one that has backlight compensation. The main problem with these cameras is that someone facing the camera is backlit by the daylight and therefore silhouetted against the backlight, All you see is a dark figure .

The best solutions I have seeen are those in intercom systems that have LED light support. Obvious? Yes but they work and besides most visitors will not want to attack your camera, those that do can be a dealt with by police as you will already have recorded their image,

 

You can use a mini bard camera the has backlight compensation. housed in an armoured housing on the wall t the side of the door

Here in the picture you see one I have to the side of my front door housed in a corner housing. It's caught milk bottle thieves, teenagers running a mock, people stealing my mail, and warned me of many would be criminals loitering near my front door. I am far from pleased with the performance but I have to say it's still been worthwhile.

 

187969_1.jpg224272_1.png

 

Hey Numb-Nuts, do you have a link to the housing you show in your post I really like it, seen similar but never this one.

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For a minute there I thought you liked the style of the property I live in now I realize you mean the Prison corner camera I had left over,

Yeah its from Eneo Germany they do a corner camera housing and a flat on the wall type. I like the corner unit because prisoners have managed to pry the flat on the wall ones off a umber of times but the corner ones they don't seem to manage to get a purchase on enough to vandalize them. The glass is made of Lexan which is almost bulletproof, highly scratch resistant but shhhhh not fire resistant.

 

Its a really strong housing adn deserves proper fixing to masonry or concrete with wall bolts, two work well but three or four it aint budging

Ccoses with tamper torx screws sealed with 2mm 'o'ring chord.

 

Visitors always comment on that housing, it's more or less military quality. Wish I could find a laptop that strong he says after breaking LCD no 3 today.

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It won't stop it from breaking but you can get accidental damage protection for your laptop. I think Asus still offers it with theirs. I got it as an option with my HP.

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One thing I overlooked and many people might is sunlight issues. My house faces west. After a few days of bright sunlight in the evening my peephole camera is worthless. It's blurred and impossible to recognize anything. So unless you have some angle that you house sits that will not have this issue be aware.

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One thing I overlooked and many people might is sunlight issues. My house faces west. After a few days of bright sunlight in the evening my peephole camera is worthless. It's blurred and impossible to recognize anything. So unless you have some angle that you house sits that will not have this issue be aware.

 

 

Sunlight direct into a camera or directly behind a subject is going to be a problem with virtually every camera.

You are just going to have to be inventive and creative.

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