Am I doing something wrong?

[capz 0]

First off, I'm not an IT or security professional. Im just a guy who knows how to run and terminate cables and build pc dvrs. As far as i can tell I've done everything right. I've installed ip cams at 3 sites. They're top brand cameras and I'm a little disappointed with the clarity I'm getting for the prices I paid. When I see videos on YouTube of ip cams catching license plates and street signs from hundreds of feet away, I wonder what perfect conditions they're using to get this kind of detail, when my multi megapixel cams can't get a license plate at 50ft. For instance, have a look at the video below. This 2mp is getting a street sign at almost 500ft?! I'll post images from my latest install as soon as we get Internet at the site. I'm finding there's a lot of noise and can't come anywhere close to what I'm seeing elsewhere.

 

[capz 0]

Here are others....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usi8NXnbGVA

 

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=2mp%20zoomed%20youtube&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CEQQtwIwBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D4XMFTudY7O0&ei=J7tXUtSNK_Oo4APZq4CgCg&usg=AFQjCNFV0UCewL5ZWr6mUusa_xA1Mp4L5w&sig2=iQZt0-U1C5onhqu139xAQw&bvm=bv.53899372,d.dmg

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=2mp%20zoomed%20youtube&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDUQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_c-MAumO6pI&ei=nrxXUsWoF9On4AOdsYDgBg&usg=AFQjCNF-UTFFnWlNYAmvqtz_axSh8lzf3Q&sig2=09Sv8eOQWzWdgpMO8uffbA&bvm=bv.53899372,d.dmg

 

All I know is mine would show a blurry mess when zooming in like that.

[fenderman 0]

those cameras are ptz, pan tilt zoom, with optical zoom so the image is not pixelated.

[PaulfromCT 0]

Quick question: The cameras that you are installing, do they have an Optical Zoom? The examples you are showing have high powered optical zoom. You are not going to get the same result with a fixed camera trying to digital zoom. The higher the MP the better the result, but it won't compare to camera with true zoom.

[Securame 0]

First off, I'm not an IT or security professional. Im just a guy who knows how to run and terminate cables and build pc dvrs. As far as i can tell I've done everything right. I've installed ip cams at 3 sites. They're top brand cameras and I'm a little disappointed with the clarity I'm getting for the prices I paid. When I see videos on YouTube of ip cams catching license plates and street signs from hundreds of feet away, I wonder what perfect conditions they're using to get this kind of detail, when my multi megapixel cams can't get a license plate at 50ft. For instance, have a look at the video below. This 2mp is getting a street sign at almost 500ft?! I'll post images from my latest install as soon as we get Internet at the site. I'm finding there's a lot of noise and can't come anywhere close to what I'm seeing elsewhere.

 

 

I really hope that you are not comparing a PTZ camera zooming in 600 feet away to a fixed lens camera...

[buellwinkle 0]

To capture plates you need to have a focal length that can capture just the grill of the car with the license plate, not the entire car, not surrounding area. For example, we use a box camera with a 50mm lens to capture a plate at 50-60'. Sure, with a varifocal 3MP camera set at 12mm I can read the plate number from the video at 50', BUT (huge but), at night it's worthless because the headlights/tailights will overwhelm the reflective plate number and you'll see nothing and combine that with noise and noise reduction, even if you can see the plate, it will be a blur. To compensate for this, we use a power IR illuminator that compensates for the backlight effect of headlight/tailights.

[capz 0]

Oh my that's exactly what I was doing. Confusing optical and digital zoom. Dumb da dumb dumb.

[capz 0]

I can add another camera closer to get just the entrance. That should do it if I frame it right

[buellwinkle 0]

With a typical varifocal set to 12mm, you should be able to capture plates at 50' during the day, maybe 10' at night with proper illumination.

[anthonywill3 0]

To capture plates you need to have a focal length that can capture just the grill of the car with the license plate, not the entire car, not surrounding area. For example, we use a box camera with a 50mm lens to capture a plate at 50-60'. Sure, with a varifocal 3MP camera set at 12mm I can read the plate number from the video at 50', BUT (huge but), at night it's worthless because the headlights/tailights will overwhelm the reflective plate number and you'll see nothing and combine that with noise and noise reduction, even if you can see the plate, it will be a blur. To compensate for this, we use a power IR illuminator that compensates for the backlight effect of headlight/tailights.

 

 

Can you elaborate a little more on the IR Illuminator solution you are using? HAving a hard time with the taillights/license plate lights washing out the plate...

Thanks!

Anthony

[buellwinkle 0]

For us, we needed an Axis T90A42 illuminator