I need an outdoor, IP, POE, PZT camera!

[voip-ninja 0]

I don't know why we are even entertaining him with responses about PTZ when his budget of "a few hundred dollars" isn't even close to being enough. That budget will even limit the choice of 2MP fixed dome cameras to pretty low end models.

[buellwinkle 0]

Sure, but with financing and a few hundred down, he can get a pretty decent PTZ.

[MR2 0]

I don't know why we are even entertaining him with responses about PTZ when his budget of "a few hundred dollars" isn't even close to being enough. That budget will even limit the choice of 2MP fixed dome cameras to pretty low end models.

 

 

I understand where you're comming from, it's one of those cases where the Best is several grand, something that will likely work is going to be near a grand, and someone comes in saying I want something for $5..

 

by the same token tech prices are dropping at a great rate, give it 5-10 years ago and you could not even get a reasonably stable megapixel camera for sub $1k these days there are plenty of options which work well enough for under $200 so I find it's interesting to see what is on offer in threads like these

[MaxIcon 0]

I've got a couple of fixed 1080p 4mm cams that give me a 140 degree view, and they're an OK substitute for a PTZ at a low price, but they definitely don't give the resolution a PTZ would in an area of interest. Once you get past 30' or so out, they just don't have the pixels per foot to give "id-the-perp" quality images.

 

This is the standard trade-off of coverage vs resolution, of course.

 

I also don't like how the images split my front coverage right in the middle, as that's where things are often going on, so I not only get lower ppf at the edges, but overall lower image quality compared to the center.

 

I'm thinking about adding a 3rd cam and switching them to 2.8 mm lenses (or whatever the numbers work out to), which would be approaching the cost of an inexpensive PTZ, though it would give me that full-time panoramic coverage at better resolution, and would give me a single view of my center coverage.

[MR2 0]

I've got a couple of fixed 1080p 4mm cams that give me a 140 degree view, and they're an OK substitute for a PTZ at a low price, but they definitely don't give the resolution a PTZ would in an area of interest. Once you get past 30' or so out, they just don't have the pixels per foot to give "id-the-perp" quality images.

 

This is the standard trade-off of coverage vs resolution, of course.

 

I also don't like how the images split my front coverage right in the middle, as that's where things are often going on, so I not only get lower ppf at the edges, but overall lower image quality compared to the center.

 

I'm thinking about adding a 3rd cam and switching them to 2.8 mm lenses (or whatever the numbers work out to), which would be approaching the cost of an inexpensive PTZ, though it would give me that full-time panoramic coverage at better resolution, and would give me a single view of my center coverage.

 

Honestly if you need a 180 degree view I'd go with 4 x cam's each with a 60 degree lens, though rather than a 1080p camera I'd be after a 3mp minimum (we get them for around the $200 mark, look at the Dahua) ideally a 5mp that are getting cheap now too)

 

of course you will not get the zoomed in view quality of a good PTZ zoomed right in, but what are your chances of the PTZ being pointed at exactly the right position/right zoom level for each event? in most scenario's I can think of it's a low chance.

[Zigma 0]

Just to give an update. I was able to get a Samsung SNP-3350 for $350. Granted it is not HD, but with 33x optical zoom & PTZ the trade off is just about right. It's also not POE but I can just run the cable... I also got a few accessories for it(housing, etc) which cost another 200 or so dollars so I spent quite a penny.

 

To be honest, I never thought these things can shoot up in price the way they did but I did learn a lot of security cameras. Thank you all.

[MR2 0]

Just to give an update. I was able to get a Samsung SNP-3350 for $350. Granted it is not HD, but with 33x optical zoom & PTZ the trade off is just about right. It's also not POE but I can just run the cable... I also got a few accessories for it(housing, etc) which cost another 200 or so dollars so I spent quite a penny.

 

To be honest, I never thought these things can shoot up in price the way they did but I did learn a lot of security cameras. Thank you all.

 

I've always found it funny that Analog stuff has higher Zoom than Digital, they need to hurry up and catch up

[buellwinkle 0]

You stole that camera, should work out well for you. VGA is plenty with PTZ, that's the point of PTZ, you want more detail, you zoom in.

[shockwave199 0]

Course there's always this combo

 

http://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/sd6463e65e66e-hn-234.html

[luckyfella 0]

I personally have this one on my terrace currently and I love it. It has 20x optical and 16x dig, but it's more than enough. The 1.3mp is just enough as far as resolution.

 

 

[Zigma 0]

So the order got screwed up, camera never came and I contacted the seller. They no longer have a SNP-3350P......so they're sending me a SNP-3750p!!!!!!!!! SCORE!!

[Zigma 0]

I personally have this one on my terrace currently and I love it. It has 20x optical and 16x dig, but it's more than enough. The 1.3mp is just enough as far as resolution.

 

 

 

 

Sweet Jesus, that is a crazy zoom. I can only imaging how 37X optical / 12 digital will be.

[MR2 0]

yeah man, I'm super keen to try the Dahua with 30x zoom on a 2mp

[luckyfella 0]

As soon as this 20x gets installed and paid for, I'm ordering the 30x 2mp Dahua. That should be some fun to play around with.