just a side note, there are license plate covers available on the market today that will disrupt most cctv images. these covers reflect light at odd angles, visually to the naked eye they just look like a tinted cover, but CCTV is all but useless.
Please understand that I am primarily an end user
As the Securit Manager I want the best equipment but it also has to be usable by my Security Staff.
We are using the Pelco Spectra III's and my cameras are mounted about 5 floors above the ground. I get pretty good nightime picture when it comes to detecting movement and activity (which is my primary goal). Recently my cameras have provided footage that helped out our Metro unit solve a murder and helped to solve two other assualts. We are in the process of upgrading to Spectra IV's in a couple of places for this reason.
Again I'm an end user not a tech so I am not totally up on all the technical problems you may have.