Need help to choose a camera

[Ivtyf 0]

Hello, i'm glad i've found this forum, lots of info i couldn't have found anywhere else. I need help choosing the right camera. First, let me explain what i need it for. I'd like to have a view of the area infront of the house. The camera will be looking through the front window. I have a lightpole not far from my window, so it doesn't get pitch black during night. I haven't really decided if i want color camera or not, i guess it doesn't really matter. My biggest concern is the quality of the picture during night time. I would like to avoid getting IR camera for a reason that as far as i understand, IR emitters glow red during night, and i wouldn't have wanted for the camera to be seen from outside. The area i would like to observe goes as far as about 50 feet from my window. After doing some reading on this forum, i now consider getting one of those cameras:

 

http://www.spytown.com/provcvc637ex.html

 

http://www.spytown.com/provcvc820ex.html

 

or may be this one:

 

http://www.spytown.com/provcvc6805e.html

 

What do you guys think? What would be the best way to go?Thank you in advance!

[eganson 0]

First, at 50 feet, how wide is the area you want to view?

That will help define your lens.. vsscctv has some good info & lens calculator here http://www.vsscctv.com/dealtools.asp

Inside the window: keep that room dark & the lens up to the glass. People will see the camera from outside if you don't camoflage it... (view through a hole in a poster, sign, flag, etc)

Consider other hidden areas, with perhaps better view angles... house vents, bird house, dog house, etc...

What to see? Do you want to recognize known people, or be able to _identify_ people 'without-a-doubt'? Big difference here...

Emphasis on night or night-only? Exview black & white for lower cost too. Not so good in bright sun, but you can get cheap 600 line res at night... (no 'in-camera' IR, no bullett) Pretty impressive for the prices... KPC exview...

http://www.vsscctv.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=432

[Ivtyf 0]

First, at 50 feet, how wide is the area you want to view?

That will help define your lens.. vsscctv has some good info & lens calculator here http://www.vsscctv.com/dealtools.asp

 

I'd like to have at least 90 degrees view angle, but i'd say it is not critical, because if camera performs well, i'll get a second one to cover wider area.

 

Inside the window: keep that room dark & the lens up to the glass. People will see the camera from outside if you don't camoflage it... (view through a hole in a poster, sign, flag, etc)

Consider other hidden areas, with perhaps better view angles... house vents, bird house, dog house, etc...

 

I wouldn't want to move the camera outside the house... Hopefully i can camuflage it so it'll not stand out.

 

What to see? Do you want to recognize known people, or be able to _identify_ people 'without-a-doubt'? Big difference here...

 

It would like to be able to identify people.

 

Emphasis on night or night-only? Exview black & white for lower cost too. Not so good in bright sun, but you can get cheap 600 line res at night... (no 'in-camera' IR, no bullett) Pretty impressive for the prices... KPC exview...

http://www.vsscctv.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=432

 

This looks like a great solution! Is this the best B&W Exview camera under $200? I agree, i probably don't need color for day operation, B&W should be enough for me. What online stores sell that or similar models? And what do i need to have to make a quick temporary connection to a VCR? Any special kind of cables? Eventually i'm planning to get something like Geovision 4 camera DVR card for my PC, but for now i'll just hook it up to VCR.

 

P.S. Thank you very much for your input!

[rory 0]

 

This looks like a great solution! Is this the best B&W Exview camera under $200? I agree, i probably don't need color for day operation, B&W should be enough for me. What online stores sell that or similar models? And what do i need to have to make a quick temporary connection to a VCR? Any special kind of cables? Eventually i'm planning to get something like Geovision 4 camera DVR card for my PC, but for now i'll just hook it up to VCR.

 

P.S. Thank you very much for your input!

 

Not the best exview, depends what you want to spend and what it is for, I cant tell if that camera is a Day Night? Exview is Exview, most of the time the cheaper manufacturers over spec the lux level on them.

 

GE Kalatel has a great Exview B/W High Res only for $174 on Spytown, lens is extra though so that will bring it up.

http://www.spytown.com/ktc-540e.html

 

I would highly recommend though, not mounting it inside looking out, but thats up to you, you may find it will not work good at all due to reflections, outside lighting, inside lighting, etc. Plus you may scratch the camera lens if it is wide angle mode and you have it right against the glass. A wide Dynamic would be better for mounting in looking out, but they run approx $300+. Panasonic has a B/W Wide Dynamic Camera:

http://www.spytown.com/pawvandwv1hi.html

or day night: (color/bw)

http://www.spytown.com/panwvandwvhi.html

 

 

The Provideo Bullets you mentioned are nice also, but are even nicer for mounting outdoors inconspicuously. The 6805ex would be better as then you can adjust the lens to your liking when you install it. If you want a color/BW version then the 7806DNV would be suggested as the best Bullet Day Night vesion asit also has an IR cut Filter unlike most other Day Night Bullets.

[Ivtyf 0]

Not the best exview, depends what you want to spend and what it is for, I cant tell if that camera is a Day Night? Exview is Exview, most of the time the cheaper manufacturers over spec the lux level on them.

 

GE Kalatel has a great Exview B/W High Res only for $174 on Spytown, lens is extra though so that will bring it up.

http://www.spytown.com/ktc-540e.html

 

How does that Kalatel camera compare to something like this?

 

Sony SSC-M383

http://www.spytown.com/spytown/sonspccsec131.html

 

I understand that Sony is rated 0.07 lux at F1.2 versus 0.01 lux for Kalatel, is there any reason to choose Sony over Kalatel?

 

I would highly recommend though, not mounting it inside looking out, but thats up to you, you may find it will not work good at all due to reflections, outside lighting, inside lighting, etc. Plus you may scratch the camera lens if it is wide angle mode and you have it right against the glass.

 

I would love to mount it outside, i just don't see how i could hide it.

 

A wide Dynamic would be better for mounting in looking out, but they run approx $300+. Panasonic has a B/W Wide Dynamic Camera:

http://www.spytown.com/pawvandwv1hi.html

or day night: (color/bw)

http://www.spytown.com/panwvandwvhi.html

 

Those are very nice cameras, but unfortunately out of my budget...

 

The Provideo Bullets you mentioned are nice also, but are even nicer for mounting outdoors inconspicuously. The 6805ex would be better as then you can adjust the lens to your liking when you install it. If you want a color/BW version then the 7806DNV would be suggested as the best Bullet Day Night vesion asit also has an IR cut Filter unlike most other Day Night Bullets.

 

After some reading on this forum, i gathered that bullets would produce an inferior picture, especially mounted behind the glass... So i guess i'll narrow the choice down to B&W Exview, such as Kalatel based on your advice. So will it be Kalatel or Sony? I need an expert opinion

And thank you guys again!

[rory 0]

Even though they make alot of Chips for cameras, their cameras are not as great nor popular as they should be, from consensus. However, you wont go wrong with either one probably, I have never seen a Sony CCTV camera in action, nor do I know anyone that uses them.

 

Rory

[Thomas 0]

I've had one on my desk to play with. It looked pretty comparable to other cameras I've seen in the price range but the one thing I noticed that stood out was a lack of "blueing" (no idea what the techincal term is but it's the blue light effect around bright light sources.).

[Ivtyf 0]

What would be a good lens to go with KTC-540E? I've found this varifocal auto iris on spytown:

http://store.yahoo.com/spytown/tam13vg2812a.html

It is F1.4 though. Would it make sense to try to find F1.2 or even F1.0?

[rory 0]

What would be a good lens to go with KTC-540E? I've found this varifocal auto iris on spytown:

http://store.yahoo.com/spytown/tam13vg2812a.html

It is F1.4 though. Would it make sense to try to find F1.2 or even F1.0?

 

hi, GE have a Lens line that will work with it, not high priced but great lenses, in fact I think they are Fujinon, they used to be at least, I think maybe they just put their names on them now, check lenses under GE Interlogix on spytown, 2.5-10mm Varifocal Auto Iris will work, or they have a 0.95 lens costs more but low lighting.

 

Rory

[Cooperman 0]

Thomas

I've had one on my desk to play with. It looked pretty comparable to other cameras I've seen in the price range but the one thing I noticed that stood out was a lack of "blueing" (no idea what the techincal term is but it's the blue light effect around bright light sources.).

 

The usual term for a light source that enlarges on screen is 'blooming'.

My favourite used to be 'comet trailing', but as CCD 's don't suffer from image retention, that term has long since been consigned to the dustbin of history

[Thomas 0]

I'll post the model number for that Sony but it compared nicely to the Pelco I have next to it. The only strange thing is that it doesn't have the screw in terminals on the back but the connection for the wall socket.