Cannot Focus any image for my Geovision IP Megapixel Camera

[SambaNoodles 0]

Hi. I just bought a GeoVision box camera 1.3 Megapixel, Day/Night without lens. I attached my own standard CS-MOUNT 2.8mm-12mm lens onto the camera. However, at any level of ajustment, I cannot get any legibile image!

 

The Geovision Box camera comes with a plastic C-mount lens adapter that needs to be screwed on before you can place your own CS-mount lens.

 

This is my first time using IP megapixel cameras, and I paid a pretty penny for this camera. Anyone know what I might be doing wrong?

[Soundy 1]

Tried it without the adapter?

[SambaNoodles 0]

Tried it without the adapter?

 

Yes i did, and no luck. What could I possibly be doing wrong here? I am able to connect to the camera over the LAN without problems, and have full access to its configuration interface, but the live video on the screen is totally unviewable.

 

I can't believe the camera could be D.O.A...any other way to test these things?

[Soundy 1]

Can you post a screenshot of the picture? Would make it a lot easier to diagnose the problem.

[zmxtech 0]

with the picture, is it all messed up or is there NO picture ?

[SambaNoodles 0]

with the picture, is it all messed up or is there NO picture ?

 

There is a picture, but its all messed up, just looks like one big blur. The degree of blurriness changes as I play with the focus, but the picture still remains blurry - never comes close to being in focus.

 

I should also mention that being a Day/Night camera, there is a mechanical I/R-cut filter on the camera.

[ak357 0]

Hi. I just bought a GeoVision box camera 1.3 Megapixel, Day/Night without lens. I attached my own standard CS-MOUNT 2.8mm-12mm lens onto the camera. However, at any level of ajustment, I cannot get any legibile image!

 

The Geovision Box camera comes with a plastic C-mount lens adapter that needs to be screwed on before you can place your own CS-mount lens.

 

This is my first time using IP megapixel cameras, and I paid a pretty penny for this camera. Anyone know what I might be doing wrong?

 

Just for fun try without C mount Ring

[SambaNoodles 0]

 

Already tried that....NO DICE.

[Soundy 1]

Just for fun try without C mount Ring

 

I already suggested that

[ak357 0]

 

Already tried that....NO DICE.

 

Does camera use Auto Iris lense ?

and when u tried with your lense

was it Auto iris or not ?

[SambaNoodles 0]

[quote="Does camera use Auto Iris lense ?

and when u tried with your lense

was it Auto iris or not ?"

.

 

Camera has an auto-iris connector in the back. So I attached a standard 2.9-10mm varifocal lens that comes equipt with an auto-iris cable. Just plugged the cable into the back connector as I would normally do with an analog camera.

 

On a side note, I also noticed the Geovision box comes with a small pin that they describe as a "back focus" pin. I have no idea what that does or how i'm supposed to use it, so I never bothered with it. They don't even describe its purpose in the manual.

[Soundy 1]

Ah, there's your problem. "Backfocus" is an setting on many cameras, that adjusts the position of the sensor to help optimize the focus range. If that's out of alignment, it would definitely prevent you from getting a clear focus. Most cameras that have it, there's a locking screw or two that you can loosen and then adjust a ring or another screw... some have an auto-backfocus, which may be the case if you just have a pushbutton for it.

[cglaeser 0]

On a side note, I also noticed the Geovision box comes with a small pin that they describe as a "back focus" pin. I have no idea what that does or how i'm supposed to use it, so I never bothered with it.

 

Yep, that's the problem. On a Panasonic 502, you push the ABF button for 5 seconds. That will disable (center) the ABF. Then you do the best you can manually, and then enable ABF, either by momentarily pushing the ABF button, or programatically using the software. If the ABF is all the way forward or all the way back, all attempts to manually focus would be a blur. You need to disable BF before attempting to focus (or changing a lens).

 

Best,

Christopher

[SambaNoodles 0]

YES! SOUNDY and Cglaser are correct! The problem was indeed the backfocus. Basically, in this Geovision Box camera, The backfocus is controlled by adjusting the posistion of the brass ring that the CS-mount lens attaches to. In order to adjust this position you have to turn a small screw using the "backfocus" connector provided by GeoVision. This will loosen the ring, and thereby allow you to pull it out as much as you need to.

 

By adjusting the position of this brass ring, you adjust the coressponding distance between the sensor on the Geovision camera and the CS-mount lens.

 

At first adjusting the backfocus didn't do anything. It was only until I also removed the GeoVisoin C-mount adapter (that they specifically tell you to put on the camera before connecting your lens), and then started playing with the backfocus, that things got right.

 

None of the above is explained in the GeoVision manual. I only learned how to adjust the backfocus after talking to GeoVision tech support. Keep in mind I've never even bothered with this backfocus thing ever in the brief past i've dealt with CCTV cameras.

 

Anyway, thanks to everybody who helped out here. This one website forum has done more to advance my education in CCTV than any book, manual, or even experience ever could.

 

A special thanks goes to SOUNDY who should be awarded a medal for all the great advise he offers on this board.