Advice please on camera types

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

I need a camera to go on my garage.

 

It will be working in low light conditions so obvioulsy day/night with IR would be good. Also higer resolution the better.

 

I would like to have a wide angle of view with it.

 

Is it best to use a normal B&W camera, and use seperate IR illumintors or use all in one. The thing I have noticed, with the IR cameras is that the IR spot is very centralised, whereas I would like a wide flood of IR light.

 

Dont want to spend a raft of money as this is for my system at home, but the camera that I have is now giving up after two years, and want something good.

 

Any recommendations chaps?

[VST_Man 1]

mount it low enough to reflect more ir and make cleaning it easier. consider a motion flood light. many camera's out there. vaildate the spec's against others on this forum to make sure you are getting your money's worth. multiple threads on camera's, mounting, and installations.

 

i use super had or exview color with mechanical filter. Speco run a search on that. 7706 CDN's ($350) maybe a bit pricey but they work great.

 

if you don't use motion light then the ir will be the challenge for you as they all claim outradious specs and deliver half of that if you are lucky....unless you spend big dollars on a good camera.

 

don't want to spend alot of money on your home system? i don't understand that but if you want to protect and secure your home, price will determine quality, as long as you spend wisely!

[kaysadeya 0]

If you want a low profile and vandal/theft “resistance,â€

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

Thanks for the reply guys.

 

It has to be one camera, for starters, the cable run is 40 metres long to the room where the PC is based, 2nd, I have a 4 port GV600, and already have 4 cameras working, the camera I want is to replace one that is now starting to fail.

 

Max budget is probably £150, but I want as 'covert' as possible, but it has to mount under a bit of the eves, just below a guuter line.

[kaysadeya 0]

If you want “covertâ€

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

To me, covert and discreet are hand in hand really.

 

I want something that is going to do a good job, but it doesnt stand out like a sore thumb, perhaps I should have chosen my words better.

 

Probably some kind of bullet camera, I would be happy to look at something around the size of a drinks can in size.

[AVCONSULTING 0]

This is a new IR camera from Vitek. A local distributor has been testing it out with good results. You might want to check the spec's. Also a list of suppliers is on the site.

 

http://www.vitekcctv.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=189

[rory 0]

One thing you could do is use a electric gang box camera, or make your own.

Just be sure to seal it up good as they are not made for outdoors. Speco (pro video) and GE has some. If you want to make your own, get a mini camera with a pin hole lens, drill a hole and create a mount for the camera with a small piece of wood, attach the camera to that and then close it, seal it all up with caulking (after adjusting it) and your good to go. Very discreet.

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

I dont think I need to have a hidden camera in a electrical box, as that would also stand out where it has to go. I like the look of the dome one with the IR illuminators that AVConsulting gave link to, but I can find a UK supplier.

[rory 0]

it wont stand out, if it is an in wall gang box with a Face plate .. looks like a empty light switch plate //

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

I dont have the space in an area to chase a box in to the wall though.

[rory 0]

Ok just suggesting ...a bullet camera is discreet:

 

take a look for the CVC-637EX from Speco Provideo.

wide angle Exview bullet camera, color ..or just use the BW Exview in that same link you posted if its too dark ...

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

Ok just suggesting ...a bullet camera is discreet:

 

take a look for the CVC-637EX from Speco Provideo.

wide angle Exview bullet camera, color ..or just use the BW Exview in that same link you posted if its too dark ...

 

Sorry Rory, which link??

 

Plus I need to find a camera that is in the UK, as if I order from overseas, I am going to have to pay some kind of import tax and vat when going through customs and excise and like to know what the cost is when ordering all in.

[rory 0]

There are a couple UK dealers on this forum, they may have a solution for you also.

 

Basically, if it is very dark, you will need at least a BW Exview, a Color Exview will do well in normal low lighting where a normal BW camera will work.

 

The smaller the camera, the worse the quality of the image is. So unfortunately for a hidden camera, will aways have to deal with that part.

 

Best image would be from a good brand name Box camera (Sanyo, Bosch, Panasonic, Ganz, GE, etc), with a good lens. (computar, Fujinon, etc).

 

but from inside looking out, your image quality will diminish, just keep the window clean. You may also want to look at a wide dynamic camera, but that may be out of your price range, Pano and Sanyo both have some reasonable ones in Day Night Versions, switch to BW at night.

 

In the UK you will be finding alot of OEM bullet cameras, so its a trial and error with which one is any good, and price doesnt always matter when dealing with those type of cameras. I know provideo has some very good Bullets, at least 1/2 of them and I know which ones .. but wrong side of the world. Closest I have seen to some of the Provideo is the RFConcepts stuff posted on this forum (search).

 

For example a mini Exview Color Bullet camera, high res, wide angle.

Thats the provideo CVC-637EX, i saw one that was near identical on that Rfconcepts site and even a fellow member here bought one of them, just didnt pickup Infrared so he had to change it/use another type.

 

Rory

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

Thanks Rory, I will give it a day or two to see if anyone who is in the UK and is a reseller sees this as I would appreciate their input on it.

[baywatch 1]

Have you thought of using a PIR operated normallight with a standard small bullet camera. This would be the cheapest option.

If it must be I.R. take a tip & don't use a camera with built in I.R leds, they can give major problems with spiders.

Try http://www.rfconcepts.co.uk/ for cameras.

[Secret Lemonade Drinker 0]

take a tip & don't use a camera with built in I.R leds, they can give major problems with spiders.

 

LOL, I hate the little critters, they do love the IR's!

 

Thanks for your help.

 

I will give RF a look as I have used them before and they seemed very helpful. I just wanted to get a 'broader' view of things.