camera selection for monitoring vehicles in low light

[nfair 0]

I've been reading the forum for a week or so now and I think I've just started to understand enough of the capabilities of modern IP cameras to ask some semi intelligent questions. I'd appreciate any advice you all may have.

 

Recent thefts in my neighborhood have made me realize exactly how much I've got tied up in "toys" and other stuff that gets stored in my yard and shed where there is no security system to protect them. I've got a couple of trailers parked as well various yard equipment in a shed on my 1/2 acre lot. I'd like to monitor the front of the house very well since it's the only way a thief could get the trailers or larger equipment (snowblower, lawn mower, etc) off my property due to fencing and landscaping. The back and sides I think I could get away with less capable cameras since I'd just be interested in tracking where they went without considering identification or excellent low light recording.

 

For the front of the house I'd strongly prefer a dome setup to keep it more discreet and I'd also like to add more motion sensor lighting to the area. Mounting would be done in the soffit of the house about 10' up. I need to be able to identify people and make/model of vehicles and would like to get plates but understand that's unlikely. The most important area to cover is a 90 degree field of view covering about a 60'x60' area with the most likely travel path coming almost under where I think the cameras would best be on the corner of the house. Another camera might cover the remaining portion of the front.

 

Initially I thought I could do this fairly cheaply but I now realize I'll likely need to spend well over a grand to do this right just for the camera(s) for the front. I'm having trouble deciding what to use for cameras though. If they were more available I think two Sanyo VD-HD3300 cameras would work well. I've also looked at the Vivotek FD8361, Acti TCM-7411 and Axis P3344-VE. All look capable but I currently have a slight preference for the Vivotek since the IP8332 seems to be the least expensive bullet camera I would consider using elsewhere. I'm also interested in the Mobotix lineup but I haven't been able to really grasp if a single Mobotix (near as I can tell replacing two others at the price point of both) would be a better camera for my needs. I just haven't been able to figure out exactly how the M12 or M24 would perform in a megapixel variant with wide angle lenses.

 

The side door, back door, back yard and other side yard could each be covered by bullet cams such as the vivotek ip8332 or acti acm 1231. Their lower performance should be offset by a need to travel through the field of view of the better cameras out front.

 

In terms of a NVR I haven't planned it out well enough yet but I'm more comfortable there since I've got an unused Dell server box sitting in my network closet that I could install a vendor's NVR software like Vivotek's st7501 or zone minder since I'm very comfortable fiddling with various flavors of linux.

 

I've tried talking with some local (southern NH) vendors who supposedly deal with CCTV systems on a regular basis but they all have pushed me towards a traditional system rather than an IP system and I have convinced myself that I need the extra resolution in order to keep the number of cameras under control and still be able to identify people and vehicles to a high degree of confidence.

 

So do you all have any suggestions? Have I overlooked some vendors and models that might be able to fill my needs at a similar price point? Am I over or under spec'ing my needs? Any other advice?

 

Thanks,

-Nat

[MarcoZandrini 0]

One feature you should consider is Wide Dynamic Range (WDR). Here's the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_dynamic_range.

[mike_va 0]

Look into how many pixels you will need to identify subject, and make sure you have enough light. Axis and others have good articles on this. Axis cameras come with built in pixel counters, others may also.

 

Also you may want some PIR's for motion sensing if you want to know when it happens.

[Korgoth Of Barbaria 0]

If You need good mpixel cam, with good image in low light AND fast shutter, try IQeye Alliance-mx.

We just made some tests and it's rly good! Its MUCH better than TCM-7411 from ACTi.

 

I cant show You samples with moving cars, but I have static one (0,05lux without IR Leds):

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6833159/IQEYE/iqeye_MX_0%2C5lux.avi