nifter53 0 Posted August 15, 2011 Can the CNB VCM-24VF be used outside? It's cold here in the winter -30c If not, do that make a camera with the same/similar specs that can be used outside? Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birdman Adam 0 Posted August 15, 2011 Yes they can be used outdoors - that's what they are for. I believe they are IP66 rated: http://cnbusa.com/en/html/product/product_search.php?searchstr=vcm-24vf They have a VCM-24VFH which includes a heater and little fan to help keep the internals warm enough to work properly. At -30C, I would get the version with the heater! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electronicbuff 0 Posted August 19, 2011 (edited) I live in Michigan and have the VCM-24VFH mounted on the bottom side of the overhang. This unit has a couple of heaters on the inside that warm up to keep the unit frost-free in winter's cold. There is no fan. This model comes with the base for mounting on a solid brick surface but I decided to remove this and mount the unit as a flush mount instead. Looks great when I flush mounted it into the vinyl siding on the overhand. Not as noticeable as it would have been with the extra raised base. The picture is awesome during the day and it flips to low light B/W at night. I don't currently run any lights outside at night so the picture is barely visible then. I have motion lights that turn on if there is movement so this is where the picture would come back for viewing. I bought this model because I was steered away from the IR type. Didn't want the glow from 850nm leds and the 940nm leds have almost no range at all. The motion lights turning on were the trick for me. If you run any light outside at night you should have a decent picture. Edited August 21, 2011 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electronicbuff 0 Posted August 20, 2011 (edited) Here are a few pics with the VCM-24VFH (H=with heat for winter). I had to degrade the pictures to fit the 150k limit for this forum. My pics originally were in the 2-3M range which allowed zooming in on an area for greater detail. At first I was planning to use this camera for an overall view of the front yard but after I installed it I decided to zoom in at the front porch to see how much detail I could get. Yes, I know zooming in from 35 feet trying to get detail is not the best idea but I wanted to see what I could do with this thing. I tried using the IR illuminated cameras first but hated the red glow from the 800nm leds. The I tried the 940nm led cameras but found their distance stunk, especially if you wanted to see more than just a body moving around. This is another reason why most places have outdoor lighting running all night with their cameras. We haven't had a problem in our neighborhood yet, I just like to tweak with electronics and found CCTV fun to play with. Camera Detail: - mounted 9 feet off the ground on an overhang - I removed the mounting box (for brick walls) and recessed the regular case like the other model (now I have a spare mounting box) into the vinyl siding to lower the profile - camera is 35 feet away from the zoomed in area Edited August 21, 2011 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electronicbuff 0 Posted August 20, 2011 Some more pics showing the mounting. I used snips to cut the vinyl siding. Making a round hole was not the easiest being upside down with a pair of snips. For my next camera mounting I ordered a hole saw the size of the camera so I can get a crisp perfectly round hole. Caulking is not an option as the bead would seal the camera permanently shut. The only adjustment I made on the camera is with the zoom and the focus. Getting my wife to sit at the monitor with a walkie-talkie while I was at the camera was hard enough for the focusing. I also had my neighbor stand on the porch so we could focus in on him when we set it up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nDAlk90 0 Posted August 20, 2011 I like it. Good job! I would have put a second camera closer to the front door also for better face shots, but yours is much better then I thought it would. Can you show a nighttime face shot? Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birdman Adam 0 Posted August 20, 2011 Just a suggestion, but it looks like you could benefit from focusing at night. That way it will be in-focud all the time better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electronicbuff 0 Posted August 21, 2011 I pulled this pic from our return from a wedding tonight. I'm not impressed with the facial detail at night at a distance of 35 feet using the flood lights. A camera near the porch would be much better for this job. I'm thinking about adding another one of these VCM-24VFH cameras on the overhang to the right of the door with the intent of looking down towards the door. Or, maybe I could use a small pinhole/bullet camera looking out from inside the glass storm door at face level. This should give a perfect picture of who's at the door since it is natural to look at the door when you approach it. Another thought is to put a pinhole camera in the huge mailbox looking at the step and walkway as you step up to the porch. Everyone looks forward as the walk up steps so this would assure a good view of their approaching face. Not sure what I want to do. Suggestions??? I see that my floodlights have turned the unit back to color rather than B/W. I'm not sure what triggers the color/BW change. Is it the light coming into the lens or is there a light sensor simply inside the glass dome. If a light sensor in the dome I can mask part of the floodlight that may be illuminating the dome. Those of you that know this unit, is there something I should adjust on this camera to improve my nighttime images? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted August 21, 2011 simple solution, just go out there at night and focus it. Any light in the image and it will stay in color .. it uses the video to determine when to switch over, there is no photocell. Looks like plenty of light there though, just out of focus. Those little garden lights normally no nothing for the camera though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birdman Adam 0 Posted August 21, 2011 Wow, yea just go out and focus it in low-light, preferably when it is in B&W. Then you'll be good to go! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nDAlk90 0 Posted August 21, 2011 That camera needs to be refocused during the night. Add a camera for the front door in the door frame by the doorbell not in the door. http://www.seco-larm.com/EV-5105-N1SQ.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electronicbuff 0 Posted August 22, 2011 That camera needs to be refocused during the night. Add a camera for the front door in the door frame by the doorbell not in the door. http://www.seco-larm.com/EV-5105-N1SQ.htm Do you have any video or pics I can see taken from this camera? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nDAlk90 0 Posted August 22, 2011 Sorry I don't have access to one at this time to get you a sample image. That camera needs to be refocused during the night. Add a camera for the front door in the door frame by the doorbell not in the door. http://www.seco-larm.com/EV-5105-N1SQ.htm Do you have any video or pics I can see taken from this camera? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
