Where I am at so far

[hey_moe 0]

I decided to install a flood light higher up and it corrected the problem at the back door. But on the other two camera at the far corners of the house they still look like doo doo. I noticed when I am standing in front of those camera I have the red eye effect and all and all it's just plain not clear. The photo of me carring the ladder is that CNB you guys suggested. The other ones came with a kit.I want to install a bullet camera at each end of the house with no IR. I don't need IR now because the whole back yard is lite up.

[hey_moe 0]

This is the problem I am having in the front and side of the house. The picture of the front door is also with one of the CBN camera. the one of the side view of the car close up is with a higher end camera but like I said it still not that clear when I am standing beside the car. I also want to install bullet camera there with no IR. I will be installing flood lights at the font of the house also. The sides of the house I am open to suggestions. The DVR is not the problem here. It is the cameras. I am also replacing the PS and lines with better ones. They should arrive either today or tomorrow. I feel once I install the flood light in front of the house it will solve my problem with the CNB camera but the rest will still not look clear to where I can ID the face of someone.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Guest

[hey_moe 0]

Here is two shots of the side of the house but I am not installing flood light on either side. Any suggestions on camera would really help me. I also want to go with bullet camera on the side too. Thanks, Mike

[Mavrik 0]

Looks like the side of the house cams are getting IR flashback from the walls. Point the cams away from the walls.

[hey_moe 0]

I will try that tonight and see if their is any difference. To me I feel I will still need to change the cameras.

Looks like the side of the house cams are getting IR flashback from the walls. Point the cams away from the walls.

[shockwave199 0]

The cnb on cam 7 looks great. The other two back there are just inferior cameras compared, unless a bright light was on in the cnb picture and it's a pitch black in the other two shots. What can be said except to consider upgrading all them to cnb's as well. In the back there, keep in mind that the wider shots will never do all too well for ID purposes. Someone fairly close in front of the cameras, yes. But much past 6' in front of the cameras, no. If all you want is wide overviews, fine. Get cameras that provide the best picture for those wide shots. Far as all your other locations, you really need to balance out your exterior lighting situation. Your front door needs a light by it, your driveway needs a light on it. The sides of your house could use lights- perhaps even motion lights if you don't want lights on all the time there. But your exterior lighting is out of whack. Balance that out and you'll help the cameras help you.

 

You mention ID'ing being the thing. Rightly so. For every picture you take for assessment, you should be in the shot. You can't judge ID or consider the job being done with just nice looking pictures. The only way to know how it looks for ID is to have a person in every shot, walking around the entire field of view. Then you look at that footage and see what you have. That's usually when you realize that for all the pretty pictures, you've ignored the best field of view for the location to cover. So get your exterior lighting better placed to help the cameras give you better looking shots, and then be certain about the field of view that each camera is providing and know that the ones giving you wide shots will mostly miss the mark for ID'ing. A balance between wide overviews and tighter shots on specific areas is usually how it works out for residential. Good luck.

[camera-newbie 0]

Hey Moe.. Which cameras are the CNB's? I know #7 is and some others but I wasn't sure based on your commentary.. Just curious as I'm trying to figure out how many cameras, lights, etc for our place as well..

[mike_va 0]

Perhaps this has been covered but day night cams need to be focused at night. The iris opens up at night, and you'll have the least depth of field (amount in focus). During the day the iris will close, improving depth of field. I use a CNB TDN bullet (WCM-20VF) in one location and disconnected the IR.

 

If the bad pics are the kit cameras, it looks like you might have a few things going on. One being mentioned already wrt flashback. Make sure the glass is still clean, some cheap cameras outgas and cloud the glass. If these do not have split glass this also will not help.

[Soundy 1]

Perhaps this has been covered but day night cams need to be focused at night. The iris opens up at night, and you'll have the least depth of field (amount in focus). During the day the iris will close, improving depth of field.

Just a tip: on many of the CNBs, go into the onscreen menus and switch from DC to ESC - that uses electronic shutter control instead of DC iris control to adjust exposure, and as a result, it opens the iris all the way. Focus with that setting, then toggle it back to DC. Works fine even in bright sunlight

[hey_moe 0]

Thanks I will try that and see what happens. It is calling for rain all day today...lol. I was wondering should you do this in the day time too.

Perhaps this has been covered but day night cams need to be focused at night. The iris opens up at night, and you'll have the least depth of field (amount in focus). During the day the iris will close, improving depth of field.

Just a tip: on many of the CNBs, go into the onscreen menus and switch from DC to ESC - that uses electronic shutter control instead of DC iris control to adjust exposure, and as a result, it opens the iris all the way. Focus with that setting, then toggle it back to DC. Works fine even in bright sunlight