Outdoor IP camera needed

[sprdave 0]

Looking for an inexpensive outdoor IP camera. For a campground so they can see a bit what's going on, when people arrive/leave, etc.

 

We are looking at mounting it on a building 20 feet up, so by the time the view angles out/down, it's got to see people 50 to 100 feet away. Minimum view required is 60 degrees but 90 degrees would be nicer, or 120 even better. And it has to work at night, but the yard is lit up with yard lights (not where the camera would be but below), so Im not sure how important IR is??

 

Suggestions?

[Soundy 1]

I can think of a couple that might suit your needs, but it will really depend on what you're prepared to spend.

[sprdave 0]

We were hoping in the $100-200 range..............

[voip-ninja 0]

We were hoping in the $100-200 range..............

 

You might want to reconsider that price range... or, just get an analog camera.

[sprdave 0]

Im looking at a Foscam that's around $100....not sure if it would do the trick, the viewing angle is barely enough...would have to do if it was the only choice.

 

How would they view an analog camera over the wireless network? Is there some converter that could be used?

[Soundy 1]

The problem with most cameras in that price range is, they really suck with low light, and at the range you're talking about, the IR on most will be too weak (DON'T believe the advertising claims).

 

The Dahua ESIPMP3-1 box cam is pretty good with low light, especially for its price (at $400), but would need an environmental enclosure to be mounted outdoors.

[sprdave 0]

Is the IR needed if the area is lit up with yard lights?

 

If the camera could pan (remotely), it could be low to the ground, kind of in the middle of the area viewed.

[Soundy 1]

Is the IR needed if the area is lit up with yard lights?

Not if the camera does well with low light... but keep in mind, even if the yard lights seem bright to you, many cameras will still have a problem with clear images. IP cameras in the price range you're talking about for the most part do very poorly with low light of any kind, and will try to compensate for it by adding IR LEDs (think of it as shining an LED flashlight at your subject, except it's light just outside the range of human vision, rather than white light). And the problem with those, then, is that they tend to exaggerate the actual effective range of the IR illumination.

 

If the camera could pan (remotely), it could be low to the ground, kind of in the middle of the area viewed.

That gets a LOT more expensive...

[MaxIcon 0]

Even with decent lighting, I like IR, as it helps fill in the lighting, depending on your setup. Built-in IR works in the direction the camera is pointing, which isn't always the area you want illuminated, but it does add some flexibility.

 

The downside of built-in IR is that many cameras provide a fine framework for spiders to build their webs on, and the webs light up very brightly, due to how close they are to the lens and IR source. It just takes a moment to knock them down if someone's there, or bug repellents mounted around the camera can help avoid this.

 

I've tried quite a few outdoor IR cams at the lower-mid price range, and my favorite so far is the Vivotek IP8332, which is about $300. Nice daytime and decent daytime images, easy to mount, solid enclosure, 1MP resolution which will give a lot more detail than the 640x480 of less expensive cameras like the Foscams, and solid software that's reliable, easy to set up, and is updated with regularity.

 

Downsides are mediocre night image detail (but still fine for checking out what's going on), the IR doesn't fill the entire field of view at night (not so much of an issue with extra lighting).

 

There's also a dome version, the FD8132, for a bit less, but some people have trouble with IR reflections from the dome.

 

I don't know of any 1MP outdoor cams with IR that give similar performance for under $300, but that field is advancing rapidly.

 

ETA: Field of view is 56 degrees horizontally, but this could be increased with a $20 board lens swap. This will extend the image area even further beyond the IR spot, though.

[bike_rider 0]

On the 8332, can you disable the on board IR? I have off-camera IR, so I could do without the bug attracting LEDs.

[MaxIcon 0]

Yes, you can disable it.

[Walteryubo 0]

http://www.farstarsec.com/productn.asp?ArticleID=1679

 

this is a good choice!

[Soundy 1]

http://www.farstarsec.com/productn.asp?ArticleID=1679

 

this is a good choice!

[buellwinkle 0]

The yard light will help a lot with making the scene look pretty, too bad people have to get in the way between the camera and the lights rendering them useless for seeing people as more than silhouettes.

 

You don't need IR light as long as you have some direct white light, maybe a couple of 150W sodium lights aimed at the areas you want to record.

 

There are very few cameras with built in IR illuminators that can hit that range you want, 100' with enough light. The closest is the ACTi TCM-7811 with a claimed 40m range, but reality is, companies rate their IR range based on slow shutter speed, so I usually use half the rated range.

 

But say you get inexpensive camera, $100-200, instead of the sodium lights, you can add an $800 illuminator to make it work, at least you'll stay within the camera budget A Raytec RM50 should cover that area or maybe an Extreme UF500.