Looking for home IP/Megapixel camera suggestions

[Brent1971 0]

I'd like to get a megapixel camera and more later. This video impressed me except the other video showing night images were not clear. But it is very informative. Too bad I cant find that camera sold anywhere to see the price. Also Vivotek seems to be a liked brand here.

 

One other thing I would like a megapixel ip camera not to be obvious. Right now I have an analog system with small "lipstick" cameras sticking through small holes outside the premises, very discrete. Not sure how well I can hide an IP MP camera but def do NOT need IR illuminators fattening up the front. A more normal lens can be stuck through the wall facing out in many places like what I have now, and that would be great.

 

So any advice is great.

THIS is a great video and daytime performance like this especially on mocing objects would be great. (But the same cam doesnt look as well in the dark)

 

And THIS image would be a GREAT night image, not sure which camera this is:

images/imported/2012/07/197853_1.jpg

 

 

Any advice appreciated.

[buellwinkle 0]

If you want discrete, stick to a dome camera. They are ubiquitous and many people don't even notice they are there. As for built in illuminators or not, that doesn't really add to the size of the dome and the more megapixels you have, the more light you need at night. Without illuminators, we use Mobotix D14 DNights, a very nice dome with excellent low light performance using a dedicated b&w sensor for night use and a color sensor for day use. Has the NVR solution built into the camera, so no need for an NVR so while it may appear expensive, it can be cost effective.

 

At a lower cost are the Axis P33 series domes, ACTi makes nice domes as well as Brickcom and IQEye in the mid-tier. Dahua on the lower end seems popular, currently testing their bullet but their domes without illuminators are small & inexpensive. Also OpenEye on the very low end, the CM-710 has good performance, but don't get their CM-715 as it's really bad.

[voip-ninja 0]

Buellwinkle, do you have any example videos of Mobotix D14 night time performance? Is there an off-the-shelf model that has 3.3 or wider lenses for both day and night mode?

[buellwinkle 0]

Look at my review on the M12, the D14 performance at night is the same. They measure lenses in 35mm film camera equivalents, so you are better off comparing viewing angle instead of lens size. The images on my blog were the widest available for an M12 or 22mm lens and that's so wide, you can see the edges of the camera. They do have an 11mm lens which their widest and I believe it has a 180 degree viewing angle, the 22mm is a 90 degree viewing angle. What I've done at one location is use their 180 model that makes a 180 degree image using two 90 degree lenses and you can record them seperately or as one image. We use it with 2 B&W sensors to cover a wide pool area giving us 2.5MP combined.

 

What makes them awesome is the dedicated b&w sensor that provides crisp sharp contrasty b&w images that you can't just get from a color sensor in b&w night mode.

[voip-ninja 0]

Thanks Buellwinkle, very interesting stuff. I would still like to see motion video at night because that is almost always where cameras fall down, especially if lighting is poor.

 

Considering the high cost of Mobotix I might still be better off waiting for the next round of AXIS P33 series fixed domes that will have high quality adjustable spread illuminators, I expect that we will see the 720P one going for $800 by the end of the year.

 

You did write one thing that I thought was confusing, that you used Mobotix with dual B/W sensor to cover the pool area, but in your blog review the daytime image is definitely in color.

[buellwinkle 0]

Different community, different layout, different model cameras, M12 vs. D12-180.