Site Survey Camera

[cctv_down_under 0]

I want to do site surveys with a digital camera, I would like to take actual shots of what the customer will see by setting a digital camera to the lens adjustment on the zoom lens that would be the same as what the CCTV camera would see.

 

I know that the CCD size will affect the angles differently, but would it be fair to say that if I stick to 1/3" CCTV cameras and a 1/3" Digital SLR that the measurements would be the same and the same angle of view would be the same, I can adjust resolution to as close as I can to get TV Lines however the compression mechanism will obviously be different.

 

Basically I want to be able to simply take shots from the SLR up the ladder and put them into a proposal, then once accepted fire the information off to the installer so he knows what he is looking to install and what he needs to see from each camera.

 

I welcome your thoughts??

[securitymonster 0]

I thought about this too but I think you will have to get way too involved. Instead, use visio to layout the bid, then using a lens calculator, draw your triangle to simulate the field of view. This is all assuming your drawing is to scale. Then at that point, create an event on that triangle, so when you click on it, you get a "general" digital picture of what you will be covering.

 

I about promise you that most of the time if you show a "general" picture of what you will see and a very very accurate picture of what you will see that the customer wont remember the difference. But most important, you are capturing wha the customer truly wants to capture.

 

note: Sorry, I kinda jumped the gun and responded before reading the last paragraph. I see your point there, but thats still alot of work for a digital picture. Let the customer tell you want he generally wants and then you as the security professional can "set" the camera.

[cctv_down_under 0]

I actually need the images to put into our proposals, so they have to be able to see EXACTLY what the CCTV camera can see, we eould like to say "this is what you will see" obviously taking into consideration compression etc

[Jasper 0]

I tried taking some pictures with a digital camera last night to illustrate the different views available.

 

But after taking the camera up a ladder and recording some video I realized that the camera with a wide angle lens was seeing much more than what the digital photograph showed.

 

So without having a digital camera that has the ability to change lenses that coincide with your CCTV lens the preview shot won't be accurate.

[cctv_down_under 0]

That was my point, however there is even more to consider, for example a 8mm on a 1/3' ccd, will have a different angle to a 8mm on a 1/2" ccd etc etc, I also wondered if there was anything else to take into consideration?

[rory 0]

Wont work, unless you put the camera at tje exact location where the actual camera will be mounted.

 

I use a Viewfinder and they have to take my word .. they can look through the viewinder as im doing the quote.

[Jasper 0]

That was my point basically. It won't work. You need a viewfinder, spot monitor or hold the camera in the position of mounting in order to see the true view.

 

If you feel the value of the picture to be a good selling point then just note on the proposal that these are approximate views. Having a viewfinder sound like the best solution and describe the scene as Rory said.

 

 

Rory is your viewfinder that adjustable to take into consideration sensor sizes and lens differences?

[rory 0]

yes, well its the Ganz one ..

[jisaac 0]

i would not do the picture thing and say this is what you will see. Because you are going to get some azzhole that will not see a corner that may have been in the picture and make a fuss about not providing what you said. And how about factors that you run into during the install you did not know where there? What if for some reason you had to mount the camera 6 feet down? What if there was a reflection at 7:33 pm until 8:22 pm that you did nnot know about? I would do the visio as previously stated. Works great.

[cctv_down_under 0]

I agree with most points, I know I stated that I wanted to say "this is what you get" but I don't actually want to do it if it can be avoided, I guess the problem is that for wide angle views on the proposal I currently have to merge images which is not ideal, and niether is having a caption saying "this will be wider than shown", I thought of a pole with a cs mount built in that was extendable and a camera with the ability to have a remote on a lead.

 

I would say I am still going to try it, so any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[RVRBOY420007 0]

ounds like alot more work then its worth. The visio thing wotkd good and if you are stiil worried get a vf lens that will compensate either way.