Best way to do a PTZ Camera ?

[Oxide.Blu 0]

I’m looking into getting some cameras, looking at the Pelco product line, tho I am not necessarily sold on it. I am thinking maybe I would like 2 of the cameras to be PTZ. Was wondering if it is better to buy a factory made PTZ or to buy a camera and stuff it into a housing and mount that on a PT platform?

[Rooney 0]

It depends on your use.

A pan tilt is good for going approx. 350 degrees unless it is built with full 360 capability. Then you also have to look into the zoom needed and a motorized lens and etc...

A ptz camera takes care of all of that. The only problem with a ptz is a blind spot where it is mounted. If that is not a problem I would go with a PTZ. You can get ptz's with good zoom and low light.

If you need illumintation for low light a pan tilt style setup may be better because you can mount the illumination on the pt. A ptz camera does not allow that.

 

Hope that helps.

[kensplace 0]

A seperate ptz system will probably give you a lot more upgradability, the ability to upgrade the camera, change lenses, add different transmission options, extra lighting etc. Whereas a dome camera will usually be stuck with the lens it came with, the camera it came with and the protocols it came with, and no real options for adding anything to it.

 

The outdoor housings are more robust and it should be cheaper to replace a broken glass/plexi panel on a outdoor housing that it would be to replace a scratched dome cover.

 

Domes will be more discreet, and if up high or using smoked covers no one knows where the camera is looking, compared to a seperate which is big, obvious and obvious where its looking.

 

Many domes use belts, or flimsy gear mechs, so despite costing an arm and a leg will probably drop to bits faster than expected (probably explains why so many turn up on ebay...) whereas a decent pan tilt head is built to carry a lot of weight and uses really heavy duty gearing that lasts years and years.

[VST_Man 1]

take a look at the 10x mini PTZ. They are smaller and provide the same functions as a 18x or higher. I resell & install them and they hold up as good as the more expensive.

 

I've also started playing with 900Mhz radio's that do the data control inplace of the wire...............neat thing is that it works and after you put in the system all you do is add onto it without the wires......just connect the transciever to the PTZ output and the other transciever to the PTZ input...........works great! Range? Piece of cake indoors, and if your looking for 20 - 30 miles it's done via directional antenna.

[Oxide.Blu 0]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I’ve considered what everyone had to offer and decided the best thing for my application is a dome PTZ because of the lower profile/appearance in the neighborhood. I’m just going to have to accept the fact that I may need to replace internal hardware if it wears out. The dome I like is the Pelco Spectra III because it allows me the opportunity to use a low-light camera with a wide dynamic range. I’m trying to avoid IR all together.

 

If there is another enviro (IP66) PTZ dome that I should be considering please let me know the make/model.

 

Thanks again to all for your help!

[jisaac 0]

there has only been one of our clients that have ever opted for a pt positioning system like pelco's esprit series. and that has been the military. They love them.

But no one else wants them. I like them and think they are excellent for observation. But then again I am not the one who is paying for the system. So I dont get much say.