Fake "Motion Detector" cam - for Babycam - low lux

[RichTJ99 0]

Hi,

 

I currently have a 3.6mm camera for my baby room. The baby was born a few days ago (been pretty busy). We had him in his crib for a bit to see how it looked with a baby moving around. The 3.6mm camera is just to wide angled for the view I want (not quite close enough).

 

I would like it to be semi hidden as it blends nicely now. I want to find a 5mm+ fake motion detector camera that has a low lux rating.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Right now, the camera has to much of the whole room. Later (when he is older), I can work on focusing somewhere else on the room. Now, I want a close up view.

 

Here is what I have now (spec wise):

 

Image sensor

1/3â€

[rory 0]

Hi, cheapest thing would be to just change the lens.

You can look for fixed micro lenses, probably something like an 6 or 8mm lens ..

[RichTJ99 0]

Is it hard to change a lense?

 

Any ideas if IR light aimed at the human eye can hurt it (specifically babies)?

[rory 0]

it hurts my eyes, but im a special case

 

If it were my baby. I would disable the IR ..

 

No its easy . .. if thats a bullet camera (?)

Just turn the lens cover until it comes off ..

The lens may have a small screw holding it, get a tiny glasses like screw driver to release the lens .. one of those really tiny straight screw drivers .. they come in kits or as one. Loosen the lens and replace it with the new one ..

 

It will require some basic focusing also. Plug it into a TV to focus if you currently use a PC DVR, as the PC monitor wont work as well.

[RichTJ99 0]

Hrmm, OK no IR then

 

I am using a PIR "motion detector" camera so I am not sure if it will fit.

 

The white matches the train set that is running on the ceiling

[rory 0]

ok (had to remove link due to the rules and stuff )

 

Yeah it might use a pinhole lens ..

might want to check with them first ..

they may actually sell replacement lenses ..

[RichTJ99 0]

I was looking at a PIR at another site (I think a sponsor):

 

5mm

.3 lux (or 3 lux is that the same thing)?

380 lines

 

My camera:

 

3.6mm

.1 lux (or is that 1 lux)?

420 lines

 

I am not exactly sure what the best way to go is for that?

 

I cant seem to find a replacement lense that looks like it would fit at all. All the square cameras seem to be 3.6mm.

 

With the quality of that photo, what do you think is a better idea? The lights are typically dim in the room.

[rory 0]

Well they are probably more like 1 lux and 3 lux, 3 lux being typical for the pinhole lenses. But it could differ .. either way dont believe the hype, no matter what lux rating a manufacturer says a camera is it rarely is actually that, especially the OEM cameras, but not just limited to them.

 

The color seems to be off on this one, for some reason that is strange as it is only color, and should have an IR cut Filter. Maybe its just the image uploaded?

 

going by the 2 specs you posted, i doubt there is really much of a difference, as the OEMs typically overrate their lux ratings anyway. 380-420 .. they are probably both the same .. if you want quality levels best to check the actual active Images or Pixels; unfortunately once again, that is rare for OEMs to provide that info (though your existing one actually does). NTSC:510(H)*492(V) is around the same as 380TVL.

 

Being your existing lens is 1/3", you should have no problem finding that one. I have a few here as it is, as with brands like GE you get a kit which includes multiple lenses. Even if you can ask them if they have any damaged cameras, you can take the lens off those.

 

main thing is to find out if it is a pinhole or regular lens.

Can you post a photo of the guts? That would help.

 

Your specs also says 1.0 lux which means it is more than likely just a normal 1/3" fixed "micro" lens.

 

Rory

[RichTJ99 0]

Heres two shots from my cell phone (kinda crappy looking). Any ideas what I could buy to replace the 3.6 with?

[rory 0]

okay thats better .. its a conical pinhole lens (as opposed to a flat one)

 

Ill check real quick and see what i can find out.

 

Eg Conical Pinhole lens.

http://images.google.com/images?q=conical%20pinhole%20lens&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

 

Eg. flat Pinhole Lens

http://images.google.com/images?q=flat+pinhole+lens&btnG=Search&svnum=10&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial

[rory 0]

Ok you will be looking for D-Mount Micro Lenses for Board Cameras .. specifically Conical Pinhole Lenses.

 

The suppliers typically don't seem to list these, best to just ask them via email. I would start with our advertisers and of course your original supplier.

 

If it was a normal lens (non pinhole) it might be a little easier, though im sure they all will have a selection of both.

[RichTJ99 0]

Rory,

 

As I was looking around at the sponsor websites, I started to think a whole new PIR would be OK too. It would leave me with a spare camera (thats ok with me).

 

What do you think of these: (sponsor links - I hope thats OK):

 

1/4" COLOR PIR CAMERA 330 LINES 5.5MM 12VDC 2.0 LUX ELECTRONIC SHUTTER:1/100,000 SEC OPTION OF FUNCTIONING OR NON FUNCTIONING PIR"

 

or

 

ati247

(says 4.9mm to 3.7)

 

480 TV Lines Resolution

• 1/3" Color CCD

• 3.7mm Lens

• DC 12-Volt

 

Or this one:

 

GE PN-950 Series Color PIR Camera - Nonfunctional PIR

PIR camera (nonfunctional PIR), color 1/3" CCD, 380 TVL, 3 lux, 12VDC

PN-950-P5 : PIR camera (nonfunctional PIR), color 1/3" CCD, 380 TVL, 3 lux, 5 mm pinhole lens

---- is this .3 lux or 3 lux (not sure on the terms)?

[rory 0]

Nah sorry no links even if its the sponsors ..

sorry i dont make the rules

 

All i need is the non stop PMs from the other dealers ..

 

I took a look though, the first one, its a lower resolutiuon camera overall ..

though it does have the zoom you want ,, that 5.5 1/4" is more like 8mm 1/3".

 

The second one is actually higher resolution .. not sure that makes a diff really with these OEM cameras .. but it is wide angle again.

 

thing is. the OEMs are the only ones that have motions with lower lux color cameras, just need to find one with the lens you need now ..

[RichTJ99 0]

Sorry about those links

 

Anyway, if you have a suggestion for a whole new camera, that would be appreciated. I would go the route of replacing the lense, but I like having a spare camera anyway. Plus I seem to love to buy things multiple times

 

I cant seem to find the motion detector cameras that will look good & have a tighter picture.

 

That second camera at 3.7mm vs 3.6mm I cant imagine it would have much of a 'zoom' difference.

 

The third one in my list might work too? Or was that one junky?

 

Thanks

Rich

[rory 0]

yeah the 3.7 would be just about the same ..

I have a project to complete for tomorrow so i will be (am) tied up.

Otherwise tomorrow night or the next day I will be able to check back ..

 

Sorry didnt see the GE cams ..

They are great looking cameras, and they are made from real motions ..

but they suck at lux levels ... In other words you would need the B/W version.

Ive used their Color versions so thats why i know ..

I do love them other than their lower lux capabilities.

Basically their color version needs alot of light.

 

Rory

[jisaac 0]

i dont think that ir can hurt your eyes because ir light is all around us all the time. we just dont see it. so how can it hurt your eyes?

[RichTJ99 0]

Ok you will be looking for D-Mount Micro Lenses for Board Cameras .. specifically Conical Pinhole Lenses.

 

The suppliers typically don't seem to list these, best to just ask them via email. I would start with our advertisers and of course your original supplier.

 

If it was a normal lens (non pinhole) it might be a little easier, though im sure they all will have a selection of both.

 

Rory,

 

Can I use a flat lense with a PIR or do I need to use the conical pinhole lense? I keep seeing over & over the only size conical lense is 3.6mm. There ar other flat lenses though.

 

Rich

[RichTJ99 0]

Sorry didnt see the GE cams ..

They are great looking cameras, and they are made from real motions ..

but they suck at lux levels ... In other words you would need the B/W version.

 

Hrmm, well I definately need color so I will hang tight for a recommendation from ya!

[rory 0]

i dont think that ir can hurt your eyes because ir light is all around us all the time. we just dont see it. so how can it hurt your eyes?

 

If you look at the sun, it hurts your eyes .. same thing just on a smaller level.

If the kid is staring at the IR leds for some time ... it just may. Remember you cant see the brightness from the IR as you can the sun. But being the camera has such a small amount of IR it probably wont matter.

 

Also, IR that has significantly hurt , perhaps even damaged my eyes , came from the extreme gear but they are much stronger. I ended up wearing sunglasses at night while adjusting the IR.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Guest

[RichTJ99 0]

is there a difference between a 1/4 3.6mm lense & a 1/3 3.6mm lense?

 

It looks like I am pretty much stuck with 3.6mm, as most vendors I spoke to today said you couldnt put anything larger. All the board cameras look to be 3.6 or 3.7mm.

 

Bummer but maybe trying a 480 line 3.6mm would be a bit better?

[rory 0]

the 1/3" version would be wider.

[RichTJ99 0]

So if I am looking for a closer zoom view, the 1/4 camera at 3.6mm would be a slight increase from the 1/3 3.6mm camera?

 

I wonder if its worth the price for an upgrade. To bad about that GE 5.5mm camera & the darkness.

[rory 0]

Yea, but it wouldnt be a huge difference in zoom. But there will be a slight bit.

 

Yeah i dont know why GE uses such nice real detector housings, but use the crappy cameras in them ..

 

Alternatively you could make your own ...

[RichTJ99 0]

Rory,

 

I had some help today from one of the sponsors (or i think he is a sponsor). One camera that was suggested was a Weldex PIR.

 

This has the following specs

1/4 CCD Color

5mm

420 lines

.3 lux (this seems to good to be true, way less than 1.0 lux)

 

Model WDP-900C

 

This might be the winner.

 

Here is a question, what is the angle of a 1/4 5mm lense vs a 1/3 3.6mm lense?

 

Thanks,

Rich

[rory 0]

http://www.chubbsecure.ca/Pdf/Camera_Weldex_PIR_camera.pdf

 

says 4.3mm lens .. thats like a 5.5mm 1/3" probably.

 

3.6mm 1/3" is much wider.