Low end Night/Day Camera any good?

[Hazza 0]

Hi guys.

 

Warning. I have only been exposed to CCTV and security camera's, DVR's etc for 7 days LOL so be easy.

 

I am looking at setting up a low end home security system. 4 channel DVR already purchased AVTECH 760, plenty good enough for what I need. Have a couple of internal wireless IR camera's for garage and baby cam (happy with them) and 2 cheap IR externals in the back yard (toy quality compared to what you guys use). For the front I want a low light night/day. I borrowed a box camera which is only 1.5lux minimum illumination to test. No good. Cant see anything after dusk.

 

So finally my question. Will this camera do a decent job?

 

SUNKWANG SK2154AIP/SO Day/Night Colour Camera, 1/3" Sony AU$259.02

Super HAD CCD, 470 TV Lines, 410K pixels, 0.01 LUX (F 1.2) min. illumination, 1/60(50)1/100,000sec. Shutter Speed, 1.0 Vp-p (Composite & Y/C) Video Output, Reverse Polarity Protection, DC 12V Regulated Power Supply required.

 

Again this is probably toy quality compared to what some of you use, but I don't require face recognition etc so its either something around that price (AU$250) or the crappy loaner for AU$100.

 

Also the loaner has a 3.5 - 8mm variable lens manual iris and I am looking for a bit wider angle. Will a 6-15mm be wider than the 3.5 - 8mm?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Doug 0]

the lower the number the wider the angle.

3.5mm is wider than 6mm

 

 

Hi guys.

 

 

Also the loaner has a 3.5 - 8mm variable lens manual iris and I am looking for a bit wider angle. Will a 6-15mm be wider than the 3.5 - 8mm?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Hazza 0]

Ah cheers doug. Lower the number the wider the angle, gotcha. And I think I read a 1/3rd CCD will be wider with the same lens than a 1/4th right?

 

Also can you tell me if the 1/3 CCD and 1/4 CCD lens mounts are the same, for instance a C/CS mount on both those size CCD camera's?

[CollinR 0]

Whever someone wants day/night but doesn't have the budget I sell them BW.

 

You are soo much better off with a quality HR BW then a half ass day/night.

[Hazza 0]

Thanks CollinR. So what would be a comparable BW camera to look out for? I assumed 0.01lux (being a constant) would result in the same quality of picture in the same situation no matter whether colour or BW? Or does 0.01lux in BW mean better than 0.01lux in colour?

 

Whever someone wants day/night but doesn't have the budget I sell them BW.

 

You are soo much better off with a quality HR BW then a half ass day/night.

[CollinR 0]

Whos specs are you reading?

 

GE, Panasonic or cheap chinese OEM.

 

Apples to apples doesn't work with OEM CCTV spec sheets.

[Hazza 0]

Ok gotcha. I love when they state false figures on spec sheets..

 

What would be a entry level BW 0.01lux capable camera that you would recommend?

 

Also can you answer the 1/3 vs 1/4 lens mount question? Whether a C/CS mount is standard for both those sensor sizes?

 

Thankyou for your answers so far.

 

Cheers.

 

Whos specs are you reading?

 

GE, Panasonic or cheap chinese OEM.

 

Apples to apples doesn't work with OEM CCTV spec sheets.

[CollinR 0]

1/3" vs 1/4" is imaging sensor size, generally speaking the bigger the better with 1/2" being pretty much tops for CCTV. C vs CS is dependent on the cameras housing construction however often they provide adapters so either can be used hence C/CS.

 

I would say PM me and I have a decent low cost BW, but since you are in AU it's probably better for you to PM one of the AU regulars (there are a few).

[Hazza 0]

Thankyou Collin.

 

So just clearing my last question up. If I had say a 1/4" ccd box camera and bought a 3.5-8mm auto aperture lens for it, and then I wanted to update to a 1/3" ccd box camera, usually I should be able to use that same lense.

[rory 0]

Thankyou Collin.

 

So just clearing my last question up. If I had say a 1/4" ccd box camera and bought a 3.5-8mm auto aperture lens for it, and then I wanted to update to a 1/3" ccd box camera, usually I should be able to use that same lense.

 

I've never seen a 1/4" Box camera ... and even more difficult to find a 1/4" Varifocal Lens .. so that really depends on which lens you are talking about which will be going on that 1/4" box camera.

[Hazza 0]

rory.

 

Probably my mis-interpretation of a box camera. The loaner I am using is a Swann C-500R, looks like a "box" camera with C/CS lens mount and plenty of adjustments on the back, including auto iris connector etc. Is this the correct interpretation of a box camera?

 

Here are the specs:

 

1/4" Sharp CCD

PAL: 512(H) x 582(V)

NTSC: 512(H) x 492(V)

400TV line

Backlight Compensation On/Off

1.5 Lux/F1.2

3.5 - 8mm Manual Vari Focal Lens

 

So my question is can I use the lens on a 1/3" CCD box camera (eg. the SUNKWANG SK2154AIP/SO) and if I bought a wide angle lens for it, could I use that on a 1/3" CCD box camera?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Thankyou Collin.

 

So just clearing my last question up. If I had say a 1/4" ccd box camera and bought a 3.5-8mm auto aperture lens for it, and then I wanted to update to a 1/3" ccd box camera, usually I should be able to use that same lense.

 

I've never seen a 1/4" Box camera ... and even more difficult to find a 1/4" Varifocal Lens .. so that really depends on which lens you are talking about which will be going on that 1/4" box camera.

[marzsit 0]

rory.

 

Probably my mis-interpretation of a box camera. The loaner I am using is a Swann C-500R, looks like a "box" camera with C/CS lens mount and plenty of adjustments on the back, including auto iris connector etc. Is this the correct interpretation of a box camera?

 

Here are the specs:

 

1/4" Sharp CCD

PAL: 512(H) x 582(V)

NTSC: 512(H) x 492(V)

400TV line

Backlight Compensation On/Off

1.5 Lux/F1.2

3.5 - 8mm Manual Vari Focal Lens

 

So my question is can I use the lens on a 1/3" CCD box camera (eg. the SUNKWANG SK2154AIP/SO) and if I bought a wide angle lens for it, could I use that on a 1/3" CCD box camera?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

yes, you can. the larger sensor will also increase the field-of-view so you might not need a wider angle lens than you already have.

[cctv_down_under 0]

As far as cheap cameras go that Sunkwang camera is a pretty good one, I used to sell a lot of them, they are OEM'D by many other names.

 

The lense issue should not be a problem between 1/4 and 1/3 but not if you have 1/2 then you would get a ring around the picture.

 

I would not sue IR light in a baby's room becasue the human iris can not see IR light and therefore will not close, small LED's do not put out much radiation but I would be mindfull of pointing it at the baby's face.

 

Swan is a little weird with some models so I can not answer if the lense that you would use for your Sunkwang camera would work on it, but any other full body camera should be fine so long as it is not a Video Drive Iris Lense.

 

Dont quote me, but that seems like an old Sunkwang model here is the new ones http://www.digitalsi.com.au/default.aspx?ProductID=10020

http://www.digitalsi.com.au/default.aspx?ProductID=10013

 

The Lux rating will change from colour to B/W as the camera does with B/W mode being lower in Lux

 

Glad to see another local in here.

[Hazza 0]

Thanks for the advice and info mate!

 

You have me worried about the little IR camera in the nursery now. Its quite small with only around 3 metres of IR max, and I have it around 2.5 metres away, higher looking down, focused on the baby's feet but can still see the babies head through the camera. So would this be dangerous you think?

 

So does this model SUNKWANG SK2154AIP/SO have colour and b&w and is it an automatic change from colour mode to b&w when the lux gets low?

 

Just wondering how accurate the 0.01lux rating in the description is.

 

Cheers.

[cctv_down_under 0]

Here is a post I put in about this in the forum about the issue I would say it was safe but personally I would not risk it.

 

I can tell you this, however I am no expert in Infared technology, especially with leds as I have only used Halogen lamps but you may want to know that the human eye can see up to 780nm but in all honesty the sensitivity above 700nm is very weak indeed, so in reality we as humans can see up to 700-715nm.

 

The wavelengths for Infrared are usually above 700nm

 

It is correct that the human iris will stay open in some people (depends on their own sensitivity) because it can not see any light in the dark the iris opens to allow light in, and allowing infrared light in can cause blindness (I am still refering to halogen lamps here), this is only likely to occur when you are very close to the illuminator at night and there is no lighting causing the iris to open.

 

You could hold your hand near the device and feel for heat, because heat is Infrared Radiation.

 

The other thing to consider is the dispersion of the Infrared light..for example a bullet camera may have a narrow dispersion, this allows the light to travel further, but keep in mind a childs room is small and the camera is not as highly mounted as it would be for outside, so is it dangerous to concentrate the light on the baby's face...I would guess so. (Once again still talking about lamps)

 

The 7W, 15W and 50W LED's are not as powerfull as the lamps so I have no idea if they could be damaging but there is another type of infrared used and that is the Infrared Laser Diode and this radiates light into one coherant beam concentrating the light in a small area I would avoid this type of device.

 

Longer Wavelength photons penetrate the CCD more easily and cameras without a cut filter are even more sensitive to it.

 

There are two wavelengths most typically used with Haogen style lamps one starting at 715 nm and one at around 830nm, but visable IR lights are around 830nm.

 

The infrared radiation is not one single frequency, it is a continuous spectrum starting from whichever wavelength you choose.

 

Halogen lamps radiate a lot of heat, but for a kids room it is unlikely that you would ever use one, this is why halogen lamps do not last long because even with heat sinks they still run very hot.

 

I am sorry about not knowing about LED's and I assume they are fairly harmless, but I would not consider any that concentrate the beam on the childs face, if you could find one with a wide spread and make it as far away as possible that would be the safest.

 

LED's are completely different to lamps so I can not answer your question on that.

 

The 2154 has the exview CCD (not a big fan) so the lux rating is correct it also is a true day/night cam with removable cut filter so the lux is not an issue..it wont be as reliable as soe other well known brands but it should last a few years and is a reasonable camera for the price...happy to sell you one LOL