focusing IP cameras

[VST_Man 1]

I have been playing with them and yes they are nice, but, is there any way to focus them besides using good ole eyes and cell phones? IP cameras do not provide any help to the installers. No monitor output! ten steps forward in quality and 2 steps back in common sense.

 

You'd think that the technology of today would support a monitor port and an electronic software focus meter?

 

And, it seems that the Mega IP cams have more play in the focus adjustment than analog cameras. ie. touch the focus ring on a analog and your pic changes rapidly. IP camera takes a good twist of the lense to get it to change as much.

[InNorthernWeTrust 0]

I have been playing with them and yes they are nice, but, is there any way to focus them besides using good ole eyes and cell phones? IP cameras do not provide any help to the installers. No monitor output! ten steps forward in quality and 2 steps back in common sense.

 

You'd think that the technology of today would support a monitor port and an electronic software focus meter?

 

And, it seems that the Mega IP cams have more play in the focus adjustment than analog cameras. ie. touch the focus ring on a analog and your pic changes rapidly. IP camera takes a good twist of the lense to get it to change as much.

 

Not sure about the electronic focus meter, but several Panasonic IP cameras have analog monitor outputs, Every ACTi and Toshiba camera does. I'm not sure but I believe the Covi cameras do as well.

[mfennell 0]

I have been playing with them and yes they are nice, but, is there any way to focus them besides using good ole eyes and cell phones? IP cameras do not provide any help to the installers. No monitor output! ten steps forward in quality and 2 steps back in common sense.

 

You'd think that the technology of today would support a monitor port and an electronic software focus meter?

 

And, it seems that the Mega IP cams have more play in the focus adjustment than analog cameras. ie. touch the focus ring on a analog and your pic changes rapidly. IP camera takes a good twist of the lense to get it to change as much.

 

Not sure about the electronic focus meter, but several Panasonic IP cameras have analog monitor outputs, Every ACTi and Toshiba camera does. I'm not sure but I believe the Covi cameras do as well.

 

You are correct about CoVi

 

Are you at the Rocklin location?

[InNorthernWeTrust 0]

 

Are you at the Rocklin location?

 

Used to be. I was one of the volunteers to beef up our sales staff in the NJ branch.

[dtonsberg 0]

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to helping you set-up an IP Network camera that does not have a BNC analog or other analog output. I would recommend the Ultra Portable laptops for service and install of these type of devices.

Some of the brands that have the features that you want and need are already mentioned here and other include Sony and Axis.

[skane 0]

I've been using a laptop hooked into network with a WAP. Other option is to use crossover cable and laptop. The res on my laptop is only 1440x900 but it suffices... a 1920+ res screen would be nice : ). To fine-tune focus with the Arecont, I software-zoom in to an area in the desired engagement distance, with good edge detail, then "top off" the focus.

[KB 0]

Some manufacturers make this easy. Axis, for instance, have software for a PDA called Axis Installation Monitor, which makes focusing as easy as following a slider bar on the screen. If you can connect the PDA to the camera either through the network, wireless, or with an ethernet card and crossover cable, you can move the lens levers until the software says stop. It works pretty well. though, if you don't have the software and have stayed with the lenses they supply (on some cams), focusing can be a tricky business.