CCTVCam
Known around here
- Sep 25, 2017
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As you know, they already made it in the Sony SNC-VB770IP camera with a 35mm sensor as per this test by a retailer:
I'm sure BP remembers this and that a member used to have one on here. The trouble was it was over $6,500 from memory for body alone & then required a 35mm lens, housing with heater, bracket etc running the bill up to around $10K by the time it was installed. It didn't seem to last very long in the line up from what I remember, probably due to the cost & consequential low sales?
That said, there have always been alternatives, subject to Sony being willing to do a reasonably priced deal for outdated equipment to cctv manufacturers eg. the Sony A7iii sensor and processor, legendary at night and Sony is now onto the A7 V, so it's 2 generations old. Surely if Sony eg. were concerned about them finding their way into someone else's DSLR's they could physically hardware disable some features on chip not needed for CCTV such as stills capture or the most complex metering aspects eg 1,200 zones down to 200 or some thing similar etc? Surely a kit lens could be arranged for cheap, after all CCTV only needs consumer grade lenses although with a 35mm mount, it would leave it open for users to upgrade. I envisage such a camera wouldn't be cheap but I think users might pay $400-450 for such a camera and with sensor development costs paid for, surely manufacturing isn't that epensive using existing lines?
Another alternative would be a 1inch sensor as used in some action cameras or phones. Yep you're losing a lot compared to 35mm, but everything else supporting it eg lenses becomes cheaper.
DJI managed to put a Hassleblad designed 1inch sensor & lens on their Air 3S drone which now retails for $1k. That sounds a lot but you have to remember that's the whole drone plus controller plus 2nd Hasslebad lens and sensor for that money as it has 2 cameras! Strip away the costs associated with the drone, controller, a 2nd camera etc and the camera shouldn't look too expesnisve on it's own and the quality of sensor board plus Hasslebad lens looks amzing, watch this review here:
Overview starts about the camera at 39 secs and goes straight into full blown camera analysis after that point. Well worth a watch as it's amazing at 1st glance.
The problem to me seems to be the industry either doesn't appear that interested in making huge changes or maybe there's some availability / prices issues from the low light sensor manufacturers. Either way, as others have noted, the rate of change in CCTV is very slow. I always remember though what I was told in relation to hifi, put crap in, get crap out. You're always limited by your input and with cameras that's the sensor / processor package. A high qaulity lens as seen on the Air3S shows it can make a real difference. That said the ultimate limitation is always that you can't improve what isn't there in the 1st place.
Sounds like a housewives thread! I'd like to see what 4k sensor allows you to zoom right into any part of the frame because most on here have Dahua or Hik who produce arguably the best mainstream CCTV cameras, and the background pixel detail is often representative at best (compression profile?). Even a couple of x zoom and often the definition detail isn't there.
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jk
