Long Range LPR Camera?

[blounsbury]

Hi folks,

I'm having a hard time finding a LPR that fits my needs that is <$1300. Hoping folks here may be able to help.

My house is on a cul-de-sac and the ideal place for me to capture license plates is at the entrance since that lets me capture incoming and outgoing vehicles. Capturing infront of my house or near by will be really challenging because my house is set back 40-45ft from the street, so capturing near the house would mean very large angles. The closest I can capture is at 110ft (25 degree angle). Other options are 150ft (17.5 degree angle), 175ft (15 degree angle), and 200ft (13 degree angle, end of street). Ideally I'd like to capture at 200ft and I'd really like to avoid capturing at 110ft (wider angle and possible interference from neighbors parking).

What options are out there that can capture day and night at 40 mph (or higher) we have some stupid ass neighbors, and anyone committing a crime will have ample time to get up to this speed or higher as they make a run down the road since im the second house in the cul de sac and im 200ft from the end of it.

I have a unifi protect system, and their LPR is good for like 50 feet max. I'd put an AI port in place to do the LPR work. I've only found the Axis Communications Q1800-LE ($1900) and the older Q1700-LE ($1300) which have a range of 50m or 100m with an optional IR Illuminator.

Any other suggestions before I pull the trigger on a Q1700-LE?

 

[wittaj]

People us the $280 Z12E for those distance ranges.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E-Starlight-Network-English/dp/B07RJQT9NB?th=1

It won't read plates, but if you have Unifi doing that, you don't need to pay for a camera with ALPR capabilities.

At night, we have to run a very fast shutter speed (1/2,000) and in B/W with IR and the image will be black. All you will see are head/tail lights and the plate. Some people can get away with color if they have enough street lights, but most of us cannot. Here is a representative sample of plates I get at night of vehicles traveling about 45MPH at 175 feet at a less than ideal angle from my 2MP 5241-Z12E camera (that is all that is needed for plates):

 

[blounsbury]

People us the $280 Z12E for those distance ranges.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E-Starlight-Network-English/dp/B07RJQT9NB?th=1

It won't read plates, but if you have Unifi doing that, you don't need to pay for a camera with ALPR capabilities.

At night, we have to run a very fast shutter speed (1/2,000) and in B/W with IR and the image will be black. All you will see are head/tail lights and the plate. Some people can get away with color if they have enough street lights, but most of us cannot. Here is a representative sample of plates I get at night of vehicles traveling about 45MPH at 175 feet at a less than ideal angle from my 2MP 5241-Z12E camera (that is all that is needed for plates):

Super helpful! I don't need a camera to do the ALPR since Unifi will do it, but I thought I needed an LPR camera to get the required amount of zoom and IR illumination. I'll give the Loryta a shot, and if I'm happy with it I'll use it, and if not I'll return it.

Did you add an external IR light or is that with the light that is part of the Z12E.

 

[wittaj]

The Z12E is the camera of choice by most here. Tons of examples in this LPR subforum of the capabilities of this camera. This camera is a Dahua OEM.

You simply need a camera with the right amount of zoom and the Z12E at 60mm comfortably gets 150ish - some have stretched it to 220 feet with additional IR.

Mine is without additional IR and it is a dark street. This is an older Z12E. Some have said the newer one isn't as strong, but even if you needed to add an external IR it is still cheaper than you were looking at.

You can see the less than ideal angle of mine in this day shot:

 

[bigredfish]

Z12E - 120ft

 

[wittaj]

Here is a refurb for $190. I have bought many this way and usually the camera was untouched - like the person got the box and said wow this is big and returned.

EmpireTech Refurbished IPC-B52IR-Z12E-S2 1/2.8" CMOS 2MP Ultra Low Lig

2MP 1/2.8" CMOS image sensor Built-in IR LED, the max. illumination distance is 150 m Deep learning algorithm Built-in MIC IP67 and IK10 protection Smart Motion Detection 3.0

empiretech01.com

 

[Valiant]

wow this is big and returned.

 

[Valiant]

funny reason to return!

 

[wittaj]

^many of these people are use to arlo and wyze size lol

 

[iwanttosee]

If you decide with Axis, either Q18xx-LE or Q17xx-LE series will serve you well. I use 6-7 year old Q1785-LEs for LPR purposes. The below camera is mounted about 100 ft from the location where the picture is being captured.

I use paid BlueIris, free CodeProject.AI and free ALPR database to collect the license plate info.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/358325881813

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336369271086

 

[bigredfish]

Why spend 3-4X the money?