Recommend a PTZ

What is the distance to the target area? 60ft or so?

With such a limited horizontal area I think a PTZ would be a waste of time and expense.
It would have to be parked zoomed to that area to begin with anyway
I would use a 5442 Z4 8-32mm fixed bullet


Here's a View of target area from camera location partially zoomed (different camera).
There are two cameras mounted in this location. One watches over the driveway where we park a vehicle the other focused on ID at the street (the Z4)

Driveway camera





5442 Z4 Distance 60ft to edge of porch, most targets 45-60ft or so (zoomed about 80%)

What BigRed said! Unless you have other reasons for wanting a Ptz

DawsonDownunder said:

Brilliant.
Thanks for that insight. Appreciate the feedback.
The lean to the PTZ was based on the zoom and easily being able to shift the field of view if I wanted to focus on something else.

Click to expand...

I get it.
But it won’t likely work out that way.

When it’s parked to see something else it won’t catch the action on the street unless you use a spotter camera to tell it they’re in the zone, they stop and wait for it to turn, acknowledge the target, and zoom. Assuming that of course that there’s already a predefined preset position there for the PTZ to use for IVS to acknowledge the target.
Think if them as a fixed camera that can turn. It can’t see what it can’t see. Something has to initiate it and tell it “go here” and the “here” has to already have a predefined position (another preset) set on the PTZ to enable the activation using IVS or SMD rules.

PTZs are great to supplement fixed cameras, or for very long distances outside of the capability of standard cameras, but for choke points to capture usable ID type video it’s best to use a zoomed fixed focus camera.

As long as you know that, my only other advise is to look for 4MP with a 1/1.8” sensor. Most cheaper ones under $800 have an inferior 1/2.8 sensor and aren’t great at night.
That said it’s all about light. If you can put enough light on the target at your desired target area, cheaper can work.

Daytime is easy, and a cheap camera will generally do fine.

What does your target area look like at night?

I have 5 but haven’t played with the new ones with built in fixed lenses plus the PTZ. If they can get enough light to the target they may be ok for a scene like yours.?


Pay attention to lens, ignore X zoom number. For that spot you’d want at least 30-40mm of zoom.

A picture from the desired mounting point to the target area will help a lot

(And a distance to target)