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Low-Power Solar?

P

(PeteCresswell)

Jan 1, 1970
0
Per j:
I think getting HD at low light levels (and large depth of field) is
expensive.

That seems tb the weak point all around. Even that muy-expensive
Sony falls apart badly at low light levels using it's IR. Having
one of the Foscam's IR beam aimed at the same target redeems the
Sony somewhat - let's say from "utterly pathetic" to "marginally
useful".

Here's a clip of one of our foxes with the help of the FosCam:

I have a clip of what is probably the same animal without the
extra IR, but can't find it at the moment. Suffice to say that
it wasn't even possible to tell whether it was a fox or a cat -
except by it's gait/speed.

I'm coming around to what Somebody-Who-Knows said about forgoing
IR in favor of motion-activated flood lights. I'm not there yet
- pending trial of some lights; but it's definitely on the table.

I also fantasize that there might be an additional advantage when
whoever trips the light has that "WTF" moment and looks towards
the light (and camera) for a full face shot. Sort of like the
nipple cam on the nudie calendar in the legendary repair shop.

FWIW, this all started when somebody asked me to set up a surf
cam for a windsurfing shop - so people could check out the
conditions directly instead of having the shop owner's phone ring
every five minutes.

I'm starting to wonder if it's becoming an unhealthy obsession...
-)

OTOH, I'm learning about a subject that many people talk about
glibly but know nothing about.
 
J

j

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm coming around to what Somebody-Who-Knows said about forgoing
IR in favor of motion-activated flood lights. I'm not there yet
- pending trial of some lights; but it's definitely on the table.

Since you are running power out there, have you considered a separate IR
light, may be some of these:

http://www.google.com/products/cata...=4Ac8T6rjDcO2twe7pND-Cg&sqi=2&ved=0CE8Q8wIwAQ

They seem to review well.
I also fantasize that there might be an additional advantage when
whoever trips the light has that "WTF" moment and looks towards
the light (and camera) for a full face shot. Sort of like the
nipple cam on the nudie calendar in the legendary repair shop.

I hadn't heard of that. I have a photographer friend, that was at a well
healed event trying to get his Rollie to focus on this group of tuxed
and well dressed individuals. The girl was getting inpatient, and
finally popped out her tit, pointed at it, and exclaimed "focus on
this". It's a fabulous shot that hangs in my kitchen, everyone looks at it!
FWIW, this all started when somebody asked me to set up a surf
cam for a windsurfing shop - so people could check out the
conditions directly instead of having the shop owner's phone ring
every five minutes.

I'm starting to wonder if it's becoming an unhealthy obsession...
-)

OTOH, I'm learning about a subject that many people talk about
glibly but know nothing about.

It's a plan!

Cheers,
Jeff
 
P

(PeteCresswell)

Jan 1, 1970
0
Per j:
Since you are running power out there, have you considered a separate IR
light, may be some of these:

http://www.google.com/products/cata...=4Ac8T6rjDcO2twe7pND-Cg&sqi=2&ved=0CE8Q8wIwAQ

They seem to review well.

After seeing one guy's Before/After pix with low-end supplemental
IR, I kind of dismissed it. But now that you're saying it
again - and in light of what I'm experiencing with the FosCam's
extra lighting (which has tb about the most el-cheapo possible)
I'm gonna give that a try.

I hadn't heard of that. I have a photographer friend, that was at a well
healed event trying to get his Rollie to focus on this group of tuxed
and well dressed individuals. The girl was getting inpatient, and
finally popped out her tit, pointed at it, and exclaimed "focus on
this". It's a fabulous shot that hangs in my kitchen, everyone looks at it!

Priceless!!
 
J

Jim Wilkins

Jan 1, 1970
0
(PeteCresswell) said:
...
I also fantasize that there might be an additional advantage when
whoever trips the light has that "WTF" moment and looks towards
the light (and camera) for a full face shot....

Maybe, my instinctive reaction to an unexpected bright light at night is to
look away or shield my eyes to protect my night vision. Typically a cat has
tripped a neighbor's floodlights.

A big loud WOOF! makes an animal that doesn't know I'm there stop and look
around.

jsw
 
V

v8z

Jan 1, 1970
0
(PeteCresswell) said:
Per j:

After seeing one guy's Before/After pix with low-end supplemental
IR, I kind of dismissed it. But now that you're saying it
again - and in light of what I'm experiencing with the FosCam's
extra lighting (which has tb about the most el-cheapo possible)
I'm gonna give that a try.

Any incandescent (halogen, xenon, etc. but not LED) light can be converted
inexpensively to an IR illuminator by simply putting a 720nM -920nM filter
over it. I have a 2 d-cell xenon bulb mag-lite flashlite that has a 55mm
diameter 850nM photo filter ($8.00 free shipping on Ebay) attached to over
the lens with electrical tape. It works better than the illuminator that
came with our NV monocular, and all that you see downrange is a very slight,
dull red glow. The same should work for a 12VDC Malibu light.
 
P

(PeteCresswell)

Jan 1, 1970
0
Per v8z:
Any incandescent (halogen, xenon, etc. but not LED) light can be converted
inexpensively to an IR illuminator by simply putting a 720nM -920nM filter
over it. I have a 2 d-cell xenon bulb mag-lite flashlite that has a 55mm
diameter 850nM photo filter ($8.00 free shipping on Ebay) attached to over
the lens with electrical tape. It works better than the illuminator that
came with our NV monocular, and all that you see downrange is a very slight,
dull red glow. The same should work for a 12VDC Malibu light.

That's something of a revelation to me. Thanks!

One of the downsides I keep hearing about motion-triggered floods
is false trips by animals or whatever annoying the neighbors.

The filter approach would appear to mitigate that.
 
J

Jim Wilkins

Jan 1, 1970
0
(PeteCresswell) said:
Per v8z:

That's something of a revelation to me. Thanks!

One of the downsides I keep hearing about motion-triggered floods
is false trips by animals or whatever annoying the neighbors.

The filter approach would appear to mitigate that.

That filter wouldn't help. 720-920 nanometers is just below visible red,
corresponding to the black-body radiation of a very hot soldering iron,
which you can feel but not see. PIR motion detectors respond to intensity
changes in the ~10 micron wavelengths emitted around room and body
temperature. 1000 nm = 1 micron.

Avoiding animal trips takes some careful setup. I haven't because I once
stepped out the door barefoot at night and kicked a skunk that was on the
doormat. It didn't bite or spray.

jsw
 
V

v8z

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim Wilkins said:
That filter wouldn't help. 720-920 nanometers is just below visible red,
corresponding to the black-body radiation of a very hot soldering iron,
which you can feel but not see. PIR motion detectors respond to intensity
changes in the ~10 micron wavelengths emitted around room and body
temperature. 1000 nm = 1 micron.

Avoiding animal trips takes some careful setup. I haven't because I once
stepped out the door barefoot at night and kicked a skunk that was on the
doormat. It didn't bite or spray.

jsw


I think he meant that the motion triggered spot would mitigate animal trip
because the light coming on would not annoy the neighbors since it would
effectively be invisible if the floodlight was covered with a filter.
 
J

Jim Wilkins

Jan 1, 1970
0
v8z said:
...
I think he meant that the motion triggered spot would mitigate animal trip
because the light coming on would not annoy the neighbors since it would
effectively be invisible if the floodlight was covered with a filter.

An IR filter would also make the light useless for you to see what's out
there beyond the camera's limited view. My lights are meant as a deterrent
and if I see a neighbor's go on I look for a prowler.

The HF solar motion light is bright enough to see what's going on or aid a
camera but not nearly enough to be annoying.

jsw
 
P

(PeteCresswell)

Jan 1, 1970
0
Per v8z:
I think he meant that the motion triggered spot would mitigate animal trip
because the light coming on would not annoy the neighbors since it would
effectively be invisible if the floodlight was covered with a filter.

Yes, that's what I meant.

In fact, animal trips are part of the camera's functionality - we
like to keep a handle on what's wandering around out there (and
eating our foliage/fruits/veggies).
 
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