High resolution webcam for indoor and outdoor

[Andrea]

Hi all,
I'm looking for a high-res webcam (1600x1200 sensor resolution) usable
either in outdoor light condition (daylight and low-light), capable of
focus also at low distances (nearly 3-5cm). I need to control it
programmatically to take timed captures, so I prefer a device capable
of self exposure adaptation. I've tried a KeyTeck 5MP webcam, but it
provides a manual setting for outdoor conditions and it doesn't
mantain settings between two enabling (and I need to enable and
disable them each time).
Can anyone suggest me a device that fits my requirements? Has anyone
used something similar?

Thanks all

Andrea

[kim]

Best bet as far as I can see is probably an older digital still camera
that can be contolled by a computer. I used to use an Olympus C720 3MP
as a webcam, automatically taking an image every two minutes (and
uploading it to the web...although this is optional). The time can be
changed to almost whatever interval you like.
All functions can be controlled by the computer via special software
including shutter speed, apeture, focus distance, ISO, flash, WB, etc.
Because the camera settings were stored in the software, it didn't
matter if you turned the cameras power off because the next time you ran
the software it sent the settings to the camera.
However not all cameras are capable of being controlled this way and of
all the ones that are, not all are supported by 3rd party software.
The software I used was VM95 (free) from erdman video systems
( http://www.video-monitoring.com/ )
Their software is for Olympus cameras. A full list of suppported cameras
is on their website. Note that their software is not the easiest to
setup but works very well once it is setup. I used it for about 2 years
uploading images every 2 minutes, every day for about 12 hours per day.
They have a forum on their site to help you if needed. It will control
cameras up to 8MP.
Older Olympus cameras can be picked up quite cheaply on Ebay
Some Canon cameras can also be controlled in this way. Breeze Systems
have software to control some Canon Powershots, Canon DSLRs and some
Nikon Cameras
(D90, D5000, D300, D700, D3 and D200)
A list of other software for various cameras can be found here:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/digsoftware_cameractrl.html
The Breeze software is not free (http://www.breezesys.com/index.htm). I
have used their PSRemote software to control a Canon A70. I only stopped
using it because it didn't have an in built FTP client (which I wanted),
and I had to rely on another program (Auto FTP Pro) to upload the image.
Pinetree computing also have software for Olympus cameras and provided
you don't want an image larger than 640x480 it can be used for free.
http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl.asp
Once again, remember that not all cameras can be totally controlled by
the computer (this is due to the cameras firmware, not the software), so
if you are going to look into this, make sure you select as camera that
can be contolled.

[Andrea]

> you don't want an image larger than 640x480 it can be used for free.http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl.asp

> Once again, remember that not all cameras can be totally controlled by
> the computer (this is due to the cameras firmware, not the software), so
> if you are going to look into this, make sure you select as camera that
> can be contolled.

Thanks for your reply. You are right and your solution is problably
the best, but I need to monitor at the same time different views (at
least 3), and this explains because I've adopted webcams.
So my question remains unanswered.

[terryc]

On Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:36:31 -0700, Andrea wrote:

> Thanks for your reply. You are right and your solution is problably the
> best, but I need to monitor at the same time different views (at least
> 3), and this explains because I've adopted webcams. So my question
> remains unanswered.

You can not get wehat you want from crappy webcams. nor can you get it
from generic cameras as widely used in the security industry** . You are
going to have to use retail cameras that can be controlled from a
computer as probably the most economic.

** security cams may have advanced since last time I looked at them
(about 10 years ago). What these allow you to do is buy the body, then
the lense for the width f view and distance needed, plus a wide range of
weather proof containers.

There is a better solution under linux called motion(?) that will only
capture if a threshold percentage change is reach, say 5-10%, then it
will capture a series of pictures(or movie).

Even if you did timed, also under lnux, you can convert the days colleted
images into a movie; aka flick through quickly to see if there is
anything to investigate.

Also be careful of the sun shining directly into the cameras. Most can
not handle it.

To deal with low light, you need to supply supplimentary lighting. The
best solution is constant supplied light which in the past meant IR light
on all the time (aka standard light with IR filter glass). m,ost of the
security (and other cams) are very sensitive in the IR range.

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