Hi chaps!

We've done an install recently in which we used a 480TVL camera and a 1/3" lens - nothing special. The camera looks out over a car park and in in focus quite "close" to the camera. If we alter the focus, the image becomes clear further away, but we loose the close focus. Now that's obviously just the nature of the beast, but I'd like to know if there's anything that can be done to sort this through careful choice of camera lens... Any thoughts?

Also, on another issue, we've bought cameras from many manufacturers through many distributors. Apart from Bosch, we seem to have a lot of quality issues. We get a lot of faults with a lot of makes. Problem with Bosch is that most people won't run to the cost. Do you have any suggestions about a decent priced and decent quality range of cameras that we can *rely* on?!

Thanks very much everyone!

What lenses are you using, and cameras?

In the example used above, we've gone with a COP camera and a Sony (I think) lens.

Generally, we've used 'em all... Sony / JVC / Panasonic / Bosch / LJD (yeah, I know) / COP / Dennard plus some other "generic" junk...

You could try genie, videcon or cbc.

if the latest CBC/Ganz cameras are anything like the old cbc cameras then you won't go far wrong.

Over the last ten years we have installed nothing but Sanyo cameras C/W Computar lenes and we have had very few problems. They may be a bit more expensive but the picture quality in almost every condition has been excellent. Cant fault them.

Have you tried back focusing the camera and lens?

Have you tried back focusing the camera and lens?

In the example given above, yes we have. We can get *some* improovement by doing so, but basically, we can't "have our cake and eat it". I'd like the whole pic to be in perfect focus, but either its close, or far... Perhaps a different lens or different size CCD would help?

Rockford,

Precisely what lens are you using .... make, focal length, iris type (e.g. AI, DD, MI ?) etc.

What you are describing just sounds like a very short "Depth of Field" (DoF) - or possibly just a cr*p lens

If you were using a telephoto or varifocal at telephoto setting (i.e. much longer focal length than standard) it would not be unreasonable to expect the focus to fall off in front of and behind a near target point, particularly in poor lighting , if an auto iris was operating at its maximum aperture.

If you could find an alternative position that allows a shorter focal length lens to be used (rarely my preferred option), then the greatly increased DoF should overcome your problem.

Definately need more information here.

Can you tell us a bit more.

The exact make and model of the lens.

The camera that you have used.

The type of housing you are using.

The lighting conditions.

Distance from the camera to the object or objects you are looking at.