Good all sky camera?

[tooth_dr]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/737505-REG/Arecont_Vision_AV2110_AV2110_IP_MegaDome_Color.html

 

Im not sure what to be at, but I’ve been offered one of these for £50. You reckon it is worth a punt for an all sky type of camera?

[alan potts]

At the end of the day whats 50 quid, I was looking at little extentions tubes to things this morning and they were nearly as much, gotta be worth it really.

Alan

[Gina]

That won't cover the whole sky with a minimum focal length of 4.5mm and 1/2" sensor.  Also, I don't think 0.1lux will work at night.

[tooth_dr]

21 minutes ago, Gina said:

That won't cover the whole sky with a minimum focal length of 4.5mm and 1/2" sensor.  Also, I don't think 0.1lux will work at night.

 

Thanks Gina. It has a 500ms exposure mode, and noise reduction, still not suitable? When you say minimum focal length 4.5mm what do you mean?

[Gina]

For my all sky camera I use about the same size sensor (actually slightly larger) and a 1.4mm fish-eye lens.  That just fits the whole sky on the sensor.  A lens of 4.5mm focal length will only fit part of the sky on the sensor.

Regarding light levels, for nighttime I use exposures of around 10s with a lens of the same focal ratio.  Half a second would be far too short an exposure.

[Gina]

This is not an all sky camera and it doesn't say it is.  It's a security camera with a FOV of something like 60 degrees.  "Moonlight Mode" allows the camera to be used with moonlight on the scene rather than daylight.  As astronomers know well, moonlight is far brighter than the night sky.  Sorry to disappoint you

[tooth_dr]

Ok no problem Gina. It doesn’t come with a 4.5mm lens ( no lens at all ) sorry if the advert misled you.

I didn’t say it was an all sky camera I just merely suggested that it might serve a purpose as ‘an all sky type of camera’ with the right lens ( I have a 2.8mm lens but could buy a fisheye lens) .

It’s I just have access to one of those cameras that isn’t dear and I thought it might work. Much like my mintron 12v6HC is also just a security camera but works well at imaging DSOs etc, I thought it same might apply here.

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained. 

[Gina]

Ah, I see.  Just the camera.  Might be alright and certainly cheap though I'm always sceptical - if something seems too good to be true, it usually is!

[tooth_dr]

On 15/12/2017 at 21:27, Gina said:

Ah, I see.  Just the camera.  Might be alright and certainly cheap though I'm always sceptical - if something seems too good to be true, it usually is!

I appreciated your honest feedback. I decided not to buy it.  The guys company was replacing all their cameras, he got dibs on them. I actually bought a cctv system off him for the house, so I know he’s ok and his stuff is ok. But this camera just wasn’t right for purpose