Do You Trust Factory Focus?

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Ethan Ace
Dec 24, 2013

Probably a dozen times now, I've received various cameras from manufacturers claiming to be "pre-focused" at the factory, yet obviously, notably, horribly out of focus in reality. For those doing installation, do you double check focus in the field? Do you see a lot of the same problems?

JH
John Honovich
Dec 24, 2013
IPVM

Adding to that, how do manufacturers know if the camera is properly focused? Do they have a technician actually verify each camera? How do they verify it?

Also, what's the risk and frequency of it being shifted in shipping?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Dec 26, 2013

Well we look at and adjust every camera we install whether it is supposed to be factory focused or not. It's not a matter of trust it's a matter of ensuring proper setup with each and every device. I would hope people would not blindly install cameras and never verify proper focus, FOV, etc.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Dec 26, 2013

Also, yes we have received many fixed cameras that were supposed to be factory focuses that were actually out of focus. It has not caused any big issues though as we notice it during FOV setup and adjust accordingly. So far we have always been able to twist the lens and get it to focus - it does add a little time though.

LM
Luis Marrero
Dec 26, 2013
IPVMU Certified

If you do not check and optimize focus then you should not be installing cameras.l You can not unpack a camera, install it and leave the premise without checking focus. Mechanical and Electrical focus.

Cheers to all.

Lou Marrero

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Ethan Ace
Dec 26, 2013

I think it's all well and good to say you SHOULD always check focus when you're installing a camera, but there are two factors here:

  1. The manufacturer is claiming that this camera is a fixed lens focused at the factory. When they ship a camera with a lockring installed that doesn't allow you to turn the lens easily, and you have to remove three screws you're likely not supposed to remove just to loosen it and focus the camera, I hardly think it's reasonable to expect installers to refocus every time.
  2. Fine focus on multi-megapixel cameras is getting much more difficult to determine. A lot of 1080p and higher fixed domes are (at least I believe) shipping without true megapixel lenses. ACTi, for example, sent out an email blast with a 10MP fixed dome on sale for $200. Even if the camera is perfectly in focus, that camera is not using a 10MP lens, and poor light handling or softness/sharpness settings can make the image look out of focus even if it's not. So how do you guess in the field which issue is causing it?

So it's not just as simple as saying you should refocus in the field and that's that.

CD
Chris Dearing
Dec 26, 2013

Probably a dozen times now, I've received various cameras from manufacturers claiming to be "pre-focused" at the factory, yet obviously, notably, horribly out of focus in reality.

Out of how many?

I hardly think it's reasonable to expect installers to refocus every time.

Is it reasonable for installers to check focus every time?

Even if the camera is perfectly in focus, that camera is not using a 10MP lens, and poor light handling or softness/sharpness settings can make the image look out of focus even if it's not.

If the resolving power of the lens is less than the sensor than this is a far bigger problem that how the focus is set.

LM
Luis Marrero
Dec 27, 2013
IPVMU Certified

Thank you Chris.

Lou Marrero

ChicagoCommSys@aol.com

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