Good Trend Or Fluke? Lower Camera Heights

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Brian Rhodes
Sep 07, 2016
IPVMU Certified

I've recently noted some newly installed cameras at nearby retail stores.  They've caught my attention because they apparently are shunning the age-old practice of being mounted high on ceilings and instead are rather low.

Check this one *at a big box discount retailer* that is hung basically at eye-level at the entrance:

And then this one, at a drive-thru hung again at driver/passenger level, no more than 8' off the ground:

This is good placement for these cameras, because they actually are in position to collect good details about people rather than just tops of heads when hung highly.  We noted this in our Testing Camera Height vs Image Quality report.

I suppose this is partly a sign of the times: in the old days, it was difficult to justify to a customer they should mount their expensive ($800+) dome within vandal range, but now that HD cameras are routinely less than $200, it isn't so much of a loss if one needs to be replaced.

Are you mounting cameras lower these days than in the past?

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MM
Michael Miller
Sep 07, 2016

Most projects we are now mounting the cameras on the walls vs ceilings about 6ft high. Really helps with ID shots and have yet to have any vandalized.

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Brian Rhodes
Sep 07, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Are these domes, or bullets too?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Sep 07, 2016

Somebody done went shopping at the Wal*Mart and then Jacques Le Box for lunch :)

The JIB one is pretty consistent with drive through window cameras and since most stores are 24hrs, they don't worry so much about vandalism.

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Brian Rhodes
Sep 07, 2016
IPVMU Certified

That's pretty astute! It was not a Jack In The Box, although I think it used to be!

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Joseph Marotta
Sep 07, 2016
IPVMU Certified

The one across the street from Lowe's?

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Jon Dillabaugh
Sep 07, 2016
Pro Focus LLC

Our local Kroger stores all have Bosch cams at 5ft above the floor on the inside of each doorway. This was changed about a year ago or so. I will snap a pic next time I'm through there.

BS
Brian Sharbowicz
Sep 08, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Lower is always better for getting the details. The biggest challenge is convincing customers that the lower placement is going to capture faces (versus top of heads) and the risk of vandalism without a ladder.

10-12ft is my sweet spot, but I'm sure everyone has different preferences depending on the angle presented.

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