Camera Focusing Tutorial

By: IPVM Team, Published on Aug 09, 2018

A camera's focus is fundamental to quality imaging. Mistakes can cause important problems.

In this guide, we explain focus issues and proper procedure, covering:

  • Fixed vs. Varifocal Cameras
  • Auto vs. Manual Focus
  • Two Fundamental Lens Controls
  • How to Focus
  • Using Autofocus
  • Potential Autofocus Issues
  • Manufacturer Focus Control Differences - Avigilon, Axis, Hikvision
  • Manual Varifocal Lenses
  • Manual Iris Lenses

* ******'* ***** ** fundamental ** ******* *******. Mistakes *** ***** ********* problems.

** **** *****, ** explain ***** ****** *** proper *********, ********:

  • ***** **. ********* *******
  • **** **. ****** *****
  • *** *********** **** ********
  • *** ** *****
  • ***** *********
  • ********* ********* ******
  • ************ ***** ******* *********** - ********, ****, *********
  • ****** ********* ******
  • ****** **** ******

[***************]

Fixed ***** ****** *******

** ****, ***** ***** lens *******, **** ** way ** ********* *****, are ****** ****. ** many ****** *** **** may *** ** ********** at ***, ******* ****** inside * ****** ** turret ******* ***** ** not ******** ** ** opened ** *** *****, or ** *** **** of **** **** *******, surrounded ** ******* ** IR ************ **** ** way ** ******.

factory focused fixed lens

**** ** ******* **** accessible ******, *** **** is ***** *********** ***** in ***** *** *** intended ** ** *********. This ***** **** ** focus ****** *** *******, users **** *** ******* but ** ******* *** camera, ******* ** ****** adjustments ** *****.

********** ******* ****** *** specialty ******* **** ** multi ****** ** ******* may ******* **** **** focus ** **** **** focus ***********. ************, **** legacy ***** **** ****** may ***** ***** ***** adjustment. *******, **** ***** instances *** ******** ** 2018.

Auto ****** ****** *****

*** ********* *******, ***** are *** ******** ***** of *****:

  • **** *****/*********:** ********* *******, ***** may **** * ****** and ******* *** ****** to ************* ***** ******. This *** ** ****** via *** ******'* *** interface ** ** **** cases ** * ******** button ** *** ****** itself (*****). ********* ** found ** **** **** factors, ********* *****, *******, turrets, ***, *** *** cameras.

  • ****** *****:****** ***** ******** *** user ** ********** ****** zoom *** **** ***** using ***** ** *** camera's ****. ****** ***** is **** ****** ** box *******, ****** **** dome ** ****** ****** may ***** *******, ** well.

Autofocus *** **** ******

** ****, ********* ** common ** *** **** majority ** ********* *******. Previously, ** *** ********** a **** ***, ******* feature. ***, ****** ***** is ********* ******* **** to *********** *******, **** as************** ***** ************ ***** ** *********** or ** ***** ***** imager***-*/********** ***** *** *********** lenses. *******, **** ***** models **** ** *** in *** ******* ** shifting ** *********, ****** manual ***** *** ********.

******* ** **** *****, we ***** ********* **** in **** ******, *** discuss ****** *****, ** well.

Two *********** ********

**** ******* *** ********, there *** *** ****** controls:

  • **** *****: ******* ***** itself **** ****** ****** on ****. ***** ******** are ********* ******* **** through ***, * ******* Infinity (∞).
  • ****: ******* *** ****' angle ** ****, ***** indirectly ******* *****. ********* labeled * (****) ******* T (*********).

***** ******** *** ***** in *** *** ********* of ********* **** ****** or ******** ** *** lens ** ****** ***** cameras. ** **** ** differences *** *** ** use ***** ******** *****.

How ** *****

****** ***** *** *** general ****: ****** *** to **** ****** *** focus. ******** **** ***** after ******** **** ******* the ******. *******, ***** are *** ******* ***** impact ****:

  • ********* **** *********** **** moving:**** ********* ******* ************* track ***** ***** **** is ******* *** ******* autofocus **** *** **** stops ******. ******* ** this, ***** *** *** need ** ******** ******* autofocus ** ***.
  • **** ** ***** ** check **** *****:** ***** *****, **** adjusting *** ****, *** image *** ****** ********* blurry *** *********** *** zoom ***** *** ** difficult. ** *** ** necessary ** ***** *** refocus, ** ***** *******, while ******* *** ****** to *** ******* *****.

**** ***** ************ *** basics ** ******* *** focus ***** * ********* camera:

Using **** *****/********* ******

**** **** ***** ********* is * ******* ******* and ****** ************, ****** may ***** *****. **** generally ***** **** *** categories:

  • ******* ** ***** *****:** **** *****, *** camera *** ** ****** to ***** ** *** desired ****** ******* ** is ****** *** ****/*** for *** **** ** compensate. **** ** **** common *** *** ******* with **** **** ***** where ***** ** *** rough ***** *** ****** prior ** *********, *** may ***** ** **** motorized ******* ** ****.
  • **** ***** *********:** ***** ******, *** camera *** *** ***** on *** ******* ****** range, ******* ******** ** near ** ********** *******. This ** ***** ******** by ***** ** ****** target ** ***** **, such ** * ****** or **** *****, *** may ******* ****** ********** to **** **** ***** in **** *****.

*** ***** ***** ************ the ********* *******, ******* how *** ****** ******** when *** ****** ** in ******* ****** ** soft *****, *** *** two ****** ********* *****.

Manufacturer ****/***** ******** ****

****** ************* *** ********* controls *** ***** *** zoom ** ***** *******, with **** **** ******* labeled *** ******* ** use **** ******.

*** *******, ****' ******** are **** ******, ******* Near/Far *** ****/****, **** slider ******** **** *** each. **** ** ******** to *** *** ************* installers (*** ****** ********** in **** *****), *** fine ****** ***** *** be ********* ** ***** are ** ******* ***** allow *** ********* ** "step" ***** ****/*** ** slight *******.

******** ** ******* ** Axis, **** * **** level ******, *** ******* used ** ******* ********* and **** **** ****/*** (0/Infinity) *****.

*********'* ******** *** ********* in *** "***" ***** pop *** ** *** live **** ** *** web *********. *** ******** have ** **** ******, only *****, ***** *** be ********* *** **** users. ************, ********* ** triggered ** * ****** further ****, ***** ** named "********* *****" ** its *******.

Manual ********* ****** (**** ** ****)

** ****** ***** *******, zoom *** ***** *** located ** *** **** itself, **** ***** ** locking ***** (****** "*******") used ** ****** ****. The ***** ****** ** these ******** ****** **** lens ** **** *** is ********* ******* ** the **** *****:

** ******, ***** ****** move *** ****** *** then ***** ** ** tighten *** **** *****/****. In ****** ****** **** manual ****** *** **** Back ***** **********, **** zoom **** ** ******** set ** *** ****, with ***** ******* ******** before ********** **** ***** in *** ******. **** adjustments ** ***** *** then ** **** **** the ******'* *** ********* (demonstrated ** *** ***** above).

Even **** ******: ****** ****

**** **** ****** ** 2018, **** ****** ******* manual ********** ** *** iris. **** ** ******** using * ***** ****/******, labeled ****, *** ********* in *** ****** ** the **** ******* ***** and ****. ********** ****** from ****** ** **** (C ** *), ********* left *** *** *** open ****** ** **** cases ** ***** ******** the ***** ******** *** camera. ******* **** *********** **** *********** ** iris *** *** ******.

****** **** ****** *** extremely **** ** ******* installs, ****** ***** *** see ***** *********** ** existing ******** ** ********* cameras.

Camera ********* *** ******

**** ***** ****** ******* on ***** *** *** related ******. *******, ****** and ********* ******* *** decisions ** ***** ******* are ******* *** *** much **** **** ****** cover ** ******* ******* details, ******* *** ***** of **** *****. *** more ***********, ******* ****** also ***:

Comments (12)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/09/18 03:25pm

*** ** *** **** **** *** ** ***** ****** **** the ******** ***** (****** *** *******). ?

********* *** ******* ** ******** *** **** ****** ******** **********, but ****** **** *** ** ***** ** *****

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/09/18 09:43pm

* ** ********* ***** *** ** ******* ** ******* ******* filters ***** **** ** **** ** *** ******** *******.

**** *** ***** ** ********, *** **** ** ********** ****** which ********* ***** ** ***** (*** ****** ** ********* ** focus).

**** *** **** * ******* ******* ****** (****'** ****) ** front ** *** ****, ** "******" *** **** **** ******** it's *********, *** **** ***** ******** *** ***** **** *** depth ** *****. *** *** **** ***** ** *** ******* target ********. ***** ***** *** ** ********* *** ** ***** but *** **** **** **** *** **** *** ***.

****, **** *** *-****** ** *** **** ***'** ***** (** integrated) **** *** ******. *** ***** (** "******") *** *-****** of *** ****, *** ****** *** *** ******* *** ***** performance ** **** ** ********* ***** ** ***** ******** ** a "******" ****.

** * ****** **** **** ***** ***, * *-**** "******" represents * **% **** ** ***** ******. *** *******, ** f1.4 **** ****** **% **** ***** **** ** **.*. ******* physicists, ****** ******* ** ** **** ** ***-******.

*** ***** ********* ******* ** ** *** ****** ***** ** B/W *** ****** ** ** ** ********** *** *****. **** a ****** **** **** ***** ** */* **** **, ***** is * ***** ***** ***** *** ***** *** ***** ** go ****. * ***** **** ****** *** ** ********* ** solve **** ******* *** *** ***********.

Avatar

Luca Fogliati

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 08/10/18 05:47am

******* ** ******* *'* ****** *** * ********* ***** ***** (if *** ******** ** **** ** *** ***** **********) ** adjusting *** ******* ***** ** */**** ** */****.****** **** ** black *** ***** ****, *** **** ***** ** ** **'* night *** *** *** **** ***** ** * *** **** works **** *** *** *** ***** ********** .***** ***** ** no *** ** ******** *** ** ********* ***** ***** *** to ***** ** **** ***** **** **** ** **

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/09/18 10:11pm

#* ******* ***** ** ***** ** *** **** **** ******** night ** ***** *** * ****** ***** *****. *** **** still ****** **** * ****** ****** ** ***** ** ** illuminate *** *****.

***** ***, * ************ ****** ***** *** ** ** *** show.

Avatar

Howard Kohnstamm

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 08/10/18 08:17pm

* ******* **** **** #* ****** *** ******* *******. *'** passed **** *** ** ** ******** ******* *** *****. ****'** getting ****** ** **** ** **** ******* *** **** ********** with *******/***** **** ****** *************.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/10/18 03:30am

*** *** ****** **** *****? **** ******* *** *** *****?

** **** ** ** ****** ******** ** *** ******* ** welder's ***** ****** ******** ** ******** ***** ****, *** ** our ******* *** ***** ** ******** **** ******, ** **** not ***** ** ** ** * ***** ******* ** ****.

************, **** (******** ****) ********* ****** **** ************* ******* *** camera **** ********* **** *** ** *****, ***** ******* ***** issues *******.

**'* ******** **** ***** *** ** **** ***** ****** ** specific *****, *** * **** **** ********* **** *********, *** in *** **** ******** ** ***** *'** ********** ********* ** the **** ****** ** *****, ***** *** **** **** ****** from *** ** *****.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

08/09/18 07:59pm

***** ********. *** ******* * ****** ** **** ** **** I **** ** ** ***** * ****** **** ***** *** to ******* ** ****-***** ** * ********* **** ** *** scene. **, ** *** ****-***** ** ******** *** ***** ** focus ** *** ***** **** ** *** *****, *** *** draw * ***, *** **** ***** *** ****-***** ****** *** the ****** **** ***** ** **** **** ** *** *****.

* ******** * **** - *** **** ** ********* ****** take ** ******* ** ****-*****? **** ** *** ***** *** have ****?

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 08/10/18 03:33am

** ******* *** ***** **** ** *** ****** *****, ********. The *** ***** *'* ***** *** ** **** *'** **** that ***** **** *** ** *********** ******* ** * ****** of *******. ** *** **** * ****** **********, *** ********** if ***** ** ** *** *** **** **'* ****** ******* on *** **** ******, * *****'* **** *** ***** **** change ****.

** *** ** ***** ****, *'* *** ** ****** **** about *-* ******* ** ***** **. *'* *** "*******" ** probably *-*. * **** ***** **** ** **** ******* *** take ******, ** ****, *** ****'* ********* **** *********** ***** specific ************* ** **** **-************/**-*********** * **** ** *** ************* which ******* **.

Avatar

Luca Fogliati

08/10/18 05:51am

***** ********* ** ***** ** *********** ** ******* *** **** that *** ****** **** ** ********* **** *** ***** ** in *****.* ***** **** *** **** **** (***** *** ****?)** working **** ******** ** *** **** ********** *****=*****. *** ***** there *** ***** ***** **** * ***'* **** ** ** would ** *********** ** *******

Charng Haw Guo

IPVMU Certified | 10/30/18 12:00pm

***** *********** ***** *** *********** ******* ** *** **** / manual ***** ******* / **********. ***********!!

Undisclosed #5

11/19/18 11:21am

***** *******.

Joshua Stanley

02/05/19 04:38am

**** *******. * ****** ********* **** ** *** *** ******* PTZs ** *** ******** ** *** ** ***** **** ****** to ***** ******** **** (***). * *** ******* ******* *** issue ** ******* *** **** * *** *** **** **** in. * **** *** *** **** ***** ***.

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