Swap lenses between 1/3" sensor cameras.... Success rate, how far away to set focus?

[Jan J]

Hi there.... I'm sticking with the camera I'm familiar with 2cd2042WD-1....
Need one with 12MM lens, but the are either not in my price range, or flat out -- un-available....

I have a spare 4MM 2042 unit, and aquired a less expensive 1/3" sensor
DS-2CD2012-I-12MM

Plan is to remove 12mm lens from the 2012 camera and swap it with the 2042 spare...

I've Seen the YouTube videos on doing this, and in another life I was a component level board repair technician.. I'm willing to take the chance....

My question is.... When it comes to re-focusing the new lens...... How far away from the camera should the point where I'm setting sharp focus, be?
As far as possible?

Thanks for your posts....

 

[Phil]

As it's a 12mm lens I'd guess you need to be looking at object say 4m or more away.

 

[Jan J]

Ok, Thanks Phil.... That's what I thought but wasn't certain if fixed focus lens were different than a TV Camera's Zoom Lens, where you had to take into consideration 'Far' focus, and 'Back' focus....

 

[Phil]

It's not an adjustable lens e.g. a varifocal where you could adjust the lens after fitting and fixing it.
All you are going to be able to do is screw that lens onto the sensor and try to hit the sweet spot along its thread.
The point where it looks 'in focus'.

 

[Jan J]

Thanks for the info! Swapped 12MM from 2012 with 4MM on 2042 camera... Both turned out fine!

Wasn't planning on doing it this way, but 2042 cameras with 12MM Lenses seem to want to go for a 'lot' over here, IF you can find one!

 

[Jan J]

As a follow up on this subject, once camera was installed, and observed for a few days, I'm convinced it is in perfect focus!

Here is how I accomplished that....

Aimed camera at something as far away as possible.... Turned detail enhancement (Sharpness) to MAXIMUM... Focused image and looked at object as far away as possible, and when that object started 'shimmering' from the excessive detail.... I knew that was optimum focus... rocked it back and forth to confirm.... Reduced Sharpness to where I like running it... (In my case-- 20).

12MM Lens has a bit more flare-ing than 4MM lens does (as to be expected, it's not a 'Prime' lens)... Touched up video settings to match other cameras.... It could be that this was adjusted at factory, but slight Brightness and Contrast settings fixed that, too!!!

Happy Camper!

 

[JB1970]

As a follow up on this subject, once camera was installed, and observed for a few days, I'm convinced it is in perfect focus!

Here is how I accomplished that....

Aimed camera at something as far away as possible.... Turned detail enhancement (Sharpness) to MAXIMUM... Focused image and looked at object as far away as possible, and when that object started 'shimmering' from the excessive detail.... I knew that was optimum focus... rocked it back and forth to confirm.... Reduced Sharpness to where I like running it... (In my case-- 20).

12MM Lens has a bit more flare-ing than 4MM lens does (as to be expected, it's not a 'Prime' lens)... Touched up video settings to match other cameras.... It could be that this was adjusted at factory, but slight Brightness and Contrast settings fixed that, too!!!

Happy Camper!

Focused image and looked at object as far away as possible

That will work and I've set many cameras that way in the past when I was only concerned about one specific target in the view. You may find objects closer to the camera appear a little "soft". For best results you should use the hyperfocal distance and set the focus on an object roughly 1/3 of the maximum distance into the scene. That should ensure that everything appears acceptably sharp from the near focal point to infinity.

 

[Jan J]

This camera 80' from house, is ~250’ or more from center of road switchback, and is mounted on fence on hill looking downward toward roadway, so infinity worked fine.
I did encounter what I expected to: night vision of 12MM camera is non-existent due to the distance from camera to roadway, but, I had originally
planned on 4MM camera 3/4 way down driveway, 40'-45' from roadway, and the 12MM camera just happened to be installed
first, because it's cable run was far easier... The 12MM Camera shoots over top of 4MM camera, hidden in a bush....
And once the 4MM Camera was installed, Night Vision LED's from 4MM was picked up by 12MM Camera shooting across top of 4MM, and
made the Night Vision on 12MM Far Better, than without the 4MM Camera... !! As Clouds are sometimes at ground Level here in the mountains… during those times the 12MM camera will not see the roadway at all: So, having 2 cameras is better than one... and more of a necessity!
12MM Camera on 100' bury-able CAT6 with 40' buried, to POE injector in house.
4MM Camera on 250' bury-able CAT6 with 190' buried, to POE injector in house.

PS: A Suggestion given me by others: Seeing that Ethernet cable is buried adjacent to concrete Driveway slab, in Gravel, It was suggested that sand be placed in bottom of the digging, to shield cable from sharp edges of gravel and concrete... Not only that, seeing there is an 80' elevation change from camera to house pad, once re-buried with gravel, Sand was spread across the top, to prevent erosion until the gravel in the trench re-stabilizes.... Lots of large buried rocks here on side of mountain, so 3" is depth is about all I could get..

 

[Jan J]

The only thing that didn’t happen with this project is a firmware upgrade on the 2CD2042WD-1 that would cover last September’s security flaw information. Emails with HiKVision USA Support went back and forth on: “serial numbers before help” routine—Until I mentioned last September’s Security Flaw report From HiKVision and request for a firmware update…… Suddenly all email’s Stopped!!
I think you are right… It’s Not being Addressed!!

Fortunately I have a good Firewall!