Camera doesn't recognize or film people

[69]

I have a birdfeeder that hangs in a tree across the street from my base, approx 100 feet away. I only have one place to install the camera and it has taken beautiful well defined pictures of the tree and the feeder.  But..it doesn't film a body of a human. So far I have upped the degree of definition to 93 and extended the timing to 25 seconds. I suspect that the wind blowing activates the camera to alert and send a lot of taped segments showing the tree and the swaying feeder...no problem. But when I walk through the shot the camera ignores me and still shows the tree and the feeder. I know I may be blonde but I cannot get an explanation as to how the camera can ignore me and still produce a perfect picture of the tree and the feeder. In desperation I reduced the focus area using the zoom feature , reducing the amount of swaying tree and feeder to the minimum.  Does anybody have any ideas of what else I can try? I'm using the camera to catch whoever is vandalizing my birdfeeder.

[TomMac · Accepted solution]

First, reducing the size of the view via zoom has no effect on the sensitivity of the PIR...it sees the entire field of view no matter how small the actual shown picture is.

Second, the best way to get the camera to react to people is to lessen the view as the pir has a range of only about 20 ft max for people ( cars which can reflect IR can be detected at a far distance and/or objects that reflect sunlight )

So, what I would suggest is to raise up the camera to about 7+ ft, aim it at the bird feeder at a distance of 15 ft +/-.  The PIR also reacts better to across the FOV movenment than straight on , so place if possible where these person would walk across the view.

Some where at 90%+/- should work well then

[69]

Thank you so much....but the only place I can put the camera is the back side of the mail box which is approximately 6feet from the bird feeder. I will return the focus field to full normal.  I can't raise the camera any higher. i think I set the sensitivity into the 90's already.

[TomMac]

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69 wrote:

Thank you so much....but the only place I can put the camera is the back side of the mail box which is approximately 6feet from the bird feeder. I will return the focus field to full normal.  I can't raise the camera any higher. i think I set the sensitivity into the 90's already.

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When I was testing, I used a nearby tree... duc taped ( by wrapping tree ) over a metal mount and stuck the camera to it ( sticks fine thru tape).

The whole angle down thing is basicly two fold ...it lowers the visable range and cuts out alot of IR reflected that causes false triggers....

good luck

[69]

Bad news... The two feederes were stolen this afternoon and the camera was not able to record the misdeeds. It was NOT the cameras fault..the angle was diverted by the wind or the mailman when he put mail into the box.  I walked through the shot this morning and it did record me. I will anchor the camera with sticky tape and I have extendeed the tape time to 45 seconds and lowered the sensitivity to 89. I am determined to get this person...Now I will hang THREE birdfeeders in the tree. It seems to really bug whoever is doing this and I can't let them win.

I was able to narrow down the time the feeders were taken by looking at the videos of the tree...between 1:58 and 3:13 they vanished.

I'll keep you posted. Wish me luck.

[TomMac]

good luck....

btw, the 7ft high + also slows down someone from taking the camera with the feeders.

Or you have a very big squirrel.

[69]

O.K.  I just hung up three birdfeeders spaced so that at least one will be taped. Next I walked thru the shot and they are pretty well aligned all in one frame. But I will get some tape and cement the camera's position. I wish I could use a nearby tree to add height but it's not possible. I don't want to chance losing the camera.I only hope this person is so stupid they don't imagine a camera somewhere.I also wish I had the time to sit in one of my windows and keep watch. Do you think I might be getting ...OBSESSIVE?

[TomMac]

Not OBSESSIVE... I would be very annoyed ( polite term here )  I would be putting up 2-4 cameras !  🙂

[69]

Today, Moday 11April.. I managed to tape the guy who was taking my birdfeeders. And of course itwas somebody I never suspected. I want to make sure I keep the 55 second tape  as evidence.  Thank you Tom.. Now I can sleep at night. It was a  man who gave me a lot of trouble ten years ago when I was building my house.

Wow.. Thanks a million Tom ,I wanted you to know how it turned out.

sheila

[jguerdat]

Make sure you download the video so it doesn't disappear after 7 days are up (if you're on the free plan)!