PTgrey M12 camera lenses

[Maverick]

LENSES:
At the moment, the cameras come with cheap wide angle fish eye lenses that have too much distortion. These are the ones I recommend. You need one for each camera. https://www.m12lenses.com/2-8-12mm-F...pt-02812vs.htm

If that one is out of stock, this is my second choice: https://www.m12lenses.com/3-5-8-0mm-.../pt-0358vs.htm

Alternative site to buy M12 lenses:
Same lens as the first choice: http://peauproductions.com/store/ind...products_id=59

If you're limited on space and need a little bit wider FOV, you can try this one: http://peauproductions.com/store/ind...products_id=65

Changing out the ProTee lens:
First, see if you can just unscrew the old lens out. If you can't(don't force it), you'll have to remove the tiny set screw. Easiest way is to remove the camera shell first by removing the 4 screws at the corners. Then remove the set screw from the lens holder. Install the camera shell back on and screw in the new lens, hand tighten. Don't put the set screw back in. Just keep in a safe place in case you need it in the future. Adjust the two knobs for focus and you're done.

[Bubba22]

Great info ZMax!

[Maverick]

Thanks bubba22.

[Mikkaat]

LENSES:
At the moment, the cameras come with cheap wide angle fish eye lenses that have too much distortion. These are the ones I recommend. You need one for each camera. https://www.m12lenses.com/2-8-12mm-F...pt-02812vs.htm

....

If you're limited on space and need a little bit wider FOV, you can try this one: http://peauproductions.com/store/ind...products_id=65[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

Hi Zmax, I have been reading up a lot lately on your posts regarding protee and skytrak, firstly, thankyou to you and bubba for all the info on all of the various forums. I will be purchasing one of these two devices but just had a query about the protee. You mention in the post above that "you need one for each camera", how many cameras are required for the protee? I have seen mention of a vertical and horizontal camera, but the "package inclusions" do not say anything about the horizontal camera in the ProTee Base Pack 2. The only one that comes in the pack is the vertical high speed cam. What benefit do you get out of the secondary cam?

Also, if I am limited on room, in your opinion would I be able to sit the cameras closer to the tee/ball than 2.4m if I was to purchase the wide angle FOV lense you mention above?

Thanks in advance.

Michael

[Maverick]

The ProTee V-cam should come with a very wide FOV lens. It might still be too wide. You'll have to try it and see. The one I recommend should work.

H-cam is needed for accurate ball path readings. Definitely recommended. But it seems ProTee is out of stock on the H-cam. PTgrey sells them(USB Firefly MV black/white) for $250.

I might have an extra camera I can sell.

[Mikkaat]

The ProTee V-cam should come with a very wide FOV lens. It might still be too wide. You'll have to try it and see. The one I recommend should work.

H-cam is needed for accurate ball path readings. Definitely recommended. But it seems ProTee is out of stock on the H-cam. PTgrey sells them(USB Firefly MV black/white) for $250.

I might have an extra camera I can sell.

Hi Zmax, thanks for the feedback. I am very new to this and have a noob question. Elsewhere in the forum, people are talking about a really good setup being gc2 with protee. Can I just ask, does this mean both gc2 hardware and protee hardware with the protee software. Or is it gc2 hardware with the protee software?

Thanks

Michael.

[gene438]

Zmax, I need your help....or anyone. My system has been up and running with Vcam only for a long time. I purchased another camera and got the following lens -

PT-0358VS

PT-0358VS 3.5-8.0 mm, F1.4 M12 Mount, Fixed Iris CCTV Lens

The lens came in along with the adapter and I got it put together fairly easily. I connected to computer, no problems, went into Protee interface and turned on HCAM, The new camera showed up in the dropdown and I picked it...still no problems. But, I went to preview to use the camera in order to determine mounting position. First, the golf ball on the tee is 10 times the size than on my Vcam. My Vcam allows the ball to easily fit into the red box. When I lift the camera up to ceiling (9 ft), the golf ball in the preview is 5 to 8 times larger than the red box. Plus, i have the lens turned all the way trying to focus but the image is still very blurry.

I vcam is very clear and the focus is perfect. The hcam is only clear if the object is 3 to 5 inches from the camera....anything befone 6 inches starts to look blurry.

I switched to 640 x 480 and it helped but, the ball is still 3 to 4 times the size of the red box and the focus is still way off.

Am I missing something? Bad lens? At a total loss on this.

Please help.

I can't even send you a screen shot...image is so blurry...the ball just looks like a big white dot

[aja]

I am using the same lens for my HCam and it works fine.

Most likely you have not mounted the lens properly to your camera. The threads are very fine and you don't want to force them.

Carefully unscrew the lens and look at the threads to check that you haven't cross threaded them.

Have another go.

And it would be really silly if you haven't realized that this is a zoom lens and you have to change the zoom by rotating the zoom assembly.

One or the other, it should work.

[gene438]

Well, no idea what happened but I took the lens from the Vcam and put on my new Hcam and it worked perfectly. So, I put the Vcam back together, rebooted everything for the 3rd time, put the lens back on the Hcam and it was like night and day. The Hcam functioned like I expected it to.

So, i breathed a sigh of relieve and proceeded with the install. Got everything lined up and buttoned down then I tried the system with my lights off and the sensor mat on and overhead light on. The over head light is showing up very brightly on the Hcam ....in fact, I can't really make out the ball. However, when I swing, it does record the shot and I get fairly decent line. I have the Hcam set on PT1, so I am assuming it is drawing a line from the red box to the ball, so the fact that I cannot see the ball on the tee because of the light may not matter....i don't know.

At this point, I don't know what to expect. I thought my system was fairly accurate before I installed the Hcam, so I am not sure how to judge the Hcam or how to verify that it is functioning properly

What should I be looking for?

[aja]

Good that your lens problem got sorted.

If your image is too bright turn down the gain setting on the camera. I believe that mine is completely off and it's still pretty difficult to pick out the ball.

Try hitting a few shots with the HCam window open in the interface. Make sure you select the club in the settings you are hitting and look at what the HCam picks up as the shot direction. It should definitely be more accurate than before.

I discovered yesterday that the cause for some of my shots going in strange directions was that my HCam wasn't detected by the interface. Set it up again and it was reading the shot direction correctly.

The HCam is a worthwhile addition to your system, just make sure it's always detected and set up accurately. One trick I use to get the 'line' right is to place another ball directly in line with the sensor, but much closer to the impact screen, so that the HCam preview picks it up. That will give you a reference point for the HCam's center line - ball on the tee, and ball down the centerline.

[Vuvision]

LENSES:
At the moment, the cameras come with cheap wide angle fish eye lenses that have too much distortion. These are the ones I recommend. You need one for each camera. https://www.m12lenses.com/2-8-12mm-F...pt-02812vs.htm

If that one is out of stock, this is my second choice: https://www.m12lenses.com/3-5-8-0mm-.../pt-0358vs.htm

Alternative site to buy M12 lenses:
Same lens as the first choice: http://peauproductions.com/store/ind...products_id=59

If you're limited on space and need a little bit wider FOV, you can try this one: http://peauproductions.com/store/ind...products_id=65

Changing out the ProTee lens:
First, see if you can just unscrew the old lens out. If you can't(don't force it), you'll have to remove the tiny set screw. Easiest way is to remove the camera shell first by removing the 4 screws at the corners. Then remove the set screw from the lens holder. Install the camera shell back on and screw in the new lens, hand tighten. Don't put the set screw back in. Just keep in a safe place in case you need it in the future. Adjust the two knobs for focus and you're done.

Hi Vance, I found on Amazon a lens that has similar spec as the one in your 1st link. Will this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Xenocam-2-8-12mm-Vari-focal-Security-Camera/dp/B01HH4MZCM/ref=pd_sbs_421_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MSVGT4AR2BTKB0DR6J85

Len Type:Manual Iris Lens
Focal Length: 2.8 ~ 12mm
Imager Size: 1/2.5"
Mount Type: M12 x 0.5
Aperture Range: F / 1.4
M. O. D: 0.2m
Size: - approx. 43 (Height) x 28 (Diameter) mm - approx. 1-3/4" (Height) x 1-1/8" (Diameter)inch

[aeroburner]

wow this thread came up, now I have questions I do not know if Vance is still around but Bubba is, I always want to get options for the best performance but is it needed so i would like to get opinions on this
1. if system is working fine is this needed
2. what can i expect from making this change
3. do i need to go back through and reset both my cams after these are installed ( which was a disaster the first time and had to get Protee to moblie connect to help)
4. will reading and trajectory improve by doing this or will it catch areas and mess up more as there is to much detail ( already fighting with the white aeroburner woods registering)

Bubba or anyone can you help on this

[ProTee United]

Stock lenses work fine. No need to change.

[aeroburner]

perfect thank you

[Vuvision]

Thank you!