Article #3: PTZ vs. Fixed Barn Cameras: Which Is Better?

The purpose of a barn camera system is to let you check every area where an animal may be located and clearly determine whether there is a problem. Sometimes that is best done with fixed cameras. In a large open barn, one pan-tilt-zoom camera may do the work of four to six fixed cameras. In a barn divided by solid pens, fixed cameras may be far better.

Why Modern PTZ Cameras Changed the Equation

For many years Riverwind relied mainly on fixed cameras. Older analog PTZ systems were cumbersome because movement commands either needed a separate control wire or had to ride on a control signal sent over the coaxial video cable. Manufacturers never settled on one lasting format, and those control methods could change from year to year, creating compatibility and obsolescence problems. The cameras also lacked the picture quality and smooth control we wanted. When PTZ technology moved into IP cameras, we tested both wired and wireless versions extensively. The wireless versions did not give us the fluid, dependable control we were willing to sell. The wired IP versions did, and they proved reliable when properly installed.

One installation rule matters outdoors: protect the network connection from moisture. Our shorthand is simple: camera cable goes up, feeder cable goes down. Proper orientation helps keep water from following the cable into the connection.

Modern IP PTZ cameras also let us adjust parameters inside the camera when needed, including network settings and features such as Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), which can improve difficult scenes where bright and dark areas exist in the same view.

Where Fixed Cameras Excel

A fixed camera continuously watches one area. That is ideal for individual pens, low ceilings, solid stall walls and situations where animals can block the view of other animals. Modern fixed cameras have wide fields of view, but a very large area still needs to be divided into sensible zones if you want useful detail at night.

Years ago a fixed camera might cover a little over 90 degrees; current models can reach roughly 103 degrees. Even so, one fixed camera aimed across a 150-by-75-foot area may technically show the whole space while making an animal at the far end too small to judge well at night. That is why large areas were traditionally divided into smaller viewing zones - often around 60 by 60 feet - with additional cameras used to eliminate blind spots.

Where PTZ Cameras Excel

In a large open area, a centrally mounted PTZ can rotate 360 degrees, tilt and zoom. Instead of manually driving the camera around every time, presets can be created for the important views: calving pen, holding area, feed alley, entrance and so on. Tap a preset and the camera returns immediately to the exact direction and zoom level you saved.

If something catches your attention, switch to manual control and zoom in closer.

Recording Is a Major Difference

A PTZ camera records only what it is looking at at that moment. If it is pointed toward Pen 1 and something happens in Pen 5, the recording will not show Pen 5. Fixed cameras continuously record their assigned areas, which makes them better for reviewing what happened 30 minutes, an hour or several hours earlier in critical pens.

That is one reason many strong systems combine both technologies: fixed cameras provide continuous coverage and recording, while a PTZ gives you the freedom to look around and investigate.

Riverwind PTZ Options

Our normal PTZ is a 4X model that is well suited to many barns and can provide useful detail around 150 feet away in the right installation. Its multi-stage infrared system is rated around 160 to 175 feet, and the mounting bracket is designed so the camera can be used on a wall or from a ceiling location.

For outdoor applications where much more zoom is needed, Riverwind also offers a commercial 25X PTZ with an advertised infrared range around 360 feet. That camera needs a rigid wall or sturdy pole. At high zoom, even a small amount of pole movement can make the image shake noticeably.

A Practical Rule

If you have an open barn with a solid central mounting point 12 to 14 feet high, a PTZ can be extremely effective. If you have low ceilings, solid pens or obstructed sight lines, fixed cameras may give you better coverage.



The best camera is not the one with the most features. It is the one that lets you clearly see the animal you need to see when you need to see it.