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Foscam Foscam X5
PTZ Camera with 4.9MP (2560×1920) resolution, 77° field of view, and 8m IR night vision range.
SPECIFICATIONS · FOSCAM X5
Specifications
About the Foscam Foscam X5
The Foscam Foscam X5 is a high-speed dome PTZ that can patrol preset positions on a schedule and react to motion or analytics events. At 5-to-6MP the sensor sits between 1080p economy and 4K forensic detail: enough pixels-per-metre for evidence-grade faces at typical entrance and driveway distances, while keeping recording bitrate materially lighter than an 8MP camera. A short-range IR illuminator (≤20 m) handles entrance vestibules, indoor corridors, and small enclosed spaces. Beyond 20 meters the IR fall-off causes faces to lose detail in pure darkness. A standard 50–80° horizontal FOV mimics how a person sees a scene and works well for general-purpose monitoring of rooms, parking spaces, and perimeter walls without distortion.
Best use cases for this camera
Large area patrol & target tracking
PTZ control enables operator-initiated tracking of suspicious activity, scheduled tours of preset positions overnight, and forensic zoom into recorded footage. Best paired with a wide-angle "overview" camera that triggers the PTZ via analytics.
Strengths
- •4.9MP sensor preserves detail under digital zoom on recorded footage
- •PTZ control enables operator-driven tracking and pre-set tours
Considerations
- •Short IR range limits night usability to indoor or close-proximity scenarios
- •PTZ cameras only see one direction at a time — pair with a fixed overview camera to avoid blind spots
Coverage at Different Distances
| Distance | Coverage Width | Coverage Area | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5m | 8.0m | 40 m² | Entrance, corridor |
| 10m | 15.9m | 159 m² | Room, retail aisle |
| 15m | 23.9m | 358 m² | Warehouse, parking row |
| 20m | 31.8m | 636 m² | Parking row, courtyard |
| 30m | 47.7m | 1432 m² | Parking lot, yard |
| 50m | 79.5m | 3977 m² | Perimeter, large area |
Field of View Visualization
Night Vision Performance
Daytime
Full 4.9MP (2560×1920) resolution at 77° field of view. Effective identification range up to 12m in good lighting conditions.
Nighttime (IR)
Built-in IR LEDs illuminate up to 8m in complete darkness. Switches to B/W mode for clear night footage.
Installation tips for the Foscam X5
Mount above 4 m on a rigid pole or wall bracket — PTZ vibrations are amplified at low mounting heights and degrade image quality during pan operations.
Pair with low-cost ambient lighting (motion-triggered LED floods) to extend usable identification distance beyond the IR limit.
Plan storage at roughly 20 GB per camera per day for continuous H.265 recording at 15fps — verify NVR has sufficient HDD bay capacity.
Coverage geometry & DORI distances
At a 5-metre standoff the Foscam Foscam X5 covers about 8.0 m of scene width; at 10 m that grows to 15.9 m, and at 20 m to 31.8 m. Translating those numbers through EN 62676-4 pixel-density thresholds, the camera can detect a person up to 74 m, observe up to 30 m, recognise up to 15 m, and produce identification-grade detail (the ≥250 px/m bar used by Polish and EU courts as evidentiary) up to 7 m. Effective range above the identify threshold relies on supplementary lighting or a longer-focal-length optic — the geometry above assumes the 2.8mm lens declared by the manufacturer.
Power & cabling
The Foscam Foscam X5 draws an estimated 30.0 W under typical load (with the IR illuminator engaged where applicable), placing it in the 802.3at (Class 4, ≤30 W) budget. A single switch port supplies enough power without an injector. Cabling: stick to Cat6 STP for runs up to 100 m end-to-end — beyond that, add an inline PoE extender or move to fibre with a media converter at the camera end. On outdoor runs, route through ø25 PVC or PE conduit to keep the cable shielded from UV and rodents.
Privacy & legal (GDPR / RODO)
Any camera operating in a publicly accessible area falls under GDPR (RODO in Poland) — Art. 13 obliges the data controller to post an information sign at every entry point with controller name, DPO contact, lawful basis (typically Art. 6(1)(f) legitimate interest for property protection), purpose, and retention period. The Foscam Foscam X5's PTZ pan range can sweep into neighbouring properties or public roads; document allowed pan limits in the installation record and configure privacy masks (see Foscam's web-UI under "Privacy Mask") for any window or doorway you cannot legally surveil.
Installer time & cost (rough estimate)
A typical EU installer quotes 5–6 h of labour per ptz camera of this class (approximately €225–€275 excluding hardware), broken down as bracket mounting, cable termination at both ends, on-site commissioning, and a brief operator handover. Allow extra time for high mounts (>4 m), exterior installations requiring scaffolding, or sites where cable routing demands wall penetrations or conduit work.
Indicative EU 2024-2025 pricing — actual quotes vary by region, mounting height, and site conditions. Excludes hardware, transport, permits, and VAT.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Foscam Foscam X5 suitable for outdoor installation?
Foscam PTZ models are generally designed for outdoor use with IP66 ingress rating and -30°C to +60°C operating range. Mount on a rigid pole at ≥ 4 m to dampen wind-driven vibration that would degrade the live image during pan operations.
What PoE class powers the Foscam Foscam X5?
The camera draws roughly 30.0 W in steady-state operation, requiring a 802.3at (Class 4, ≤30 W) switch port. A single Cat6 STP cable carries both data and power up to 100 m — beyond that, add an inline extender or convert to fibre near the camera.
How much storage does the Foscam Foscam X5 consume per day?
At 4.9MP (2560×1920) resolution, 15 fps H.265 continuous recording, the Foscam X5 produces approximately 20 GB per day — about 600 GB per month. Motion-only or event-triggered recording typically cuts that by 40–70 % depending on scene activity. Plan NVR HDD capacity for the longest retention period required by your privacy policy or insurance contract.
Up to what distance can the Foscam Foscam X5 identify a person?
Per EN 62676-4:2025 pixel-density thresholds, this camera identifies (≥ 250 px/m on the target) up to about 7 m, recognises a person up to 15 m, observes general activity up to 30 m, and detects motion up to 74 m. Identification distance assumes daylight or full IR illumination on the target — at the limits of the IR cone the effective identify distance shrinks roughly 30 %.
What network bandwidth does Foscam Foscam X5 use?
Typical ingest is 7 Mbps for the main stream (H.265, medium scene complexity, 15 fps) plus ~0.5 Mbps for a low-resolution sub-stream used by mobile clients. For a 16-camera installation of this class, plan a 50–100 Mbps NVR uplink and a dedicated VLAN for camera traffic.
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