Also, the lens (5mm on a 1/5" imager) is relatively "tight", providing a pretty narrow picture. At a distance of 20 feet, you’ll likely get a viewing area of maybe 10 feet wide. That’s pretty narrow. For a hallway or watching a specific door or such, it’s probably fine; but for an “area” view up close, there will be a lot of non-viewable space.
Don’t mean to sound negative on it; DLink is usually good stuff. I just don’t have any experience with this particular product. If you do try it, I’d be curious how it works for you.
It's an abnormally-small imager at 1/5"; most retail-sold cameras are 1/4", and most professionally-installed ones are 1/3". May not be a true problem, but that means the imager is a chip 1/5” x 1/5” (0.2” by 0.2”) square, and so has only 0.04" of space to receive and recognize an image; just 36% of the area of a 1/3" imager. Typically this means just less light-gathering ability and resolution, and the resolution seems to be an issue in this case. It lists a maximum resolution of 240 lines if running full video of 30fps. My suggestion would be to turn the fps down to 20fps, to get double the resolution. Fwiw, the cameras we install run 520 lines of resolution and up, and I personally wouldn’t want less; but there’s nothing really ‘wrong’ with it.
I think sometimes many think they will be just as effective during a bad SHTF as during good times shooting in perfect weather from a benchrest at a paper target! Like you stated...big difference. I know what real hunger is & how it can effect performance...the same with bitter cold, sweltering heat, have-not-slept-for-days fatigue, fever, etc. Same goes for practicing under the above conditions...low light & night as well!
So I favor any edge I can get to compensate for less than favorable conditions....as well as against numeric disparity combined with the element of surprise. So....the most effective weapon for the majority of SHTF scenarios I can envision is the electro-optic dot sighted AR, AK or similar.... fairly lightweight, compact, reliable, low recoil, high capacity, accurate, easy to operate/maintain/etc & quick to acquire targets 0-300m under all lighting conditions. Not only for me...but those less capable/less familiar with weapons also. :)
Lights, and fighting with them has come a LOOOOONG way in the last few years. Alot of the methods and thoughts of older training have been changed, or flat out disproven with the modern lights.
It was one thing when tac lights were new and not nearly as bright as today. But with the modern lights like the X300,400 TLR series. They far outstripe any of the older stuff.
If a knife is all you can have, more power to you. It doesn't improve their defensive characteristics. Like I said in the post, it's better than a short pointy stick. Besides, the posters talking about knives for defense in that particular thread were talking about 4" folders. If I'm carrying a knife for defense it will the biggest pointiest one I can find :)
Just the generic Nite-Ize "C/D Upgrade" version that's $8 or so at walmart, or at least used to be. It's shaped like an old-style flanged flashlight bulb so it can be used in a lot of different lights. Doesn't put out anywhere near the light of the mag-led LED's, but works fine for what we use it for - just general walking-around light in a dark house during outages. For task lights or intense, up-close work, you'd want something better but it's good for what it is.
