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When I have a container for taking photo that detects person when he/she enters it by PIR sensor, and I want to install camera that will be connected to the PC, that detects face of that person and takes a photo.

The problem is it may be a small child or tall adult. How can I automatically adjust the height at which the camera takes an image?

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    \$\begingroup\$ @AJHenderson The question seems to be about solving the same class of problems addressed by movements on technical cameras. It is only its phrasing as an XY problem that seems to put it off topic. \$\endgroup\$
    – user50888
    Oct 23, 2017 at 15:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ @benrudgers - except it isn't just about how to move a camera up and down. It's primarily about building a system to move it up or down automatically. That automation piece is what pushed it over the edge. The question is "how do a I build a robot that can move something up and down on it's own?" it just happens to be moving a camera. If it is asking for a specific device, it is a product recommendation, if it is not, it is not photography related. \$\endgroup\$
    – AJ Henderson ♦
    Oct 23, 2017 at 15:14
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    \$\begingroup\$ Put another way, let's take it to the extreme. "My subject may move around. How do I build a vehicle that can follow them?" Is building a self-driving subject tracking car on topic for Photo.SE? If we apply that logic, we can make just about anything "photography" related. \$\endgroup\$
    – AJ Henderson ♦
    Oct 23, 2017 at 15:28
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    \$\begingroup\$ @AJHenderson I see the problem as photographing subjects at different heights. Deciding to move the camera is what turns it into an XY problem. Moving the lens is another solution to photographing subjects of varying height and well within the realm of photography. Cropping is similarly. \$\endgroup\$
    – user50888
    Oct 23, 2017 at 15:41
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    \$\begingroup\$ @AJHenderson I have asked question on robootics robotics.stackexchange.com/questions/14500/… yesterday. But no one replied yet. \$\endgroup\$
    – J Clean
    Oct 25, 2017 at 5:47

2 Answers 2

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For a number of applications, this issue is often solved by using a dedicated PTZ Camera, which has a camera with a zoom lens integrated with a motor-driven and controllable pan+tilt head. Most of these cameras nowadays are also IP cameras that can be controlled via network or IoT standard interfaces.

In surveillance, these cameras are often mounted upside down from a ceiling, some distance away from the target area to be monitored. This reduces the maximum sweep angle needed to adjust for the height of the individual entering the surveillance zone, and also avoids a potential issue where the PTZ might not be able to look down at a subject (the way standing adults address children) if it were mounted right-side-up, as the sweep area for the tilt is typically from parallel to the base to straight up.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Panning and tilting will change the perspective in a portrait. For example a child will have to look up at a camera that would be eye level for an adult. That may or may not be an issue for the application envisioned in the question. \$\endgroup\$
    – user50888
    Oct 23, 2017 at 13:40
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You should find your way out. Ideally the camera should be mounted on a vertically mounted bar which could move to and fro with the help of gears. The gears could be moved with a stepper motor controlled by a arduino based hardware and software.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ It means that there is no ready one, right? I should make it myself from scratch. \$\endgroup\$
    – J Clean
    Oct 23, 2017 at 7:10
  • \$\begingroup\$ There definitely are surveillance camera systems that do advanced face tracking. Not sure how many of them are affordable as those I have seen are usually part of large surveillance installation with hundreds of cameras. I think, however, that the previous answer about PTZ cameras is the first stop to look at. \$\endgroup\$
    – Gnudiff
    Oct 23, 2017 at 8:11

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