Eye for the door: 10 tips on choosing a door peephole

Contents

1. №1.The design of the door eye
2. №2.The angle of view of the peephole
3. №3.The length of the peephole
4. №4.Material performance peephole
5. №5.Diameter of the peephole
6. №6.Gate valve for peepholes and its analogues
7. №7.The main types of door locks
8. №8.Video peephole for front door
9. №9.Manufacturers of door eyes
10. №10.Installing the door eye

Eye - a pledge of security of the home and protection from uninvited guests. It is hard to believe that even some 50-60 years ago people did without this small, but very important invention. Today, the peephole seems to be an ordinary thing, so much so that many do not even know that there are many types of door peepholes, which differ in the material of execution, viewing angle, degree of secrecy and other parameters. There are even video eyes that can provide the maximum level of security and control over the space near the entrance door. We understand how to choose a door peephole and what parameters it is important to pay attention to, and also learn how to install the peephole correctly.

№1.The design of the door eye

Today the eye is an attribute of almost every entrance door in the world. It became widespread only in the 1960s, and its design was based on the wide-angle lens , also called the fisheye, which Robert Wood invented in 1906.The American scientist, inventor and writer managed to create a lot of useful things, but this invention did not find practical application. His idea was somewhat ahead of time. Thanks to the wide-angle lens, not only did the possibilities of photography and video expand, but there was also a chance to increase personal safety. Now what is happening on the reverse side of the entrance door is easily visible. Any suspicious person, a dangerous situation or just an uninvited guest will be noticed in time.

The variety of door eyes is huge today, but most of them have the same design. On the outer and inner side of the eye are lenses - the lens and eyepiece. The lens is held by an external nut, which is fixed in the door with special clamps. Behind the outer nut are the housing of the peephole and the inner nut, which are hidden in the door leaf. From the inside, the eyepiece can be additionally equipped with a flap. Additional lenses can be used inside the peephole. In total, they are usually from 2 to 15. In the periscope eyes, in addition to the lenses, a system of mirrors is used.

№2.Angle of View

The minimum angle of view, which is found in modern eyes, is 120 degrees. Common sense dictates that this may not be enough, because control is lost over some areas of the space behind the door where intruders may hide. That is why is recommended to take a peephole with a viewing angle of 180 degrees .

Some manufacturers produce eyes with a stated viewing angle of more than 200 degrees. Such a lens allows you to capture even more information, remove distortion and transfer a picture to a person with the same viewing angle of 180 degrees, but more understandable and natural.

There is another trick. If you focus the lens forward, you can get a wider viewing angle. Such eyes will be a great helper in every home.

№3.Eyelet length

The length of the door eyelet depends on the thickness of the door leaf. Everything is simple and logical. The length of the eyes are such species:

• standard . is suitable for doors with a thickness of 30-55 mm , and the majority of such in the domestic space. Wooden and metal entrance doors make just such a thickness, so the standard eyes got the greatest popularity. Each peephole is provided with a thread, thanks to which its length can be adjusted to exactly match the thickness of the web;
• extended , for doors with a thickness of 55-100 mm. These eyes are used in cases where the door leaf is insulated from the outside and the inside, and the length of the standard eye is not enough;
• long , for doors more than 100 mm thick. Usually armored doors make them so massive.

Note that optics in long and elongated eyes should differ from those used in standard ones, otherwise the viewing angle will be significantly lower than it should be, and the visibility of objects in sight will suffer.

№4.Material performance of the eye

The lenses of the eye are responsible for how high-quality the image you will see, by analogy with the lenses in the camera lens. The lenses in the peephole can be made of the following materials:

• plastic .The cheapest, but at the same time the most short-lived option. Initially, such a peephole will serve normally, but after 2-3 years the lenses will begin to darken and distort the image. If you add plastic property here to attract dust, then you don’t want to recommend such a peephole for purchase, even considering its attractive price;
• ordinary glass is devoid of all the problems characteristic of the plastic counterpart. Such eyes are durable, do not grow cloudy over time, do not lose image clarity. Their minus is not so much in price, as in increased fragility;
• optics - ideal. Such a peephole will be durable and will not lose its useful performance during the whole service life. In addition, spectacle optics are not as fragile as glass. The only negative is the cost, but such investments will more than pay off.

The peephole body can be made of metal or plastic. It is not difficult to understand which of these materials is more durable and which one is more expensive. Metal eye tolerates external influences and temperature drops. Plastic in this regard is inferior to metal and can crack, even under the influence of a sharp temperature difference, therefore such a peephole does not fit the entrance doors to a private house, but in apartment buildings it can safely be used.

As for the case color, a wide variety reigns here. Manufacturers paint products under brass, chrome steel, bronze, silver and even gold. The choice depends on the features of the exterior trim of the door leaf and personal preferences.

No. 5.The diameter of the door eye

Anyone who knows at least the basis of photography, remembers that the quality of images, especially in the dark, depends on the size of the opening of the aperture, which transmits light to the matrix. With eyes all about the same. The larger the lens diameter of the eye, the higher its luminosity, and the easier it will be to consider everything that happens behind the door. Eyes with a large diameter can observe the landing, at a distance of 5-7 cm from the door.

If there is already a hole under the peephole in the door, be very careful with the choice of diameter. When buying a peephole with a slightly larger diameter, it will be possible to enlarge the hole, but otherwise everything is not so simple.

№6.Gate valve for peepholes and its analogues

The gate valve has become an indispensable accessory door lock. Two functions are assigned to it at once. Firstly, thanks to her, it is impossible to see from the outside whether there is someone inside the apartment. Secondly, purely aesthetically, such an eye looks better, and the rays of light from the outside will not break through.

Most modern eyes instead of the usual mechanical valves receive a mirror coating. The functionality is the same, but the image is a little less bright than when using conventional lenses without spraying.

№7.The main types of

door locks. The peephole, which gives a viewing angle of 180 degrees and has no distinctive features, is called the standard .This is a good solution for residents of decent high-rise buildings, but if the sense of security is acute, the area is criminal, or you just want to have maximum control over your home and what is happening outside, you can pay attention to more functional types of door peepers:

• panoramic eye is characterized by the presence of a lens divided into two lenses. Due to this, it turns out to collect more light and transfer a panoramic image to the eyepiece. All corners of the okolodvernogo space will be perfectly visible, and you can see the image, even if you do not come close to the eye;
• bullet-proof peephole provides households with an increased level of security. Complete with a powerful door and a pair of complex locks such a peephole will protect the house from any encroachments of intruders. Such a peephole will be especially relevant if the front door faces the street;
• the secret eye of the is mounted not in the center of the canvas, but in the most unexpected place, for example, in a doorbell, apartment number or nail. It can be standard, panoramic or equipped with a camera. In the latter case, the observation of the landing is much easier;
• peephole for double doors consists of two parts and allows you to view the space in front of the outer door without opening the inner one;
• The periscope eye is distinguished by the location of the lens and eyepiece at different levels. To transfer the image from the lens, a system of mirrors is used. This type of eyes is convenient if there are children and people with disabilities in the house;The
• video peephole for the door The is actually a miniature surveillance camera that allows you to broadcast an image to a computer monitor, TV or smartphone, take photos and record video.

The latter species is so strikingly different from those eyes that we used to see, which requires more detailed consideration.

№8.Video peephole for the front door

Following the smart locks, the smart eyes, which are able to shoot what they see and transmit information to an external device, appeared. You probably shouldn't even talk about conveniences - they are there. You can always know what is happening or happening in front of your door.

A video peephole is a whole complex of equipment that includes a camera, power supply, cable and monitor. The heart of this system is the microscopic camera , which is often designed in such a way as to resemble an ordinary eye as much as possible. Externally, the differences are minimal, so the likelihood that someone willfully damage the peephole is small. The information received from the camera is transmitted to the monitor. It can be a TV screen, a computer, a smartphone, or your own small screen, combined with a peephole. Today, many devices transmit information wirelessly( over the network Wi- Fi ), so if someone rings the doorbell and you sit at the computer, you just have to open the special application window and see who came. The most advanced models are able to transfer the image to the smartphone, even if you are not in the apartment.

There are eyes where a small screen is located behind the lens and mounted on the door. Just press the button to see what is happening beyond the threshold. Connect these eyes no more difficult than usual. Some call this kind of video peepholes electronic peepholes for doors.

Video door for the front door has many advantages :

• wide viewing angle( full 180 degrees);
• presence of an infrared sensor and high sensitivity of the camera allows you to see what is happening in front of the door, even under low light conditions;
• it is impossible to disable such a peephole from the outside;
• video eyes with a motion sensor include recording as soon as someone appeared on the landing. In the future, such records may be very necessary;
• video eyes with a call inside them make a photo every time the doorbell rings. You will be able to see the full report on all visitors who came while you were away;
• some eyes can serve as an intercom or answering machine;
• the ability to transfer video and photos to your smartphone, recording to a memory card.

When buying, be sure to pay attention to the viewing angle, the dimensions of the device and the type of power supply .The device can be wired or battery. For the latter, it is important to make sure that the batteries, in which case it is convenient to change. It is also necessary to clarify the time of their work. The resolution of the camera is largely dependent on the resolution of the camera, so it’s better to take video eyes with a camera resolution of at least 1.5-2 Mp. Try to take the peephole with the highest photosensitivity, so that he can “see” well in the dark. In the characteristics of this parameter can indicate the value of the diaphragm: the smaller the better.

Some video eyes are additionally equipped with a conventional eye, which can also be useful in some cases.

# 9.Manufacturers of door eyes

On the market there are products of numerous brands. This is the rare case when it is difficult to single out the obvious leaders - you will have to personally examine the product and study all the characteristics. Yet some of the largest manufacturers can be identified. Among foreign ones are:

• ABUS, Germany .The company specializes in the manufacture of locking mechanisms, security systems and eyes. The products are of the highest quality, but also cost accordingly;
• Armadillo , China produces eyes with glass and plastic lenses, in a metal case in a different color. Models of different widths are also presented, so finding the right fit will be easy.

Among domestic companies one can single out:

• “NORA-M” produces a wide range of door fittings. The eyes have glass and plastic lenses, a body made of brass and an alloy of zinc, aluminum and copper( TsAM), the viewing angle is 180-200 degrees, the distortions are minimal. Excellent choice for your money;
• DOORLOCK for over 20 years on the market of door fittings. It produces eyes of various alloys, the prices are more than favorable;
• Apecs produces eyes with plastic lenses in a brass, plastic and aluminum case. The main advantage is reasonable prices.

No. 10.Installing the door peephole

Installing a regular door peephole is a matter of minutes. Special skills are not required. The order of work is as follows:

• selection of a suitable place on the door and marking;
• drilling holes on both sides of the door. You can use a drill or punch. The diameter of the hole is selected depending on the size of the eye;
• installation tip with a lens on the outside of the door, on the inside it is tightly screwed with an eyepiece.

That's all the work. If you have chosen a video peephole, which is equipped with its own screen mounted from the inside of the door, the installation process will not be much more difficult. When it comes to video peepholes, which will transmit the image via cable to a TV or computer, it is better to entrust the installation to professionals who know exactly how to properly adjust the signal.

If you take a responsible approach to the selection and installation of the peephole, you can always control your own home.