I need a mini CCD pinhole camera.

[Dittoz]

I need recommendations. I'm about to pull my hair out, trying to figure out all the different specs, and which is good quality and which is a rip off.

I need to place this camera in a drywall ceiling. I need the hole to be absolutely tiny and I need it to be wired. No wireless. What are your thoughts on this one?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.805

It's B&W and I would prefer color, but if this is a good resolution cam, I guess I could live with B&W. Here are the specs on it.

CCD VIDEO CAMERA
Pick-up Device: 1/3" B/W CCD
Horizontal definition: 420 TV lines
Picture element(pixeles) E: 290k C:320k
Minimum illumination: 0.1 LUX at F 1.4
Synchronizing system: lnternal
Scanning system: 2:1 lnterlaced
Video output: 1Vp-p 75 ohm composite
S/N Ratio(AGC off): More than 50 dB
Electronic iris(Auto): 1/50,1/60-1/100.000sec.
Gamma correction: r 0.45
Gain control Auto: 4dB-30dB
B.L.C: 2800k-8200k
MTBF 80,000 hours
Power source DC12V(Tolerence:9v-15v)
Operating current: 90mA w/regulated power in
Lens mount Standard: f=3.6(92°),f=3.7(90°)

The price is hard to beat, but I could handle paying a little more for something better. Thanks for any help!

[Dittoz]

Anyone out there with any advice?

[guns1inger]

You can get arrested in this country for putting cameras in the ceiling without consent . . . . .

You really have to try them out to see what they can actually do. All the very small cameras I have seen tend to produce low quality, noisy footage on par with a cheap webcam (which is basically all that they are). I have never bothered to look at the more expensive models to see if they are significantly better.

[jagabo]

I think you'll find all those b/w, pinhole, composite video cameras in that price range will deliver about the same quality. The biggest issue is the pinhole allows very little light through. Small lens = little light = noisy video, unless the scene is very well lit. The second limitation is the composite video signal. You'll get roughly 640x480 resolution.

[Dittoz]

I think you'll find all those b/w, pinhole, composite video cameras in that price range will deliver about the same quality. The biggest issue is the pinhole allows very little light through. Small lens = little light = noisy video, unless the scene is very well lit. The second limitation is the composite video signal. You'll get roughly 640x480 resolution.

Yup I wish I could do something better than composite, and would gladly pay a little bit more, but I've never seen one of these tiny cameras with anything but composite.