I am still really hoping things are correctable with FW updates but we will see. In the meantime I remain in a holding pattern regarding my purchase and installation plans. I may ask Andy for the 10/28 update while I wait, just to get a feel for the difference.
Dahua WizColor 5x59-PRO and SmartLight 5x59-IL new series
- Thread starter steve1225
- Start date
Just go with the 1028 update, no reason not to at this point, been running it on two here since release. Auto LED's a bit wonky but that can be overcome. Like you and many others, hoping these can be saved to some degree with firmware, otherwise 54Pro v2 will be the next fix. On the plus side at least we can play some relaxing music to the birds when these get used in a nest box!
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Comparisons of the new 54PRO-ZE (5459H-ZE-PV-PRO) vs the 5442H-ZHE
Brighter isn't necessarily better.
Primarily they are using NR, Sharpness and Brightness (through whatever digital means) to mask the inherent shortcomings of the sensor.
Honestly sample test cameras should have gone out 3 months before availability to 3-4 folks who have tested before with focus on real-life scenes with movement, with a focus on image quality and facial ID. No amount of analysis of static images can reproduce real world video results. This was easily identifiable in the first hour of testing on moving targets. Testing at 30+ft under bright street lights with about a 3-4mm zoom doesn't really tell you much.
Can it be improved via FW? I honestly don't know, that's beyond my technical knowledge. Maybe? I'm not optimistic.
Can much/some of it be overcome by adding light? Sure, same with ANY camera. But as I demonstrated on the Z4 variant, even that doesnt overcome the softness in bright daylight.
Can it be useful? sure. If we didnt have the 5442 series we'd probably accept it as the go-to camera. But alas we've seen what good sensors and optics can do and we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. If you have, or are willing to add enough external light, it can still be a great camera series.
Here are comparisons of the ZE variant to the 5442 ZE.
I saw similar results on the fixed AS variant on my back porch but am able to mitigate much of it with extreme added light in an enclosed tight area. Once in an open low light area, relying on IR, it again becomes obvious that it is not on par with the image quality of the 5442.
On first look we see the same thing we saw with the other 54PRO variants: Brighter image.
Both running 4.5ms Exposure
Note: both cameras benefit from a S3 Z4 right on top of them pointing in roughly the same place but zoomed to the street.
This camera is meant to cover the driveway and provide Overview.
Now the difference isn't blatantly obvious unless you add movement, expand the photos to actual resolution on a real monitor, but generally there is more digital noise (fuzz) and more blur.
Even if you consider the 54PRO image acceptable, you can't say it's "Better"
Another snap example: Again Brighter, but not Better
In setting it for Auto Smart Illum to take advantage of the white LED's and run color on motion activation, we see the same results as the Z4.
Yes its color and to some that may be enough.
But the noise, softness and artifacts are a mess accept when I'm standing almost perfectly still in image #2
View attachment 192.168.1.110_ch2_20251102202748_20251102202806.mp4
Lastly Daytime.
At a distance of about 55ft I'd actually give an edge to the 54PRO over the 5442 due to the inherent "WDR/SSA" effect of better handling the shadows and a more vibrant dynamic range.
This may be part of what we're seeing at night with blur as WDR/SSA in low light can introduce blur?
Obviously at these distances blur and detail noise are greatly diminished for all cameras. Part of why manufacturers use distance shots in their marketing materials.
But in normal daytime scenes, the 54PRO performs fine. Again LIGHT makes the difference
* While I could even out the shadows with WDR/SSA on the 5442, I choose not to because of the flattening of the image it produces.
As the light changes, to overcast, there is less of a clear difference
Brighter isn't necessarily better.
- I have not found any instance where there is benefit of the 54PRO-ZE over the 5442 varifocal. (other than the mic)
- Color daytime - soft and blurry, Color Nighttime - soft and blurry along with added digital noise that cannot be removed without extreme added lighting, B&W/IR Nighttime- soft and digital fuzz noise on the moving target
- I have seen this and struggled with it on all 3 variants -Fixed AS, ZE, and Z4
Primarily they are using NR, Sharpness and Brightness (through whatever digital means) to mask the inherent shortcomings of the sensor.
Honestly sample test cameras should have gone out 3 months before availability to 3-4 folks who have tested before with focus on real-life scenes with movement, with a focus on image quality and facial ID. No amount of analysis of static images can reproduce real world video results. This was easily identifiable in the first hour of testing on moving targets. Testing at 30+ft under bright street lights with about a 3-4mm zoom doesn't really tell you much.
Can it be improved via FW? I honestly don't know, that's beyond my technical knowledge. Maybe? I'm not optimistic.
Can much/some of it be overcome by adding light? Sure, same with ANY camera. But as I demonstrated on the Z4 variant, even that doesnt overcome the softness in bright daylight.
Can it be useful? sure. If we didnt have the 5442 series we'd probably accept it as the go-to camera. But alas we've seen what good sensors and optics can do and we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. If you have, or are willing to add enough external light, it can still be a great camera series.
Here are comparisons of the ZE variant to the 5442 ZE.
I saw similar results on the fixed AS variant on my back porch but am able to mitigate much of it with extreme added light in an enclosed tight area. Once in an open low light area, relying on IR, it again becomes obvious that it is not on par with the image quality of the 5442.
On first look we see the same thing we saw with the other 54PRO variants: Brighter image.
Both running 4.5ms Exposure
Note: both cameras benefit from a S3 Z4 right on top of them pointing in roughly the same place but zoomed to the street.
This camera is meant to cover the driveway and provide Overview.
Now the difference isn't blatantly obvious unless you add movement, expand the photos to actual resolution on a real monitor, but generally there is more digital noise (fuzz) and more blur.
Even if you consider the 54PRO image acceptable, you can't say it's "Better"
Another snap example: Again Brighter, but not Better
In setting it for Auto Smart Illum to take advantage of the white LED's and run color on motion activation, we see the same results as the Z4.
Yes its color and to some that may be enough.
But the noise, softness and artifacts are a mess accept when I'm standing almost perfectly still in image #2
View attachment 192.168.1.110_ch2_20251102202748_20251102202806.mp4
Lastly Daytime.
At a distance of about 55ft I'd actually give an edge to the 54PRO over the 5442 due to the inherent "WDR/SSA" effect of better handling the shadows and a more vibrant dynamic range.
This may be part of what we're seeing at night with blur as WDR/SSA in low light can introduce blur?
Obviously at these distances blur and detail noise are greatly diminished for all cameras. Part of why manufacturers use distance shots in their marketing materials.
But in normal daytime scenes, the 54PRO performs fine. Again LIGHT makes the difference
* While I could even out the shadows with WDR/SSA on the 5442, I choose not to because of the flattening of the image it produces.
As the light changes, to overcast, there is less of a clear difference
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I agree wit
Based mostly on the testing I have followed here, I agree. This is my worst-case scenario and I hope I am wrong.
Based mostly on the testing I have followed here, I agree. This is my worst-case scenario and I hope I am wrong.
Sorry for the multi-posts. I didn't know because an error message popped up each time so I tried again.
edit: It happened again when I posted the above.
2nd edit: Won't let me delete dupes to clean up. I'll try to do that when the prob is fixed.
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