Hikvision ColorVu + 4K (DS-2CD2087G2-L)

[pozzello]

Here's one of mine. Exposure 1/120, VBR 10FPS 10240Kbps, contrast @49 (huge diff from 50, for some reason), sharpness 10, WDR ON @11, NR @25


I need some more lighting on the house to balance out the backlighting from the street lamp across the street, just above the Prius.
the only lighting from this side is a 60w equiv LED above the door you can see a reflection of in the minivan's rear window...

edit: direct link to Flickr video no workie for some reason, see video in album at Large Sensor Comparo

edit: Comparo moved to separate thread at Large Sensor Comparo so as to not hijack this one.

 

[ljw2k]

I do not use WDR at night as I find it introduces noise and puts a purple cast to the picture. I use 42 sharpness also as well as a little HLC but take on board my settings will be completely different from yours as both are different views and conditions.

I am fortunate to have 1 LED street light outside my house but other than that it's pretty dark looking down and up the street. That 60W LED you have should be sufficient to get a good capture.

 

[ljw2k]

I would be on to your local council ASAP before your MPV disappears.

 

[Night-Owl]

Hi, My bitrate is set to VBR 6144 using H.265, I think I remember I referenced these are valid against a guide using 4K on H.265. has anyone seen any difference increasing this value, happy to increase but only if it makes any difference of course. Thank you

 

[pozzello]

Ha! yes, that hole appeared some time after they dug up and patched that circular spot right next to it a few years back (another just in front of the car).

unfortunatley, Berkeley doesn't have 'street repairs' at the top of the priority list these days (or ever...). I might try filling it in myself with some asphalt mix.

 

[gtj]

So guys is this a good option over the HFW5442E-ZE ?
What would it be a good price? Looks like I can get one for £170.

 

[wittaj]

So guys is this a good option over the HFW5442E-ZE ?
What would it be a good price? Looks like I can get one for £170.

Depends on what you are using the camera for and how far away the subjects would be you are trying to identify...someone here recently replaced this camera with the 5442E-ZE as he has trying to capture clean images further out than the fixed cam could realistically produce so he moved this to another area...as always YMMV

 

[gtj]

8-12m

I got the HFW5442E-ZE but to be honest I don't use the motorized lens zoom function.

 

[wittaj]

Personally I think that distance is a stretch to clearly ID someone with this camera, but I prefer the subject to be large in the frame to clearly identify them without having to digital zoom - a little is ok but too much only works in the movies and TV LOL.

The varifocal isn't meant to be used and is a set it and forget it. What are you at right now for zoom on it - all the way wide or somewhere in-between. If you are zoomed all the way out (meaning a larger field of view) and you can clearly identify someone, then the Hik would be ok.

 

[gtj]

Personally I think that distance is a stretch to clearly ID someone with this camera, but I prefer the subject to be large in the frame to clearly identify them without having to digital zoom - a little is ok but too much only works in the movies and TV LOL.

The varifocal isn't meant to be used and is a set it and forget it. What are you at right now for zoom on it - all the way wide or somewhere in-between. If you are zoomed all the way out (meaning a larger field of view) and you can clearly identify someone, then the Hik would be ok.

It is also difficult o identify a car's plate with the 5442 in the dark with IRs on and at a distance greater than 7-8m.
I'm not using the zoom at all. It's zoomed out with the largest field of view possible. (2.8mm)

 

[wittaj]

With the exception of a few people here who have the perfect spots and light and can get plates with color at night, if you are trying to get plates at night with IR, then you have to run a faster shutter (like 1/2000) and then the image will be completely black except for the head/tail lights and the plate.

Don't expect the Hik camera to get plates at that distance - if you do, then it is a bonus. @ljw2k has just about every ideal condition to be able to get plates with this camera. Take away one or more of these ideal conditions and it probably isn't happening.

Most of us need one camera dedicated to getting plates and then another camera for overview.

 

[gtj]

With the exception of a few people here who have the perfect spots and light and can get plates with color at night, if you are trying to get plates at night with IR, then you have to run a faster shutter (like 1/2000) and then the image will be completely black except for the head/tail lights and the plate.

Don't expect the Hik camera to get plates at that distance - if you do, then it is a bonus. @ljw2k has just about every ideal condition to be able to get plates with this camera. Take away one or more of these ideal conditions and it probably isn't happening.

Most of us need one camera dedicated to getting plates and then another camera for overview.

I see.
You've been thoroughly helpful. Thanks!

 

[craigscott]

Hi all,

been following this thread for a while as I’m looking at what the best options are for A new setup. I am new to all this so apologies if this is a basic question!

If I wanted to use these cameras and not have the motion blur (and so a fast enough shutter speed) - what kind of Lux would I need outside to sustain that level of image quality?

I have an LED streetlight opposite the house but was wondering whether I should get a Lux meter to check they will work as expected!

Thanks,

Craig

 

[ljw2k]

Hi Craig, if you have been following the thread then you will have a good idea if this camera will work for your environment and if you say you have street lights then even better. The trouble is no where has stock of this model as yet but should be back in stock in the next few weeks. I would certainly consider buying from a UK Authorised Seller.

Where about in the UK are you?

 

[Parley]

I have this 6mm version about as good as I am going to get it in the back yard. Hard to believe, but it is really dark out there to the naked eye especially of the neighbors yards. So far this is the best camera at this location including the 5442E-Z4E that it replaced. I am glad I was able to "save" this camera by taking it apart and manually adjusting the lens to fit into this location.

Edit: This is with the white light of the camera turned off.

 

[wittaj]

I have said it elsewhere as well, but it is interesting how many of us experience better camera images with the camera LED off, regardless of whether it is a Hik or Dahua! I personally don't think they cast a far enough light to be effective. They are blinding looking at the camera, but do not project enough light out far enough to be effective. I have 3 different cameras with the LED and I do not run any of them on!

 

[pozzello]

I'd have to agree this is my new 'hero' cam. My only regert is having bought (2) of the 4mm instead of (3) 6mm to cover the 180 degree 'overview' on the street side of our house.
50% more pixels per foot with that sort of low-light chops goes a good ways to making people more identifiable...

 

[CCTVCam]

I have said it elsewhere as well, but it is interesting how many of us experience better camera images with the camera LED off, regardless of whether it is a Hik or Dahua! I personally don't think they cast a far enough light to be effective. They are blinding looking at the camera, but do not project enough light out far enough to be effective. I have 3 different cameras with the LED and I do not run any of them on!

I see LED's as a gimmick and something designed to help manufacturers claim better night performance than a camera actually has. They use a significant amount of electricity comapred to the camera overall and add in a component to the camera that will eventually fail. Just ask yourslef, how many people have actually got the eg. 14,000 hours promised out of an led light bulb? Generally they last a long time, but I've replaced quite a few within a couple of years. You don't want to be junking a perfectly good cameras because an led which is on up to 12 hours a night depending on the time of year, has died.

In my opinion, Hik made a step in the right direction with this camera in upping the sensor size and left Dahua reeling. The sheer populartiy of this camera shows what the market wants - large sensors not led gimmicks. This may have an led as well, but hopefully if everyone feed backs to Dahua / Hikvision we might see LED's fade out and even larger more sensitive sensors creep in.

 

[Night-Owl]

I see LED's as a gimmick and something designed to help manufacturers claim better night performance than a camera actually has. They use a significant amount of electricity comapred to the camera overall and add in a component to the camera that will eventually fail. Just ask yourslef, how many people have actually got the eg. 14,000 hours promised out of an led light bulb? Generally they last a long time, but I've replaced quite a few within a couple of years. You don't want to be junking a perfectly good cameras because an led which is on up to 12 hours a night depending on the time of year, has died.

In my opinion, Hik made a step in the right direction with this camera in upping the sensor size and left Dahua reeling. The sheer populartiy of this camera shows what the market wants - large sensors not led gimmicks. This may have an led as well, but hopefully if everyone feed backs to Dahua / Hikvision we might see LED's fade out and even larger more sensitive sensors creep in.

Alot of people that notice my cameras like the led as a active deterance, unfortunately it gives you a worse picture so had to turn of and the LEDs are warm white instead of daylight white like I had on the Lorex, but I certainly liked the daylight bright leds I had on my old Lorex as an active deterance and also the TalkBack feature as these don't have a speaker but the picture quality outways this, so I also have put these on my top list pile and as soon as can get some more, will be adding 2 more. Only a few weeks back I was selling them but after some tweaking together with changes to what I want from the cameras. I am glad they stayed.

 

[CCTVCam]

I can see the value of a siren and flashing lights such as on Dahua active defence cameras. However, I equally see these as a niche rather than a mainstream product. The flashing coloured led degrades the picture and ruins recognition. Clear led's better in this regard but not sure how much they really add to the overall picture vs quality. I see this feature as more something like you'd see on a Ring ie best activated by it sending a notification to your phone and you manually viewing the video and then trigering the light / siren or alternatively activated after a longer period of activity when you've already got the money shots. Having it activate on detection or 5 sec thereafter is detrimental to the picture and whilst it might stop an attack dead, it can also ruin the evidence.

My personal use for one of these cameras would be as a rear yard defence tool as then any activation means you've probably a) already got them on other cameras and b) you actively want to scare them out of there, or as a backup camera to another camera where the delay is such that the other camera gets the money shot and this one scares them off, or as suggested manually activated.

I certainly wouldn't want even a clear led on all night. I'm trying to cut my electricity bill not increase it and as mentioned the downside is you're potentially considerably shortening the life of the camera runnign leds for long periods becasue eventually they will fail like any light source.