T54PRO-ZE vs IPC-Color4M-TZ

That's a GREAT side-by-side shoot-out ... I wish all comparisons were as good as this.
The 5442 definitely appears better than the 54PRO ... not just in dynamic content (day and night) but even the daytime static content looks better to me.

@wopi82 posted it in his review here where he makes comments.
wopi82

Thread 'Review - EmpireTech IPC-T54PRO-AS 1/1.8" CMOS 4MP WizColor'

Hi everyone, here is a review of the new IP camera I purchased from Andy, the T54PRO-AS, which is likely a sibling model to Dahua’s recent HDW5459H-ASE-PV-PRO. It features a 4-megapixel sensor paired with an f/1.0 lens. The camera supports Smart Dual Light (IR + warm light) and includes a removable IR filter, enabling VIS+NIR imaging — a combination that until recently was rare in cameras equipped with f/1.0 lenses. This review will cover only the aspects of image quality. I will not discuss UI features, dual light or sound quality.

It has been four years since my last review here, and...
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If I was being paid to do so and it was my vocation instead of hobby I would invest in the video presentation software and learning curve.

I’m just pleased someone with his experience arrived at the same results as I did.
Two months later …
 
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This night is really foggy and it is driving my IPC-Color4M-TZ + IPC-Color4M-T completely crazy (I am the settings from @tmxv4128 but I think the result would be the same with the default settings).
Looking at the video streams, it looks like a gigantic storm is happening outside (with big snowflakes twirling around).
I went outside and there was only mist moving slowly in the air.
I guess that this is the effect of IR reflection on the particles.

If I remove the IR light, I do not see these particles anymore but of course the image is very dark.
And I am not sure if the camera will see movement anymore...

Is there an elegant solution for handling fog with those cameras ?
I searched on ipcamtalk and I saw that some Dahua camera have a defog mode, but I haven't found this option on mine.
So powerful AI features, but the camera is not able to handle fog...

I guess the only option is to give up on the IR light at night (or to have an indirect one) when it is foggy.
But I have to do that manually, which is a pain in winter.



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The defog mode is a digital enhancement that usually results in motion blur. Not aware of anyone using that feature.

Sometimes we just have to suffer with less than ideal conditions. The cameras are not magic and if fog is bad, so will the video.

As you said, external IR may mitigate some of it, but you have to accept the occasional weather conditions that impact the quality of the image.

You could add a thermal camera to critical spots that are not impacted by the weather.
 
I don't mind that the video or image quality are bad.
But the camera is artificially generating a "storm of movements" in the video which is picked up by my NVR (Frigate) and then it goes on overdrive to analyze continuously the whole night.
It makes me regret not using the onboard AI by using Dahua NVR (instead of delegating the analysis to Frigate).
 
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True, but the fog droplets are moving. One of the reasons why many of us use camera IVS instead of motion detection with third party AI.
 
Using the NVR for AI won’t fix that particular issue I don’t believe. It’s not an NVR or AI detection issue. ( though you should use the camera AI IVS instead of dumb motion detection. Night and day)

It’s the new cameras. The AI built into the image processing. (Separate from the AI target detection in IVS etc) They don’t do fog well. There have been other reports of this
 
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I get a lot of fog where I live, and the AI of the new cameras handles it differently than any previous camera. Here is an example using a Color4K-T180, B54PRO-Z4E, and Color4K-X camera. All clips are synchronized at the same time (11PM). The Color4K-T180 scene is only illuminated by an overhead streetlight. The B54PRO-Z4E has IR illumination from the camera. No other added light. The Color4K-X has its lights turned off, but the scene is illuminated by a 3000 lumen garage light. The B54PRO-Z4E drives me crazy. The fog is being digitally manipulated, and it doesn't look good.

 
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Yes I have almost exactly the same issue as viewed on the bottom left image (T54PRO). It looks like a storm.
Is it possible to raise the issue With Andy/Dahua or is it useless ?
I found out I can enable/disable motion detection from Frigate and based on IVS detection.
I'll test to see if this is fast enough.
 
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