North American 5MP "Basic Starlight" vs 2MP Starlight

Hello,

I believe the North American 2MP N24CG52 Starlight model is similar in performance to the international Starlight models recommended here, is that correct?

I'm comparing the night performance numbers to the 5MP N51BI22, and they're close. This model is designated as "Basic Starlight", so it doesn't have the STARVIS sensor. Is there an equivalent international model?

The 2 MP low light numbers are:
Color: 0.007 lux at F1.6 (1/3 s, 30 IRE)
Color: 0.06 lux at F1.6 (1/30 s, 30 IRE)

While the 5 MP are:
Color: 0.009 lux at F1.6 (1/3 s,30 IRE)
Color: 0.09 lux at F1.6 (1/30 s, 30 IRE)

Is it safe to say that these two models will perform very similarly at night?

Finally, the front of my home is alway lit at night, while the back and sides are not. I was considering using the N84CG52, with pretty poor night performance, up front, and either the 2MP or 5MP for the sides and back.

I would appreciate some comments and suggestions.

Lexicon44 said:

Hello,

I believe the North American 2MP N24CG52 Starlight model is similar in performance to the international Starlight models recommended here, is that correct?

I'm comparing the night performance numbers to the 5MP N51BI22, and they're close. This model is designated as "Basic Starlight", so it doesn't have the STARVIS sensor. Is there an equivalent international model?

The 2 MP low light numbers are:
Color: 0.007 lux at F1.6 (1/3 s, 30 IRE)
Color: 0.06 lux at F1.6 (1/30 s, 30 IRE)

While the 5 MP are:
Color: 0.009 lux at F1.6 (1/3 s,30 IRE)
Color: 0.09 lux at F1.6 (1/30 s, 30 IRE)

Is it safe to say that these two models will perform very similarly at night?

Finally, the front of my home is alway lit at night, while the back and sides are not. I was considering using the N84CG52, with pretty poor night performance, up front, and either the 2MP or 5MP for the sides and back.

I would appreciate some comments and suggestions.

Click to expand...

Welcome @Lexicon44

I would expect the 5MP N51BI22/N51BI23 "eyeball" to not do well compared to the 2MP N24CG52.

Notice that the 2MP N24CG52 is listed as a "starlight" on the tag, and has a significantly larger pixel size ( based on resolution and sensor size ) in addition to using a Starvis sensor.

Thank you for your reply @mat200!

Given that the 8MP model I referenced has a STARVIS sensor and the front of the house remains lit at night, would you recommend the 8MP up front and 2MP Starlights on the sides and back, or a Starlight setup all around?

My square lot only has a 50' x 35' front yard, 6' x 45' side lanes, and 50' x 20' backyard.

Lexicon44 said:

Thank you for your reply @mat200!

Given that the 8MP model I referenced has a STARVIS sensor and the front of the house remains lit at night, would you recommend the 8MP up front and 2MP Starlights on the sides and back, or a Starlight setup all around?

My square lot only has a 50' x 35' front yard, 6' x 45' side lanes, and 50' x 20' backyard.

Click to expand...

Hi Lexicon44

Depends on what you want.. low light performance, or daylight performance.

You can mix and match if you want...

Have you seen the 1831/2831 models on the International website? They're 8MP/4K but use a bigger 1/1.8" image sensor vs. the 1/2.5" image sensor found in the N84CG52 (which folks refer to as 5831 here). With the bigger image sensor, they do better in low-light than the 5831/N84CG52, but they're still not as good as the 2MP Starlights that use the 1/2.8" sensor (like the 4231/5231 international models).

The NA N24CG52 model you asked about in your OP is one of the 4231 models from the international lineup. Solid model. If you don't need a mic, there's a 2MP Starlight varifocal model that's just about the same price ... forum review here. Varifocal is great for being able to zoom in tighter on an area you're covering, which gives you a higher PPF value, which can help ID people further from the camera.

If you haven't already seen it, I'd suggest playing around with the IPVM Camera Calculator V3 Type in your address and let it pull up a Google Maps image of your house. You can add up to three cameras to the image, set the model numbers, position them around the exterior of your house, then drag the little guy around to see a simulated image from each camera. Incredible tool for getting a feel for how a model will perform in a specific location.

Also if you haven't already found it, there's a bunch of compiled notes located in the Cliff Notes document in the Wiki area. Andy (@EMPIRETECANDY) is an awesome (and well trusted) vendor to buy Dahua international models from. Dahua North America irks me, ... from calling that 5MP eye model (with that horrible IR ring) a "Starlight" model, to not carrying most of the popular low-light models available from Dahua's international website that are so popular on the forum here. Thankfully Andy fills that role.

Lexicon44 said:

Given that the 8MP model I referenced has a STARVIS sensor and the front of the house remains lit at night, would you recommend the 8MP up front and 2MP Starlights on the sides and back, or a Starlight setup all around?

Click to expand...

IMO, if you're looking for the best chance of capturing the least-blurry image of someone moving around at night, a varifocal 2MP Starlight zoomed in tighter on an area is almost always going to give you a better result than any camera that has more MP.

Something folks have started to do is use higher MP cameras (esp the 1831/2831 models) as overview cameras, covering broad areas (like an entire front yard) ... they're usually not good enough at night to ID folks, but they can be good enough to get a pretty good "general image" of folks moving around at night. Then folks will supplement the 1831/2831s with 2MP Starlights on key areas, like a varifocal 5231/2231 zoomed in tight on cars in the driveway (or a gate to the backyard), ... a smaller 4231 mini-dome wedge covering porches/patios, etc. If the person happens to wander by one of those cameras, that'll be the image hopefully good enough to ID them.

You could also consider the HFW4239TN "color only" for the front.
I have the 2831 for daytime ID. In my neighborhood houses are robbed during the day by people who ring doorbells to see who is not home.
I would like to do overlapping cameras, but don't want to be the weird guy with too many cameras.

Thanks to all who responded so far. It has definitely been informative and helpful!

dmiller said:

...don't want to be the weird guy with too many cameras.

Click to expand...

dmiller said:

...don't want to be the weird guy with too many cameras.

Click to expand...

I have absolutely NO IDEA what you mean.

dmiller said:

I would like to do overlapping cameras, but don't want to be the weird guy with too many cameras.

Click to expand...

I def don't want to be that guy either. I know everyone's house is different, but two cameras on the far sides of my house and one on the porch cover stuff great for for me. The one on the porch is small and isn't visible from the street (and frankly is way more discrete when you're on the porch vs. the obnoxious stuff the local security companies are installing for my neighbors). The cameras on the ends of the house are white varifocal turrets mounted on white soffit, so unless you're looking for them, they're not obvious.

Ended up getting the following from Andy (except for the hard drive):

1 x NVR5208-8P-4KS2E - NVR
1 x WD40PURZ - 4TB WD Purple hard drive
6 x IPC-HDW5231R-ZE - 2MP Starlight turrets
6 x PFA130-E - junction boxes

Hopefully that's a decent attempt at my first system. Intend to upgrade two of the Starlights in the front of the house with 8MP models when turrets are available with 1/1.8" or better sensors.

Thanks for the tips!

Lexicon44 said:

Intend to upgrade two of the Starlights in the front of the house with 8MP models when turrets are available with 1/1.8" or better sensors.

Click to expand...

A bunch of us are waiting for that. Interestingly, they just announced this model... fixed-lens turret, 1/1.8" sensor, and 4MP ... its minimum illumination specs are better than the 2MP 1/2.8" Starlights... hopefully Andy can get a unit over for review as soon as they're available.

https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/productDetail/33357
(may have to click link twice)