Amcrest UltraHD 4K (8MP) Review

smith123 · Jun 21, 2019

I have been using this camera for about 1 month and have to say it is one of my best cameras. The 4k quality is very nice. The wide angle lens is very nice. I don't have exact numbers, but pretty much any car that pulls into my driveway and I easily read there licence plate.

What I like most about this camera:
- night vision
- works well with blue iris
- easy setup
- quality
- price

Cons:
- no microphone

Driveway North 2019-6-21 07.21.34.984 PM.jpg

Link
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C7W91YR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

mat200 · Jun 22, 2019

smith123 said:
I have been using this camera for about 1 month and have to say it is one of my best cameras. The 4k quality is very nice. The wide angle lens is very nice. I don't have exact numbers, but pretty much any car that pulls into my driveway and I easily read there licence plate.

What I like most about this camera:
- night vision
- works well with blue iris
- easy setup
- quality
- price

Cons:
- no microphone

View attachment 43870

Link
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C7W91YR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Welcome @smith123

Thanks for joining us. Feel free to post a night sample with movement.

iirc you have about 20 feet for the ID distance on that model ( to the 100 ppf density line ) - thus catching license plates during the day with a straight on shot should be more than that.

Type2 · Jun 22, 2019

Amazon link says it uses the Sony Starvis 1/2.5” 8MP sensor so I am guessing the night vision is similar to other teeny sensor 4k cameras (i.e. poor)

mat200 · Jun 22, 2019

Type2 said:
Amazon link says it uses the Sony Starvis 1/2.5” 8MP sensor so I am guessing the night vision is similar to other teeny sensor 4k cameras (i.e. poor)

Hi @Type2

Actually many of the newer 8MP cameras with the 1/2.5" Starvis sensors do not have poor night vision, they are actually very good compared to cameras with older imaging sensors.
There are many cameras which have a far worse low light performance compared to with the 8MP 1/2.5" Starvis sensor.

Compared to a 2MP camera with a Starvis sensors, naturally they are not as good.

So when evaluating cameras you really want to compare them with each other.

fenderman · Jun 22, 2019

mat200 said:
Hi @Type2

Actually many of the newer 8MP cameras with the 1/2.5" Starvis sensors do not have poor night vision, they are actually very good compared to cameras with older imaging sensors.
There are many cameras which have a far worse low light performance compared to with the 8MP 1/2.5" Starvis sensor.

Compared to a 2MP camera with a Starvis sensors, naturally they are not as good.

So when evaluating cameras you really want to compare them with each other.

Dahua cameras are available with 1/1.8 4k sensors...the 1/2.5 sensors don't cut it for low light.

mat200 · Jun 22, 2019

fenderman said:
Dahua cameras are available with 1/1.8 4k sensors...the 1/2.5 sensors don't cut it for low light.

Yes of course there are newer models out with 1/1.8" sensors - and even a nice 8MP box version with a 4/3" sensor which do better in low light. If you are attempting to maximize low light performance those and the 2MP / 4MP starlight/starlight+ / hik darkfighters are the ones to look at.

However the Amcrest 8MP w/the 1/2.5" sensor does go for < $90 at times, and even with double stacking a deal ( lightning deal w/a discount code ) it went for $65, and to call the 1/2.5" poor in for low light performance relative to the security cameras that most consumers are and have recently purchased is not accurate. Relative to the newer 1/1.8" sensor - yes of course.

fenderman · Jun 22, 2019

mat200 said:
Yes of course there are newer models out with 1/1.8" sensors - and even a nice 8MP box version with a 4/3" sensor which do better in low light. If you are attempting to maximize low light performance those and the 2MP / 4MP starlight/starlight+ / hik darkfighters are the ones to look at.

However the Amcrest 8MP w/the 1/2.5" sensor does go for < $90 at times, and even with double stacking a deal ( lightning deal w/a discount code ) it went for $65, and to call the 1/2.5" poor in for low light performance relative to the security cameras that most consumers are and have recently purchased is not accurate. Relative to the newer 1/1.8" sensor - yes of course.

It is simply poor in low light, the fact that it's cheap or that there are cameras that are worse doesn't make it any better.

mat200 · Jun 22, 2019

fenderman said:
It is simply poor in low light, the fact that it's cheap or that there are cameras that are worse doesn't make it any better.

As I noted poor is a relative term, my statement should have been clear enough.

fenderman · Jun 22, 2019

mat200 said:
As I noted poor is a relative term, my statement should have been clear enough.

They are poor, not relative to anything... Simply unusable for any decent image.

mat200 · Jun 22, 2019

fenderman said:
They are poor, not relative to anything... Simply unusable for any decent image.

Hi @fenderman

Help me understand your grading levels.

What grades do you have which are under "poor" as there are clearly new cameras being currently sold which are clearly even worse low light performers.

Thanks

fenderman · Jun 22, 2019

mat200 said:
Hi @fenderman

Help me understand your grading levels.

What grades do you have which are under "poor" as there are clearly new cameras being currently sold which are clearly even worse low light performers.

Thanks

I'm not doing scientific testing, I'm doing real world testing in common environments, these 2.5 sensors are unusable without lots of added light... The fact that there are cameras that are worse being sold today is irrelevant.

civic17 · Jun 23, 2019

smith123 said:
What I like most about this camera:
- night vision

Where's the night vision picture? Most 4K cameras are good in the day.

DroMike · Mar 6, 2020

smith123 said:
Cons:
- no microphone

Admittedly I love Amcrest's cameras -- I own three of their standard 841 indoor/Wifi cams and three outdoor (3 and 4MP) POE bullet cameras. I've just purchased a fourth outdoor POE camera but this time went with their 4K/8MP TURRET camera, the IP8M-T2499 EW. I did so for several reasons:

(1) increased resolution/MP for clearer pictures (license plates, etc.) of course;

(2) the fact that it would be much more resistant to spiders and cobwebs, something bullet cams certainly suffer from;

(3) Unlike a dome camera, it is less prone to becoming dirty and then suffering reflection of the IR's lights on a plastic dome cover; and especially, it is

(4) the only outdoor Amcrest cam with built in/ready-to-go AUDIO. The price is still only about $109 on Amazon, certainly higher than the $50-$80 3/4MP Amcrest bullet cams I'd earlier purchased but nonetheless a stellar deal; and of course I really liked the idea of adding the addition of surveillance EARS to the eyes.

If you're so inclined to check it out, here it is (I wanted white but it's sold in black too):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RHQGS8V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

fenderman · Mar 6, 2020

DroMike said:
Admittedly I love Amcrest's cameras -- I own three of their standard 841 indoor/Wifi cams and three outdoor (3 and 4MP) POE bullet cameras. I've just purchased a fourth outdoor POE camera but this time went with their 4K/8MP TURRET camera, the IP8M-T2499 EW. I did so for several reasons:

(1) increased resolution/MP for clearer pictures (license plates, etc.) of course;

(2) the fact that it would be much more resistant to spiders and cobwebs, something bullet cams certainly suffer from;

(3) Unlike a dome camera, it is less prone to becoming dirty and then suffering reflection of the IR's lights on a plastic dome cover; and especially, it is

(4) the only outdoor Amcrest cam with built in/ready-to-go AUDIO. The price is still only about $109 on Amazon, certainly higher than the $50-$80 3/4MP Amcrest bullet cams I'd earlier purchased but nonetheless a stellar deal; and of course I really liked the idea of adding the addition of surveillance EARS to the eyes.

If you're so inclined to check it out, here it is (I wanted white but it's sold in black too):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RHQGS8V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

View attachment 56834

The low light/night image on these cameras will be poor. The wide 2.8mm lens will not help with getting clear plates. This is suitable for locations with lots of light or indoors where IR bounces back.

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Amcrest UltraHD 4K (8MP) Review

smith123

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mat200

Type2

Young grasshopper

mat200

fenderman

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civic17

Getting the hang of it

DroMike

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fenderman