Powered by DarkFighter 8MP or ColourVu 4MP

Which Camera to choose?

  • Hikvision DS-2CD2347G1-L(U) ColorVu

    Votes: 15 83.3%
  • Hikvision DS-2CD2385G1-I Powered by DarkFighter

    Votes: 3 16.7%
  • Something else

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    18

its

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How are these if we throw them in the mix of list above?

DS-2CD2385G1-I
1/2" Progressive Scan CMOS
0.008 Lux @ (F1.2, AGC ON), 0.014 Lux @ (F1.6, AGC ON)

DS-2CD2365G1-I
1/2.4" Progressive Scan CMOS
0.014 Lux @ (F1.6, AGC ON)

DS-2CD2346G1-I -
1/2.7" Progressive Scan CMOS
0.007 Lux @ (F1.2, AGC ON), 0.012 Lux @ (F1.6, AGC ON)

DS-2CD2326G1-I
1/2.8" Progressive Scan CMOS
0.005 Lux @ (F1.2, AGC ON), 0.009 Lux @ (F1.6, AGC ON)
 

SouthernYankee

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read and study the sensor size chart.

based on sensor size the best on on the list above is
DS-2CD2385G1-I

why not look a dahua ?
 

SouthernYankee

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SouthernYankee

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if you are interested in International Dahua cameras, a forum member sells dahua (and some Hikvision) and ships world wide. You can read some of the members recommendations on his service. He also provides cameras to other forum member for evaluation and reviews.
you can email him for a quote, or purchase from his Aliexpress store or his Amazon store. The cameras are fully upgradable, he posts upgarde software when available.

Andy
@EMPIRETECANDY
kingsecurity2014@163.com
Andy's ipcamtalk vendor forum: EmpireTech Andy
Andy's AliExpress store: Empire Technology Co., Ltd - Amazing prodcuts with exclusive discounts on AliExpress
Andy's Amazon store: EmpireTech-Andy @ Amazon.com:
forum: EmpireTech Andy
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.

aristobrat

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I have the Dahua version of the IPC-T2347G-LU you mentioned above. Its Dahua model number is IPC-HDW5442TM-AS-LED, and Andy sells under his model number IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED.

What I really like about these cameras is that they use the new 4MP 1/1.8" image sensor which IMO is pretty much the first time that an affordable image sensor with more megapixels has come out that does better in low-light than the 2MP 1/2.8" image sensors that have reigned king here for so long.

What I don't like about these cameras is that they use two bright LED lights instead of IR. When it gets dark outside and the LED lights switch on, I think it makes these cameras look small floodlights. Because of that, I think this particular camera is probably best for folks who have dark areas around their houses at night that they want a bright white light shining on all night. Also, remember that these cameras will switch to B/W if the lighting level gets low enough.

For most folks I think the model of the camera that uses traditional IR lights instead of LED would probably be a better fit. Uses the same great image sensor. For Dahua, that model is IPC-HDW5442TM-AS, which Andy sells under his model number of IPC-T5442TM-AS.

Review below:
Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+

I thought that Hikvision had a similar model (that uses IR instead of LED), but I can't find it on their International site at the moment.
 

alastairstevenson

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Does the IPC-T5442TM-AS have an IR-cut facility? The Hikvision equivalent does not, which I think reduces the ways in which the device can be used. Plus it seems to have an IR filter, which means that in B&W mode supplemental IR illumination can't be used.

I'm still waiting for the promised firmware version that would allow an event trigger of the white LEDs to potentially avoid them being on continuous where there is sufficient light for motion detection to work.
 

aristobrat

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Does the IPC-T5442TM-AS have an IR-cut facility?
My understanding of IR-cut/IR filter is still newbie level, so hopefully I can describe it and it'll make sense.

The IPC-T5442TM-AS model operates like the other IP cameras I have. It has IR emitters built-in and when it switches to night mode there's a mechanical IR filter that moves. The Dahua spec sheet here lists:

Day/Night Auto(ICR)/Color/B/W

The IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED model operates exactly like how you describe the IPC-T2347G-LU. It doesn't "see" IR light from other sources. The Dahua spec sheet here lists:

Day/Night Day/Night: Electronic
Auto/Color/B/W

Both models use the 4MP 1/1.8" image sensor.

On my 5442TM-AS-LED model, I do have it configured to never turn on the LED lights. I'm using it as an overview camera in a pretty well lighted area at night (streetlight nearby) and it does OK. Stays in color all night. I don't think I would ever buy this model for myself but I had the chance to review it, so that's how I ended up with it.


Side2 2020-01-15 08.41.33.674 PM.jpg
 

its

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What I don't like about these cameras is that they use two bright LED lights instead of IR. When it gets dark outside and the LED lights switch on, I think it makes these cameras look small floodlights. Because of that, I think this particular camera is probably best for folks who have dark areas around their houses at night that they want a bright white light shining on all night. Also, remember that these cameras will switch to B/W if the lighting level gets low enough.
Mine is dark around the house..

On my 5442TM-AS-LED model, I do have it configured to never turn on the LED lights. I'm using it as an overview camera in a pretty well lighted area at night (streetlight nearby) and it does OK. Stays in color all night. I don't think I would ever buy this model for myself but I had the chance to review it, so that's how I ended up with it.
Image is awesome but you wouldn't have bought it?
 

mech

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I have one ColorVu and several of the 8MP. Question, can you show us your scene and where the camera would be mounted? I'm particularly thinking about its "angle of attack" on the outdoor scene. If the camera has to aim down at the ground, there's a tendency for it to overcompensate for the brightly-illuminated nearby ground, resulting in a spotlight effect with a dark periphery. If it can view the scene at a shallow angle, that would help.
 

Mac13

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I'd stay away from ColorVue IMO. I have one and it's nice to have color at night but lacks much more than that. And as @SouthernYankee said MP isnt everything. Do your homework and dont settle on just any camera.
Hey Coney I followed your colorvu thread and was about to order some for my house which is really dark outside. I’ve seen great reviews of the colorvu so I’m having second thoughts now that several of you in this thread aren’t recommending it. Can you expound on what it “lacks”? If you have another turret recommendation for great night time footage I’d appreciate it. I want a mic as well which seems to narrow my search. I’m surprised how many cameras don’t have mics.

I’ve considered a varifocal lens as well but see mixed result son those and they’re pricier. I originally was looking for 8mp but have learned MP isn’t everything. This colorvu was making me feel good about going with a 4mp because I thought the results looked good
As someone else mentioned, I’d love to only have the led lights come on with motion trigger but unfortunately I don’t think the DS-2CD2347G1-L(U) does that. I thought I heard about another Hikvision security model that does that but not sure what the model is.

I’ll continue researching and look forward to everyone’s feedback.
 

mech

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Hey Coney I followed your colorvu thread and was about to order some for my house which is really dark outside. I’ve seen great reviews of the colorvu so I’m having second thoughts now that several of you in this thread aren’t recommending it. Can you expound on what it “lacks”? If you have another turret recommendation for great night time footage I’d appreciate it. I want a mic as well which seems to narrow my search. I’m surprised how many cameras don’t have mics.

I’ve considered a varifocal lens as well but see mixed result son those and they’re pricier. I originally was looking for 8mp but have learned MP isn’t everything. This colorvu was making me feel good about going with a 4mp because I thought the results looked good
As someone else mentioned, I’d love to only have the led lights come on with motion trigger but unfortunately I don’t think the DS-2CD2347G1-L(U) does that. I thought I heard about another Hikvision security model that does that but not sure what the model is.

I’ll continue researching and look forward to everyone’s feedback.
Would you be able to install a motion-activated floodlight near the camera to have the desired effect?

I have a 5442 LED and a Colorvu, they're both all right, especially if you do some fine-tuning and avoid the human desire for a candy-coated ultra-bright scene where individual frames are a useless overprocessed smear. Examples below from the same camera:



Sample below is from a Colorvu fighting a backlighted scene using its onboard LEDs. A key point you would not perceive from this video, is that my very distinctive jacket is mostly featureless when viewed by a camera that's using infrared mode. I REALLY value full-color mode for helping to identify stuff. Also useful for skin tone determination.

 

aristobrat

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Image is awesome but you wouldn't have bought it?
Correct. I don't have an area around my house that would benefit from having a bright LED light shining from a camera at night. I love the awesome image, though. Dahua offers a model that has the same image sensor/optics (so the image is just a great) but it uses IR for illumination instead of LED... that's the model I'm buying. :)
 

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@Mac13 The ColorVue in my opinion is more of a gimmick than anything. Its "cool" to have a camera that displays color in complete darkness but in the end it doesnt even do that very well. In the application that I use my ColorVue for I have three large floodlights on the front of my house which throw a decent amount of light. I have found with my ColorVue that if my floodlights are off the cam doesnt capture a picture in very good detail, isnt sharp, doesnt really capture any farther than 80 to 90 feet, and once a subject gets close to it within 10 feet the washout effect occurs and you cannot clearly see a face. When I have my flood lights on the ColorVue is decent but still has the same limitations as I stated above. The picture is clearer and sharper when my floodlights are on but I still am disappointed with how far the camera actually captures movement.

Over a year ago I purchased a DS-2CD2H25FWD-IZS and was pleasantly pleased by it. It is the only turret style camera that I found to be "powered by dark fighter" and actually performs pretty well for it being a 2-3 year old style cam. It also has a mic and the night performance actually surprised me. I purchased it from B&H for $259 and for some reason they jacked up the price to $349 immediately after. Just checked the price and it's back down to $249 which I feel is worth it. Hikvision DS-2CD2H25FWD-IZS 2MP Outdoor Network Turret Camera with 2.8-12mm Lens & Night Vision
 

Mac13

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Correct. I don't have an area around my house that would benefit from having a bright LED light shining from a camera at night. I love the awesome image, though. Dahua offers a model that has the same image sensor/optics (so the image is just a great) but it uses IR for illumination instead of LED... that's the model I'm buying. :)
Thanks for the feedback. Isn't adding IR llumination kind of defeating the purpose of the Colorvu providing a color image though? The IR turns it into a B/W image right?

We don't have any street lights in my area so we just leave our flood lights on all the time. Maybe I should just get one Colorvu and see how it works with house flood lights left on and off (to prevent shining at neighbor houses lol) and with the camera LED on and off.

@Mac13 The ColorVue in my opinion is more of a gimmick than anything. Its "cool" to have a camera that displays color in complete darkness but in the end it doesnt even do that very well. In the application that I use my ColorVue for I have three large floodlights on the front of my house which throw a decent amount of light. I have found with my ColorVue that if my floodlights are off the cam doesnt capture a picture in very good detail, isnt sharp, doesnt really capture any farther than 80 to 90 feet, and once a subject gets close to it within 10 feet the washout effect occurs and you cannot clearly see a face. When I have my flood lights on the ColorVue is decent but still has the same limitations as I stated above. The picture is clearer and sharper when my floodlights are on but I still am disappointed with how far the camera actually captures movement.

Over a year ago I purchased a DS-2CD2H25FWD-IZS and was pleasantly pleased by it. It is the only turret style camera that I found to be "powered by dark fighter" and actually performs pretty well for it being a 2-3 year old style cam. It also has a mic and the night performance actually surprised me. I purchased it from B&H for $259 and for some reason they jacked up the price to $349 immediately after. Just checked the price and it's back down to $249 which I feel is worth it. Hikvision DS-2CD2H25FWD-IZS 2MP Outdoor Network Turret Camera with 2.8-12mm Lens & Night Vision
Thanks. Do you find it beneficial to have the varifocal lens? I know I shouldn't focus on MP but I was hoping to at least get 4MP to provide a better daytime picture plus want to be able to zoom in some if needed. That is one of the reasons I was hoping the Colorvu was good at night plus it was 4MP whereas most "night" cameras that are recommended are 2MP.

I wonder if one of the forum members has the DS-2CD2H25FWD-IZS you mentioned at a cheaper price.
 
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