Mini-Review - 5442-Z4E-S3 AKA B54IR-Z4E S3 - Replacement to the 5442-Z4E

Dude looks like a Jungle Sniper. He forgot his Urban sniper gear. Which is probably a trash can lid, and a shopping cart.

First time posting and quite the noob in this world but generally pretty technical so starting to get a handle around what good camera choices are. My house is set up pretty similar to Parlay's and would like to do something very similar to his set up so I am confident using the B54IR-Z4E S3 is the right camera for me to get. With that being said would anyone mind sharing what NVR/Desktop and software they are using? Am I nieve to think that getting a dahua NVR to go with 4 of these cameras would be a good fit? I would be using two of these cameras to capture shots of lisense plates and the others for general surveillance. ANPR software would be nice but I dont think nessicary at this point.

4stars2stripes said:

First time posting and quite the noob in this world but generally pretty technical so starting to get a handle around what good camera choices are. My house is set up pretty similar to Parlay's and would like to do something very similar to his set up so I am confident using the B54IR-Z4E S3 is the right camera for me to get. With that being said would anyone mind sharing what NVR/Desktop and software they are using? Am I nieve to think that getting a dahua NVR to go with 4 of these cameras would be a good fit? I would be using two of these cameras to capture shots of lisense plates and the others for general surveillance. ANPR software would be nice but I dont think nessicary at this point.

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Regarding Blue Iris versus NVR, there is a big debate here on which is better. Personally I found the NVRs to be too clunky and not very user friendly and got to the point that I was reactive instead of proactive. I literally tested BI and knew within a few minutes it was better than any NVR I ever had.

Here is the search tool of all the NVR versus BI comparisons:

blue iris vs nvr ip cam site:ipcamtalk.com - Google Search

An NVR would work fine, but if you’re wanting to tinker with stuff, a PC with BI is what the cool kids use

This one would work fine

wittaj said:

Regarding Blue Iris versus NVR, there is a big debate here on which is better. Personally I found the NVRs to be too clunky and not very user friendly and got to the point that I was reactive instead of proactive. I literally tested BI and knew within a few minutes it was better than any NVR I ever had.

Here is the search tool of all the NVR versus BI comparisons:

blue iris vs nvr ip cam site:ipcamtalk.com - Google Search

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Appreciate your personal feedback on NVRs and the search link. I think ill take your lesson learned and go the blue iris route as well.

There are additional reasons to use BI5 versus NVR:
#1: You don't need to worry about matching camera brand with NVR brand
#2: You can tell BI5 to send events to a home automation system like Home Assistant where you can include other sensors to trigger smarter automations.
#3: I believe you're limited to person/vehicle detection with NVR. WIth BI5, you can use CP.AI for animal, delivery truck detection in addition to person/vehicle. You can train your own models to detect custom objects.

So some more observations on the new version 5442-Z4E-S3

Right now I'm using the Z4 to get better ID on the street out front. My other 5442H-ZHE is really for monitoring the Jeep/driveway, and the Z4 is sitting right underneath it zoomed to the street, about 3/4 zoom. Distance to capture point is about 40-45 ft

Daytime the Z4 is awesome, nighttime is where we all struggle. I don't have the light @Parley has here at the swamp so I have to use B&W/IR

I'm still not 100% happy with my settings, but plugging away at it. Its complicated by IR from the ZHE as well as a some from the mini-PTZ which parks facing that same area at night for LPR duty. So my biggest frustration is TOO MUCH IR.

5442H-ZHE

Z4



One cool feature on the new interface is under Illuminator, you have an On/Off choice for the 'IR OverExposure Remover" (What I think we used to know as SmartIR)
This works as described, but maybe TOO good in some cases. Problem is it doesnt always activate, frequently it does for vehicles but maybe 50% of the time for humans due to the intensity of the reflections. It also doesnt reset immediately. Sometimes it takes 15-20 seconds to reset after it dims.

I've stared at this scene too long the past 4-5 days and need some advice/opinion on what to do to make nighttime image better? My gut is that faces are still a bit overexposed and I need to keep working on that...

One other thing I'm seeing that is bothersome is I get rolling shutter at 1/250 or 0-4) and faster even with all that IR. I'd love to run 0-4 or 0-3 but the rolling shutter is bad over 0-5

OverExposure Remover ON
View attachment Home_ch8_20240223210258_20240223210311.mp4
















Tonight with the OverExposure Remover OFF

View attachment Home_ch8_20240304185810_20240304185849.mp4

I thought the faces were fine, but the bugs are overexposed.

We’ve had beautiful temps with lots of rain the past 2 weeks, it’s a bug mega orgy!

thanks for your post @bigredfish
One cool feature on the new interface is under Illuminator, you have an On/Off choice for the 'IR OverExposure Remover" (What I think we used to know as SmartIR)-------Yes, we make some adjustment on the fw, so it still use as smart IR, the new fw is at this link.

Is there a turret version of this model?
Fantastic review

thank you!

bozoreefer said:

Is there a turret version of this model?
Fantastic review

thank you!

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This is the turret version

Turret only 2.7-12mm lens

EMPIRETECANDY said:

Turret only 2.7-12mm lens

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Is it still good for long distance and LPR?

dubber said:

This is the turret version

Mini-Review - 5442-ZE-S3 AKA T54IR-ZE-S3 - Replacement to 5442-ZE

As many of us are aware, Dahua decided to keep the same model numbers of some of their most popular models like the 5442-Z12E and the 5442 series cameras, but they have been updated with a newer GUI and specs that on paper show better than the previous version as was discussed in this thread...

ipcamtalk.com

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Thank you !

bozoreefer said:

Is it still good for long distance and LPR?

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Nope the ZE 2.7-12mm is only good for about 35-40 feet. Up to 80ish feet is the Z4E and then up to 200ish feet is the Z12E

No, only to about 30-40 ft

Thank you all

I currently have a turret in the location I want to put the camera at. Are there any turret alternatives that have the same quality as what reviewed?

bozoreefer said:

Thank you all

I currently have a turret in the location I want to put the camera at. Are there any turret alternatives that have the same quality as what reviewed?

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Depends on what you mean by "same quality"? The ZE is the same quality as this Z4E, is just doesn't have the optical zoom of the Z4E.

The size of the camera is based on optics and sensors that go into it. Turret varifocals generally only go to 12-15mm. If you want more optical zoom you need a bullet or PTZ.

wittaj said:

Depends on what you mean by "same quality"? The ZE is the same quality as this Z4E, is just doesn't have the optical zoom of the Z4E.

The size of the camera is based on optics and sensors that go into it. Turret varifocals generally only go to 12-15mm. If you want more optical zoom you need a bullet or PTZ.

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Done deal

thank you for the clarification

looks like I’ll be buying several of these

You sold me!