Are Dahua vari-focal lenses constant aperture?

M

Mr_D

Getting comfortable
Nov 17, 2017
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Southern California
Specifically the HDW5231R-Z

The specifications say it has an f/1.4 lens, but is it still f/1.4 when zoomed to 12 mm?

I am an amateur photographer and know that cheaper zoom lenses become slower (smaller aperture) at longer focal lengths, requiring a combination of higher ISO or slower shutter speed to maintain the same exposure.

If the aperture does change, does anyone know what it is at 6 or 12 mm?
 
Good question. The Max. Aperture value in the datasheet reads F1.4. For non-constant aperture zooms, it will show something like F1.4~F4.4. So, from that ... I would say it is constant.
 
You are correct that with SLR camera lenses, it is traditional to show the aperture range whenever it is not constant. However with security camera lenses, I would not make that assumption, particularly when maximum f/number is a selling point, and it is much more expensive to make a constant-aperture zoom. If they can claim "Max Aperture" means maximum at SOME focal length (and not every focal length), they probably will.
 
Yeah, don't trust everything you read on a spec sheet. Just like the light sensitivity, they will print the number that looks best on paper, not necessarily the number you'll be working with in practice.
 
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I don't think they're constant aperture. The review of HDW5831R-ZE estimates the aperture at telephoto at F2.0 and the datasheet for this camera lists only "F1.4" on the spec sheet. F1.4 must only apply to the wide end of the lens.

I'd like to know how the aperture changes for the HFW5231E-Z5 and the HFW5231E-Z12 throughout their zoom ranges if anyone has tested it.
 
+1, wondering the same thing. If so, perhaps fixed lens version of 5231 has an advantage in comparable zoomed in dark scene, it would be interesting to see the results. Is reducing the shutter speed a proper way to compensate for smaller aperture?
 
dragan11 said:
+1, wondering the same thing. If so, perhaps fixed lens version of 5231 has an advantage in comparable zoomed in dark scene, it would be interesting to see the results. Is reducing the shutter speed a proper way to compensate for smaller aperture?
Click to expand...

Reducing the shutter speed will allow the same exposure, but will have more motion blur, particularly at night where the difference between 1/60 and 1/20 is huge.
 
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John316 said:
I don't think they're constant aperture.
Click to expand...
I believe they do have a fixed aperture.
Only lenses with an 'auto-iris' (ie electronically controllable) will change the aperture, to optimise exposure and depth of focus with light level.
These are the sort of lenses that are fitted to higher-end professional cameras such as Axis, Bosch, Pelco etc.
 
Now that i think about it, i believe there is auto-iris on/off button in 5231 settings. I'll double check it night but maybe that is the answer, if there is auto adjust option that would imply it's variable? i wonder if fixed versions have this option in camera settings, if they do maybe it's not necessarily an Aperture control.
 
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