This is a review of the 8mp NON-Starlight HDW5830R-Z camera. I will also do some side by side comparisons with a 2mp Starlight HDW5231R-Z.
The camera is all metal and appears to be basically the same size as the starlight model. You will have to take it apart to insert an SD card. One big difference is the small set screw (camera comes with a tool) is not the exact same size as the one on the starlight models, so don't loose that tool!
Features:
1/2.5" 8mp progressive scan STARVIS CMOS (this is NOT a starlight chip!)
H.265 & H.264 dual stream encoding
15fps@4k(3849x2160), 25/30fps@3M(2304x1296)
Day/Night(ICR),3DNR,AWB,AGC,BLC
2.7mm-12mm motorized lens
Built In Mic
MAX IR LEDs Length 50m
IP67,IK10,Poe
Product Page
User Manual
Quick Start Guide
Spec Sheet
Bought through @EMPIRECANDY - Online store
I'm not going to clutter this thread with pictures of the web interface as they are 99% similar to the starlight model and you can see some in the original 2mp starlight review.
I currently have an all Dahua setup with an NVR5216 and 9 various starlight models. A common question that is asked over and over is about higher mp cameras. I really like the starlight models but I wanted to experiment with something with a bit more resolution. There were already comparisons between the 2mp starlights and other 3 and 4 mp models and the starlights overall won. I wanted to see what the 8mp could do.
I currently have a HDW5231R-Z covering my driveway zoomed about halfway in. Near the top of the driveway closest to the camera I feel I can get a good identity. Further down the driveway closer to the garage doors it really starts to drop off. I do have another starlight down there, but I am hoping that the 8mp can do the job of both, and that I could repurpose that other starlight for something else. I have a test pole I use for test placing cameras and I placed the 8mp right next to the 2mp underneath the soffit for testing and tried to get it zoomed as close as possible to the 2mp. The number zoom in the web interface wasn't the exact same, maybe due to slight changes in the lense and the different chips.
I printed out a license plate image I found online to the closest size as my real plates (and even printed a 50% reduced one) and setup this up on a stand. My driveway is somewhat lit and I currently have the IR turned off on all my external starlights (to avoid bugs) as there is sufficient external lighting. I have bought some external IRs but have not mounted them yet.
Below are various screenshots I've taken from SmartPSS comparing the 2mp to the 8mp. Without a doubt, in the daylight, as expected, the 8mp really really shines, IF you need to ZOOM in. I'm amazed at how much I can zoom in and still get good resolution. At the light drops, the 8mp has a harder time keeping it up. At it's worst, in a somewhat still lit environment, I'm basically seeing the same resolution as the starlight. At least it's not worse. As it gets darker, one can see the starlight start to excel showing more detail in poorer lit areas where the 8mp stays darker. In the night shots, I tested with both my garage lights on and off. Keep in mind, my neighbors have lights too that were always on. I did try turning on the IR but I only saw the ground near the top of the driveway getting brighter and didn't see any impact on my license plate test so didn't test any further. For the daylight test, since it was that much clearer, I went ahead and moved the test sign further down to see how much further I could still read them. The license plates are approx 60-70' (guessing) from the camera. For the daylight shot where I moved them further down that is maybe another 15-20' away?
I had my kids walk around in the daytime and I could definitely identify them at greater distances by zooming in. At night, that would only happen if the area was really well lit.
So it's a tough call. The 8mp camera does cost a bit more. You definitely get a huge day time improvement IF you are wanting to identity something further away. Looking at both models full screen, I can't see a difference if that's all you are after. At night, it basically degrades to a 2mp, that at least in some areas better lit might offer a tiny bit more detail in return for less detail in darker areas.
Right now, based on these results, my plans are to go ahead and replace that driveway starlight with the 8mp and maybe move my second starlight at the garage door further down to better cover that darker part of the driveway. Also going to update the driveway floodlights.
Daytime comparison (with the test license plate at the further distance)
Daytime zoom of license plates at both distances - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
2mp Starlight with driveway lights on
8mp with driveway lights on
2mp driveway lights off
8mp driveway lights off
Side by Side driveway lights on - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
Driveway lights on, zoomed in (closer distance) - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
Driveway lights off, zoomed in (closer distance) - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
The camera is all metal and appears to be basically the same size as the starlight model. You will have to take it apart to insert an SD card. One big difference is the small set screw (camera comes with a tool) is not the exact same size as the one on the starlight models, so don't loose that tool!
Features:
1/2.5" 8mp progressive scan STARVIS CMOS (this is NOT a starlight chip!)
H.265 & H.264 dual stream encoding
15fps@4k(3849x2160), 25/30fps@3M(2304x1296)
Day/Night(ICR),3DNR,AWB,AGC,BLC
2.7mm-12mm motorized lens
Built In Mic
MAX IR LEDs Length 50m
IP67,IK10,Poe
Product Page
User Manual
Quick Start Guide
Spec Sheet
Bought through @EMPIRECANDY - Online store
I'm not going to clutter this thread with pictures of the web interface as they are 99% similar to the starlight model and you can see some in the original 2mp starlight review.
I currently have an all Dahua setup with an NVR5216 and 9 various starlight models. A common question that is asked over and over is about higher mp cameras. I really like the starlight models but I wanted to experiment with something with a bit more resolution. There were already comparisons between the 2mp starlights and other 3 and 4 mp models and the starlights overall won. I wanted to see what the 8mp could do.
I currently have a HDW5231R-Z covering my driveway zoomed about halfway in. Near the top of the driveway closest to the camera I feel I can get a good identity. Further down the driveway closer to the garage doors it really starts to drop off. I do have another starlight down there, but I am hoping that the 8mp can do the job of both, and that I could repurpose that other starlight for something else. I have a test pole I use for test placing cameras and I placed the 8mp right next to the 2mp underneath the soffit for testing and tried to get it zoomed as close as possible to the 2mp. The number zoom in the web interface wasn't the exact same, maybe due to slight changes in the lense and the different chips.
I printed out a license plate image I found online to the closest size as my real plates (and even printed a 50% reduced one) and setup this up on a stand. My driveway is somewhat lit and I currently have the IR turned off on all my external starlights (to avoid bugs) as there is sufficient external lighting. I have bought some external IRs but have not mounted them yet.
Below are various screenshots I've taken from SmartPSS comparing the 2mp to the 8mp. Without a doubt, in the daylight, as expected, the 8mp really really shines, IF you need to ZOOM in. I'm amazed at how much I can zoom in and still get good resolution. At the light drops, the 8mp has a harder time keeping it up. At it's worst, in a somewhat still lit environment, I'm basically seeing the same resolution as the starlight. At least it's not worse. As it gets darker, one can see the starlight start to excel showing more detail in poorer lit areas where the 8mp stays darker. In the night shots, I tested with both my garage lights on and off. Keep in mind, my neighbors have lights too that were always on. I did try turning on the IR but I only saw the ground near the top of the driveway getting brighter and didn't see any impact on my license plate test so didn't test any further. For the daylight test, since it was that much clearer, I went ahead and moved the test sign further down to see how much further I could still read them. The license plates are approx 60-70' (guessing) from the camera. For the daylight shot where I moved them further down that is maybe another 15-20' away?
I had my kids walk around in the daytime and I could definitely identify them at greater distances by zooming in. At night, that would only happen if the area was really well lit.
So it's a tough call. The 8mp camera does cost a bit more. You definitely get a huge day time improvement IF you are wanting to identity something further away. Looking at both models full screen, I can't see a difference if that's all you are after. At night, it basically degrades to a 2mp, that at least in some areas better lit might offer a tiny bit more detail in return for less detail in darker areas.
Right now, based on these results, my plans are to go ahead and replace that driveway starlight with the 8mp and maybe move my second starlight at the garage door further down to better cover that darker part of the driveway. Also going to update the driveway floodlights.
Daytime comparison (with the test license plate at the further distance)
Daytime zoom of license plates at both distances - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
2mp Starlight with driveway lights on
8mp with driveway lights on
2mp driveway lights off
8mp driveway lights off
Side by Side driveway lights on - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
Driveway lights on, zoomed in (closer distance) - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
Driveway lights off, zoomed in (closer distance) - Left: 2mp Right: 8mp
