Dahua best cam 2021? (Now 2023!)

[Sunfox]

Thanks for the advice! I won’t push the resolution then. Probably just upping the bitrate would give me what I’m looking for.

I’m currently running an original SD49225T-HN PTZ and the thing has been an utter nightmare. Constantly locking up and requiring the power pulled through years of firmware versions. With one firmware version, every time it rebooted it would also reset to factory defaults - I kept wondering why the image quality kept getting so crappy (default bitrates are very poor).

I’m running the latest firmware as of maybe 8 months ago, and at least now it keeps its settings between reboots. Which is important, since to keep it from locking up hard I have it rebooting every night. Even then, I routinely find short to long gaps in my recorded timeline where it’s crashed and reset itself. I just hope the newer ones are better!

 

[looney2ns]

Camera Suggestions

 

[looney2ns]

Thanks for the advice! I won’t push the resolution then. Probably just upping the bitrate would give me what I’m looking for.

I’m currently running an original SD49225T-HN PTZ and the thing has been an utter nightmare. Constantly locking up and requiring the power pulled through years of firmware versions. With one firmware version, every time it rebooted it would also reset to factory defaults - I kept wondering why the image quality kept getting so crappy (default bitrates are very poor).

I’m running the latest firmware as of maybe 8 months ago, and at least now it keeps its settings between reboots. Which is important, since to keep it from locking up hard I have it rebooting every night. Even then, I routinely find short to long gaps in my recorded timeline where it’s crashed and reset itself. I just hope the newer ones are better!

That's typically a sign of a power problem.
Either the Poe switch your using is failing or not powerful enough to handle all you have running on it. Switch needs to be POE+ rated.
You used CCA cable not solid copper of at least 24awg size. Why we harp about NEVER using CCA ethernet cable. | IP Cam Talk
Connection crimps are bad, or were not properly water proofed.
WaterProofing Connections

 

[Sunfox]

It’s just hooked up to one of the 5216’s POE ports, which are POE+ rated. I always use quality solid copper CAT6 cable. The ends were re-terminated, but I suppose there could be an issue with the actual run (like a kink or something). I know back in 2018 this particular hardware version developed a bad reputation for reliability, so I’ll just assume things are better now.

 

[wittaj]

The 49225 has been rock solid for many here.

 

[CCTVCam]

@ Sunfox, this is a conversation I've just had with someone on PM.

There is no perfect camera (at least as of yet). Appreciate every camera is a compromise and it's all about selecting the camera that's best for your needs from the ones members have tested and listed as favourites as the best performing cameras of their type.

eg. The 4kX / 4KT are the 2 best cameras for full colour at night. The downside is they don't have IR and so will only work with decent ambient light. In complete darkness, they see nothing. They also have a shallow depth of field compared to some other models and this means a subject is in perfect focus for a much smaller part of the viewing range than with some other models.

The 5442, is the best at night for non colour / pitch black. It's night time colour though is not as good as the 4kX / 4kt. and so B&W might be necessary in many night situations, it's 1/2 the resolution.

The TIOC range of camers are great if in a high crime area as they can scare offenders off before any damage is done. They're on a smaller sensor though so night time performance is not quite as good as some others and the flashing lights can degrade the picture although the latter can be alleviated by having a delay set so the camera when triggered records for 5-10 seconds (or whatever suits you) thus capturing a good facial picture before the strobe lights and siren /audio warning message kick in.

PTZ's are best for long range as even a low resolution sensor can deliver a crisp picture at long range when zoomed in through a good optic. They can suffer tracking issues though so miss the action.

So appreciate, there is no perfect solution. It's a case of working out what your priorities are, what your situation demands and matching the best camera from the best of the best to your needs.

 

[BenM]

That is a great little summary, thank you.

 

[xtropodx]

The 5442, is the best at night for non colour / pitch black. It's night time colour though is not as good as the 4kX / 4kt. and so B&W might be necessary in many night situations, it's 1/2 the resolution.

Is 4kX/4kt night time colour better on the basis that they need (ambient) light? So if not enough light, they're useless at night making 5442 always better option?

 

[wittaj]

Is 4kX/4kt night time colour better on the basis that they need (ambient) light? So if not enough light, they're useless at night making 5442 always better option?

That is correct. You either need light or be willing to use the built-in white light.

 

[Sunfox]

Okay, slight topic shift.

My father-in-law had an attempted break in early this morning (only thwarted by a neighbor calling him while it was in progress), and I've finally convinced him he could use some cameras. However, unlike myself where image quality and discreteness is key, here I'm looking for something cheaper and more showy. He's in-town in a "not great" neighborhood with a treed walking path behind the house, so I think the cams with the active white LEDs and perhaps even active deterrence would be ideal.

Are these any of these on the cheaper side of things? 1080p resolution is just fine. Turret cam style. Fixed lens fine..

 

[looney2ns]

If you want best captures of faces at night, then any of the 5442 series of cams will fit the bill.

 

[Havane]

Hello. There are a lot of differences between the 5442 cameras.

Some have an illumination distance of 120m, while others have 60m. The turret variant has a distance of only 40m! So when you recommend a 5442, which one is it?

 

[wittaj]

Hello. There are a lot of differences between the 5442 cameras.

Some have an illumination distance of 120m, while others have 60m. The turret variant has a distance of only 40m! So when you recommend a 5442, which one is it?

None of us here go by that illumination distance as that is under BEST CASE situation with a wide open slow shutter than nobody would ever run their camera at.

The bullet has 4 IR lights and the turret has 2 IR lights. So you have to go with what your individual lighting situation is to determine which one you need.

But a fixed 3.6mm 5442, whether a bullet or turret will only provide IDENTIFY images at 4 to 6 meters, not 40m or 120m LOL.

Pick the camera for the distance you want to cover from this thread:

Here are my general distance and camera recommendations, but switch out the Dahua 5442 series camera to the equivalent 2MP on the 1/2.8" sensor or equivalent Hikvision works as well. These particular cameras are generally accepted by many here as the best balance of performance day and night, price, and features. With all the cameras I have used and tested over the years, these are the ones I also currently use.

• 5442 fixed lens 2.8mm - anything within 10-15 feet of camera OR as an overview camera.
• 4K/X bullet or 4K/X turret - anything within 10-15 feet of camera OR as an overview camera. The turret versions have a mic and the 4K/X bullet has two-way audio. These cameras need light and cannot see infrared.
• T5449H-ASE-D2 2.8mm fixed lens - anything within 10 feet of camera where the object would be in a backlit condition at night. This camera has two-way audio.
• 5441F-AS-E2 (AKA Boobie cam) or E3241F-AS-M- great choice for a front door camera. The boobie cam can have one lens pointed down for packages. This camera has a mic.
• T5241H-AS-PV - Great little active deterrence camera with two way talk. Good for anything within 10 feet of camera or as an overview camera.
• 5442 ZE or 5842-ZE- varifocal up to 13mm- distances up to 40-50 feet (personally I wouldn't go past the 30 foot range but I like things closer). This camera has a mic.
• 5442 Z4E - varifocal up to 32mm - anything up to 80-100 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 60 feet but I like things closer).
• 5241-Z12E - varifocal up to 64mm - anything from 80 feet to almost 200 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 150 feet because I like things closer).
• 5241-Z12E - for a license plate cam that you would angle up the street to get plates up to about 175 feet away, or up to 220 with additional IR.
• 49225 PTZ - great auto-track PTZ and in conjunction with an NVR or Blue Iris and the cameras above that you can use as spotter cams to point the PTZ to the correct location to compliment the fixed cams.
• Indoors, the IP2M-841 is a cheap common camera choice. Works with Dahua NVR and Blue Iris. Has wifi and ability to use POE with this adapter. Has two-way talk and basic autotracking.

You need to get the correct camera for the area trying to be covered. A wide angle 2.8mm to IDENTIFY someone 40 feet away is the wrong camera regardless of how good the camera is. A 2.8mm camera to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet is a good choice OR it is an overview camera to see something happened but not be able to identify who.