Dahua Starlight Varifocal Bullet (IPC-HFW5231E-Z)

nayr

nayr

IPCT Contributor
Jul 16, 2014
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5,328
Denver, CO
I bring you the twin brother to the 2016 & 2017 Camera of the year! another true low light destroyer that can be had for under $200 USD.. This is the little brother to the Ultra Starlight Bullet and physically looks identical in every way.

IMAG0744.jpg

This is a metal full sized bullet, the only noticeable variations over the Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z) is this has external Audio and Alarm IO for hookup with external microphone/speakers and inputs/outputs such as motion sensors, contact switches, strobes and sirens.. This camera does NOT come with an internal microphone, requires an external one like this bullet mic. I wont be doing a head to head comparison with the turret as they both perform identically when it comes to image quality.

Verdict: This is a great camera if you need the external Alarm/Audio IO that the turret does not provide, its IR is a bit better but its alot larger and has a poor WAF score.. There is not alot of reason to get this thing honestly, for most people the higher zoom offered on the Dahua Starlight Varifocal Bullet Z5 7-35mm (IPC-HFW5231E-Z5) will be a smarter purchase.

Disclaimer: This camera was provided at a discounted price in exchange for a fair and unbiased review by @EMPIRETECANDY

Features
  • 1/2.8” 2MP progressive scan Sony Starvis Exmor-R (IMX291) CMOS
  • H.265 & H.264 triple-stream encoding
  • 50/60fps @ 1080p(1920×1080)
  • Minimum Illumination: 0.006 Lux/F1.4 (Color); 0 Lux/F1.4 (IR on)
  • Smart Detection supported (Facial/Tripwire/Intrusion/Audio)
  • WDR(120dB), Day/Night(ICR), 3DNR, AWB, AGC, BLC
  • Multiple network monitoring: Web viewer, CMS(DSS/PSS) & DMSS
  • 2.7mm ~12mm motorized lens (4.4x Zoom), 97°~34° HFOV
  • EXIR LEDs Distance: 50m
  • IP67, PoE (802.3af)
  • Micro SD card memory (128GB Max)
  • External Audio and Alarm IO
Product Page: IPC-HFW5231E-Z | Dahua Technology

List Price: ~$180 USD Shipped DHL via @EMPIRETECANDY

Downloads:
This is an international model camera, comes unmodified with english translations and is upgradable.

Shipped Firmware:
Screenshot 2017-01-20 11.06.59.png

Mine is PAL, but NTSC is now available.. Makes little difference.

Label:
imag0743-jpg.14262


Micro SD Card Slot:
ultra-starlight-sdcard-png.13848


Low Light Demo Video, default values zoomed out


4MP vs 2MP Starlight Shootout in great lighting conditions that helps the 4MP ALOT


Eco vs Ultra Starlight Shootout:
 
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Here's Full Wide and Full Zoom:
Galileo NVR----2017-01-20-11-40-09.jpg Galileo NVR----2017-01-20-11-39-40.jpg
 
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and here's a pic of the install all finished, the nice thing about upgrading is you can complete the install in the same day you get it :)
IMAG0747.jpg

This one is going to get internal IR disabled and external IR cannon used, because once you go external IR you cant go back ;)
 
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waiting on Andy to give me list price and add it on his store.. I did pay good hard cash for this one, and it's worth it.. I'd of paid list.

3 Starlights installed outside, one more on the way for the front door.. I only got 2 left to upgrade, my back patio will get the Turret in the coming months and the Black Face PTZ will likely come later this year when I can financially handle it... click on some youtube ads in my videos and I might get it sooner :p im getting a few new subscribers a week with all these reviews.

I'd sell off some old cams im replacing; but I cant burden anyone with that junk.. I'll just hang onto em for comparisons in future reviews
 
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I assume that the POE goes into your nema box and then down the conduit. what do you have next to the mic wire? is that the alarm wire?
What does that lock-unlock protected torx screw do on the camera base?
 
the other black wire is power for the IR Illuminator coming off a 12v splitter.. conduit runs down and directly into my basement server room.. They grey wire you see hanging goes to a contact switch on the gate, I been meaning to pull that through the conduit but I've been lazy.. gotta yank all the cables out of the conduit to drill into it so I dont damage the wires.

the torx screw at the camera base locks it in position, unlock the screw and the mount is movable.. lock it down and the camera's position is fixed, someone cant aim it somewhere else like a mini-bullet.. gotta be unlocked to set the FOV, the base has full adjustability but can be a lil clunky trying to get it where you want it and locked back down.. overall I would say the Turret is much easier to adjust.
 
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Another nice review! Appreciate you taking the time for all of this which eliminates a lot of questions some of us may have when these new cameras become available. I'm waiting on a starlight PTZ from Andy and will be ordering buying a few other starlight models from him to replace some of my current ones.

nayr said:
waiting on Andy to give me list price and add it on his store.. I did pay good hard cash for this one, and it's worth it.. I'd of paid list.

3 Starlights installed outside, one more on the way for the front door.. I only got 2 left to upgrade, my back patio will get the Turret in the coming months and the Black Face PTZ will likely come later this year when I can financially handle it... click on some youtube ads in my videos and I might get it sooner :p im getting a few new subscribers a week with all these reviews.

I'd sell off some old cams im replacing; but I cant burden anyone with that junk.. I'll just hang onto em for comparisons in future reviews
Click to expand...


Andy mentioned the price would be $175 here in post #5, just a little more than the turret version due to shipping cost.
 
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thx for the thx, at my current rate I'm bond to take #1 from fenderman in likes in the upcoming weeks :p

it is considerably larger than the turret; aesthetically the turret is far superior.. the Ultra I put up front I kinda hid around the side, should take a pic of that.

on this side of the house its pretty discrete, you wont see it if your not looking for it from the street.. function beat form here, other places form beats function.. shit I just bought my worst enemy, the dreaded dome.. because fucking form and all that.
 
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Yeah I like the turret style myself. They seem to have better adjustment as far as FOV is concerned. Maybe because they're just easier for me to adjust. But I do like the external outputs the bullet version has.

How much bigger is this bullet cam compared to the turret version?
 
this is the ultra but its physically identical to the eco starlight turret here:
starlight-shootout-rig-png.13859


that one is kinda deceptive, looking head on.
 
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im locked down or I'd have a billion PM's a day, I can add yeh jas
 
Here was my view yesterday with the 4MP @ 6mm and the new view tonight, yay for varifocal.. got it dialed right in on both walls.. you wont get near my trailer without being seen but I no longer have to cover up reflectors on the rig or be blinded to activity up front.
Galileo NVR-EastSide-2017-01-19-19-09-42.jpg
Galileo NVR----2017-01-20-18-51-16.jpg
 
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I really gotta get my hands on one of these Starlights. I want to see the difference with my other cams.
 
human targets are considerably blury/grainy/noise reduced across the street on the neighbors patio compared to the rest of the image; however thats well beyond ID range and I have more than enough light where it counts that is not an issue..

I could complain about that but then I look at the camera I and there before and I was entirely unable to even see someone in that area before so its still a vast improvement.. anytime I see such artifacts in the video its always in the worst lit space and Im lucky to even get anything in such lighting conditions in the first place.
 
nayr said:
I bring you the twin brother to the 2016 & 2017 Camera of the year! another true low light destroyer that can be had for under $200 USD.. This is the little brother to the Ultra Starlight Bullet and physically looks identical in every way.

View attachment 14273

This is a metal full sized bullet, the only noticeable variations over the Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z) is this has a 1080p 2nd Sub-stream (Perfect for Live Streaming WebCams) and external Audio and Alarm IO for hookup with external microphone/speakers and inputs/outputs such as motion sensors, contact switches, strobes and sirens.. This camera does NOT come with an internal microphone, requires an external one like this bullet mic. I wont be doing a head to head comparison with the turret as they both perform identically when it comes to image quality.

Verdict: Coming soon, but its gonna be good I know :)

Disclaimer: This camera was provided at a discounted price in exchange for a fair and unbiased review by @EMPIRETECANDY

Features
  • 1/2.8” 2MP progressive scan Sony Starvis Exmor-R (IMX291) CMOS
  • H.265 & H.264 triple-stream encoding
  • 50/60fps @ 1080p(1920×1080)
  • Minimum Illumination: 0.006 Lux/F1.4 (Color); 0 Lux/F1.4 (IR on)
  • Smart Detection supported (Facial/Tripwire/Intrusion/Audio)
  • WDR(120dB), Day/Night(ICR), 3DNR, AWB, AGC, BLC
  • Multiple network monitoring: Web viewer, CMS(DSS/PSS) & DMSS
  • 2.7mm ~12mm motorized lens (4.4x Zoom), 97°~34° HFOV
  • EXIR LEDs Distance: 50m
  • IP67, PoE (802.3af)
  • Micro SD card memory (128GB Max)
  • External Audio and Alarm IO
Product Page: IPC-HFW5231E-Z | Dahua Technology

Price Paid: ~$170

Downloads:

This is an international model camera, comes unmodified with english translations and is upgradable.

Shipped Firmware:
View attachment 14274

Mine is PAL, but NTSC is now available.. Makes little difference.

Label:
imag0743-jpg.14262


Micro SD Card Slot:
ultra-starlight-sdcard-png.13848


Low Light Demo Video, default values zoomed out


4MP vs 2MP Starlight Shootout in great lighting conditions that helps the 4MP ALOT


Eco vs Ultra Starlight Shootout:
Click to expand...

This one bigger size than the HDW5231R-Z price 10usd more than the dome one.180usd/pcs Mainly shipping cost is higher, this one 3KG via DHL, turret one 1.5kg via DHL.
 
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