Full Color Cameras worth it?

JonSnow

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I've been using a couple HDW2431T-AS-S2 and they have been good, however looking to replace it with something that has 2 way talk and AI. I've had the HDW5541H on my list for a while but see there are now full color cameras like HDW3849H for around the same price.

My current HDW2431T is a 3.6mm camera for the porch and night time it provides a decent color image do to surrounding ambient light.

I assume Full Color means no B/W and that it requires a light source? I would not be able to keep the camera LED lights on and would rely on the ambient light but worried it may be to dark to function.

Any recommendations?
 

wittaj

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The HDW5541H would be a horrible choice without much light. It is on a non-ideal MP/sensor ratio. It is a 5MP on a 1/2.7" sensor. A 2MP will kick its butt all night long.

Is your current camera running auto/default settings or did you dial in the shutter and other parameters to eliminate ghosting and blur motion at night? That is the true factor on if the camera is performing decently at night. Any camera can give a great night time image in color, but if motion is a blur, then it doesn't matter.

The current king of the full color type camera is the Color 4K/X camera.

I have a few Full Color type cameras and the LED light on it is a gimmick. It helps for a small diameter circle, but it is no different than going outside at pitch black and turning on your cell phone light - it is bright looking directly at the LED light, but it doesn't spread out and reach very far. Fortunately I have enough ambient light that I do not need the little piddly LED light on and it actually looks worse with it on, but it performs better than my other cameras when tested at the same location. But without some light, a camera with IR capability is the safer bet.

Once you take these cameras off of auto/default settings (unless you like ghost and blur) Just remember that every increase in shutter speed needs more light. So I can set mine to 1/250 second and eliminate blur at night, but then all that is visible is a 5 foot diameter around the camera IF I have enough light.

If your camera doesn't have enough light, a 24/7 full color camera will not be of much good and now you have a camera with no IR and even if you added external IR, the camera will not see it since it does not have an IR filter.
 

JonSnow

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I did adjust the video settings and have it switching between Day/Night profiles using BI, but don't recall changing the shutter speed.

I'll try messing with shutter speed over the few days and see if i can get better results.

The street is bright as i have a street lamp in the same direction facing the camera, however since its under the porch, it is a bit dark there.

There is marginal difference in terms of visibility between 1/30 - 1/120 shutter speed. Anything above that is to dark, I don't want hard set it to 1/120 but would like 1/120 as the minimum but the range is in ms so not really sure how that translates
 
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genelit

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As a reference i found a head2head I did between the 5541 (forced colour) vs the 5442(9)R-ASE-NI (bottom of picture). I have pretty much light on my yard and the 5442 really outperforms the 5541.

I plan to do a new H2H test when I receive the IPC-Color4K-X. I have the 3549-AS-PV and the 3249 Full Color cams as well and I plan to mount them all together on a test rack.

FB_IMG_1623958020630.jpg
 

Jomsha

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As a reference i found a head2head I did between the 5541 (forced colour) vs the 5442(9)R-ASE-NI (bottom of picture). I have pretty much light on my yard and the 5442 really outperforms the 5541.

I plan to do a new H2H test when I receive the IPC-Color4K-X. I have the 3549-AS-PV and the 3249 Full Color cams as well and I plan to mount them all together on a test rack.

View attachment 109675
Waiting for the reaults :)
 

bigredfish

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Here's 3 of the "Full Color" cameras as a comparison.

I run 100 watt bulbs in my driveway coach lights, and we have obvious street lights

All bullets, all running 1/120 exposure in order
5442T-ASE 3.6mm
5442T-ASE-NI 3.6mm
Color4K 5849T1-ASE-LED 3.6mm

4116P_5442ASE_main_20200824225528_@12.jpg
4116P_Drive West_main_20200824225544_@12.jpg
Color4K LED's off
CoachOn-LEDsOFF-210805215007_@15.jpg

Color4K with LED's on
CoachON-LEDON-4116PLocal_Color4K-X_main_20210805214424_@15.jpg
 

bigredfish

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Remember those are all running 1/120 exposure, the minimum I can be sure will eliminate most motion blur in color at night. I’ve since switched the 4K to 1/250

They could all be MUCH brighter running Auto or 1/30 but you’ll get blur. Don’t rely on still images
 
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