HDW5831 vs HDW5231 (aka 8MP vs 2MP)

[Tanaban]

IPC-HDW5831R-ZE (8MP eyeball turret camera with variable zoom)
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE (2MP eyeball turret camrea with variable zoom)

I recently got a pair of cameras and have them set up side by side on a home looking over a driveway and a cross street. What settings would you all like to see me try to compare them?

The reason I got these two was to compare the differences in resolution and low light capabilities. I will try to come on later to post a few images to show the set up.

 

[tigerwillow1]

Don't take the lack of response to be a lack of interest. I want to know exactly what you are intending to compare. As to settings, one strategy is to use all defaults, but if something else makes for a better comparison, that's pretty darn useful too. My hoped for end result is that the 5831 is superior during the day, and at least as good as the 5231 in the dark.

 

[bigredfish]

Compare low light with IR on at night with a real human walking around in front of the camera at varying distances...

...actually a fake human would do I suppose the idea being we see a lot of pretty images/videos with no movement especially at night to really evaluate the camera..

 

[Q™]

I'm interested; I'd like to see like-condition comparative video.

 

[aristobrat]

My hoped for end result is that the 5831 is superior during the day, and at least as good as the 5231 in the dark.

I think it’s all going to depend on how much light there is. I’ve got a 5631 (whose min illumination is much closer to a 5831 than a 5231). In a decently lighted area (directly under a residential street light), the 5631 does almost as well with motion as the 5231. In a darker area (driveway with just a small light over garage door), the 5631 blurred video noticeably more than the 5231. I’d expect the 5831 to act like the 5631.

 

[aristobrat]

Compare low light with IR on at night with a real human walking around in front of the camera at varying distances...

Human walking is a great test. The last 5831 review I saw had clip of someone at night waving their arms but otherwise standing still. I’d love to see the whole human moving around... IMO it’s importaht to see if the face blurs, not the hands.

 

[Tanaban]

I'll try to do a night walk test with different settings soon.

In the mean time I'll give a small album that should show the set up. The sun is setting behind and to the left of of the cameras. They are basically looking East.


BMPs take directly from the cameras and then converted to JPEGs in photoshop to with level 10 out of 12 for quality (jpeg compression). So hopefully that doesn't break it down too much.
The bit rates are set to CBR. 8192 & 6144 Kb/s, 8mp and 2mp respectively. Those bit rates were chosen as the highest options in the default listing in the camera's pull down menu. You can put them higher but unless someone has a good reason I'm sticking to the manufacture's list.
All other settings beyond resolution and bit rate are set to the same defaults.

At night the cameras have a good bit of light around with out their IR lights. A street lamp back behind the truck pictured and neighbors to the right leave their driveway lights on.

 

[Tanaban]

No energy to do a walk about, but here is a quick night album.
Since there are two cameras side by side the IR lights were turned off on the other camera for a screen shot to be taken. I didn't want them helping or hindering each other.


The 8mp SSA did not fair well in the night. Any idea why?
Also looks like I am getting a bit of IR reflection off on the 8mp. I thought these eyeball turret cams were suppose to negate that issue we use to have with dome cameras. Any ideas? Outside of the lens is clean.

 

[Korgoth]

Also looks like I am getting a bit of IR reflection off on the 8mp. I thought these eyeball turret cams were suppose to negate that issue we use to have with dome cameras. Any ideas? Outside of the lens is clean.

Eyeball negate reflection from the dome. This reflection that you see is from the car. IR is bouncing of the car/window and hits the glass of the camera.

 

[Tanaban]

Eyeball negate reflection from the dome. This reflection that you see is from the car. IR is bouncing of the car/window and hits the glass of the camera.

I'll have to move the car another night. I figured it was that or mauve the reflective vest in the back seat of the car.

 

[Tanaban]

Finally had some time to export the videos to youtube. I tried to convert them with little loss but hopefully you all will see what you want to see. Details on the youtube description. Not a perfect test setup but it pretty real life situation for me.

8MP: 2MP:

 

[wpiman]

So you have been the one using them: what is your summary...

 

[Tanaban]

So you have been the one using them: what is your summary...

I have been posting the images and videos remotely, so I will want to watch them on site to make a final verdict.

That said the 8MP wins out for me for its detail as long as it is not too dark, let along pitch black. The area I am working with is a neighborhood with sparse street lights and neighbors that keep their driveway lights on. So there is a decent smattering of light. Once there isn't much light the images seem to get muddy enough that the 2MP finds some footing. Hopefully I'll get some down time to really look them over tonight.

What I'm most surprised about is that the SSA setting bombed on the 8MP.