i need advise. Buying Dahua camera

D

DAMIANek

n3wb
Feb 14, 2019
4
0
chicago
i would like to start with Dahua camera that i can experiment with first before i in vest more money in this. So far i looked at
Dahua Ip Camera IPC-HDW4631C-A 6MP Dome Camera metal body POE Dahua 6 H.265 Built-in MIC IR50m IP67 IK10
. \\
would this be a good starting point? i noticed that everybody is talking about firmware version.what is that? The one im looking at is from AliExpress or Ebay. Is there any other local US vendors that you would recommend? Thank you in advance
 
DAMIANek said:
i noticed that everybody is talking about firmware version.what is that?
Click to expand...
Dahua designed this camera to only be sold/used within China, so the official Dahua firmware (menus, prompts, etc) are only in Chinese.

Other folks found a way to hack the Dahua firmware to add additional languages. They load this unofficial firmware onto these cameras and then sell them outside of China. This usually means that you can never upgrade the firmware... if you do, it can crash the camera, or it can switch the language back to being only Chinese. Dahua has modified some newer versions of their NVR firmware to not work with these models, so if you're considering a Dahua NVR down the road, that may be a factor to think about.

If you haven't already seen this thread, you might find more info here:
IPC-HDW4631C-A - any thoughts?
 
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If using dahua cameras start with a starlight camera for the best nighttime performance. I recommend the
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE
It is a turret and variable focus.
read the review
Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE

Not all but most cameras on Aliexpress, amazon and Ebay are hacked chinese cameras, not international cameras. The hacked cameras are mostly not upgradable, and are lower quality then the international versions. Use at your own risk.

If outside use a starlight camera.


 
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Any online retailers that sell Dahua US version ? Links would be great. I don’t have a big budget at this time as I want to start for around 50-75$. Need high resolution camera. Thank you for advise
 
DAMIANek said:
Any online retailers that sell Dahua US version ? Links would be great. I don’t have a big budget at this time as I want to start for around 50-75$. Need high resolution camera. Thank you for advise
Click to expand...

Hi @DAMIANek

It will not be easy to find a quality higher resolution IP PoE camera at that price point. ( international model, or us market model )
 
DAMIANek said:
What price you think should I be looking at?
Click to expand...

Hi @DAMIANek

Take a look at your functional needs, and look for cameras which will meet those needs and then scale back based on what you can afford.

Go to the search in the upper right corner ( use a proper desktop ), and enter "review" select in title only - and take some time to read the reviews members are sharing.

In general the popular starlight IPC-HFW2231xx goes for about $120-130 iirc,

Then you would need a PoE switch, ethernet cables, and a system to storage the video.

the IPC-HFW42xx model iirc includes a microSD card - so you can store the videos on camera. The camera also goes for about $120 +/- depending on shipping.
 
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mat200 said:
Hi @DAMIANek

Take a look at your functional needs, and look for cameras which will meet those needs and then scale back based on what you can afford.

Go to the search in the upper right corner ( use a proper desktop ), and enter "review" select in title only - and take some time to read the reviews members are sharing.

In general the popular starlight IPC-HFW2231xx goes for about $120-130 iirc,

Then you would need a PoE switch, ethernet cables, and a system to storage the video.

the IPC-HFW42xx model iirc includes a microSD card - so you can store the videos on camera. The camera also goes for about $120 +/- depending on shipping.
Click to expand...

Exactly

Paying 120 dollar for top quality.

For 75 dollar you only will be disappointed.

And for the high resolution.... the important things are... how much light is coming on the sensor...
2mp+large sensor=large pixelsize=good low light performance.
8mp+large sensor=small pixelsize=poor low light conditions
 
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DAMIANek said:
Are these recommended cameras from AliExpress US firmware?
Click to expand...
Generally, any Dahua camera on AliExpress with a model number ending in C-A is a Chinese model. These models are less expensive, at the cost of a plastic shell (rather than more durable metal) and hacked, non-upgradeable firmware. Strongly recommend against buying any of these.
 
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@DAMIANek

If you need a more affordable PoE switch, this one from LaView is currently on sale using the discount code "PRESIDENT20" takes 20% off

LaView Surveillance Grade Hard Drive Western Digital
( it's a 4 port switch, not a HDD as the link suggests )

Note - I have not used this switch, so I'm just referring to it as it is on sale right now. There is a longer list of switches here to look at. BV brand seems popular with folks. Also, while LaView has some camera deals, if you can afford it go with the Dahua we've mentioned - it is far superior to any that LaView has on sale.
 
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