Outdoor 50' driveway low light camera

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HugChopShop

Young grasshopper
Jan 14, 2019
41
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USA
My driveway is 100' long and straight. 50' from the street to the house and 50' beside the house. There is a street light a house over and my house has small LED candelabra lights, so minimal lighting, but there is light present.

I started with a HDW2231R at the end of the driveway shooting down the full length (red X). This doesn't cut it past 20' or so at night. I've moved the camera location to the corner of the house halfway down the drive (green X's) cutting the coverage area in half. One camera points down the drive to the street and the other up the driveway.

The new location is an improvement. I only have one camera, so I'm looking for a second with increased resolution and better (or at least as good) low light. Bugs are intense and I get spider webs in a single night so I'd like to avoid using Camera IR if at all possible. Color would be great, although i'm fine with B&W.Three to consider, all in $160 price range.

1. Dahua T5442TM-AS (is there an economy model of this?)
2. Dahua T2831T-ZS (8MP and varifocal is tempting)
3. Lorex E891AB (The Costco 8pc bundle would upgrade my whole system resolution if my PC could handle the mb/s)
4. Something else I should consider?

Which is the best low light T5442TM? If they are all negligibly close, I like the Lorex availability and resolution.
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First comment is that when you buy a package it contains cameras that have been stripped of features, and possibly some electronics, to get the price down.

Second comment is not to chase megapixels. For those cameras to work well at night they're using white LEDs, basically small flood lights, from what I saw. That may be what you want, then again it may not. Keep in mind that when those LEDs are triggered the camera will be momentarily blinded as the WDR compensates for the lighting change.

Third comment is that the 5442 is an excellent performer in low light conditions. It's not possible to know exactly what the light levels are like in your particular case, so the only way to know for sure would be to try one. They're not inexpensive, but they sure aren't all that expensive. I have one that stays in full color mode all night. A streetlight is about 200 feet away and behind the camera location, if that helps you judge the lighting levels better.

Fourth comment is that you're trying to cover too much area with a single camera. Two would be a much better solution.
 
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sebastiantombs said:
First comment is that when you buy a package it contains cameras that have been stripped of features, and possibly some electronics, to get the price down.
Click to expand...
Good to know. I wonder what been changed.
With or without the bundle, stats say 1/1.8" CMOS. It has the potential to be a good low light contender. I'm hoping someone here has used them. Found a couple threads mentioning them, none showing their performance.

sebastiantombs said:
Second comment is not to chase megapixels.
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Agreed. I've done all I can do to compare and it seems 4mp gives a nice increase from 2mp. I've come here to see if the low light performance of the 5442 is as good or better than the 2231. I've found reviews of each, but reviews at different times can be hard to compare. The 5442 has a larger sensor, so even with its higher resolution, I'm hoping its better.

The 8MP caught my eye due to cost and varifocal. Additional resolution and similar size sensor may mean worse night performance than the 2231. Product improvement may mean the same. Once again, hoping someone here can share some experience on this.

sebastiantombs said:
For those cameras to work well at night they're using white LEDs, basically small flood lights, from what I saw. That may be what you want, then again it may not. Keep in mind that when those LEDs are triggered the camera will be momentarily blinded as the WDR compensates for the lighting change.
Click to expand...
Both Dahua's mentioned have IR / B&W modes. I'm fine running B&W if it nets better low light clarity.
The Lorex also has IR. It seems the LED's do not have to be used.

sebastiantombs said:
Third comment is that the 5442 is an excellent performer in low light conditions. It's not possible to know exactly what the light levels are like in your particular case, so the only way to know for sure would be to try one. They're not inexpensive, but they sure aren't all that expensive. I have one that stays in full color mode all night. A streetlight is about 200 feet away and behind the camera location, if that helps you judge the lighting levels better.
Click to expand...
I know how the 2231R performs. As long as the next camera performs as good or better, I'm interested.

sebastiantombs said:
Fourth comment is that you're trying to cover too much area with a single camera. Two would be a much better solution.
Click to expand...
I'm proposing two in the center of the drive to cover 50' each. I do not have an option to put one farther towards the street. If anything, I'll point it more towards the ground to cover less street and more are in front of my house. However, it is nice to see what and how many cars are circling the block in the wee hours of the night. A truck glanced my brick mailbox a few months ago. I caught it on the doorbell cam, but couldn't identify it. The driveway cam was pointed too low to get the street. This spur'd my interest in higher performance. Moving the cam closer to the street and better performing camera may do this.

I could put a third camera on the house end of the drive (original position marked in red) if needed to increase coverage to the garage door area.
 
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The Lorex is using the same size sensor as the 5442 but has double the megapixels. That, in turn, translates to half the amount of light per pixel in the Lorex. That's the simple physics of the situation. Sure, they can up the gain, but that ups the noise and a whole bunch of other potential problems.

When I said they're not all that expensive I meant the 5442. How it will perform for your application is still an unknown, but I'd tend to give one a try.

Ideal camera placement is to have them looking back at each other. In your case it isn't possible. I'd put one on the back corner look forward, cutting off just after the house, and one on the front corner also looking forward, cutting off at the street.
 
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Look at multiple cameras. Look at the lens size to increase the length of the view. Down the drive way (green) look at a 6mm. Or maybe a variable zoom.

If possible use the camera placement use the calculator... IPVM Camera Calculator V3
 
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Here's a comparsion of four Dahua low light, Starlight, models. You may find it helpful in making a decision -

Multiple camera low light test

Corona virus is spreading all over the world, and so we're all forced to stay home. Here in Poland all shopping centers, schools, kindergarten, playgrounds, etc. are closed. So, together with my wife, we have to find way, to do our regular job, and take care of children. It is time consuming and...
ipcamtalk.com ipcamtalk.com
 
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New users should be sent a Welcome email enclosing the link to the ipcamtalk's Cliff Notes, just sayin' :D
 
sebastiantombs said:
Here's a comparsion of four Dahua low light, Starlight, models. You may find it helpful in making a decision -

Multiple camera low light test

Corona virus is spreading all over the world, and so we're all forced to stay home. Here in Poland all shopping centers, schools, kindergarten, playgrounds, etc. are closed. So, together with my wife, we have to find way, to do our regular job, and take care of children. It is time consuming and...
ipcamtalk.com ipcamtalk.com
Click to expand...

Just posted today! What timing. This sold me on the 5442

Arjun said:
New users should be sent a Welcome email enclosing the link to the ipcamtalk's Cliff Notes, just sayin' :D
Click to expand...

I read it, multiple times. Was a great help. That's how I ended up with VPN, Blue Iris on an Optiplex and Dahua 2231's.
 
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Oceanslider said:
Have you considered the IPC-HDW5231R-ZE or its bullet variant?
Click to expand...
I'm using IPC-HDW2231R-ZS. I'm adding a couple cameras and for a little more would love to up resolution if low light stays the same or better.

Since you have both, how would you compare the 5231 to the 5442 full color? Does your 5442 not do B&W at all?
 
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