Recommend a cam with better low light performance

garmcqui

Young grasshopper
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
48
Reaction score
22
Hi all, I am currently using a Hikvision DS-2CD2355FWD 5mp turret to look over our two cars. Only feasible placement of the camera was on the soffit of garage, only 6ft from front of cars when parked, so using a 2.8mm Lens at the highest resolution.

Daytime performance is very good, as shown by still shot below:

43887BC6-6770-4E21-8D26-C5492D8B478D.jpeg

At night, performance is adequate when using IR:

792AD589-23BA-4FA0-AB5C-7335F58E8A5C.jpeg

However, when neighbour’s security floodlight activates, or a car approaches with headlights on, the cam cuts to visible light if set to auto.
I am wondering whether am changing this cam to one better equipped for low light would be beneficial?

This is the best image the current cam can manage at night using only street lighting, so there is a decent amount of ambient light at night, however the motion blur is unacceptable with the slow shutter speed required.

7B90FDB6-4EC7-42E9-A963-28DA70166333.jpeg

I am thinking of one of the Dahua 2mp Starlight cams, or a Hikvision Darkfighter 2mp? Is it correct that higher mp will generally result in worse low light performance?

I don’t want to spend a fortune, but was thinking of something like this: Hikvision DS-2CD2326G1-I(2.8MM) 2 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
which indicates 0.009lux @ F1.6.

any help appreciated. Thanks

PS: I know the Christmas lights In front of the cam don’t help, but they are temporary and that strand was pinned up but fell down in high winds just before Christmas.
 
Last edited:

CCTVCam

Known around here
Joined
Sep 25, 2017
Messages
2,676
Reaction score
3,508
TBH that low light shot looks pretty good to me. I think maybe you should consider an LED sensor activated flood to act as a fill in light and lift any faces out of the shadows or if your camera has poor adaption time, a dusk to dawn fill in light which could be a low powered LED on a dusk to dawn sensor.
 

garmcqui

Young grasshopper
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
48
Reaction score
22
TBH that low light shot looks pretty good to me.
thanks. however I think that low light shot was on 1/6sec shutter speed, so any motion was heavily blurred. This was the equivalent on 1/30sec:

FD427DF9-29F9-4FF6-8AE0-D25E40A37CE7.jpeg
Might look at a led motion activated floodlight
 

SouthernYankee

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Messages
5,170
Reaction score
5,320
Location
Houston Tx
Any time the light changes the camera will need to adjust, so it will be blind for a few seconds. Get one or more LED lights, and leave them on.
 
Last edited:

garmcqui

Young grasshopper
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
48
Reaction score
22
I’ve ordered a Dahua starlight 2mp turret to see if it’s any better. If it is, I’ll move this one to the back yard.
Thus Hik is max of f/2.0, Dahua is f/1.6 so hoping the shutter speed will be able to be faster at night.
 

aristobrat

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
2,983
Reaction score
3,180
I’ve ordered a Dahua starlight 2mp turret to see if it’s any better.
That should be a decent improvement, IMO.

If you go to add any more cameras, check out the ones that use the newer 4MP 1/1.8" sensor. Dahua is calling those Starlight+. Hik makes similar models but I don't know if they've changed the marketing name for them. It's first time the MP has gone up where low-light sensitivity improved too (well, in the realm of what most folks would consider affordable models, anyway :)).

Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+
 
Top