Review: Dahua 8MP / 4K 25x Starlight IR PTZ - PTZ5A4K-25X / SD5A825GA-HNR
- Thread starter Wildcat_1
- Start date
The Ptz in its current form looks great during day time, but when it move and zoom in for auto tracking, you will see some of the compression artifacts and macro blocking Wildcat mentioned especially at night. The camera works well when doing manual zoom day or night though, maybe have to do with the Predictive Focus Algorithm (PFA) technology. I believe Wildcat still working with the Dahua engineers on the firmware update to fix some of the problems he mentioned in this thread.
Auto Tracking algorithms 3.0 works well when there are no obstacles like poles and brick railings blocking the target, if there are poles or fire hydrants etc around, the camera might switch over to them instead of tracking the human target maybe 30-40% of the time. It works better when the obstacles are tree branches. Also, the camera will swing around really fast towards the sky if the target is too fast for it to track sometimes.
Night time color image is just okay with this camera even with decent street light if the target is moving. But that's to be expected with an 8MP, 1/1.8 sensor combo. I don't think firmware update will help much unless replacing the sensor size of the camera. But I ready know this before buying the camera and prefer it over the PTZ5A4M-25X. I have no regret and happy with SD5A825GA-HNR so far.
Here is a short video posted by MemTosh93 back in May on camera captures sub-forum.
Auto Tracking algorithms 3.0 works well when there are no obstacles like poles and brick railings blocking the target, if there are poles or fire hydrants etc around, the camera might switch over to them instead of tracking the human target maybe 30-40% of the time. It works better when the obstacles are tree branches. Also, the camera will swing around really fast towards the sky if the target is too fast for it to track sometimes.
Night time color image is just okay with this camera even with decent street light if the target is moving. But that's to be expected with an 8MP, 1/1.8 sensor combo. I don't think firmware update will help much unless replacing the sensor size of the camera. But I ready know this before buying the camera and prefer it over the PTZ5A4M-25X. I have no regret and happy with SD5A825GA-HNR so far.
Here is a short video posted by MemTosh93 back in May on camera captures sub-forum.
Parley
Known around here
Looks like getting a PTZ or a varifocal on a 1/1.2" sensor is a bridge too far. However, I will say the latest 5442E-Z4E S3 looks like a nice step in the right direction.
new pic just a bit ago - no lighting at all outside, just i.r's from a cam and an emitter - the green box - had to block out a couple of planter boxes that this cam kept targeting.
also notice a white spot on the corner of the outside wall. I don't know what that is, it seems to be on or in the lens. I've cleaned the outside of the cam lens cover , and this cam was installed with white glove care. if I move the cam slightly that element moves with the movement
also notice a white spot on the corner of the outside wall. I don't know what that is, it seems to be on or in the lens. I've cleaned the outside of the cam lens cover , and this cam was installed with white glove care. if I move the cam slightly that element moves with the movement
Very nice pics, thanks for sharing, the 4K one we will get some night video later. The 4K model we sold a lot since released, it's a great camera.
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thats the sign across the street, about 150' away from the cam, no light out there, just the cam, not zoomed in fully, about 3/4
Thanks for taking the time to share the night pics!
If you have the ability to show moving cars.... that would be perfect for me.
Thanks again!!!!!
If you have the ability to show moving cars.... that would be perfect for me.
Thanks again!!!!!
Just updating on this one. Still working with Dahua on the firmware and algorithm options I feel they can implement to make this better. The compression and macro blocking are not good, especially for a camera that spends a lot of its time moving between locations and tracking. The issue is exacerbated with h.264 compression and is mitigated a little with h.265 BUT I am not an advocate for moving to h.265 to correct an algorithm and SOC performance issue. This goes back to the wider issue I mentioned earlier of taking an SOC combo from a bullet cam and using in a much more processing intensive device like a PTZ. While the ultimate fix is new HW in a V2 model, I am working and 'motivating' Dahua to focus on this current generation model as well. I've demonstrated many times the impacts seen by this camera. Could you reduce PQ, Yes but that is far from the point as we all know. Will continue to push for FW improvements on this and hope to see at least a beta soon but I would be lying if I said things were moving quickly at the manufacturer level on this one.
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the 4MP versions I've reviewed before have that sweet spot of MP's, Optics & SOC. I've got some great tracking shots from these 4MP's that I post from time to time (will upload another in future) and they continue to impress. This 8MP version unfortunately is not there.....YET but I will keep pushing in hopes that I can motivate devs to revisit the algorithms and FW on this one.
To be clear, IF you leave the camera in a static position, don't want it to track AND/OR don't need it to move (and actively capture) targets on the move at the same time (or in between presets etc) then you'll get a good image but introduce movement of the camera (as expected in any PTZ deployment) and you start to see issues.
I'll look to post some of the caps I sent to Dahua on this in the future so you can see the issue first hand. Again, this PTZ has a lot of promise BUT it first needs FW and algorithm tweaks (as I've recommended to devs multiple times) and in the longer run needs an improved SOC for V2.
Will continue to keep you all updated as I hear / see more on FW for this one. If the issues get fixed then with a Wildcat dialing in session, I have no doubts I can make this one work hard and shine for all of us here but without those issues fixed, I can't recommend it in good faith right now as there are better options out there, from Dahua that I've reviewed before in the 4MP that are still incredibly strong and represent a phenomenal value vs performance package.
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the 4MP versions I've reviewed before have that sweet spot of MP's, Optics & SOC. I've got some great tracking shots from these 4MP's that I post from time to time (will upload another in future) and they continue to impress. This 8MP version unfortunately is not there.....YET but I will keep pushing in hopes that I can motivate devs to revisit the algorithms and FW on this one.
To be clear, IF you leave the camera in a static position, don't want it to track AND/OR don't need it to move (and actively capture) targets on the move at the same time (or in between presets etc) then you'll get a good image but introduce movement of the camera (as expected in any PTZ deployment) and you start to see issues.
I'll look to post some of the caps I sent to Dahua on this in the future so you can see the issue first hand. Again, this PTZ has a lot of promise BUT it first needs FW and algorithm tweaks (as I've recommended to devs multiple times) and in the longer run needs an improved SOC for V2.
Will continue to keep you all updated as I hear / see more on FW for this one. If the issues get fixed then with a Wildcat dialing in session, I have no doubts I can make this one work hard and shine for all of us here but without those issues fixed, I can't recommend it in good faith right now as there are better options out there, from Dahua that I've reviewed before in the 4MP that are still incredibly strong and represent a phenomenal value vs performance package.
I think the white spot is the reflection of the inside of the lens. You will see more of that if you turn your ptz towards a light source especially if it rain at night. I have one such a spot on my camera as well during night time because of the street light across the street. There would be many of these spots if I turn and aim the ptz towards the street light when there is heavy rain.
Notice the shape looks just like the inside lens posted by Broachoski of the mini ptz?
Thanks for that info. There is i.r. being emitted from a cam in my soffit just to the left of the door in that photo. and maybe with the glass of the electric meter being in the light path, its reflecting back to my camera. I was hoping it was not a scratch on the lens.
Yeah, the 4mp version got the right sensor size of 1/1.8. The 8MP one should match with 1/1.2 sensor if your priority is night time image. I bought the 8MP version because I want the best day time image. But I would've bought the 1/1.2 sensor version of this camera if Dahua made them. That will be the best of both world.
There is a PTZ4K45X-AI that's 8MP with 1/1.2 sensor, but it's too big and too expensive for me at $2,279 and Dimension of 17.40" × 10.32 inches vs this one 7.48" × 13.07 inches.
So what's the best alternative PTZ to get that also has 25x optical zoom and will zoom-in while tracking?