Review - Dahua SD49225XA-HNR 2MP 25x Starlight + IR PTZ AI Camera with Deep IVS & SMD Plus

@Wildcat_1 tell me if you'd rather I make a separate thread with my own progress :) Thanks for your help with the Auto-Track magics. Here is a new sample from mine.



(you can skip forward through the first 15 seconds, which gets YouTube past its pixelated stage) Here I'm telling my homies about the new camera :)

Now that I have Auto-tracking and spotter-cam puzzles at least mostly solved, here is some video (above) of auto-tracking at the following night setttings. My scene is pretty bright, thanks to a landlord who believes in good lighting, so I stuck it in forced-color mode with these settings (non-default items are in red boxes):

1575774548972.png 1575774641678.png 1575774715534.png


I mostly copied the theme of my settings for my 5442, which is next to a motion-activated floodlight. I had experiment to find settings that fight overexposure from the uneven lighting, which I found I could fix by using HLC in the Backlight section and a reduction in Gamma. In the video above, I did some slow-motion and stop-action in the replay, so you can get a look at face and clothing detail. It isn't perfect... as I move, and the camera moves, there is some "judder" where individual frames vary in quality. But you can see jaw and cheekbone structure, ear details, etc... I'm not an overexposed smudge.

One interesting discovery was that even with iris allowed up to 100, it doesn't fully open the iris. I can go to PTZ > Function > Preset, go to each preset, and open up the Iris further with the + button, then Save.

1575775667581.png
 
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@mech
No worries sharing here. As hopefully you’ve seen from my previous reviews, I prefer to take people through not just the cam itself but sharing tips, tricks, config, AI features etc. Glad I was able to help. Looking at the scene there, looks good. Just a few more little adjustments you might want to try that may help:
  1. HLC does work well in situations like this. Due to the bright lighting, try tweaking up slightly to between 58-62. Might take the slight flaring and detail loss in the bright highlight areas.
  2. 2D noise is usually less forgiving (more macro blocking type of effect) in high motion than 3D so might suggest you take 2D up to around 25 (high end) and instead reduce 3D to around 28-30. That will reduce any motion related blurring you may see in quicker action.
  3. If lighting is adequate (which certainly seems it is with direct and spillover) then would suggest bringing gain down further and worst case easing down HLC at same time for that right balance. Would rather control lighting that’s there with HLC & exposure than bumping gain which introduces further noise and in some way negates the changes made with dropping gamma. The noise on this cam isn’t bad but hey if you don’t have to introduce more then all the better :)
  4. Iris fully open isn’t a bad thing by any means, however I’ve found that above 80 does add more of a pulsation to noise in shot. Again not saying don’t go this high but just something to be aware of.
Stay tuned, more to come and also feel free to reach out direct to discuss as well.

Stay tuned, more to come and also feel free to reach out direct to discuss as well.

HTH may help you and others here as well.


mech said:
@Wildcat_1 tell me if you'd rather I make a separate thread with my own progress :) Thanks for your help with the Auto-Track magics. Here is a new sample from mine.



(you can skip forward through the first 15 seconds, which gets YouTube past its pixelated stage) Here I'm telling my homies about the new camera :)

Now that I have Auto-tracking and spotter-cam puzzles at least mostly solved, here is some video (above) of auto-tracking at the following night setttings. My scene is pretty bright, thanks to a landlord who believes in good lighting, so I stuck it in forced-color mode with these settings (non-default items are in red boxes):

View attachment 51851 View attachment 51852 View attachment 51853


I mostly copied the theme of my settings for my 5442, which is next to a motion-activated floodlight. I had experiment to find settings that fight overexposure from the uneven lighting, which I found I could fix by using HLC in the Backlight section and a reduction in Gamma. In the video above, I did some slow-motion and stop-action in the replay, so you can get a look at face and clothing detail. It isn't perfect... as I move, and the camera moves, there is some "judder" where individual frames vary in quality. But you can see jaw and cheekbone structure, ear details, etc... I'm not an overexposed smudge.

One interesting discovery was that even with iris allowed up to 100, it doesn't fully open the iris. I can go to PTZ > Function > Preset, go to each preset, and open up the Iris further with the + button, then Save.

View attachment 51854
Click to expand...
 
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Hi Wildcat could you take a screenshot please of what's in the FOCUS & ZOOM menu please.
 
Thanks and might help if you take PFA OFF Semi Auto and put on Full auto.
 
Ah cool and do you think PFA works ok and can you tell the difference when trying to focus if you set it to off like it hunts for a few seconds then grabs focus?
 
it does make a difference but just remember that on any PTZ PFA comes with an associated cost, blur while the PTZ is in motion which is slightly more pronounced with PFA. So if your PTZ is moving to a preset then PFA will add some motion blur BUT when it gets to its position focuses quicker. As long as you understand and expect that then you are good. Now this is. It to be confused with tracking of an object, generally in my experience that is usually tack sharp with PFA. Lastly on newer version of cams like the one I’m reviewing here the motion blur is reduced due to improved processing.



ljw2k said:
Ah cool and do you think PFA works ok and can you tell the difference when trying to focus if you set it to off like it hunts for a few seconds then grabs focus?
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All

As I was asked by @ljw2k regarding the noise of this PTZ I thought I would include an audio file. For reference the quieter sounds you hear are as its tracking me through full axis and the louder sounds are me forcing it in the GUI to swing super fast from one side to another. I am about 6-10 inches from the camera while these were recorded on an iPhone. No editing of audio at all, straight from phone.

As I’m sure you will agree, this is one quiet PTZ and certainly much quieter than my SD6CE that you can clearly here.

 
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That will do me and had to turn my PC speakers up to even hear it my Old 5 series was a right noisy bugger.
 
It is very quiet unless as I showed you swing it crazy from one side to another on PTZ speed of high. This is MUCH quieter than my SD6 which you can hear noticeably as you walk past (one of the things I dislike about that model). This is much more discrete for sure.

ljw2k said:
That will do me and had to turn my PC speakers up to even hear it my Old 5 series was a right noisy bugger.
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All, just a quick reminder for anyone considering purchasing this or other cams/NVRs etc from @EMPIRETECANDY. Chase Freedom has 5% for PayPal through Q4 so if buying directly, save yourself even more money. Here ends your friendly PSA ;)
 
I'm just waiting until Andy gets the 4mp one in next week it's only a extra $60 and has a lower F stop for the higher zoom which can only let even more light to enter the sensor.
 
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ljw2k said:
I'm just waiting until Andy gets the 4mp one in next week it's only a extra $60 and has a lower F stop for the higher zoom which can only let even more light to enter the sensor.
Click to expand...

I ordered last week that 4mp from Andy. Still waiting. Im sure that is great one.
 
Thanks @Wildcat_1 for the write-up. Im going to return my non tracking armcrest ptz, and ordered this one through Andy.
 
Is there a way to control how much zoom is applied when AI\auto tracking is triggered on any of these AI \ auto track PTZ cameras? With the vehicle drive by for example, the camera goes from full wide, tracks the car then zooms in just a little bit. With 25x capability it probably could have zoomed in enough for a clear plate shot if you could set the zoom amount when it triggers which would be more useful. Same goes for the person tracking...if it could at least be set to zoom closer in when detecting a person for a real good face shot it would be a lot more valuable.
Have you tested tracking on someone at a far distance?
 
@nbstl68 Yea, as I mentioned above to @mech, the key is in your presets you want the camera to move to (in the triangulation demo I show above) and their specific position (zoomed in or not) combines with the target size ration dial these in and you can get the desired end result. The camera will still adjust when tracking (which is what you want in these situations) BUT within those tighter guidelines. Just remember as I said above, don’t make it too tight, you don’t want to lose the target in a frame or 2.
HTH

nbstl68 said:
Is there a way to control how much zoom is applied when AI\auto tracking is triggered on any of these AI \ auto track PTZ cameras? With the vehicle drive by for example, the camera goes from full wide, tracks the car then zooms in just a little bit. With 25x capability it probably could have zoomed in enough for a clear plate shot if you could set the zoom amount when it triggers which would be more useful. Same goes for the person tracking...if it could at least be set to zoom closer in when detecting a person for a real good face shot it would be a lot more valuable.
Have you tested tracking on someone at a far distance?
Click to expand...
 
All, I just spoke with @EMPIRETECANDY as I know some people prefer to purchase through Amazon and that this cam was sold out there. He just informed me that he has 4 more in stock up on Amazon now if anyone is interested. Here is the link

SD49225XA-HNR At Amazon
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
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