Review- EmpireTech IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 4mp Varifocal Turret

looney2ns

IPCT Contributor
Sep 25, 2016
15,977
23,599
Evansville, In. USA
Courtesy of @EMPIRETECANDY we have this camera to check out.

Camera is available HERE or HERE.

  • 4-MP 1/1.8" CMOS image sensor, low luminance, and high definition image.
  • Outputs max. 4MP (2688×1520) @25/30 fps.
  • Built-in IR LED, and the max. illumination distance is 40 m.
  • ROI, SVC, SMART H.264+/H.265+, AI H.264/H.265, encoding after filter, flexible coding, applicable to various bandwidth and storage environments.
  • Rotation mode, WDR, 3D NR, HLC, BLC, digital watermarking, applicable to various monitoring scenes.
  • With deep learning algorithm, it supports: video metadata, IVS, face detection, smart object detection, and people counting, etc.
  • Supports max. 512 GB Micro SD card, built-in MIC.
  • 12 VDC/PoE power supply; ePoE.
  • IP67 protection.
  • SMD 3.0.
This camera is a very nice improvement on previous 5442 series cams. The Audio is also bumped up nicely over other older 5442's.
I will not go into details here, as others have already did so.
Works fine with Blue Iris.

When I get the chance, I will mount this on my mailbox and see how LPR works out.

Day Settings:
Brightness 42
Contrast 50
Saturation 50
Sharpness 28
Gama 50
CBR 10240
Shutter 0-4ms
Gain 0-30
Exposure comp 50

Night Settings:
Shutter 0-8ms
Gain 0-50
Exposure comp 50

Be sure to select 1440p for video playback.
Night Video


Day Video


Day video zoomed in fully. 50' from cam to end of drive.
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
Reserved
 
I recently installed 6+ of these cameras and found the IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 4mp Varifocal Turret to be excellent. As others have mentioned before, the 'S3' is also surprisingly capable as a license plate reader camera.

The Bullet style camera is also an impressive performer and all of these are great improvements over the already good 5442.
 
The other review that compared this one with the previous version. Between this and the Z4E, they are incredible cameras.

 
Whats the full colour performance like at night? Do you have a 4kt to compare it to?

The one thing I really like about these cameras is the depth of field.

The 4Kt appears as if it lowers the bit rate away from the focal point. It looks to me almost as if it's like the trick now used by some gaming graphics cards where the peripheral vision isn't rendered as well to say processing power.It's good to see these cameras don't exhhibit that behaviour of artefact filled periphery.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JDreaming
Thanks Looney's great job, always simple showing how the camera is working. This is camera is the best for low light with motorized lens, IR tech. Looney's place is the best place to test out the low light.
By the way, looney bought a new car, haha.
 
Last edited:
Probably worthwhile @looney2ns to mention what Firmware you are running - I assume the latest (11/27/2023) from Andy's download page?

Per this post from another thread, here what I had AS-SHIPPED (late/2023) ... and BOLDING shows the changes after the upgrade:
Device: IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 SAME
SN: 9F0EA64P####### SAME
ONVIF: 22.06 (V3.1.0.1349397) 22.13 (V3.1.0.1403710)
System Version: 3.100.0000000.5.R Build Date:2023-05-09 3.100.15OG000.0.R Build Date:2023-11-27
Web Version: V5.01.0.1431017 V5.01.0.15332205
Algorithm Version: V3.5.6.0 V3.5.26.0
Security Baseline Version: V2.3 SAME
 
Nice work Looney. What is the distance from the mounted camera to the street?
50' to end of the driveway, as stated in OP. ;)
Thanks Looney's great job, always simple showing how the camera is working. This is camera is the best for low light with motorized lens, IR tech. Looney's place is the best place to test out the low light.
By the way, looney bought a new car, haha.
That "new car" I've had it for 19 yrs. :)
 
Probably worthwhile @looney2ns to mention what Firmware you are running - I assume the latest (11/27/2023) from Andy's download page?

Per this post from another thread, here what I had AS-SHIPPED (late/2023) ... and BOLDING shows the changes after the upgrade:
Device: IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 SAME
SN: 9F0EA64P####### SAME
ONVIF: 22.06 (V3.1.0.1349397) 22.13 (V3.1.0.1403710)
System Version: 3.100.0000000.5.R Build Date:2023-05-09 3.100.15OG000.0.R Build Date:2023-11-27
Web Version: V5.01.0.1431017 V5.01.0.15332205
Algorithm Version: V3.5.6.0 V3.5.26.0
Security Baseline Version: V2.3 SAME
11/27/2023 version.
 
hi, thanks for the review. Do you have a link for a bullet version of this or similar camera that can be used for license plate identification? I am planning to upgrade a bullet camera and already have the 4 screws junction box installed so would prefer another bullet camera.
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.