Review-SD4A425DB-HNY 1/2.8" CMOS 4MP 25x Starlight Auto-tracking MiniPTZ

You might consider upping your bit rate.
"I upped my bit rate. Up yours!"
 
Auto flip means someone is approaching the camera and it is tracking them and then they walk under the camera and continue walking behind the camera - the image will flip so that they are not walking upside down as the lens sweeps from front to back while tracking them.

Did someone notice when the ptz do the "auto flip" the calibration somehow get resetted?

My camera did that 2 times. So it did the "auto flip" , then losing the object (because cannot see it there), go back and any preset is at a different position?

also my camera do not flip the picture with software, it tries to turn
 
I started using a SD4A425DB-HNY camera on July 26, 2023. The tracking is fantastic! With the exception of running the camera in color mode twenty-four hours a day, I otherwise used the default settings as a starting point.

On July 27, 2023, two juvenile punks walked along the street checking vehicle doors. I was up at the time, so I got to watch them live in action. Below are four pictures (2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th pictures) from the SD4A425DB-HNY camera and two pictures (1st and 3rd pictures) from a IPC-HDW5849H-ASE-LED (IPC-Color4K-T) 3.6 mm camera. The SD4A425DB-HNY came up short in the clarity department.

My first impression with the PTZ camera is that I am very impressed with it. I'll start diddling with the camera settings to see what I can do to improve things at night. I'm already thinking about buying a second one. If I make the purchase, I'll be up to fifteen cameras here and there around and in my house. :)

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Good job!
Can you post the video clip?

I wish you hadn't asked that question. LOL

I set up three presets on it and didn't have the camera on Preset 3, which I plan to use probably all the time and covers the west/southwest, that would have showed the most activity as the juveniles walked west to east by my house. I had the camera on Preset 2 which covers activity to the south (driveway area). The camera followed the juveniles as they went through the Preset 2 area and into the Preset 1 area which covers the east-southeast. Unfortunately, I had not redirected a camera used for license plate capture and the infrared lights from it made a near hit on the lens of the PTZ camera at that point as the PTZ camera moved farther into the Preset 1 area. I redirected that license plate capture camera later on July 27, 2023 so that problem won't happen again.

Since I barely set the camera up, I'm not going to post a video from this incident to protect myself from wittaj's comments. :D
 
This awesome cam needs an 'auto' setting for the tracking ratio.
Guessing most of us would like to have the closest image without losing tracking.
We know that lowering the ratio provides a better chance at tracking the person or vehicle. But what we don't know are the limits that make the cam lose tracking - without alot of trail & error.
Size, speed, location, proximity are all tracking factors driven by the camera performance. Dahua knows these specs, and should be able to give us a setting which allows max viewing of the subject at all variables.
Maybe even a person auto setting, & vehicle auto setting - pending if you are using one or the other or both.
Wishful thinking, rant over.
 
because no one posted some pictures of wall-mount options, i bought some mounts.

Official Dahua only shows PFB303W with PFA101

But there are other options (which some may prefer when mounting on wall or pole)

Options:
  • PFB303W + PFA101
  • PFB302S + PFA101
  • PFB211W
Here is the lineup for size comparison:

1.jpg

Here a picture of the PFA101 alone

2.jpg


1. PFB303W + PFA101

Works as expected, but for me its a bit too long. The PTZ is smaller than the mount was designed for and I want to have it more look like a normal dome camera.
There is no possibility of a junction box ! The cable is too short, so it will always stay inside the mount. Remember to use the waterproof-cable-joint kit for ANY connection !

Cable can ONLY be insert from back and buttom

3.jpg 5.jpg 4.jpg 6.jpg

2. PFB302S + PFA101

This one is interesting, because it has included waterproof junction box. It is really short, Cables fit perfect.
Cable can be insert from any side and back.

7.jpg 8.jpg 9.jpg 11.jpg 10.jpg 12.jpg

2. PFB211W

This one needs little modification to fit. You need to cut out the marked area, otherwise the cable will not fit.
Also this one need waterproof-cable-joint-kit , like PFB203W/PFB204W for 5442-series.

22.jpg 19.jpg

Cables can be insert from left, right side, back or buttom.
It has somehow rain protected, because there is a little rain-cover.

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20.jpg 21.jpg 23.jpg 24.jpg 25.jpg
 
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It's a messy hack emulating the web interface with some Python code. It would not be intuitive for the average user to set up. So let's hope Dahua comes through with changes to the HTTP API.

Did you figure out how to change the profile via api ?

I am using the crontab solution of @biggen (Program for flipping cameras to day/night on Linux)

figured out these api calls to work ..

Code:
ip/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].Mode=4
ip/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].ConfigEx=Night

this does work, but the mode setting resets when making any change to the camera tab in settings

mode=3 seems time plan
mode=4 seems "ConfigEx" setting

possible script solution:

1. time plan setting = always day
2. ConfigEx=Night

3. call api , Mode=4 (night) , Mode=3 (day)


other possibility:

Code:
ip/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].TimeSectionV2[0][0]=00:00:00-24:00:00%20Night
ip/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].TimeSectionV2[1][0]=00:00:00-24:00:00%20Night
ip/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].TimeSectionV2[2][0]=00:00:00-24:00:00%20Night

...

ip/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].TimeSectionV2[11][0]=00:00:00-24:00:00%20Night

it change all months of the time plan, thatswhy there are so many calls (0 to 11)
time plan settings have to be default in webinterface first
 
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Anybody tried run this cam in color mode at night? (Just curious) If so, how was the image quality?

Thanks
 
That would depend on the scene and how much ambient light is present. ANY camera can be run in color at night with enough white light
 
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That would depend on the scene and how much ambient light is present. ANY camera can be run in color at night with enough white light

For sure, I just wanted to see if anybody did it before I tried with mine lol

I'm assuming that shutter speed has to be something like 1/60,1/50,1/30 etc?
 
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Again highly dependent on the amount of light, typically you start reducing motion blur at 1/60 but really 1/120 is my minimum for acceptable