want to buy: Dahua IPC-HF5421E without lens

[cam235]

I'm interested in finding the 4MP box camera Dahua IPC-HF5421E, hopefully without the lens. Can anyone recommend a place to buy it? I'm used to just getting stuff on Amazon. This one seems not so easy.

I see this one has the same number. I understand Dahua is OEM-only, but can you tell if it is a knockoff?
https://www.amazon.com/SavvyPixel-IPC-HF5421E-Network-Camera-without/dp/B01F5DCAYU

Here is one that does mention Dahua in the URL, but states the product itself is unbranded
http://www.cctv-mall.com/dahua-ipc-hf5421e-dahua-ipc-hf5421e-4mp-full-hd-network-camera-ipc-hf5421e

Here's another one with a motorized zoom lens and a very high price
http://www.a1securitycameras.com/dahua-ipc-hf5421e.html

Here's a similar model number, but in a different case:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dahua-IPC-HFW5421E-Z-POE-4MP-HD-WDR-Motorized-Lens-Network-IR-Bullet-Camera-/131858573948

 

[nayr]

I bought mine from here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DAHUA-4MP-Full-HD-Network-Box-Camera-with-Alarm-and-POE-Original-English-Version-without-Logo/32433565308.html

It does not come with a lens at all.. its been my LPR camera for bout 6 months now, I am very happy with it.. its a nice camera.

 

[cam235]

Thanks for that good feedback. I found a spec sheet for it, but no user manual online. My IP camera experience includes Hikvision (good), AirLive (not great), GW Security (bad) and some no-name bare-board ebay stuff (does work OK), but all of those came with some kind of manual. Is this one intuitive enough that you don't need any manual? My day job involves embedded linux, so I know some basics.

 

[nayr]

It has a built in help document in the WebUI, just click on the question mark.. and here is a supplemental manual online: http://dahuawiki.com/IPCamera

Its going to be just as good or better than your Hik experience.

 

[cam235]

Thanks again. From your link, it looks like these are the files I was looking for:
http://dahuawiki.com/images/f/f6/IPCamManual3.0.pdf
http://dahuawiki.com/images/0/0c/Network_Camera_Web3.0_Operation_Manual_V1.0.1_F_201403.pdf

Based on those documents, if I record only to internal SD card, it looks like I can set "Record Delay" (length of recording after alarm ends, 10..300 sec) but there is no "pre-roll" or circular buffer to start the capture some seconds before the alarm starts (?)

I guess many people use a separate DVR or video server, but pre-roll to SD card is one feature I have used on my Hikvision DS-2CD2132F-IS. With a 128GB card I can keep 10 days of events without needing additional hardware. However if the motion detect is good enough, the pre-roll may not be needed. Maybe I should connect "external alarm in" on the Dahua to the alarm out signal of my wide-angle camera. In that case I'm curious to know if the "alarm out" signal from the Dahua is strictly from internal motion-detect, or is the product "motion detect" OR "external alarm in".

 

[nayr]

alarm out can be manually activated, I can give you HTTP API for it, or activated by events.

You can pre-event record up to 5s, under Storage -> Record Control.

alarm out can be triggered by any event, or manually (can be done via API too).. network disconnection can trigger it, motion, audio, ivs, sd card failure, failed logins, video tampering, the alarm input, though i cant think of a reason why you'd use the last one.

 

[cam235]

Thanks again; now I see your post with the document for the HTTP API: DAHUA_HTTP_API_FOR_IPC&SD-V1.40.pdf at
https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/9004-NodeJS-Module-node-dahua-api?p=118455&viewfull=1#post118455

I had looked for something like that before, but apparently my google skills are lacking.

 

[nayr]

/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&AlarmOut[0].Mode=1
/cgi-bin/devVideoInput.cgi?action=adjustFocus&focus=xxxx.xx

those are the two I use w/this camera.. the first one toggles the alarm relay on (=0 for off), I have this hooked up to IR Cannon because its in an enclosure so the built in light sensor does not work.

the second one adjusts the back-focus to a float value that is my preset for day/night so I keep license plates in sharp focus when the IR is on it.

those get kicked off at sunrise/sunset by an external script.. along with another to change the profile from day/night

 

[cam235]

I just got the "SavvyPixel" IPC-HF5421E from the Amazon link in my first post. Thank you for recommending this! My initial impression is it can see a little more real texture in dark areas than I can at night with the naked eye, with 3D noise reduction turned off so motion is not blurred. This is with no added light, just city light pollution bounce from the clouds at midnight. With a little 5W 850nm IR flashlight the image gets bright (well... if the subject is only 10' away).

I'm using it with a Theia 9-40mm f/1.5 varifocal. The ability to do autofocus even with a non-autofocus lens, by moving the sensor instead, is very nice; I wasn't expecting that feature. I guess that means I could have used a cheaper non-IR-corrected lens and just auto-refocus at sunset and sunrise as you suggested. Nice camera!


cloudy at midnight, with no added light, and no multi-frame NR motion blur


early morning, wide and zoomed in