I recently worked on a Unifi system new install, using the G5 Ultra Dome camera. I have to say that I am impressed with the video quality and overall user experience of the ecosystem. It is unfortunate that it lacks varifocal lens, but as long as the customer is fine with "wide angles for everyone" it makes for a very tidy system.
The cost on these cameras is impressive, too. Hardly paying more than we did for white-label Dahua cameras.
The "thing" detection feature works very, very well.
Fair point. These cameras are indoors, and the interior has enough light overnight that the cameras stay in day mode. I can't say how they perform in dark scenes.We would love to see some examples of motion at night/low light conditions.
Almost any camera can do well with lots of light.
That has been what we have seen sets the Dahua apart from other comparable priced cameras.
LOL Good cam yes, who is paying $1600 for it in the home consumer world.Here’s their best? 4MP 1/1.8 bullet. Currently featured series.. their Lightfinder tech is very good
![]()
AXIS Q1806-LE Bullet Camera | Axis Communications
First-class surveillance in 4 MP with 32x zoomwww.axis.com
I want them yesterday, is that an option I can click?Andy showed off some new 20225 models a few weeks back slated for Q2/Q3 and of course everyone wants them today
You know someone has to be the first kid on the block with one - won't be me thoughLOL Good cam yes, who is paying $1600 for it in the home consumer world.
Just for grins, I was looking at the AXIS cams - and looking at moderate zoom camera, I saw the 1468 (8MP 1/1.2" sensor) and the 1808 (10MP 4/3" (!) sensor) ... there are probably others (better) that I missed as I'm not familiar with their product line.
Now ... as pointed out, those are NOT cheap cameras as they are (literally!) 5-10X the cost of the 5442-S3's.
However, I'd like to know how these compare to the 5442-S3's ... i.e. has anyone put them side-by-side with similar shutter speed, etc.?
Are the images "night & day" different (especially in low-light) ... or does the 5442-S3 punch above it's weight (cost!) and providing images "close" to those high-end AXIS cameras?
Wow...does this bulky Ethernet connector have to be used like this? It's half the size of the camera!I recently worked on a Unifi system new install, using the G5 Ultra Dome camera. I have to say that I am impressed with the video quality and overall user experience of the ecosystem. It is unfortunate that it lacks varifocal lens, but as long as the customer is fine with "wide angles for everyone" it makes for a very tidy system.
The cost on these cameras is impressive, too. Hardly paying more than we did for white-label Dahua cameras.
The "thing" detection feature works very, very well.
I have the Dahua 5442-S2 (4MP on a 1/1.8" sensor), the Dahua 5842-S3 (8MP on 1/1.8"), and the Axis P1468-LE (8MP on a 1/1.2"). The 5442 and the Axis perform similarly at night, thanks to their ideal balance between resolution and sensor size. That said, the Axis delivers noticeably better image quality overall, simply because it has more megapixels to work with. The 5842-S3 also performs quite well, especially considering its higher resolution on a smaller sensor.
A 1/1.2" sensor is about 78% larger in area than a 1/1.8" sensor. That extra size gives the larger sensor better low-light performance, shallower depth of field, and improved dynamic range, all else being equal.
At current prices, the Axis goes for around $1,000, while the Dahua 5842-S3 bullet from Andy is about $250. Is the Axis four times better in terms of image quality? Definitely not—but it is clearly better, and I’m convinced that difference matters when it counts. On top of that, I find the Axis software much easier to use, and its video processing (like WDR) produces a noticeably cleaner image than Dahua—not just at night, but during the day as well. The Axis also can stay in color mode in much lower light conditions compared to the 5842, again thanks to that better resolution-to-sensor-size ratio and better video processing.
Other advantages of the Axis include better build quality, a 5-year warranty, and long-term software support. Axis OS is actively developed and regularly updated, which gives me more confidence in the device’s future reliability and security.
Overall, the Axis camera is clearly a better product in my experience. That said, for the average home user, the Dahua 5442/5842 offers much better value for money.
The 5842 model has a 1/1.8" sensor as I mentioned in my post.
Haha, no worries! I agree—the 5849 would be a more fair comparison, though it lacks IR, and unfortunately I don’t have one to test. It’s pitch black here at night, so IR is a must for my setup.Wow sorry I read that as 1/1.2, I guess not enough coffee. Apologies
Of course a 1/1.2 sensor on 8MP will beat a 1/1.8 on 8MP all day every day
Seems like a better apples to apples comparison would be the Dahua 5849 8MP 1/1.2" to the Axis P1468-LE 8MP on a 1/1.2"