Which is better amcrest or lorex?

[wittaj]

Not that I am aware of, but the intent is more to be able to demonstrate the level of detail you can expect to see at that distance - so the clearer the persons face and license plate, the better. And not that the person or plate would be that big either, but the clarity would be there - basically are getting a pixelated blob or some detail.

For kicks put a 2.8mm camera and see what it looks like at that distance LOL.

The Z12 or the PTZ would give you the clarity you need, but unless you have a lot of night light, you would have to run infrared b/w at that distance.

 

[Myotape22]

what are your thoughts on the smart detection or smart AI? i have lots of cats / chickens that run around. do you think the smart detection would be worth looking into for vehicles / people?

 

[wittaj]

Yes, I have a few AI cams and they are rock solid - no false triggers on deer, cats, shadows, leaves, etc. I don't see myself buying any cams without it now. Makes it so nice that in literally a minute in the morning I can review my footage overnight.

 

[Myotape22]

So with smart AI does just the cam need to say that it's got that capability or does the nvr need to be " AI capable " as well?

 

[wittaj]

The NVR needs it as well for full functionality, but if you are only interested in pulling ONVIF triggers from the camera, then you can probably get by without it. I run Blue Iris instead of an NVR, so the recordings are only based on the triggers from the camera.

But if you want to load up people images and stuff and have it notify you based on a certain person, etc., then you would need the full suite of products.

 

[Myotape22]

I wouldn't do certain people just if the cameras detect any human or any vehicle. Where do I begin to look for an AI nvr and cams that are all same brand?

 

[wittaj]

A lot of us here get our gear from a member on this forum @EMPIRETECANDY and his Amazon store: Amazon.com

You can reach out to him direct as well and save some money, and he is great with helping you figure out what you need for your situation.

 

[Myotape22]

Ok I'll check it out. Thanks for all the info I appreciate it.

 

[wittaj]

You are welcome - we have all been there and I have bought my share of kits, only to be disappointed, so we try to help people from making that same mistake. My neighbor wishes he listened to me LOL when he told me about the Costco kit he was going to buy. Any my other neighbor that bought Arlos.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Running late on commenting on this thread.
Get cameras and NVR from the same manufacture. Do not mix Chinese hacked cameras or NVR and international equipment. Some manufactures block mixing equipment.
What you save in money you will more than waste in time.
Read study plan before spending money.
Buy one good variable focus camera and test your mounting location and lens.

======================
My standard welcome to the forum message.

Read Study Plan before spending money
Cameras are for surveillance to get information for after the fact.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) in the wiki also.


Quick start
1) If you do not have a wired monitored alarm system, get that first
2) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras if you need good low light cameras.
3) Start with a good variable focus camera, so you test for the correct lens,lighting, camera placement.
4) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
5) Do not use wifi cameras.
6) Do not use cloud storage
7) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
8) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
9) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
10) Do not use reolink, ring, nest, Arlo cameras (they are junk), no cloud cameras
11) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
12) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
13) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location. My test rig: rev.2
14) (Looney2ns)If you want to be able to ID faces, don't mount cams higher than 7ft. You want to know who did it, not just what happened.
15) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
16) camera placement use the calculator... IPVM Camera Calculator V3
17) POE list PoE Switch Suggestion List
18) Camera Sensor size, bigger is general better Sensor Size Chart
19) Camera lens size, a bigger number give more range but less field of view. Which Security Camera Lens Size Should I Buy?
20) verify your camera placement, have a friend wearing a hoodie, ball cap and sunglasses looking down approach the house, can you identify them at night ?
21) DO NOT UPGRADE your NVR or camera firmware unless you absolutely have a problem that needs to be fixed and known what you are doing, if you do you will turn it into a brick !!

Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED . Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
.................... Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED review
IPC-T5442TM-AS ..... Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-HDW5442t-ZE .... Dahua IPC-HDW5442T-ZE 4MP Varifocal Turret - Night Perfomance testing -- variable focus 2.7 mm-12mm 4 MP Starlight
IPC-B5442E-ZE ...... Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+ -- variable 2.7mm-12mm bullet
IPC-B5442E-Z4E .... bullet 8mm-32mm variable focus zoom 4MP
IPC-HFW7442H-Z ..... Review - Dahua IPC-HFW7442H-Z 4MP Ultra AI Varifocal Bullet Camera -- 4 MP variable focus AI
IPC-T2347G-LU ...... Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS .... Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW2231T-ZS-S2 . Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS Ver 2, 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE .... Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE ... IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I ... Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
IPC-T5241H-AS-PV ... Review-OEM IPC-T5241H-AS-PV 2mp AI active deterrence cam
IPC-T3241-ZAS ...... Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal -- 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal
IPC-HFW2831T-ZS ... Review-Dahua IPC-HFW2831T-ZS 8MP WDR IR Bullet Network Camera -- 8MP Bullet 1/1.8” sensor variable focus.
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
N22AL12 ............ New Dahua N22AL12 Budget Cam w/Starlight -- low cost entry
IPC-T2347G-LU....... Review-Loryta OEM 4MP IPC-T2347G-LU ColorVu Fixed Turret Network 4mm lens & Junction Box -- 4MP ColorVu
.................... Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera.

Other dahua 4MP starlight

https://ipcamtalk.com/threads/dahua-4mp-starlight-lineup.42000/#post-388253

My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A Review-Dahua IPC-K35A 3mp Cube Camera
IPC-K42A

If interested in Blue Iris and other setup items see the following post

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess

 

[brianegge]

I have an 8 cam Lorex kit and now five cams from Andy. I think the kit is a great way to start out.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I have an 8 cam Lorex kit and now five cams from Andy. I think the kit is a great way to start out.

Are they still stripping out some of the useful functionality that's in the non-OEM model?
Check this out :

Smartening up the Lorex LNB8005C 8MP mini bullet.

Something I do for fun and a little mental exercise is watch out for 'spares and repairs' IP surveillance items on eBay. These can provide an interesting insight into how the different manufacturers do things, and is a bit self-funding if fixed-up items can be re-sold. I recently bought for a...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[brianegge]

Yes, somewhat. The DVR is dumbed down, but the cameras have more functionality if you configure them directly. I.e., you can setup a tripwire on the camera but not on the DVR. Unfortunately, both the DVR and cameras have the older firmware line which requires a browser plugin. Lorex basically never updates their firmware for the cameras or DVR.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Lorex basically never updates their firmware for the cameras or DVR.

Maybe you can convert them to the Dahua stock firmware.
But don't try that unless someone has already confirmed that it's possible, and how to.

 

[brianegge]

Maybe you can convert them to the Dahua stock firmware.
But don't try that unless someone has already confirmed that it's possible, and how to.

Others have tried unsuccessfully (Help needed, Is it (possible) to load Dahua firmware on lorex lnb9272s ???). I'd be keen to try to upgrade them if someone finds a working firmware for Lorex E891AB (aka IPC-HFW1841EN-PV).

 

[mat200]

View attachment 75970
I have an 8 cam Lorex kit and now five cams from Andy. I think the kit is a great way to start out.

FYI - we've got a thread or 2 on this kit... sensors in cameras on this version of the Costco Lorex kit are smaller this year, 1/2.8" - prior kits have 1/1.8" sensors.

 

[mat200]

I'm trying to order one of these systems tonight for black Friday or Monday for cyber Monday. I've been reading on cameras for awhile now and im torn between these 2 systems.
I posted 2 links below and if anyone could give me any insight on which system you would get and why i would appreciate it.

I like the turret style, they both have good night vision and I like the 4k resolution. Both are around the same price with the black Friday coupons.

Amcrest:

Amcrest 4K Security Camera System with 4K 8CH PoE NVR, 6 x 4K (8-Megapixel) IP67 Weatherproof Metal Turret Dome POE IP Cameras (3840x2160), 2.8mm Wide Angle Lens, NV4108E-T2599EW6-2TB (White)

Amcrest 4K Security Camera System with 4K 8CH PoE NVR, 6 x 4K (8-Megapixel) IP67 Weatherproof Metal Turret Dome POE IP Cameras (3840x2160), 2.8mm Wide Angle Lens, NV4108E-T2599EW6-2TB (White)

amcrest.com

Lorex:

4K Ultra HD 8-Channel Fusion NVR System with 6 Smart Deterrence IP Audio Dome Cameras

4K Ultra HD IP NVR System with 6 Outdoor 4K 8MP IP Dome Cameras

www.lorextechnology.com

FYI -

Lorex: most current IP PoE kits are Dahua OEM ( some are not ). Firmware missing some of the more advanced features ( IVS )
Many recent kits now have 1/2.8" sensor cameras. Sold out of a lot of their kits during 2020 Black Friday and Cybermonday

Amcrest: now has some newer 1/1.8" sensor camera models, 8MP and 4MP. Dahua OEM. Good news.
Amcrest still carries some older models which do not perform as well. So do pay attention to the camera's you're looking at.

 

[Myotape22]

This is the kit I ended up purchasing. Hopefully I didnt make a bad decision. $675 shipped

4K Ultra HD 8-Channel Fusion NVR System with 6 Smart Deterrence IP Audio Dome Cameras

4K Ultra HD IP NVR System with 6 Outdoor 4K 8MP IP Dome Cameras

www.lorextechnology.com

 

[brianegge]

Many recent kits now have 1/2.8" sensor cameras

I guess the new style are the "mini bullets" with the 1/2.8". I have the E891AB-E with 8MP/4K 1/1.8” CMOS (

https://www.lorextechnology.com/downloads/ip-cameras/E891AB/E891AB_Series_Spec_Sheet_R1.pdf

)

 

[Myotape22]

So which is better or worse?