Worlds First Review - Dahua - IPC-Color4K-X / DH-IPC-HFW5849T1-ASE-LED - Full Color 4K Camera

I am not saying that Dahua's firmware is better just because it is newer, but if this continues, five years later Dahua's firmware may get better. Being able to use the Dahua firmware is a future insurance for me.
I'm thinking there's either a wrong assumption or terminology issue here. Others are closer to this than me, and if I'm wrong they can set me straight. My belief is that Andy does not generate or modify any firmware for Dahua hardware. It all comes from corporate Dahua. The difference is whether or not something Andy gets hold of ultimately becomes an official Dahua publicly released version. Some of the forum members take it upon themselves to wring out the new firmware releases. I'm lazy and seriously avoid applying updates. I've passed up a lot of new features because my stuff is doing what I need it to and don't want to risk breaking something or creating a brick. I've gone back to older versions several times because they worked better for my purposes. If somebody were to come by offering to "upgrade" my cams and NVR to the latest firmware, I'd send them packing. My stuff is working and I want to keep it that way.
 
^This exactly.

That firmware you may see on Dahua site that is "newer" may be newer only in date as it could simply be they finally got around to releasing the firmware Dahua created for Andy based on our comments here that Andy has had available for awhile here.

Plus if you have been around this industry long enough, you will find that most of these cameras rarely get updates from the manufacturer. They may do one or two, but then rarely provide any further. They are in the business to sell newer models.

In fact, the original boobie cam that is EOL and has since been replaced probably will not see a firmware update.

Meanwhile Andy just released an updated firmware for that EOL camera that I beta tested and it fixed some of the problems with that camera and Andy just posted that new firmware this morning.

I bet most older models on Dahua website has older firmware than what Andy is working with Dahua engineers to create/modify and provide to us.

The 4K/X is still new enough that Dahua will issue a firmware or two, meanwhile we have seen several firmwares from Andy on that camera. And again, it is firmware created by Dahua with input from folks like us.
 
The 4K/X is still new enough that Dahua will issue a firmware or two, meanwhile we have seen several firmwares from Andy on that camera. And again, it is firmware created by Dahua with input from folks like us.
Thank you wittaj and tigerwillow1 for your responses. The last firmware I have for this camera is:
  • 2.840.15OG002.0.R, Build Date: 2021-09-08
How will I know if that gets updated? The ConfigTool from Andy is not working:
I do like the cameras a lot and the price I paid for them was great when I got them early but I am not getting any firm answers to the compatibility of the cameras and if I need to buy any more I would probably pay $30 more and get the original one which finally BH got in stock:
 
Andy's cameras are 100% international genuine Dahua OEM cameras and you can indeed flash them with Dahua firmware if you are so inclined. I have done so and so have others.

Some people are so OCD that they want to see the Dahua logo on the firmware, so they flash all the cameras they buy from Andy to what they find on Dahua website.

We were just trying to share with you that your reasoning for wanting to flash it with Dahua firmware is probably faulty reasoning. The likelihood that this "newer" firmware is better than one of the versions Andy has issued on this camera is slim.

And then as I mentioned, Andy will provide firmware updates long after Dahua stops issuing them. Andy has that good of a relationship with them. I have beta tested firmware and have interacted with Dahua engineers myself regarding things I am seeing that results in Andy's firmware updates.

Andy always posts new firmware here for the cameras he sells. If you can't find it or have trouble downloading it, simply DM him and he will send to you.

But if you wanna spend $30 more, that is your choice. Keep in mind you are paying for the logo. I paint my cameras to match my house, so the logo is irrelevant to me LOL.

But don't get greedy and always buy from reputable dealers. Further, it is best to obtain any firmware updates from the vendor you purchased it from so that you do not run into issues. Any firmware you find here or elsewhere is obviously proceed at your own risk. We have many threads here where someone tried an update with a firmware they found on the internet and bricked their unit.

Many units being sold are Chinese hacked units into English that will either brick or go into Chinese upon updating. Some vendors will be upfront and tell consumers that as part of their website, but many do not or the consumer forgets...here is one such example....

1642229617913.png
 
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Tried. Just makes it worse. lol Exposure compensation really seems to do nothing at all. Gain does obviously but lowering it just makes the dark areas larger and darker with not much effect on the center. Understand very hard to make suggestions without seeing and trying things real time. But not worth bothering with now. I'm still just playing to learn the cam. Which has been useful.

Based on what I've seen I think that I'm going to end up moving it to another location so that I'm shooting more out and over a wider area vs down which will help with the hot spot effect if I do want to use the illuminators. More likely I'll just use external lighting but need to change what I have now. It's wayyyy too bright. Even a 5442 that I have looking at the same area switches to color with that on. Don't want it that bright out there all the time. Need something that I can dim way down as you did and control remotely.
One setting I have found useful is "Gamma" under Camera -> Conditions -> Picture. I set it to 70 (from 50) and it reduced shadows brought up more detail there and did not affect bright areas. it works better than WDR for me.
 
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Andy's cameras are 100% international genuine Dahua OEM cameras and you can indeed flash them with Dahua firmware if you are so inclined. I have done so and so have others.
[Good as Andy seems to be, I wanted to make sure I don't depend on him, so]
The moment of truth. I upgraded my IPC-Color4K-X-2.8MM to the official Dahua firmware marked 220110. I am happy to say that officially, my camera is NOT a brick! And I didn't have to learn Chinese either...

For now all the differences I can see are the "Algorithm Version" which went from 1.0.4 to 1.0.7 and the System version which went from V2.840.15OG002.0.R, Build Date: 2021-09-08 to V2.840.0000000.11.R, Build Date: 2021-11-05. There are a few other version changes not worth mentioning. Plus the Copyright change and the Dahua Technology logo.

I will leave this one with the Dahua firmware. If anyone wants any tests let me know.
 
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The moment of truth. I upgraded my IPC-Color4K-X-2.8MM to the official Dahua firmware marked 220110. I am happy to say that officially, my camera is NOT a brick! And I didn't have to learn Chinese either...

For now all the differences I can see are the "Algorithm Version" which went from 1.0.4 to 1.0.7 and the System version which went from V2.840.15OG002.0.R, Build Date: 2021-09-08 to V2.840.0000000.11.R, Build Date: 2021-11-05. There are a few other version changes not worth mentioning. Plus the Copyright change and the Dahua Technology logo.

I will leave this one with the Dahua firmware. If anyone wants any tests let me know.


That build you're referring to on the Dahua website is the same build (same build number, same algorithm versions) that Andy was making available to customers back a month or two ago. I've been running it myself for 4-5 weeks on all my 4K-X cameras from Andy. It's a good release. Only downside is that I still get some deer false positives however with this latest build available that I just can't get rid of with IVS unfortunately. but aside that, it seems like a pretty good release.
 
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^Whoomp there it is LOL... Like I said, just because the Dahua firmware has a newer date doesn't mean it is newer than what Andy provided to us a couple months back...Dahua just got around to making it available on their website, so why not put on it a more recent date LOL...
 
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That build you're referring to on the Dahua website is the same build (same build number, same algorithm versions) that Andy was making available to customers back a month or two ago. I've been running it myself for 4-5 weeks on all my 4K-X cameras from Andy. It's a good release. Only downside is that I still get some deer false positives however with this latest build available that I just can't get rid of with IVS unfortunately. but aside that, it seems like a pretty good release.
Great to have another confirmation. Thanks.
The 4k-X cameras are unbelievable. People who see them at night wonder why it looks so bright outside.
 
You said, the Dahua firmware is the same as Andy's. I had entered a custom bitrate while in Andy's firmware and it showed up the same in the Dahua firmware after the camera reboot. I remember this feature was marked as a fix in Andy's firmware.
 
@EMPIRETECANDY any latest news on a 6mm version of this color4k cam?

@Wildcat_1 Has the firmware evolved to a stopping point that you are happy with yet?
 
is the IPC-HFW5849T1-ASE-LED true WDR or digital WDR?

From DahuaWiki
  • Wide Dynamic Range helps balance washed out video that has a large dynamic range. ... Cameras that have WDR capabilities come with a sensor fitted with two image sensors of the Charge Coupled Device (CCD) type. One of these sensors is for high speed, the other is for low speed image/video capture. They work together to make multiple scans of a scene to provide one balanced and unwashed image that is clear for the user. ...
  • Digital Wide Dynamic Range is the manufacturer's answer to providing a key feature cheaply. DWDR relies on the DSP chip instead of the image sensor to provide WDR.... Where WDR uses Double Scan technology, DWDR uses a digital pixel related manipulation feature. ...

I found a Dahua Youtube video explaining that it has Ultra WDR, which per that video means 3 individual pictures are taken and merged to form each frame.
Are all three images being taken with the same image sensor? If yes, how does dividing the sensor time slice available to each frame in roughly thirds not impact other aspects of picture quality?
 
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@EMPIRETECANDY any latest news on a 6mm version of this color4k cam?

@Wildcat_1 Has the firmware evolved to a stopping point that you are happy with yet?

The FW has definitely gotten better @samplenhold. Not perfect but better. If people are considering between 2.8 & 3.6 then I would recommend 2.8 still as it has the edge in PQ in my testing. 6mm of course is a different story and if you need that extra reach absolutely go for that one when available.

Just remember the shallow DOF I mentioned on these cams when planning the install as that is key.

HTH
 
Guys who could share Day and Night Profiles for this camera maybe somebody is using BlueIris for switching these profiles, any hints how it can be done ? API calls ?
 
Guys who could share Day and Night Profiles for this camera maybe somebody is using BlueIris for switching these profiles, any hints how it can be done ? API calls ?