Dahua Camera choice

P

pzjuls

n3wb
Feb 12, 2022
3
1
UK
Hi All im looking for 3 x POE cameras to run with Blueires ive been reading on here for the last 6 months and its time to post now and ask for some advice before i spend my money and then buy hopefully from Andy.
I have bought 3 x RLC-822A Reolink cameras and i am very disappointed with them yes i no dont all laugh at me :lol: i need to be able to be able to recognition / Identify at these distances day and night i would like a turret camera but happy to get Bullet type camera if its better / cheaper?
Camera 1 looking down steps recognition / Identify at 20 metres 65 feet
Camera 2 looking at drive and road recognition / Identify at 16 metres 52 feet
Camera 3 looking down corner road recognition / Identify at 22 metres 75 feet
I have attached a few pictures looking at where the cameras are installed and looking at the cameras and from some of the cameras i am happy if they are all the same cameras or different?
I have attached a picture from IPVM Camera Calculator if this this help?
I was looking at the IPC-HDW5442T-ZE but this seems like an old model now?
IPC-B5442E-Z4E 4
IPC-T5842T-ZE(IPC-HDW5842T-ZE)
IPC-HFW5842E-Z4E-S2

Thanks in advance any one who can help with camera selection Cheers Juls UK
 

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Yeah, Reolinks are bad at night for IDENTIFY and don't work well with Blue Iris.

The 5442 series is still a great camera and for the distances you are at, you cannot move up to any of the other newer cameras as they will not IDENTIFY out at those distances.

Here are my general distance recommendations, but switch out the Dahua 5442 series camera to the equivalent 2MP on the 1/2.8" sensor or equivalent Hikvision works as well. These cameras meet all your requirements.
  • 5442 fixed lens 2.8mm - anything within 10 feet of camera OR as an overview camera
  • 5442 ZE - varifocal - distances up to 40-50 feet (personally I wouldn't go past the 30 foot range but I like things closer)
  • 5442 Z4E - anything up to 80-100 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 60 feet but I like things closer)
  • 5241-Z12E - anything from 80 feet to almost 200 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 150 feet because I like things closer)
  • 5241-Z12E - for a license plate cam that you would angle up the street to get plates up to about 175 feet away, or up to 220 with additional IR.
  • 49225 PTZ - great auto-track PTZ and in conjunction with an NVR or Blue Iris and the cameras above that you can use as spotter cams to point the PTZ to the correct location to compliment the fixed cams.
You need to get the correct camera for the area trying to be covered. A wide angle 2.8mm to IDENTIFY someone 40 feet away is the wrong camera regardless of how good the camera is. A 2.8mm camera to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet is a good choice OR it is an overview camera to see something happened but not be able to identify who.

One camera cannot be the be all, see all. Each one is selected for covering a specific area. Most of us here have different brands and types, from fixed cams, to varifocals, to PTZs, each one selected for it's primary purpose and to utilize the strength of that particular camera.

So you will need to identify the distance the camera would be from the activities you want to IDENTIFY on and purchase the correct camera for that distance as an optical zoom.

If you want to see things far away, you need optical zoom, digital zoom only works in the movies and TV...And the optical zoom is done real time - for a varifocal it is a set it and forget it. You cannot go to recorded video and optically zoom in later, at that point it is digital zoom, and the sensors on these cameras are so small which is why digital zoom doesn't work very well after the fact.
 
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I have two 5442 in 3.6 watching my driveway at different angles, the sidewalk is 50 feet. Cars (make model) are fine to identify (not license plates), faces OK if you know the person, other than that at 50 feet they would not recognize a stranger. As mentioned, go with a Dahua varifocal the 5442 vari is a good cam. I have no experience with the new 8 MP but it should be good, I would surmise the 4 MP would still have the edge at night though.

I bought one last year (5442 vari) and have not mounted it, I have played with it in temp mounts, a much better solution for what you want to do.

Wittaj has good advice on specific model above.
 
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pzjuls said:
Hi All im looking for 3 x POE cameras to run with Blueires ive been reading on here for the last 6 months and its time to post now and ask for some advice before i spend my money and then buy hopefully from Andy.
I have bought 3 x RLC-822A Reolink cameras and i am very disappointed with them yes i no dont all laugh at me :lol: i need to be able to be able to recognition / Identify at these distances day and night i would like a dome camera but happy to get Bullet type camera if its better / cheaper?
Camera 1 looking down steps recognition / Identify at 20 metres 65 feet
Camera 2 looking at drive and road recognition / Identify at 16 metres 52 feet
Camera 3 looking down corner road recognition / Identify at 22 metres 75 feet
I have attached a few pictures looking at where the cameras are installed and looking at the cameras and from some of the cameras i am happy if they are all the same cameras or different?
I have attached a picture from IPVM Camera Calculator if this this help?
I was looking at the IPC-HDW5442T-ZE but this seems like an old model now?
IPC-B5442E-Z4E 4
IPC-T5842T-ZE(IPC-HDW5842T-ZE)
IPC-HFW5842E-Z4E-S2

Thanks in advance any one who can help with camera selection Cheers Juls UK
Click to expand...

Hi @pzjuls

Dome cameras can be problematic outdoors .. so many of us prefer Turret models instead ( profile is similar, just does not have a plastic dome .. in fact some vendors like Lorex ( Dahua owned now ) even call their turret cameras as dome models .. even though that is not accurate )

IPVM Camera Calculator I like .. gives you a good theoretical idea of what could be possible ..

Also do see the DORI section of the cliff notes, and you can look at Dahua data spec sheets for their DORI numbers ( which imho are a bit on the optimistic side .. )

For your setup I would try to see if I could lower some of those camera positions .. some of the higher views can still be useful, so I would probably look to add 3 more cameras to your setup ..

For example on the stairway I would want to get a camera view from below that glass cover .. see the attached for 3 locations areas I would consider placing cameras.
( I would consider running conduit down from the "attic" soffit to those locations if needed to do so .. yes, I know no longer a smooth wall .. such it is .. )
 

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wittaj said:
Yeah, Reolinks are bad at night for IDENTIFY and don't work well with Blue Iris.

The 5442 series is still a great camera and for the distances you are at, you cannot move up to any of the other newer cameras as they will not IDENTIFY out at those distances.

Here are my general distance recommendations, but switch out the Dahua 5442 series camera to the equivalent 2MP on the 1/2.8" sensor or equivalent Hikvision works as well. These cameras meet all your requirements.
  • 5442 fixed lens 2.8mm - anything within 10 feet of camera OR as an overview camera
  • 5442 ZE - varifocal - distances up to 40-50 feet (personally I wouldn't go past the 30 foot range but I like things closer)
  • 5442 Z4E - anything up to 80-100 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 60 feet but I like things closer)
  • 5241-Z12E - anything from 80 feet to almost 200 feet (personally I wouldn't go past 150 feet because I like things closer)
  • 5241-Z12E - for a license plate cam that you would angle up the street to get plates up to about 175 feet away, or up to 220 with additional IR.
  • 49225 PTZ - great auto-track PTZ and in conjunction with an NVR or Blue Iris and the cameras above that you can use as spotter cams to point the PTZ to the correct location to compliment the fixed cams.
You need to get the correct camera for the area trying to be covered. A wide angle 2.8mm to IDENTIFY someone 40 feet away is the wrong camera regardless of how good the camera is. A 2.8mm camera to IDENTIFY someone within 10 feet is a good choice OR it is an overview camera to see something happened but not be able to identify who.

One camera cannot be the be all, see all. Each one is selected for covering a specific area. Most of us here have different brands and types, from fixed cams, to varifocals, to PTZs, each one selected for it's primary purpose and to utilize the strength of that particular camera.

So you will need to identify the distance the camera would be from the activities you want to IDENTIFY on and purchase the correct camera for that distance as an optical zoom.

If you want to see things far away, you need optical zoom, digital zoom only works in the movies and TV...And the optical zoom is done real time - for a varifocal it is a set it and forget it. You cannot go to recorded video and optically zoom in later, at that point it is digital zoom, and the sensors on these cameras are so small which is why digital zoom doesn't work very well after the fact.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much wittaj, mat200, Rob2020 & bradner amazing responses so i have been playing with IPVM Camera Calculator and its looking like my best option would be 3 x 5442 Z4E i was really hoping i could get away with 2 x 5442 ZE Turret cameras for cam 1 & 2 as i like what they look like and a 5442 Z4E for cam 3 what do you all think?
Cheers pzjuls
 
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My recommendation is to buy one of the cams you think will work (5442 Z4E), try it out, and go from there. You can always buy more of the same cam or upgrade from what you thought would work and use the trial cam in a new place.

You could also pick up a turret at the same time and compare the two. It sounds like this is inefficient but honestly, this will allow you the best comparison and I guarantee you will find a use for the extra cam.

I currently have 4 mounted cams and 4 different models in boxes I bought for test and future mounting.
 
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pzjuls said:
Thanks so much wittaj, mat200, Rob2020 & bradner amazing responses so i have been playing with IPVM Camera Calculator and its looking like my best option would be 3 x 5442 Z4E i was really hoping i could get away with 2 x 5442 ZE Turret cameras for cam 1 & 2 as i like what they look like and a 5442 Z4E for cam 3 what do you all think?
Cheers pzjuls
Click to expand...

I like @Rob2020 recommendation:

"My recommendation is to buy one of the cams you think will work (5442 Z4E), try it out, and go from there."

Also, I still would want to put in more cameras in the future .. especially as I would like to get a camera view below the glass "shade" cover by the door.
 
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Hi everyone so it sounds like the IPC-B5442E-Z4E are out of stock at the moment with Andy so im thinking to get the:
IPC-HFW5842E-Z4E-S2 and a IPC-HFW5842E-ZE-S2
Anyone got any thoughts?
Cheers pzJuls
 
Wow. Such a timely thread for me. Thank You.

I see the 5442 in dome and turret, I think. Other than the form factor, is there really a difference between them or just preference. I’ve always used domes before as they look less conspicuous than turrets. If there is a performance reason for one over the other I’d be happy to be wrong though.
 
Domes are not recommended outside unless it is well protected from the elements. The big issue is that the domes will hold onto water droplets much longer than a turret or bullet and thus any dirt on it can then become problematic. And during a rain event, the camera is basically blind...

1642783958478.png




The domes attract lots of dust. Then rain. Then dirty rain spots. Glare from all angles of the sun. Then over time the sun will "fog" the dome like a car headlight.
 
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wittaj said:
Domes are not recommended outside unless it is well protected from the elements. The big issue is that the domes will hold onto water droplets much longer than a turret or bullet and thus any dirt on it can then become problematic. And during a rain event, the camera is basically blind...

The domes attract lots of dust. Then rain. Then dirty rain spots. Glare from all angles of the sun. Then over time the sun will "fog" the dome like a car headlight.
Click to expand...

Thanks... Good points.. Just wish I could hide the turrets better.
 
Yeah, brick is difficult. Almost have to camo it in a few different colors, depending on the brick.
 
I just realized that I have an HDW-5831RP-ZE and an HDW-5231RP-ZE in the box (I bought them before I decided to move). Where do they fit in the above list of cameras or should I be looking for something newer?
 
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