Super Low Cost Chinese Camera Shootout

Avatar
Derek Ward
•Published Feb 25, 2015 05:00 AM

*** '*******' *** ***********'* #* ****** (** *********** ********* ** ***'* ***********).

**** *** *********** ******* *** **** of ***** *** ********* (*** **** *******).

*** ***** *** *** *** *** only ****. **** ** *** *** bombarded **** ****** **** ***** ******* manufacturers. ***** **** ****, *****, ******, Elvis, *****, ******, ******* *** **** more *** ****** ** ************ *************.

*** ** **** ** *******, ******* when ** ***** *** ********* **** ** should ****, ******* *** ******, *** *** **** ******** Chinese ******** **** ******'* *** *******. So ** **** *** ****** *** bought ***** *******.

****'* **** *** **** ***** ****** like:

** ****** *** ******* *** ****** cameras ******* *** ****** **** ******* from******************* *** *** **** ******* **:

  • ***** *******, *** *** *****
  • ************* *** *********
  • *** ***********

***** *** *** *** ******** **** this ****:

  • ******* ***** ******* *** **** ******** to ********* *** ***** *** ** higher ************ (***** ** *** **** configurable).
  • *** ** **** *** *** * center ** ******* ** **** *** Cantonk *** ****** *******, ***** ***** quality **** ** ** *** ************* worse **** ****** ********* ** *****.
  • ***** *********** *** **** ******* *** weak, ***** *********** *****, *** ******* to ******* *** ****** ********. 
  • **** ********* ****** ******* ***** ** all *****.
  • ******* ********* ** *** **** **** such ** ***** *** ****** ****** without *****.
  • **** *** ********* ******** *** *** function ** ***, ***** ****** **** purely **********, ******* *********.
  • **** ******* *** ** ********* *** UI, ****** ******* ** ******* *.
  • **** ******* ******* ** ~***/* ***, resulting ** * ************ ** ~**-**.
  • ***** ******** ** *** **** * max ***, ************ *** ***** ***** average (**), **** *** ******* ** ~33 QRF, *** *** ****** ** ~**.
  • ************ ** **-** ************, ***** *** Hikvision *******' ********* *********** *** ******** lower **** ****** ** **** **** light *** **** **** ** **, and **** ***** **** ******* ** all ***** ******.

*****

******* *** ******* **'** ****** *** as *******:

**** ***** ****** ** *** ******* shipping. ********* ** ******** *** **********, users ****** ****** ** *** ~$**+ for ********.

***************/*******

** ****** ******* ** ***** **** the **** ****** *******, ** ***** little ***** ** *** ***** *** cost ******* **** ** *****. ***** their **** ******* ***********, ***** **** interface, *** **** *** ***********, ******** which ***** *** ********* ** *** have, ***** *** ****** *** ********* the ******-***** ******.

**** ***** ****, ** ****** ** see *********** ** **** ******* *** end ** *** ******, **** ** Dahua *** ********* **** ******** ******** to ***** *************. **** ******** ** the ***** ******* *** ********* ** the$** ****** ******** ****** * **** ***, ***** models *** ** ***********.

Physical ********

** **** *****, ** ******* *** physical ************ ** *** ****** *** Cantonk *******.

***** ****** **** *** ***** **** of *** *** ******, ***** *** ** a ********* ** **** ****** ************. Also **** *** **** ** ***** or ********** ****** *** *** *** 12VDC *****, **** ** */*, ***** or ***** **********.

******** **** ** **** *** ****** and ******* *** ******* ** **** of ***** *** ********* ** *******, both ** ******:

*** ********:

*************/***********

**** ********** ******* ******* *** ******** of *** *******/****** *** **.

*** ** ** ******* **** ************* options, ******* *********** ********, ***** ***** functions (***/***, ********) ****** ** *******.

VMS/NVR ***********

***** *********** ** ***** ** *****, requiring **** *** ******** *********. *** cameras' ***** ************** **** **** **** instead ** ** (******* ** *** vast ******** ** ***** *******), ****** this ** *** **********. **** ******* Security ****** *** **** ** ******* and ****** ******** ** ***, *** only ***** *** ******* ******. ***** VMSes ****** *** *** *******, *** not ******, ** ********* ***** ********** and **********.

*******, ****** *** ******* ****** *** cost ****, **** **************** (*** $** ***)*** ** ****** ***********, ***********, ** streaming ****** ******. ******* ****** ****** as ***** ******-***** ****** ***.

Image ***********

** ****** *** *******, *****, ********* *** Longse ******* ** *** ********** **** scene ***** **** ***** ** ****. Cameras **** ********* ** ********** *** *** differences.

** **** *****, **** * **** of ~**' (~** ***), *** ******* *** Longse ****** *** ******* ******* *** blockier **** ***** *** *********, ** least ** **** **** ** ***** higher ************ (**/** **. ** ** Dahua/Hikvision).

*** *****

** ~* ***, ****** *** ******* switch **** ** ***** **** **** IR **, *** ******* *** ****** (especially) ******* *** ************* ****** *** ******* than ***** *** *********. *** **** chart ** ****** ********* ** *** Longse ******, ***** ******* ******** ***** 1-2. **** **** *** ******* *** Longse ************ ***** ******** ** ****** ** ***** mode ** ******** ****** ** ***** these ******.

** ************

******* *** ****** *** (~*.* ***) and ** ************ **, *** ******* and ****** ******* *** ***** **** poor. ******* *** ******* **** **** 1 ** *** **** *****, *** details ** *** **** *******.

** ************ *******

**** ******* *** ** ****** ** coverage *******, **** ******** ** *** center ** *** *** **** *** edges, ** ***** ********** ** *** problems (******** *****).

** *** ********* *****, *** ******* walks **** *** **** ** *** ****** of *** *******'* ***. ** ** nearly ************ ** *** **** ** *** field ** ****, *** ***** ******* until ***** */* ** *** *** across *** *****.

Poor *** **************

*** ** *** ******* ******* ** to *** ***** ***** ******* ******* are **** ** *** ***** ** poor *** *************. **** ** "****", the *******, ****** *** **** **** even **** ** **, ** **** above. ******** ********* **** ** (** 140 ** * ***** ** *-***), nighttime ******* ** **** ********, ** seen *****:

*******, **** ****** **, ** ~*** lux, *** ***** ** ********** ****** *** and ********.

*********/***********

*** ******* *** ****** ******* *** not ***** *********** *********** *** ********* to * ************ ** ***** **-** depending ** *** *****, ******** ** 28 ** ***** *** *********. *** Longse ******'* ******** ******* ***** **** Dahua *** *******, ****** ****** **** Hikvision ** **** ******. *******, **** with **** ****** ***********, *** ******* camera's ******** **** **** ****** **** Hikvision, **** ******* ** *****.

********* *** ***** *** ********* ******* to *** ****** *********** ****** **** by *** *** **** *******, *** Dahua *** ********* ******* *** ******* to ** ******** ***** ** ******* and ****** ****** ** **** ******.

***********

***** **** ********* ***** ******* ******** except ***** ********* *****.

******** ******** *** ******* *** ** follows:

  • ******* ***-*******: *.*.**.*
  • ***** ***-********: *.***.****.*.*
  • ********* **-*******-*: **.*.*
  • ****** *********: *.*.**.*

******** ******** *** ****:

  • ******** ******* ****** *.*.*.** 
  • *********** *.*.*.*****
  • ******* *.* ***
  • ********* ******** ********** **** *.**/****** **** 7.7
Comments (20)
MB
Matt Bode
•Feb 25, 2015

Beavis & Butthead here: You said Sindick! Uh huh huh huh!!! (Oh come on -- you KNOW you laughed when you read that!!!)

But seriously, our best customers are the ones that appreciate value in terms of consistency and stability and don't mind paying for it. On top of that, they pay for a post-installation retainer support plan and meet with us at least once per month to review their video and access control solutions on a regular basis.

I can't for the life of me imagine ever trying these disposable cameras, but thank you for satisfying my curiosity!

Uh huh huh huh!!!

(1)
(1)
JH
John Honovich
•Feb 25, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Matt Bode

Evidently, enough people are buying or someone is willing to waste money on dozens of sales reps.

For our position, we have to test things that are getting a lot of attention and claiming to be much different (in either price or features or performance). Some times they meet their marketing, other times, like here, they bomb.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Feb 25, 2015
In reply to Matt Bode

We have hundreds of similar cameras out in the field... Running like a charm ... Extremely happy customers... Whatever floats your boat :) ... Our fail rate is about 3% ... With Arecont we had 3 cameras ordered to test... 2 we're dead and the third's picture turned green after 2 hours of operation... I don't like buying from overseas suppliers but if you can't beat em.....

JH
John Honovich
•Feb 25, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

A, can you clarify? You have hundreds of Cantonk or Longse cameras?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Feb 25, 2015
In reply to John Honovich

Neither... But similar in price and feature sets .. I can't disclose any by name but we did evaluate longse before picking other suppliers for our cameras. We've have great success with Chinese MFGs but its important to have face time and see the facilities... if not the next best thing is testing yourself and dealing with their "engineers".. Some are great and some are horrid but we're very happy with our suppliers.

(1)
JH
John Honovich
•Feb 25, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

A, thanks. Relative to the big two (dahua and hik), what was the driving force in selecting other smaller Chinse manufacturers? Better support, lower prices, greater customization? If you can just share at a high level, I'd appreciate it.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Feb 25, 2015
In reply to John Honovich

Absolutely.. Greater customization and price... We've been hammered over the years with High priced IP cameras having issues and we were fed up with the lack of support.. We found that if we increased our bottom line we could also reduce cost to the customer, and still increase our net.. thus improving long term viability, better customer service, etc ... The net effect of going to the RIGHT (there are bad ones) chinese mfg has been a huge positive

(3)
JH
John Honovich
•Feb 25, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

Thanks, A!

Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
•Feb 25, 2015
Pro Focus LLC

John, now I want to know where I can find cameras cheaper than Longse!

(1)
(3)
Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Feb 25, 2015
In reply to Jon Dillabaugh

Testing $29 ONVIF IR IP Chinese Camera

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Feb 25, 2015

Note: Like the $29 Wodsee cameras we tested, we'll be leaving these up and running 24/7 as well to see if they fail. Reliability is always a question on cameras this inexpensive, so we will report back with any issues we find.

JS
Jack Sink
•Feb 25, 2015
IPVMU Certified

I saw some Panasonic tube cameras for sale on eBay, Jon, circa 1975 for $5. Do a search under "paperweights"

Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
•Feb 25, 2015
Pro Focus LLC
In reply to Jack Sink

NO CHEAPER!!!?

;)

I expect them to pay me to take their cams!

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
•Feb 26, 2015

Actually, Cantonk and Longse belong to the same boss. All Wodsee cameras are produced by Cantonk.

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Feb 26, 2015

Can you share anything that shows the connection between the two? I completely believe there are ties between manufacturers in these super low cost cameras, especially seeing as the Cantonk and Longse models obviously share many components. Just curious if you have any more details on the link between them and/or Wodsee.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
•Feb 27, 2015
In reply to Ethan Ace

Everyone in China in this industry knows it. Actually that Boss has four factories, three in Guangzhou and one in Shenzhen. Cantonk and Longse are two of them.

U
Undisclosed #4
•Feb 27, 2015
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

Does anyone know the actual business reason for the three different brands for three similar cameras?

Is one of them positioned as a micro-hair more upscale than the others? Or are they just trying to make us westerners think we have multiple choices in the sub Dahuan marketplace?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
•Feb 27, 2015
In reply to Undisclosed #4

If you were fishing in the river, do you want to choose a bigger net in one place or prefer three smaller nets in three different locations in the river?

JH
John Honovich
•Feb 27, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

B, thanks again for the insights!

I like the analogy :) but I still struggle while they would do it. I guess that's simply not US accepted marketing strategy. The ideal usually advocated is one mega brand / organization to maximize awareness and efficiency.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
•Feb 26, 2015

http://www.longse.com/Page/?id=8

Home - Cantonk

Coincidentally Cantonk and Longse have the same webpage structure and almost the same address in Guangzhou province, China.