Subscriber Discussion

What Is The Best-Looking Camera You Have Seen?

LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 16, 2014
IPVMU Certified

I'd greatly appreciate hearing opinions on the best-looking video surveillance camera members have seen. Appearance matters more with some customers than others but in some cases a neat or stylish appearance is critical.

I doubt there will be any votes for box cameras as they're pretty much all ugly although some of the cylindrical housings do help.

Within bullet and dome cameras, I've seen so many ugly designs, even in high-end cameras. Some PTZ cameras seem to be designed by engineers determined to make them as ugly as possible, especially ones with IR lighting and wipers.

I'd love to hear from members about their favorite-looking cameras in any class of box, dome, bullet and PTZ regardless of whether they are low-end or high-end. I find that IR lights often detract from the appearance of cameras so I'm especially interested in learning of good-looking cameras with built-in IR lighting. I'm interested in recommendations regardless of whether the camera technology is IP, HDCVI, HDTVI or Analog HD.

Thank you very much for your ideas.

PS: I'm excluding the Parson Animals Videocameras based on their outrageous prices but otherwise they would surely have received some votes!

JH
John Honovich
Oct 16, 2014
IPVM

One related discussion: The Most Attractive Mini Dome? (Pulse)

Btw, please try to include pictures in your responses.

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 16, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thank you for that interesting link John. I'm going to be interested to see what cameras people think look good and then check out their technicalities to see if they work as well as they look.

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Jon Dillabaugh
Oct 16, 2014
Pro Focus LLC

I prefer small domes like the Dahua IPC-HDBW4300E. 

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi Jon, do you prefer the Dahua domes in particular or just domes in general? While I don't have a strong feeling either way, I do believe Dahua make some of the more attractive bullet cameras on the market. I like the way they smoke the glass over the IR LEDs to make them more attractive, while leaving the lens with clear glass so as not to affect low light performance. I also like the ball and socket joints they use to mount their bullet cameras rather than some cheaper form of joint that uses screws and nuts to tighten the joint. They've got some very nice industrial design at an attractive price point.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Oct 16, 2014
IPVMU Certified

i have always thought these look pretty snappy... kind of reminds me of a storm trooper, can't go wrong with that...

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi Keefe, while this camera mightn't suit a heritage building, it does look modern and interesting. Thanks for posting it as I wouldn't have thought of it unless you'd posted it.

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Roshan Blessen Mathew
Oct 17, 2014

I feel Avigilon PTZ is a beautyAvigilon PTZ is a beauty

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi Roshan, generally I think many PTZ cameras are pretty ugly but this is one does look pretty neat. It doesn't look like it has IR LEDs so that probably helps the way it looks. Thank you for posting it.

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GW
George Whittaker
Oct 17, 2014

I think of this camera as an aesthetic baseline, it has no competition in that regard.

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi George, are you able to post the model of this camera as it does look interesting. This is the third Avigilon camera in a row to be recommended on this thread. I find that interesting in itself. Thanks very much!

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JH
John Honovich
Oct 20, 2014
IPVM
LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thanks very much John!

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Chuck Janzer
Oct 17, 2014
IPVMU Certified

You are so right.... Ugly is the norm..... That Pulse camera looks interesting.

These are what I've been using when appropriate. GeoVision MFD/MDR series - fully surface.

GeoVison MDR

If you can partially recess, then I use the FD series.

Neither of which I consider "pretty," but the best I can get.

LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thanks very much Chuck! The first one is an unusual shape but the second one does look neat to me. Are you happy with their performance?

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Chuck Janzer
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Very much so. I've gotten to really like the GeoVision product. We've strated to use it over many of the other manufacturers. Wide range of product, price is right, readily available. Just started experimenting with their new ultra low lux cameras.

LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thank you Chuck, especially for your reference to the ultra low lux cameras. I'll check them out.

LL
Louis Li
Oct 17, 2014

Not bad looking for a home security camera

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi Louis, while cube cameras are not my favorite form factor, this one is at least discrete as the time and weather information makes it easy to overlook the camera. Thank you for posting this camera.

FD
Frédéric Desplanches
Nov 03, 2014

Hi Louis,

Nice design!

Please, could you tell me who is the manufacturer, and model reference?

Fred.

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Carl Lindgren
Oct 17, 2014

The Borsche HQ3034 is similar to the Parsons Animals cameras. It includes IR LEDs. Darned if I can find a price, though.

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 20, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thanks Carl, that's funny! It's interesting that Borsche haven't branched out (pun intended) into other animals.

LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 30, 2014
IPVMU Certified

I don't know who makes this one but it looks similar and costs $106 online. It's a 420TVL analog camera.

owl day night analog camera

The connectors on its back look ugly.

Back of owl analog camera

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Ari Erenthal
Oct 19, 2014
Chesapeake & Midlantic

If there's one thing Mobotix does well, it's housings.

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Jon Dillabaugh
Oct 20, 2014
Pro Focus LLC

Wow, I really hope this is sarcasm, because Mobotix makes some of the ugliest products I have ever seen. My first look at one installed was at the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. I was dumbfounded at what it was exactly I was looking at.

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TG
Tedor Gligorich
Oct 20, 2014

If not sarastic, Ari, then this can qualify.

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi Tedor, I had wondered about starting a discussion about "What is the ugliest camera you've seen" but decided it would be a long list! However I do love that picture. It would be fun to Photoshop a cigarette into the camera's mouth.

TG
Tedor Gligorich
Oct 22, 2014

Not my credit, Rukmini.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Oct 22, 2014

This one looks like it should have an AI. It might be the next character in the new Star Wars.

LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Hi Ari, it looks like this camera drew inspiration from Friday the 13th!

Jason, Friday the 13th

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Oct 22, 2014

I always thought they looked a bit like the face of an owl. Or maybe this one is more appropriate:

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John Bazyk
Oct 20, 2014
Command Corporation • IPVMU Certified

We really like the Hikvision minidome, we recently installed 30 of them in a couple of doctors offices, I quote the customer, "How can such a small good looking camera produce such a great picture?" He's been a customer for years and we have installed many HUGE box cameras with outdoor housing around his offices in the past. What I dont like is the "Hikvision" name on the front.....

.

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thank you for posting the picture and the customer's comments. I'll definitely have to check it out. It's interesting that the Hikvision name is so boldly stamped on the camera. I guess Hikvision could use gray, rather than black, to reduce the logo's interruption to the otherwise clean look of the camera. They could also move the logo to the surrounds of the camera chassis rather than prominently placing it on the face plate. That way the logo would still be visible to anyone really wanting to see it without it detracting from the look of the camera.

MM
Marty Major
Oct 21, 2014

Luke,

If you like that form factor, but without the prominent and bold Hik logo, you could always try some of these:

OR - if you want a completely unlabeled look - try Aventura:

Aventura CCTV Security DVR H.264 Digital Video Recorder, Surveillance Cameras - CCTV DVR Video Surveillance

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 21, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thanks Marty! That is an eye-opener for me. Do you know who is really making this model of camera?

MM
Marty Major
Oct 21, 2014

Luke,

Pretty sure all the above are rebranding the Hikvision DS-2CD2532-I(S) and/or DS-2CD2512-I(S) minidomes.

LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 22, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thanks very much Marty!

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Jon Dillabaugh
Oct 22, 2014
Pro Focus LLC

Have you found the low light / IR performance lacking on this model? We have found that the Dahua lower end 3MP domes have much better low light and IR performance.

CW
Cameron Watts
Oct 26, 2014

I really like the look of the Axis P33xx-VE series.. Especially with the sunshield

But maybe without the extra square bit on it (which is a cable management optional add-on that allows you to bring surface conduit in relatively nicely)

The photo doesnt do it justice, but when installed it just looks like such a nice professionally installed camera.

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LM
Luke Maslen
Oct 26, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thank you for posting this series of camera, Cameron. This camera does look neat. Like you, I also think the weather shield makes all the difference to the look of the camera. That's the opposite to what I would have guessed as some weather shields can detract from the look of a camera.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Oct 26, 2014

I believe the Arecont Vision 12MP Panoramic cameras is the best camera I have ever seen both in form factor and in image quality.

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