Dahua 5MP Starlight Camera Tested (N52BM3Z)

Avatar
John Scanlan
•Published Jan 30, 2018 16:17 PM

** *** *** *** *****? ********* to *** ****** **********,******* ********** ********* ** ***** *******. *** ***, ************* ********* *** generation *** ******* ********* ***** *** light ************ ********** ***** ** ***** models.

** *** ***** **** ** **** new ********** ** *** ******, ** look ** ******** *** ********* ******* ****, *********:

  • ******** ********
  • ************ ******
  • ** ********
  • ** *****
  • *** ***** ***** *******
  • **** ***** ***** *******
  • *** ***********
  • *********
  • *** *******

****: **** ****** ** *** ***** in *** ***** ** *** ********** 5MP/6MP *******, **** ******** ******* ** the**** *****-***,****** ***-*****, ************ **-*******-***, ** ****.

*******

*** ***** ******* ******* ******* ** poor *********** ** ******* ***** ** our *****:

  • **** ** ** *****:** ******** *** ****, **** * well *** ****** *** ******** **** difficult ** **** ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** ****.
  • *** ** ******: ****** ** ****** "*********" ***********, *****'* ******* performed ****** ** *** ***** **** IR **, **** **** ******* *** dim ****** ******** ** ***** ***** models. 
  • ***** ******* ***: *** *********** *** ***** *******, **** details ** ***** ******** *** **** chart ******* ** **** ******* *** dark ***** ** *** *****, *** with ******* ************* ****** (******* ****/******) not **** ** ***** ******, ** well ** ********* *****.
  • ********* ** ******: *** *******'* ** **** *** ********* to ******, ******* ***** *** ******'* gimbal **** **** ***** * ******'* worth ** ***** ** ****** *** a ******* ********* **** ******* ** slot ******* *** ****.

******* ** ***** ******, *** ******'* main ********* ** *****, **** ***** than ***** ***/*** ******* ******** ***** low ***** ************. 

*****

*** ****** *** ** *********** *** ~$***, **** **** **** *** ***** of ****** *** ********* ***/*** *** light ******, *** ~*/* *** ***** of ****' *** *********** *****.

Physical ********

*** ******* ** ****** ******** *** outdoor *****, ****** ******* *******, ********* below. *** **** ***** *****, */*, or ***** ******** ********. ** ****** its ************ *** ******** ** **** video:

Size **********

*** ******* ** ******* ******* **** other ***+ ******* ****** *****, ***** below. *******, ***** ***** ****** ********* include */*, *****, ********* ***** ***, zoom ********, ***., ***** *** *** lacks.

Very ********* ** **** ******

********* *** ******** *** ***** ** card ** *** ******* **** *** ** the **** ********* ******* ** **** seen ** ** ** ******. ** order ** ****** * ****, ***** must ***** *** **** * ******** clip, *** *** **** **** ** position, **** ***** *** ****, ** opposed ** ****** ******* ** ****** or ****** ***** ** ***** *******. All **** **** ** **** ** a **** ***** ***** ****** *** camera's ******, *********** ****** **** *** one ******. 

**** ******* *** ******** **** *** ****** on * **** *** ****, *** may ** ********* ********** ** *** camera **** ******* ** **** *******, due ** *** ***** *****, ****** required, *** *** **** **** *** card ****** **** ** ******** ***** to *** ***** ***** ******. ************, it ** **** ** **** *** card *** ***** ** *** ** position ***** *** **** ***** ****** (which ******** ** *** ***** *****), leaving ********** ** ******* *** **** is ******** *********, ****** ********** **** as *** **** **** ******* *** camera, **** *** ****, *** *** again.

** ****** **** ******* ** **** video:

Very **** ** ** ***** 

*** ***** *** ********* ******'* ** illumination ******* *** **** *** ** the ****** *** **** ** *** edges, ***** *****, **** *** ******* nearly ********** ** **** **** *** edge ** *** ***** ** ****. 

IR ***** *********** *** (***/~**')

****** *** ******** ** ****, *** camera *********** *** *** ***/~**' ** spec. **** ** ***** ** *** example *****, **** *** ******* ******* from ~***' ** *** ****** ********, easily ******* ** ***** ***'. *******, due ** *** ******** ****** ***** above, ***** ****** ****** ** **** coverage ***** ** *** ****** ** ****** to not ***** ***** ******* ***.

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

** **** ****** (~*.****), *** *** starlight camera ******** ********** ****** ****** **** the ***** ********* *****, ***** *****, but ****** **** **********.

** **' ******** (~** ***), *** subject ** ****** ********** ** ******* in *** ***** *** ******, ******* its ******* ***/~**' ** *****, ***** detection ** ******** ** *** ***** model.

Low ***** *****

** ********, **** ******** ****** **, the *** ***** ******** **** ****** detail **** *****, ********** ******** ******* lines ** *** **** ***** *** some ****** ** *** *******, ***** details ** ******* *** ******* ** the ***** ********* ******, **** *********.

Solid **** *** ***********

** **** *** ******, **** ** the ******* ***** *****, *** ******* produced **** ******* ** *** ******* not ******* ** *** ***** *****, such ** ****** ****, ******** *******, etc., ** **** ** **** **** legible **** *** ** *** ****** PPF. 

** *** ** ********** ** ******** at *** ***** ** *** ******'* lens ** **** *****, **** ******* similar ** *** ****** ** *** lens *******.

Average *** ***********

*** ******* ******** ***** ******* ** the ******* *** ***** **** ******* strong ******** ********* *** ** ****** areas, ***** ***** ******** ** *** weaker ***** *****.

*******, ***** ******* ** ******** ** discoloration *** ***** ******* ****** *********, with **** ********* ****/****** *** ***** overly *****, **** ** ** ***** in *** ***** ***** (*** ***** cameras ******). 

WDR ********

****** ** ** * **** *** camera, *** ******* ******** ** ********** slider ***** *** ** **** ** "tune" *** *** *** ***** ** dark ******, ** * ***** ** 1-100, **** * ******* ** **. We ********* ******* *** ****** *** to **** *******, ** ***** ******** result ** **** ********* *********** *** ****** settings ******** *************, ***** ** *** gif *****.

*********

*** ******* *************'* ***** ***** ** **** ** *.*** ******* (****** few ***** ******* ***** *.*** *******, discussed *****). *** ** *** ******'* weak ** *** **** ******, ******** decreased ** ***** **** ** **, shown *****.

VMS *******

*** **** ****** *** ********** *** N52BM3Z's *.*** ******(*) *** ********* ******** (below). **** **** ********* **** *****, not * ****** ******, ** ******* to ***** *.*** *******.

******* ******** ****** ***** *** ****** via *** ***** ****** ******* *****, but **** ***** *.***. *** ***** VMSes ****** **** ***** *** ********** (Avigilon, *****, ****** ****), *** *** not ******* *.*** *******.

Test **********

*** ********* ******** ******** **** **** for **** ****:

  • ***** *******: *.***.****.**.* ***** **** ****-**-**
  • ***** *******: *.***.****.**.* ***** **** ****-**-**
Comments (7)
RS
Robert Shih
•Jan 30, 2018
Independent

The spec sheets themselves note that the camera can do color with 0.009 lux minimum illumination. Most of Dahua's other Starlight entries claim around. 0.005 lux minimum illumination, which makes this one of their weaker entries in the field for what they consider Starlight... Strange entry in the field, especially since this only available for the branded product line in the USA.

It seems forced since all the other Starlight products are still 2-3MP. The jump to 5MP feels like they are overclocking the chip and throwing caution to the wind to pose an answer to other "Starlight" products out there that are falsely claiming the title with 0.01 lux minimum illumination for color images.

Still, this is weird. Very, very weird. It seems like a hastily thrown together beta.

What chipset firmware was it using? Rhea? Eos? Nova (not likely)? It'll give some insight as to how they threw this one together.

(6)
JB
James Black
•Jan 31, 2018
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Robert Shih

If they are overclocking then chip will burn out quickly. Maybe IPVM can do a image heat picture on the chip to see if it runs hotter than other comparable cameras?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jan 31, 2018

Can't wait to see some comparisons the new 5MP offerings! Thanks IPVM.

Avatar
Brian Levy
•Jan 31, 2018

Dahua tends to have three tiers for their cameras. This seems to fall into the mid-tier. Top tier includes more advanced features like audio in/out, alarm in/out, larger chasis, and better IR. Trying to discern thier product design is like betting on the horses — it’s just a big guess. This does appear to be an in-between camera tier. Let’s see what the next 5mp starlight offering is with a larger dome and better features. 

(1)
(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
•Feb 05, 2018
In reply to Brian Levy

This one is lowest tier - LITE series, not PRO line (middle one).
6MPx is middle tier, on 1/2.9" SONY Sensor.

(1)
Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Feb 05, 2018
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

This is listed in the Pro Series on the US site, screencapped for reference:

(1)
Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Feb 08, 2018

Weirdly, I just got an email newsletter talking about new models in the starlight series.

However, all the models listed are 6MP, with much worse minimum illumination specs and smaller sensors, and no mention of "starlight" in their specs at all.