*******
*** ******** ** *** 8L-H4PRO-B ******* ***** *** light *********** ** *** tests, **** ********** ****** ******* of **** *** ***** subject *** **** ***** compared ** ***** */*" ***** low ***** ****** ** low ***** ******. ************, daytime ******* **** ************* better **** ***** ****** due ** ********* ***, with ****** ********** ** details ********* ******** ** Sony's ****** ****** ** SNC-VB770R.
*******, *** ***** *********** was ******* ***** **** Sony's *****, **** **** providing better details ** *** ****** tested ** **** *** light *** **** **** scenes, ****** *** **** camera *** ************* **** expensive (~** *** *****). Additionally, *** ******** *** model's ********* *********** *** drastically ****** **** ***** 4K ****** ******, **** 30 **/*, ****** **** may ** ********* **** Idle ***** ****, ***** reduces *********/*** *** ***** settings **** ***** ** no ******** ** *** scene.
*******, ** **** *** ******** Pro ******, **** ** camera ***** **** **** Avigilon ******* ****** ********** (not **** ** ********), with ** ***** ***** integration ** *** **** 4K ****** *** ***** or **** (****** *** secondary ****** *** ** integrated ***** ****).
*******
*** ******** **-*****-* *** an **** ** ~*,*** USD, *** ********* ****. Lens ******* ****** ******, from ~$*** *** *****, higher *-**** ******, ** over $*,*** *** **** focal ****** ********* ******. Note **** ***** ** ******** by *** **** *********/***** and ***** ****** *****, but **** *******, **** "premium" ***** ****** ********** costing **** **** ********* models. *** *******, *** 50mm ***** **** **** in *** ***** ***** for ***** ****** *** price ** *** ***** varifocal.
- ***** **-**** **/*: $*,*** MSRP
- ***** **** **.*: $*,*** MSRP
******** ** ******* ***-** 4K ******, *** ******** Pro ** ~**-***% **** expensive. *** *******, ******** ***-************ *****-***** **** *** ~$*** online. ********** ** ****** are ****** ** *****, such ** ************ **-******* (~$*,*** ******) ******* ***-****** (~$*,*** ******).
******** ** *** **** SNC-VB770 **** ***** ($*,*** MSRP ******* ****), *** Avigilon *** ** ** significantly **** *********, ***** 25-30% ** *** **** of *** **** *****.
Physical ********
*** ******** ** *** camera *** **** ****** than ******* *** *******, and ********** ******* **** Sony's ***** ****** *****. Aside **** *** ** lens *****, ****** ******** are ******* ** ***** box ******, **** ***/*** voltage *****, *****, */*, and ** ******* ** the ****. ** ****** these ******** ** **** video:
Imager Size **********
*** *** ******'* ****** is ************* ****** **** typical ************ *******, **.*** (~1.07 ******), ****** ******* smaller **** *** **** sensor ** ****'* ***-*****. We **** ***** ***** side ** **** *****.
**** **** ****** **** is **** *** ****** in ******* ***********. **** comparison ** ***** **** for *********, ***** **** imager ** *********** ****** than ******* *******.

Lens *******
*** ******** *** ******* are ********** **** **** EF ***** ******, ****** Avigilon *** * ***** list ** *********** ******. Recommended **** ****** ******* focus *** **** ******* via *** ******, *** others *** ***, ********* manual *****. ***** ****** check **** ******** ** they **** ** *** a **** ******* ** those ****** ** ********.
****** **** ****** ******, from ******* (*-*" ****) to ***** ***** (****** than * ******* ****** with ****). ***** ****** be ******* **** ********* lenses *** ******* ********, as **** ************ *** require ***** ***** ********.
********'* **** *** ********* matrix ********* *** *** ***** issues.

Tested ******
**** **** ** *** image ******* *********** *****, we **** *** ***** 18-35mm **.* **** ** recommended ** ********, ****** the **** ***-***** **** an **.* **** *****.
** ****** **** ** F1.2 ***** **** ** see *** ********** ** sensitivity, ***** *****. ****** are ********** ********, **** ****** details, ****** ***** *** as ****** ** *** Sony *****. ***** *********** **** not ***** ** *** scenes **** **** **** due ** *** **** narrower ***** ** **** (~26° **. ~**° ** Sony).

Test *****
** ****** ** ** outdoor ******* ***/***** **** exterior ****** ** *** off. ***** ****** ****** from ~*.*** **** ****** on **** *** ******* to ***** *.**** **** lights *** ** *** field. **** **** *** light **** ** *** right **** ** *** test *** ***** *** not **** **** ******** building ******, *** **** other ********** **** ******** away, ***** ** ****** control. *** ************ **** this ***** ***** **** account.

No ** *** ******
**** **** *** ******** Pro ****** ** ******** as * ***/***** ******, but ** *** ** sensitive. *******, *** ****** uses********** *** ***** ** ****** ***** **** the ***** ** ***** mode, ***** ******** ******* bandwidth. *******, ***** *********** may ******* ****** ********** in **** ****** **** detecting ******* ******* ******* colored ***********, ******* ** greyscale ***** ****. ***** should *** *** **** mode ******** ** ***** specific *****.

Exterior ****** ***
** ********** ****, **** *** very **** **** (~***) the ******** *** ** produces ******* ******* ******* to *** **** *** Hikvision ***** ******. *** Sony ***-***** *********** ***** cameras ******, **** ****** details ** **** *** subject *** ***** (*-* lmore ***** *******), *** overall ******** ******.
**** **** *** ** noise *** *********** *********, none ** *** ******* produced *** ********* ******** images ******** ** *** levels **** ****, **** seen ** *** **** 770 ****.

****** ******* **** *** camera, *** ******** ****** is ***** ******* ** Axis *** *********, **** the ******* ********* ** detect ** *** ******* but *** **** *****.

*******, **** *** ** ~45 ** ~***' *****, the ******* ** ********* to ****** ** *** cameras, ****** ******** ****** in *** **** *** due ** *** ***** information.

********* *** ******* ** color ****, *** ******** Pro ******** ********, **** 1-2 ***** ** **** more ******* **** *** 1080p ***** *** ***** models, ****** ***** *** Sony ***** ******** *** best ******* ** *** cameras.

*******, ** ******* *****/***** PPF, ******* ** ***** are ******* ** ********** above.

Exterior ****** **
**** ****** **, ***** increases ** ~*.*** **** the *******. ** **** scene, *** ******** *** camera ** ********** ****** out, ******** ******* ******* subject, *** **** ******* eliminating ****** ** *** test *****. *** **** VB770 ******* **** ******, showing ****** ******* ** both.

** **** ***** *****, performance ******* ***** *** monochrome **** *** **** similar ** *** *******, seen *****. ******* ** this, ******* *********** *** shown ** ********** ****.

** ~** *** (~**' range), *** ******** *** camera ******** ******* ******* to *** ***** ******, with **** *** **** 770 ******* *** **** chart ** ***.

*******, ** ~** ***, the ******* ** ********* to ****** ** *** cameras.

Daytime ***********
****** *** ***, *** Avigilon *** ***** ******** significantly ****** ****** **** 1080p ******, **** *-* additional ***** ** *** test ***** ******* ** close *****, ****** ******* details *** ******* *** to **** ***.

****** *******, *********** *** much **** **********, **** the ******** *** ********* similar ******* ******* ** Sony, *** * **** legible **** ***** **** test *****. ***** ****** show **** ***** ******* details ** **** *****.

*******, ******* **** *** camera, *** ******** *** shows ******** **** ******* detail **** *** **** VB770, **** *** ******** slightly **** ***********. *** 1080p ****** **** **** few ******* ** **** range, **** ** ********* chart **********.

Bandwidth **********
*** ******** *** ** camera's ******** **** **** higher **** ***** ** cameras ****** ** *** light (~*.***), **** ** Mb/s. **** **** **** includes *** ****, **** resolution ****** ****, *** substream(s) **** ** ****. Total ********* ******* ********* the *** ********** ****** was ~** **/*.

**** ***** ****
******* ******** ******** ******** a ********* ********* ******* called **** ***** ****, which ****** ***, ***********, and *-***** ******** **** there ** ** ****** in *** *****. ***** default ******** (* ***, 4 ****** *-***** ********, compression/cap *********), ********* ******* by ***** **-**% **** day *** ***** **** there *** ** ****** in *** *****.

******* ***** *** ****** possible ** ********** *********** and *-***** ********.
**** **** ****** ***** smart ******, **** ** Axis ********* ** ********* H.264+, **** ***** **** does *** ****** ******* when ***** ** ****** in *** *****, ** others ****** *********** ** background *** ****** *******, while ******** **** ***. In *** *****, **** in **** ******, ***** smart ****** ******* ********* by ** ** **% or ****.
HDSM ****** ** ****** ********* *******
********'* **** *********** ******* server-to-client *********, ***** ** viewing ****** **** *** ******* zoom ******. ******* ********, streams *** ****** ** into "******", **** **** the ******* ****** ***** viewed **** **** ****** to ******, ******** ****** bandwidth **** ********* *******. For *******, **** ******* the ** *** ***** (night) ** * *** split ******, ******-**-****** ******* is ~* **/*. ******* to *** ****** ****** of *** ***, ******* drops ** ~*.* **/*.
** **** ******* * full **** ** **** using ******** ******* ** the ****** ******, **** more ******* *** ******** of *** **** ******* functions.
Secondary ****** ****
***** ** ** *** to ****** *** ** Pro ******'* **** ** stream *** ***** ** RTSP ** ***** ***** platforms. *******, *** ********* (1080p) ****** *** ** sent ** ****** *** RTSP, ****** ** ** not ********** ** *** camera's *** *********. *** URL *** **** ****** is:
****://****:********@*********/****************?**********=*
Test **********
- ******** **-*****-*: *.**.*.* ***** *****
- **** *****: *.**.*.*
- ********* **-***********-*: **.*.* ***** 160414
- **** ***-*****: *.*.*
Comments (50)
Itamar Kerbel
Sony is much better. The use of a full frame sensor is noticeable.
I think it would be nice to compare the Sony to the 16MP or 24MP cameras of Avigilon where the price matches better and the sensor too.
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Undisclosed #1
How could you not go for the Sony in high end applications. It is awesome. I cant beleive the difference in quality.
If they made their price more competitive they would corner the market with cameras like this
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Undisclosed Integrator #2
Any comments on the full analytic offering that is embedded with the avigilon pro camera? And how those analytics compare in the other cameras tested in functionality and ease-of-use, and what that does to the price point when that analytic offering has to be added third party with the other cameras tested?
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John Honovich
I am a little surprised by the negativity toward the Avigilon 4K's image quality. I thought it was quite good, especially considering the Sony's expense and how good Sony was to all others.
The bigger question / issue to me is the Avigilon Pro series being proprietary. The Sony 35mm 4K is strong, it would not be a surprise if the Axis 20MP is going to be good. At that point, for the 95% of users who do not use Avigilon, should Avigilon consider opening up Pro to 3rd party VMSes?
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Eddie Perry
Now if only Sony and Bosch can preform a miracle product line for mid and high end it would improve their chances of them being a surviving western manufacturer
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Undisclosed #4
Can't remove the cut filter, on an expensive camera?
Why?
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Undisclosed #4
Ethan, in the article it states
Yet, in the link given it says
So does it have a non-removable IR cut (lens/sensor coating?) or no IR cut filter at all?
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Michael Miller
Nice report Ethan.
1)I would like to add I understand why these cameras were tested the way they are but most people are not mounting large high res box cameras in housings 8-10ft off the ground. These are mostly used to cover large areas with cameras mounted up high looking at parking lots or stadium seating areas. Both the Avigilon and Sony will look more impressive covering a real world setting like this.
2)The Sony camera has an image based off the Sony A7SII which is arguably the best low light digital camera on the market. Kudos to Sony for the low light performance.
3) Analytic wise the Avigilon PRO camera work very well at tracking people and vehicles over very large areas. We have often seen much greater analytic detection range then what Avigilon states. I guess is the better sensor and great glass on the front. Most customers use the analytic search feature when the cameras are covering parking lots and they only want to search for people. It works well and saves the customer a lot of time searching video.
4) While the Sony does have the impressive low light performance I want to see 10, 20 or 30 of these running on a 3rd party VMS. Most VMS platforms have some very powerful client computer requirements not to mention the time that is required to setup all the lower res streams. Having multiple customers running 15+ or 30+ Avigilon PRO cameras and being able to view these cameras on my Surface PRO over a WAN connection without any system configuration is very helpful.
5)I would be interesting to see the Avigilon and Sony PRO 4K cameras vs Axis, Bosch, Hikivision, Dahua and the rest of the gang.
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Undisclosed #1
There are alot of comments about HDSM as a rational about why the Avigilon camera is better than the Sony. I dont believe this is in any way relevant as it relates to VMS features and not the camera.
No matter what other features there are in the Aviglon cameras or VMS, they can not make the image quality better. It is obvious that the Sony camera is performing exponentially better than the Avigilon camera when it comes to image quality in low light.
In regards to comments about having more than 30 of these Sony cameras on a VMS I can not see any reason why they would not work if the system was planned correctly.
Avigilon makes a good camera and VMS but in this case Sony is just better and all the Avigilon lovers will just need to accept it.
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
As a friendly FYI the statement "Finally, as with all Avigilon Pro models, this 4K camera works only with Avigilon Control Center Enterprise (not Core or Standard), with no third party integration via ONVIF or RTSP." is not completely accurate as Avigilon H4 Pro cameras can support RTSP streaming of the secondary stream to a third party VMS. This was released in firmware version 3.10.0.162 on November 10th, 2016. I have included a link if anyone is interested: Avigilon HD H.264 Pro Firmware Release Notes. This may not have a practical application for every installation, but the functionality is there if the required solution warrants it.
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Ethan - Glad to hear you got it working. Have a great rest of your week.
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