Avigilon H4 IR Mini Dome Camera Tested

By John Scanlan, Published on Oct 24, 2017

Avigilon has released their successor to the aging Micro Dome, the H4 Mini Dome, claiming easy install, a patent-pending surface/recessed mounting system, Lightcatcher low light performance, true WDR and more.

We bought this new model and tested against Axis and Hikvision minidomes. Inside, we report our findings on:

  • Low light image quality
  • Full light image quality
  • WDR performance
  • IR Pattern
  • Bandwidth
  • Price Comparison
  • Physical Overview
  • Ease / Difficulty of Installation

*******

***** ** *** *****, there *** ******* **** to *** ** **** Dome:

  • ****** *** ***** *******: *** ** **** **** performed *** **** ** the ***** ******* ****** in *** ***** ******, with ****** ******* *** text *******.
  • **** ** ********:*** ****** ******** **** IR ******** *** ******* its ********* ***/~**' *****, while *** ********* ****'* illumination *** *** ** the ****** *** **** on *** *****.
  • ***** ***: *** ** **** Dome ********* **** ** WDR ****** ******, ******** worse **** *** **** M3045, *** ******* ****** than *********'* **** (**** true *** *******).
  • ****** / ***** ************: ******** ************ **** **** a *** ******* ** our ***** *******, ******* issue. **** *** *** of ******* *** ******* installations ** **** ******.

*******, ***** *** *** *** drawbacks:

  • **** **** ***** ******: *** ** **** **** ******** ****** **** ***** models ****** (**** *** Hikvision), ******** ******* ** full *****.
  • **** *** **** ******:******** ****** **** *.*** ****** ** the **** **** **** (as **** ****), *** or ***° ***, ********* on **********. *******, ********* offers *.*, *, *, 8, *** **** ******* on ***** **** ****** minidomes, ****** **** **** flexible ** ******** ******* ******.

*******

*** ***** ******** ** IR **** **** (*.**-***-**-**) has * ****** ***** of ~$*** ***, ************* higher **** *** ********* 2522, ~$*** ******, *** ******* to ****' ****** ** dome, *** *****-* (~$***).

Physical ********

*** ** **** **** is ******* ** ********'* past ***** **** ***** in **** ******, *** recess *** ******* ***** models *** *** *** same **** ****** ****** with ********* ******** ******** for ******* *** ****** mounting, ***** *****:

*** ** **** **** still **** ** ******** PoE ******, ** ********* complaint ***** *** ***** Dome *** ***** ****** models. *******, ** ** significantly ******* **** *** Micro **** ******, **** the ***** ****** *** status ****** ***** ** the ****** **** ******* of *** ******. *** smaller ******, *** ******* mounting ******, **** ***** a ****** ********* ********* with *** ***** ****, where ***** ******** * hole ***** ****** *** the ****** **** ****** room/material *** **** *** the ******** ******, ***** causing ********** ** **** to *** ******** **** adhesives ** **** ******.

*** ****** ***** **** features ***** ** *********** minidomes, **** ** ** *******, I/O, ** *****. ** review ***** *** ***** hardware ******** ** **** video:

Size **********

*** ** **** **** ** moderately ******* **** **** and ********* *********, ***** 1" ******* ** ********, *** all **** ***** *" tall. 

Quick ******** ************

************ ** *** ** Mini **** ** *****, taking ** **** ~* minutes *****. ** *** video *****, ** **** the ************ ******* ***** cutting * *" **** in *** **** (***** a *******). *** ***** below ***** *** **** first ******* ** ****** mounting *** ******, **** no ********, ****** ** one ** *** ******* recess ***** ************* ** have ****. 

**** ******* ** ******* to **** ****** ***** cameras, **** ** ********'* original ***** **** *** Vivotek's ******. *******, *** HD **** **** ******** clips **** **** ******** than **** ** **** springs ***** ** ***** ***** models, ***** **** **** they ***** ** ****** from *** ******* **** ******.

**** **** *** ******** H4 **** **** ** not ***** *** *** in****** ********, * ******* ***** in **** ******** ****** or ******** ****. 

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

*** ****** *** ****** in *** ********** **** for **** *** ***** and **** ***** ***** quality ** *** ***** of **** ***** *****.

Solid *** ***** ***** *******

*** ******** ******** ********* better **** *** ********* 2522 ** *** ***** with ** **, **** better ******* ** *** subject *** **** ***** and **** **** ************ (see *****). *** **** M3045-V *** ******* **** other ****** *** ** its **** ** ********** IR, ****** ***** ******** rough ******* ** *** subject *** **** ******* lines ** ****.

 

** ******* *********, **** PPF ******** ** ~**, the ******** **** **** still ******** ********** ****** details ** *** ******* and ***** **** *********.

Even ** *******

** ************ ** *** ** **** Dome ** **** ****** the ***** ** ****, with ** ****** ******* hotspot. *******, ** *** scenes ******, * ********** was ******* **** *** bottom ** *** *****, appearing ** * ****** bright ****, ***** *****. 

Average Full ***** ***** *******

*** ******** ** **** Dome ******** ****** ****** in **** ***** **** competitive ***** ******* ******, reducing ******* *** ***** details.

 

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

** ****** *** ******* an *****/**** **** **** harsh ******** ***** ******, ~45 *** ****** ******** to ~*,*** *** *******. 

***** *****, ******** ********* well, ********* ******* ** the ******* *** ***** background **** ******* *** out, *** *** ************ by *** **** ****** which ******** *******, ********* less *********** ****** ** the ******* *** **** sign ***** *** **** was ****. *** ********* appears *********** *** ****** blue ***** *** **** is ****.

*** ******* **** **** tested ** ******* ****** WDR ***********, * ***** door *****. ***** ****** ****** were ~**** ****** *** ~290lx ***** *** ******** awning. 

*** ** **** **** ********* **** in **** *****, **** only ******** **** ****** than *** **** *****-*. The ********* **** *** overexposed ******* *** **** of ******* ** *** subjects ****.

HDSM ***** *****

*** ** **** **** includes ********'* **** **********, which ****** ***** ** adjust *********** ** ********** objects ** **** ** reduce ***** ****, *******, bit **** ***, *** GOP ******** **** *** scene ** ****:

** *** *****, ******* to ***** ***** ******, reductions ** ~**% **** seen ** ******* ***** scenes, **** **** **% in ******* **** ******. At *****, ******* **** lessened, *** ********** ** almost **% **** ****. 

** **** ** **** the **** ********** ** a ******** ******, *** saw ** ****** **** image ******* ****** ******* (noise, *********** ** ********** objects, ********, ******, ***.).

Bandwidth **********

**** *** **** ***** Codec **, *** ******** H4 **** ****'* ******** were ***** **** *** Hikvision **** **** *.***+, and ******* ** *** Axis *****-* ** ***** day *** ***** ******, but ********** ***** **** Axis ** * **** motion ***** *****.

Test **********

*** ********* ******** ******** were **** *** **** test:

  • ******** *.**-***-**-**: *.**.*.***(*****)
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*
  • ********* **-**********-**: **.*.* ***** 170124

Comments (7)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

10/24/17 06:41pm

Excellent comparison as usual! The shootouts alone have been 50x worth the cost of the IPVM subscription over the years. 

Curious as to why you compared pricing to the Day/Night with IR Axis M3105-L Turret style cam, and not the $230-$240 street price of the M3045-V. As a Mini-Dome shootout, the M3105-L would have most definitely looked like beast next to the H4. But the night comparison would've been much more impressive had you used the M3105-L.  

Thanks again!!

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 10/24/17 07:52pm

Good question. We tested the cameras above because they're a baseline for each manufacturer. The M3045-V is the lowest cost indoor 1080p model, but it lacks IR. The H4 Mini Dome is Avigilon's lowest cost indoor 1080p model, and there is a non-IR model, but the price difference is small, only ~$20 street price, so we went with IR. 

That being said, we can add some quick comparisons with IR off so users get the feel of non-IR performance and a more fair comparison to the M3045.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Ethan Ace | 10/24/17 07:57pm

Excellent, thank you! Honestly, this is a test about the H4 and the Axis shouldn't be the focus, so no need to go through any trouble. I was just curious in the price comparison as I had thought the M3045-V would've fallen in between the Hik and the Avg. The H4 definitely has the advantage considering it has IR in such a small footprint. Its worth an extra $60 for space prohibitive installs where Night/IR is required. Thanks again!!

Undisclosed Integrator #2

10/26/17 12:15pm

Thanks Ethan, excellent comparison.  I would love to have a non-integrated IR comparison as well, if possible.  The price point with it should justify, but it's always nice to see what the difference is.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

11/04/17 11:46am

I can't find any information about shutter speed you used for low-light test.  And I think this is most important.

Also why only snapshot during the night why not movement? I can make even ACTi look better then Avigilon using still image ;)

 

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 11/06/17 07:56am

Thanks for your first comment!

We normalize / standardize on 1/30s for all tests on all cameras to eliminate shutter speed as a benefit to any provider.

I can make even ACTi look better then Avigilon using still image ;)

See above. You certainly could, but since we normalize the shutter speed, no manufacturer has an advantage.

Also why only snapshot during the night why not movement?

Because we normalize the shutter speed to 1/30s, because it's easier for people to see a still image than click on each video and since the shutter speed is normalized to 1/30s, it eliminates any hidden tricks that manufacturers might play with defaults.

Related - Camera Slow Shutter / Ghosting Tested.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to John Honovich | 11/06/17 02:21pm

Ok, so this is fair. Thank you.

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