Axis Launches ~$100 HD Camera

Author: John Honovich, Published on Apr 11, 2018

Chinese manufacturers, led by Hikvision, have come to dominate the low end of the Western market, driven by ~$100 cameras.

While Axis has continued to be strong at the mid to high end of the market, surpassing $1 billion in revenue in 2017, they have lagged their Chinese rivals in the low-end. And their 2016 first attempt did not go to well.

Now, Axis is back with a ~$100 HD camera, the Companion Eye Mini, by far their lowest ever camera price, claiming major feature upgrades as well. Can Axis now compete in the low end? In this note, we examine the new offering, its key features and strength/weaknesses vs Hikvision.

******* *************, *** ** *********, **** **** ** ******** *** low *** ** *** ******* ******,****** ** ~$*** *******.

***** **** *** ********* ** ** ****** ** *** *** to **** *** ** *** ******,********** $* ******* ** ******* ** ****, **** **** ****** ***** ******* ****** ** *** ***-***. And***** **** ***** ********** *** ** ** ****.

***, **** ** **** **** * ~$*** ** ******, *** Companion *** ****, ** *** ***** ****** **** ****** *****, claiming ***** ******* ******** ** ****. *** **** *** ******* in *** *** ***? ** **** ****, ** ******* *** new ********, *** *** ******** *** ********/********** ** *********.

[***************]

Key ******** - ********** **, ********* **** *** *.***

******** ** **** ******** *******, **** *** ******** ** * key *****:

  • ******** ********** ** ** ** ******: **********, **** ******** ****** a $***+ ****** *** ********** **, ******* ** ** * steep ***** ************ *** **** *************** ****** * ******* **** *************' *****.
  • *** ****** ** ********* ****, **** ******* **** *** *********** and *** ** *** ******** ***** ** *** ****** (**** no ****** ** ******** ********* ******). **** ****** ******* *** aesthetic ****** *** ***** *** **** **** *****, ********* ************.
  • ****** **** **** *******, ***** ******* ******* *.***. *.*** ** becoming ************ *********** *** **** ****** *******.

Other ******* ********

***** ******* ******** ** *** **** ~$*** ** ******:

  • ** **-***** *******, ** *** *********: ***** **** ** *** typically **** *** ***-*** ************, **** *** ******* ************ **** for ***-**** **** *******.
  • */*" ******, ** **** ** ***** * '******' **** ******.
  • **** *** *******.

Key *********** - ***** ** ****, ******, ** *****

*******, ******** ** ******* ********, **** ***** *** * *** limitations ****:

  • ** *** **********. ** *****, **** **** ** **** *** pixel ***** ** ****** ******* ********* **** *** $*** ** less.
  • *** ~$*** **** ******* ** ****** ****, **** ******* ~$** for *** ******* *******. ** ********, ***-**** ******* ****** *** typically ******* ****.
  • **** **** **** *** ******* ***** / ***** / ***** parties. ** ********, ***-**** ******* ****** ****** ****** **** ***** support (******** ** ***), ****** **** ****** ****** *** ** *** **** *** camera ********.

Axis ********* *** ********

*** ********* *** **** **** ** **** ********' ********* ***, ****** ***** ********* ****** ******* (*** *** ****) ***** ******* **** ******* (** *** ***). **** *** starts ** ~$*** *** * **** *******, *** *** ******** to ~$**-** *** ****** *** * **** ** ****, ** ~$120 *****.

*********** **** ******* *** **** **** ********. *******, **** *** cost/small ****** ***** ******* ** *** *** **** *******.

Bear **** ******* ****

*** **** **** ******* **** ** ******: **** **** ***** match *********'* ******* *** ** ** * ****'* **** ** try. ** **** ***** $*** *******, ********* **** **** **** for $**. ** **** ***** $** *******, ********* **** **** them ****. ** **** ***** $** ** *******, ********* **** pay ****** ** **** ***** *******, ***., ***.

**** **** **** *** **** ******, **** **** ***** ** priced ******** ** ******* **** *** ***** ******* **. *********, et **.

Bull **** *** ****

*** **** **** *** **** ** **** *******: **** ** lowering *** ******** ****** ***** *** *** *** ***** **** gap ** (*.*., ****** ** *** $***+ *** ******, *** it's **** **** $**), *** ****** ** ** ** ******* on ***** ********** **** ** (*) ****** ******** *******, (*) remote ******, (*) *****, (*) *** ***** ******* **** / not ********** ** ******* **********.

Vote / ****

Comments (18)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

04/11/18 11:32am

"...*** ***** ******* ****"

***** *** **** ****?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 04/11/18 12:42pm

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

*** *****. ** ******* **** ** *** **** ******* ****(*) as *** ***** **** ********.

******* **** **** **** **** -****: ******* **** ** ***** ********, ****** ** **** (****** For ***** ******** *****)

John Honovich

IPVM | 04/11/18 12:53pm

**** *** ***** * ** ****** ********* ***** *** **** line, *** * *** ***** *** ****** *** *********:

*** *********** **** ** **** ** *** **** **** **** comparison, **** ********'* **** ***** ***. *******, **** **** ****, unlike *** ******** ***, **** ** *** ******* * ****** that ******** ***.

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 04/11/18 03:16pm

** ** *** ***** *********, * **** **** * ***** have * *** ** ******** ** **** *****. ***, **'* hard ** **** ** ** ** *****'* **** **** ******** VMS *******.

Avatar

Daniel Tyrrell

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 04/11/18 06:35pm

****, **** ***** ******* **** * *** *** *****, *** then *** **** **** * *** * **** ** *** their ***/***.

Scott Sheldrake

04/11/18 03:17pm

**** ** ********* ******* ***** **, **** *** *** ********** their ******. **** ****** ***** * *** ****** **** ** switch ** ****? *** ***** ** ****** ** $***, *****-** IR, *** ** **** ****** ** ******* *** ** ********** with ***** ***. **** $*** ****** ****** **** *** **** VMS ****, ** ** **** *** **-****. **** ****** ** minimum **** ***'* ******* *** ** **** **** ** *******.

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Scott Sheldrake | 04/11/18 07:56pm

*'* *** **** **'* ****' **** ** *** ******* ** switch **** *** ** ****. **** ***'* (***'*) ******* ******* for ******* **** *** ** *****, *** ***** *** ******** plenty ** ********* *** ***** ****** ** *** **** ** but ***'* *** *** ******** ** ***** *** ***** *****.

**** *** *** ****** ** **** ********** ** ** **** higher ******* ******** ***, ********* ** *** *** ***, * more ********* *****.

*'* **** ** *** ***** ******* ***** *** *********** ** use *** **** ***, *** ********* * ***** **** ** a **** (*** *****, **** ****) **** *** ****.

Scott Sheldrake

In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 04/11/18 08:28pm

*'* **** * ***** ***** **** ****** **** ** ****** quality ******** **** ***** *** **** ******** ******** *************. ********* to **** ******** ***** ****** ******* *** **% ** ****** (all ***-**** ** *******), ****** *** *******, ****** *** *******, losing *** *******.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Scott Sheldrake | 04/11/18 08:36pm

* ***** **** *** ** **** ******, *** ***** *** Axis ********* ****** **** ****************. ***** ** ** *** ******, *** * *** ******, though.

* ***** **** ** ***** **** #* **** **** **** is **** ********* ** **** ********* *** ***** ****** **** Axis **** ** *** *** *** **** ** ***** ******* other ******, ******.

*'* **** ******* ** ****'** ****** ** **** ** **** version ** *** **** *******. **** **** ******** *** ***************** ****, *** **** **** *** ****** *** **** **** ** a ~$** ******* ** **. * ***** *** *********** ** price **** *** ** ***, *** **'** *** ***** ** goes.

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Scott Sheldrake | 04/11/18 09:12pm

*'* **** * ***** ***** **** ****** **** ** ****** quality ******** **** ***** *** **** ******** ******** *************.

** ************ ****. * ****** ******* **** * ***** *** firmware ** *** *******. **'* ********** ** **** ********, *** I ****** *** *** ********* ** **** ******* **** *** and ** ******* **'* ******** **** ****** ******* **** **** of ****** ** ** *** *** ** ********* ******** ********.

* *****'* **** ***** ***/*** *** *'* ***** ***** ** little ** *** *********** ********* **** ***** ******* **** ********.

Undisclosed Distributor #2

04/11/18 03:22pm

* *** ****** *** * ******, *** **** * *** that ** **** ***** **** ***** ********* ***, ** **'* not * ****** ** ** *** *** *** ****** ******* Q ****** ******* ***.

Robert T

04/11/18 04:29pm

****, ** ***'** ******* ****, ****** **** ** *** *** make ******* ******* */ ***** *** *'** ******* ******* / sell *** ***. ***** ***!

Avatar

Michael Gonzalez

04/11/18 10:19pm

***** ** ** **** ****** *** ****** ** *** *** cost **** ****** ***** ***** ** ***** **, ** ***** in ****, ******* **** **** **** ***** ** **** **** Hik. **** ***** ** ** ******* ** ******* *** **** Hik *** **** ******* **** * *** **** ******. * doubt **** ***** **** *** ** *** ****** ** **** didn't **** ********.

Shannon Davis

TED Systems | 04/16/18 05:58pm

** ***** *** ** ** ******* **** **** **** **** come ****** ** *** *** **** ********* ******. ***** **** well *** **** ** **. *** *********** **** ** *** have ** *** **** **** ** ****** ** **** ******** down *** **** *** **** ** **** ** ******** * firmware ******* *** ** **** ** ***** ** *****. **** my ******* ******.

Avatar

Sean Nelson

Nelly Security | 04/16/18 08:00pm

***, **** ** ******* ****** ******* *******.

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

**** **** ******* ****** ** *** ****** ** **** ******.

***** ** **** ****** **** **** **** **** ** **** the **** ***** *****.

Undisclosed #4

In reply to Sean Nelson | 05/25/18 03:56pm

***** ** **** ****** **** **** **** **** ** **** the **** ***** *****.

******** **** ** **** ******* *** ******** ;)

John Honovich

IPVM | 05/25/18 03:38pm

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

****** ****** ** *** *** ******** *** ** **** ** test **** *********.

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to John Honovich | 05/25/18 03:54pm

****** ****** ********* **** **** **** ** **** ****** ******. Why *** **** * ******* ********* ***** *** **** **** to ** ***** **** ** ********* ** ****?

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