Pros - ****** ***** ******* *** ***** ****
*** **** ********* *** Mini ******** ****** *** light *** *** ****** than Axis' *** ******** ********* Dome * *** *****-*, as **** ** *********'* low-cost ***** **** ****, at * ***** ***** competitive **** ***-**** *********/***** models.
********, *** ******* ******* size **** ** * differentiator *** ***** ******* for ******** ***********.
Cons - ***********
*******, ** *** ******* *** limitations:
- **** ********* *** ********:****** ***** **** ****** (both ******** *** *********), the *** **** * does *** ******* ******* SD ******* ** ******** NAS *********, ******* ********* the **** ********* ***.
- ** ******** *****-***** *** compatibility:*** ********* *** **** L ** *** ********** compatible **** *** ***** party *****. ** **** stream ** *********, ****** unsupported, *** **** ********** method **** *** ******* stream ************* ** ****** side ***, *** ******** expected ** **** *****.
- ****** ****: **** ***-**** ********** options *** ******* / IP66 *****.
- ****** **** ******* ********:*** *** **** *'* bitrates **** ****** **** other ** ******* ****** both *** *** *****, despite *** ********* ** H.265 *** **** ***** codec ********. ********* ******** were ***** **** ****' non-IR ********* **** * and *****.
Strongest **** ***-**** **********
**** ** ********* ****' strongest ***-**** **********, ***** both ******** *********** *** lower ****. ****, *** increased ******** ** ******* manufacturers ************ ********** ******* **** ****.
*******, *** **** ******* are ********* ** ****** to **** ** *** low-end *** *** ******** Axis **** ******* **** against ******* ****** ********** in *** *****-***** *** real *********.
Hikvision ***** ******* **** ******
****: **** **** *** performed ***** ** *********'* new lower **** ***** ******* line ***** ********* ** ADI ***. ** **** ordered ***** *** **** to **** ******* *** Mini *** * **** they ****** **** * new ******** ******.
*******
*** **** ********* *** Mini * ***** *** ~$119 *** ******, ***** $40 **** **** ****' original ***-** ********* **** V (~$*** ******). **** pricing ** *********** **** Hikvision *** ***** ***** IR ******, ~$***-*** ******.
Physical ********
*** ********* *** **** L ** *** ******** all ** *** ****** in ****' ****, ~**% smaller **** *** ********* Dome */*** *****. *** only ********** ** *** camera ****** ** *** PoE, **** ** *****, I/O, ** *******, ********* video ***, ***.
** **** ** *** Eye **** ** **** video:
******** ** ***** ******* in **** ****, *** Companion *** **** ** notably *******, ***** **** versus *** ********* **** V *** ********* **** domes:

Manufactured ** ********
**** **** ** ****' other ***** *** ****** such ** *** ***/***, the ********* *** **** L ** ************ ** Thailand.

Night/IR ***** *******
** * **** ***** with ** ** (~*.****), the **** * ******** *** clearest ****** ******* ** subjects ***** ******* ******, drastically ****** **** *********'* compact ****, *** ******** better **** *** *** 2342.

*** *** **** *'* IR ******** *** ******** *** at *** ***** ** the scene, but *** *** ****** from ************ ** *** center ** *** ***** of ****.
Wide ******* ***** ***********
*** ********* *** ****'* more ****** ******* ****** and ******* ***** *** the **** ******* **** all ***** ****** ******, with WDR *********** ******** ** both ********* ****** ******. However, ****** **** ********* compared ** ***** **** models, ***** ********* ******** better ****** ** *** subject's ****** ********.

************, ***** *** ** noticeable **** ** *** subject ** ** ***** from ******** ** *******, shown *****.
******* *** ************ * .*** **** containing ***** ** **** scene **** *** ******* (~29MB).
Full ***** ***** *******
** **** ***** ******, Eye **** ***** ******* were ******* ** ** better **** ***** ****** tested, ****** **** **** slight ************* ** *** subject's ****. *** **** suffered **** **** ************ of *** **** ***** than ***** ******, ****** **** **** legible.

Companion *** ********
*** *** **** * requires ** **** ********* NVR *** *********. ** does *** ******* ******* SD ******* ** ******** NAS, ********* ** ***** Companion/Axis *******. *** ********* NVR ****** **** ~$*** for * * ******* model ** ~$*** *** an * ******* *** NVR.
Third ***** ******** *******
**** ***** ********* ******* we **** ******, *** Eye **** ** *** officially ********* ** *** third ***** *** ** NVR, **** ****' *** Companion ********. *******, **** the ********* **** *, the *** **** * has * ******* **** stream:
****://*******/****-*****/*****.***?****-****-**=****
***** **** ** *****:

*******, **** ****** *** multiple ***********:
- ****** ****** ****: ****** *******, *** ****** worked **** **** ********* to * ****** ******** or ***** ****** (*.*. VLC). Sending *** ****** ** a ****** ******** ****** it ** **** ** both. **** **** ******* the ****** ** ******** clients *** * ****** VMS ****** ******* *****.
- *** *********: **** **** *** ******* RTSP ********* **** ********* cameras, ******* ***** ******* tech ******* ****** ****** arise.
- ******* *************:**** ********* ******* *** ability ** ********* ***** settings (***, **********, ***.) from *** ***, *** does *** ******* *** camera's ***.
******* ** ***** ***********, RTSP *** ** ****** limited ** ***** ************ or *********** *****.
No *** *********
*** ********* *** **** L **** *** **** a **** *** *********, unlike ***** ********* ******, which *** *** **** interface ** ******* **** cameras. ******** *** ******'* IP ******* ****** ******** a ****** ****** **** a **** ** ********* and ********* ******** ********.

Limited *************
*** ********* *** **** L *** ******* ************* options, ******* ** *********** two ****** ** ********:
- ********** *** ********* *** configurable *** *** "***** Quality" *******, *** *** limited ** **** ***** two **********, **** ** fine ******* ******* ** compression, ***, ** ***** options ********* ********* ** Axis *******:

- ***** ***** ******* ******** such ** **********, ********, rotation, ***., *** *********, but ***** *** ** options ** ******* *** or ********** **, **** both *******.

** ****** ***** ******* in **** *****:
Higher ********* **** ******* **** *****
** *** *****, *** Eye **** *'* ******** were ****** **** **** Hikvision ****** ****** *** day *** *****, *** higher **** *** ***-** Axis ****** ****** *** day:

**** ****** **** *** Companion **** ******* ** not *** ***** **** blown ********* ***** *****, but ******* ****** ** H.265 **** **** ***** codec *********:
...* *********** ** *.*** and **** ***** ***** functionality ** ***** ** optimize ** *** *******...
*******, ****** *********, ***** are ** ******** ** compression ******, ******* *-***** interval, ** ******* ***.
Motion ********* ***********
***** *** ******** ** Axis ****** *** **** with *********/* *********, *** *** **** L ******** * ********* variant, ****** ***** "****** Detection", ***** ****** **** rectangular *****, ******* ** polygons, *** **** *** include *** ******* ***** in ****/* (*****, *******, short ***** *******).
** *** *****, **** motion ********* ******* *** one ********** ********, ******** on ******* ***** *******, such ** ****** ******* or ****** ***** ****** on/off ** *** **** (below), ****** ***** **** did *** ****** ****. *******, it *** *** ***** on ***** *******, **** as ******* *******, ******** flashing, ** ****** ****** on/off ** ******** *****.
Versions ****
*** ********* ******** **** used ** **** ****:
- **** ********* *** **** L: *.**.*
- **** ********* **** *: 8.30.1
- **** *****-*: *.**.*
- ********* **-**********-**: *.*.* ***** ******
- ********* **-**********-**: *.*.* ***** 170725
Comments (37)
Sean Nelson
07/17/18 02:31pm
On one day Axis is plauged with vulnerabilites. Then the next they are joing the race to the bottom. What is on going on here?? Next thing you know they are 41.89xpie% owned by the swedish government.
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Undisclosed #1
So now they are dumping zipstream for H.265 with smart codec?
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Paul Curran
Shame they don't just sell it just ONVIF etc (VMS compatible). Sure we can put the stream in via RTSP but you might be stuck if a firmware update closes it.
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Scott Sheldrake
Great, so now we're back to making customers commit to 4,8 or 16 channel DVRs giving back all the progress the industry made with IP-based licence upgradable systems.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't pretty much all Axis equipment work on Windows/PC only and Internet Explorer? ie no Mac support, no Safari support, no Chrome support, no Firefox support, no iPhone app, no Android app, no Microsoft Edge browser support.
Lastly, how do you explain to a customer why an indoor Axis camera is $100 an an outdoor Axis camera is $700?
Axis is just moving the industry backwards. 15 years ago we were installing 4,8,16 channel DVRs that ran on IE only with ActiveX controls. Now we're right back where we started with Axis.
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Dennis Ruban
why didn't you pick the newer DS-2CD2525FWD-IS camera for your test?
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Undisclosed End User #4
For any mid or large enterprise it is must for the camera to be fully compatible with major VMSs like Genetec, Milestone; or ONVIF compliant. If this camera is not, I am wondering what would be the target market?
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Undisclosed Integrator #5
It isn't ONVIF, it doesn't have full zip stream, it's a 4/8/16 DVR, etc...
Well, no kidding. Higher end options should not be expected with this line anymore than one should expect the same amenities in a $13K Chevrolet Spark as one gets in a $50k Tahoe.
This is Axis trying to capture the homeowner/small business market that they miss out on right now. I think they are also trying to capture integrators who serve those markets; the ones who never even think of Axis because the brand does not currently serve their interests. Call it what it is: a loss leader to gain interest in their other lines.
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #6
While I agree that this camera might be a dud at least Axis is doing something that Arecont never did which is address the low end market and use a few products like this as lost leaders to get their bigger cameras pulled along.
So correction Arecont is addressing the low end now after Chapter 11 and a buy out. Many people for many years told them to address the low end but it went on deaf ears.
I applaud Axis
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Alberto Alonso
Companion line is an entry level video system concept that addresses small installation up to 16 cameras using a free of charge recording and management software and specific devices only suited to work with that platform. For that type of systems, the installation has been simplified in a way that it is not needed to set up the camera or recorder by accessing them using a web browser. The application software does it all using a wizard tool.
In parallel Axis has equivalent camera models to most of the Companion Line models at slightly higher prices. For those camera models, the browser support and the elimination of plug-in requirement was already available time ago as showed in this statement dated in 2017
Axis - Browser Support
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