Axis 15MP Multi-Imager Tested (Q3708-PVE)

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Feb 07, 2017

Axis continues to expand in the multi imager market, adding to a segment started with the 33MP Q3709.

We bought the Q3708-PVE and tested it against:

Hikvision PanoVu DS-2CD6986F-H (Separate test report to be released later this week)
Pelco Optera IMM12018
Vivotek MS8391-EV IR multi imager

We tested the cameras outdoors, day and night, in scenes ranging from 2000 lux to 0.02, to see Axis stacks up in image quality, low light performance, bitrate, and more.

Below is an overview of the Q3708's day and night image:

**** ********* ** ****** in *** ***** ****** market, ****** ** * segment ******* **** ******* *****.

** ****** *** *****-****** ****** ** *******:

********* ****** **-********-* (******** **** ****** ** be ******** ***** **** week)
***** ****** ********
******* ******-** ** ***** imager

** ****** *** ******* outdoors, *** *** *****, in ****** ******* **** 2000 *** ** *.**, to *** **** ****** up ** ***** *******, low ***** ***********, *******, and ****.

***** ** ** ******** of *** *****'* *** and ***** *****:

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

*******

** *** *****, *** Axis *****-*** ******* ***** performance ** **** *** scenes, ********* **** ******* details *** ******* **** than *********** ******, **** much ***** ********* *********** than **** *****-******* *** to *********.

*******, *********** **** ** low ***** ******** ** Hikvision ******, ***** ******, and *** ** ******** Vivotek ******. ************, *** camera ******* **** *** same ***-***** ****** **** in *** ****/***** ******* of *** **** *****, wasting *** *** ******* objects ** *** *****.

** **** *** ****** are *** **** *****, the ***** ** * solid ******, ********** ***** its ***** ********. *******, those ******* *** ****** low ***** *********** *** better ****** ** ***** options.

*******

*** *****-*** ***** *** ~$2,000 *** ******. **** is **** ********* **** other *****-****** ******, ********* ~$1,500, *** ***** ***** the ***** ** *** Hikvision ******.

********* ******: ~$*,***
***** ****** ********: ~$*,***
******* ******-**: ~$*,***

Physical ********

**********, *** *****-*** ** nearly ********* ** ******* *****-*** ****** **********. *** ****** ** large, **** *** ** outdoor **** *****, ***** the ******** ** ****' speeddomes, ****** *** ** tall. ************, ** **** larger *.*" ****** (*** same ****** ** **** ****), adding ** *** ******* size.

**** **** *** ******* move ********, *** ****** be ****** ***********, **** degree ******** ******** **** to *** ****** ****** for ******* ********.

*** ***** ***** ***** our ******** ******** ** the *****, ******* ***** features.

****** ***********/*************

*** *****-*** **** * single ** ******* *** used **** * ****** camera ******* ** ***** tested (********, *****, *******, Milestone). **** ** ******* of **** ***** ****** models, *** ********* **** the *****-***, ***** **** three ** *********, *** for **** ******.

**** *** *****, ************* of **** ******* *** be **** ********** *** each ******, ** ******* together, ***** ****:

Off ***** ******

******* ** **** ***** imagers ******* ** ****, like *** *****, *** Q3708's **** *** ***** imagers ******* ***-***** ****** in ***** ** ****** match ** ***** ******* sensors. **** **** ******* in * *********** ******* of *** *** ***** taken ** ** *** and ******* **** ******* angled, **** *****:

Daytime ***** *******

** ****** *** ***** against ***** ****** ****** from *********, *****, *** Vivotek ** ** ******* parking ***/***** *****, ***** above.

*** **** ***** ********* best ** ***** ****** cameras ******, **** ****** text ********** **** ***** cameras **** *-* ***** of **** **** ******* than *** ***** *** Vivotek *******.

**** **** *** ********* Panovu's ***** *** ******* details ** **** ******* and *****. *** ********* has ***** *** ******* it *** * **** taller *** (***** *******) and ***** ***** ***** count. *** ********* **** be ******* ** ****** in * ******** ******.

** ******* *****, **** Axis ** * *** ~38, ******* ******* ** the ****, *****, *** Vivotek ******* *** *******, with ********* ***** *******. The **** ****** ***** resolves ** ********** **** of ****.

*******, ** ~***' *****, only ***** ******* ******* are ******* ** *** Axis, *****, *** ******* models, **** ** ******* provided ** *** ********* Panovu. **** *** ***** line ** **** ** legible ** *** **** and ******* ******.

Low *****, ******** ****** **

** ***** *****, ** night **** ****** ** (~4lx), *** **** ***** produces ***** ******* ** the ******* *** *-* lines ** ****. *** Optera ***** ***** ******* details *** ******* ***** legibility. *** ********** ** Vivotek ****** ** ****** out ** **** *****, obscuring *******, ***** *** Hikvision ****** ***** **** rough ******* ** *** subject *** ** ***** of ****.

****** *******, **** ** the ******* ******* ******* of *** ******* ** test *****, ****** *** subject ** ****** ********.

*******, ** *** ******* range (~***' ********/~** *** for ****), *** ******* is ********* ** ****** in *** ***-** ******, but ****** ******* ** the ******* ******.

Dark, ******** ****** ***

*******, ******* ** ***** with ****** ***, *** subject ** ********* ** detect **** ** ***** range ** *** **** Q3708 (*** ***** ******), with **** *** ***** line ** *** **** chart *******, ***** ** is ****** ******** ** the ********* *** ******* cameras, ****** ******* ***** details *** ** ******* noise ** *** ********* and ************ ** *******.

*******, ** *** ***** and ******, *** ******* can't ** ****** ******** in *** ****** *** the *******.

Bitrate **********

*** ** *** ********* of *********, *** *****'* bitrates **** *** ******** to **** *****-****** ******, especially *********** *** ****** 15MP ***** ********** ******** to ~**** ** ***** and *******, *** **** than *** ** *** Hikvision ******.

**** **** ***** ************ were ***** **** ********* enabled ("****"), *** ******* GOP *** ** ****. The ******* ****** *** set ** ***** ****** II ******* **** ******* intra-frame ****** **.

Test **********

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

**** *****-***: *.**.*.*
********* **-********: *.*.* ***** 160525
***** ********: *.*.*.*.****-**.*
******* ******-**: *****

Comments (7)

Amos Wipf

02/07/17 04:19pm

Recently installed one of these inside a warehouse covering ~20 overhead trailer doors. I have to say I was very impressed with the coverage and image quality. Made me re-think my thoughts on wide area camera's, I have never used one that produced a satisfactory image.
I did have one interesting issue when using the Axis VMD application on all three image streams it seemed to overload the camera processor and live viewing was very sluggish. Took me a while to figure this out and re-installing the application and re-applying settings got things working well again.

Undisclosed #1

02/07/17 09:13pm

Thanks, Ethan!

Trying to compare the FOVs in this picture, I'm wondering is the Vivotek image not level here?

Undisclosed Distributor #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/09/17 06:36am

From the same picture it also appears that the axis provides slightly greater than 180' where as the Vivotek is 180' at best.

Could you please confirm Ethan?

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #2 | 02/09/17 03:59pm

Because of the reasons in my reply to #1 above, the edges of FOVs aren't matched up. The Axis is shifted more to the right, and captures part of the red car in front of the Explorer there. Vivotek captures more of the building on the left. Also they are mounted on different tripods, and there's about 4' of space between them, so the angle differs due to that, as well.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/09/17 03:49pm

It may be slightly off level. It's also aimed slightly differently. Because the Axis uses 3 imagers, you can center the target in the middle of the FOV. But if you do that with a 4 imager camera, they will be directly on a seam between two imagers.

So the Vivotek (and others) are skewed to the right/left so we can get a clear shot of the subject/chart. That makes it look less level than it is.

Jess Hurd

IPVMU Certified | 11/18/17 01:02am

Hello,

I am curious about the mounting height of the 180 cameras in your test. I have a contractor trying to tell me mounting them at 25' and trying to view the walkway below is best practice. I see pedestrians feet from the middle sensor and mostly blue sky from the right and left sensors.

Undisclosed Distributor #2

In reply to Jess Hurd | 11/18/17 01:06am

Is the camera pointing straight down? Are you trying to monitor the walkway directly below the camera?

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