Bosch First Starlight 1080p Camera Tested

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Oct 13, 2016

Bosch has released their first 'Starlight' 1080p camera, the Flexidome IP starlight 7000 VR.

We tested this new dome against competitive super low light models from Axis ('LightFinder') and Hikvision ('DarkFighter'), as well as Bosch's existing 1080p HDR and starlight model (720p) to see how it stacks up.

Inside, see our results in full light, low light, and WDR (below), as well as bandwidth, physical feature, and configuration issues.

***** *** ******** ***** first '*********' ***** ******, the********* ** ********* **** VR.

** ****** **** *** dome ******* *********** ***** low ***** ****** **** Axis ('***********') *** ********* ('DarkFighter'), ** **** ** Bosch's ******** ***** *** and ********* ***** (****) to *** *** ** stacks **.

******, *** *** ******* in **** *****, *** light, *** *** (*****), as **** ** *********, physical *******, *** ************* issues.

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

*******

*** ***** ***** ********* 7000 ** ** * solid ***** *** ***** performer, ****** ***** ************ by ********* ****** ********** IR ******* (**** ** the**** ***************** ********** ****). ************, **** levels ** ******* ***** reduction ******** ***** *******, not **** ** ** models.

*** *********** ** *** Starlight **** ** *** among *** **** ** cameras ******, **** **** even ******** ******* ****** backlight ** **** ** darker ***** ** *** scene, ****** **** **** and ********* *********** ******.

*******, *****'* **** ** smart ****** ******* ** significantly ****** ******** ** all ****** ******** ****** ********************* *.***+**** ** *********** ******.

Bosch *** ********* ************

***** ****** *** *********** enhancements ** ***** *** analytics ***** *** ********* 7000 **, ** ***** cameras ******* * ******** processor *** ********* ****. We **** ** **** these ********* **********, ***** their ********** *** **** period ********.

***** ************ ***** ***** a *********** ********* *** Bosch. ** **** ****** this ****** **** ******.

*******

****** ******* ** *** Bosch ********* **** ** is ~$***-**** ***. **** is ********** **** ********* than****' ** ***********/*** *****-***(~$*** ******) ************'* */*" ***********/**/*** **-**********-*(~$*** ******), **** ** which ******* ********** **.

*** * ********** ** these ****** ***** *** IPVM ********** ****:

***** ****** *** **** they **** ***** ************ **** **** ~$*** **** ($***-*** street *****) ***** ******** only "*********" ********* ******* of "***********", *** ***** they ***** ****** ******* low ***** *** *** performance.

Physical ********

** ****** *** ******** construction ** *** ********* 7000 ** **** *****, fairly ******* ** **** and ******** *** ** outdoor **** ******:

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

***** *** **** **** other ***** ******* **** find *** ********* **** web ********* ********, ****** some ******** **** **** rearranged ***** **** *.** versions, *** * *** color ****** ****. ***** are *** *** ****** in *** *** ********* specific ** **** ******:

************** ****, *** ****

*** ********* **** ****** users ** ****** ******* starlight *** *** *****. Switching ******* *** *** requires * ****** *******. This ** ****** ****/**** high *** *******, ***** typically **** *** *** at ***** ** ******* low ***** ***********, *** back ** ****** *** day.

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

*** ** ****** **** introduced ** ******** ******* noise *********, ********* *****, users ****** ****** *** for ***** ***** (********* -7 ** -**), ***** in *** "*******" ******* of *** ****** ****.

DNR ****** ****

** *** *****, *** 7000 ** ********* *********** motion **** *** ** high ******* ***** ********* settings (*** ********* *** (******* ***** Reduction) ******** **** ******* ** this *****). ***** **** that **** **** **** to ******* **** ***** in ****** ******** ***/** adjust ******* ******** ** reduce ****, ****** **** no ********.

*** *******, ***** ******* settings (*** *** ** 0 ** * ***** of -** ** **), the ******* ** **** blurry **** * **** trail ****** ***.

******** ******** *** (-**) reduces *** ****** ** the *******'* *****, *** blur ** ***** ***********, with ******* *******.

*******, ******* ******** *** off, ******** *** ******** are ****** **********, *** high ****** ** ******* noise *** ******** ****** details.

Low ***** ***********

** ****** *** ***** starlight **** ** ******* other *** ***** ***** models ** *** ***** levels, ******** ** ~* lux. **** **** ** the ***** ***** ** have ******** ********** ** cameras, ** **** **** and ********* *********** ****** include ********** ** ** a ***** ***** ******* to *** ***-** ***** Starlight **** **. ***** does *** ***** ** in **** ******.

********** ****** ***** **** taken **** *** ***** starlight ****** *** ** -10 ******** ***** *********.

******** ****** **, ~***

** **** ***** *****, with *** **** (~**), the ***** ********* **** is *** ** *** best **********, **** ***** details ** *** ******* and **** *****, ****** the ********* **** ******** slightly ******.

****** ******* **** *** cameras (~** ***), *** Starlight **** ** ***** performs ****, **** ******* of *** ******* ******* to *** **** *** Hikvision *****, ****** *** test ***** ******* ********** overexposed.

*******, ** * ~** PPF *****, ******* ** the ******* *** ******* in *** ***** *******, with *********** ** ***** legibility ** ***.

******** ****** ***, ~*.****

*** ***** ********* **** performs **** *** ** all *** ***-** ******* in **** ***** ******* outdoor ********, ~*.** ***, with ***** ******* ** the ******* *** ***** 1-3 ** *** **** chart *******. *******, **** integrated ** ******* ******* better ******* ** *** subject *** *****.

******** *** ***** ** view, *** ******* ** difficult ** ******* *** to ******* *****, ***** both ********** ** ****** show ***** ******* ** the ******* *** *-* lines ** *** **** chart.

*******, ****** *******, ** ~28 ***, **** *** integrated ** ****** ******* detection ** *** **** subject.

Color/Non-IR *** *****

** *** *** *** camera ******** ** ***** super *** ***** ****** without *** ******* ** integrated **, ** ****** at ***** ***** ****** with *** ******* ****** into ***** ****.

**** ****** **, ~* lux, *** ********* **** VR ******** *** **** details ** *** ******* and **** *****, ******* to *** **** *****, while ***** ******* **** out *** ******* *** chart.

**** ****** ***, ~*.****, the ********* **** ***** provides *** **** ***** in **** *****, **** the ******* *********** ********* to **** *** ** other *******.

Wide ******* *****

** ****** *** ******* in * ******* ********* scene **** ****** ************, seen *****. **** **** the ****** *** ******** to *** **** *** these *****.

*** ***** ***** ********* camera *** ***** *** best ** **** *****, with **** ******** **** against *** ****** ********* as **** ** ** the ****** **** ** the *****, **** **** overexposure *** ***** **** past ***** ******.

Full ***** ***********

******* ** ** ******** day (~*,*** ***), *** Bosch ********** **** ** performed ********* ** ***** 1080p ******* ** **** range/high ***, **** *****. At **** *****, ******* are ******* ** *** 1080p ******* ******.

** * ***** ***** of ****, **** *** dropping ** ~**, *** Bosch ********* **** ***** performs ********* ** **** 1080p ******, **** ****** test ***** ********** **** the ********* ****, ****** slightly ***** ******* ******* than *** **** *****.

*******, ** ~** ***, overexposure ******* ******* ** the ******* ******** ** the **** *** ********* 1080p *******.

Bandwidth **********

*** ***** ********* **** VR's ******** **** ****** in *** ****** ******** to **** *** ********* competitive ******, ** ** does *** ************ ******** ***** ****** ** (*************.***+).

***** **** ***** *** I ***** ******** ** be *** ** "****", which ******* *** *** when ***** ** **** activity ** *** *****. However, ** *** *****, the ******* * ***** interval ******** *** * seconds ** *** ***** camera, **** ******* **** Axis *** ********* ***** smart ******, ***** *** extend ** ******* ** more.

Test **********

*** ******* **** ****** using ******* ******** ****** otherwise *********, **** *** following ******* ** *** cameras:

  • *.***, ** ***, ~** quantization *** **** ***** to ******** ***** ******
  • */*** ******* ******* *****

*** ***** ****** **** taken ***** -** ******** noise *********, ***** ** our ***** *** ***** recommendations. *** ****** ******** to *, ***** ********* blur ** *** -** used ** *** ****.

*** ********* ******** ******** were ****:

  • **** *****-***: *.**.*
  • ***** ***-****: *.**
  • ***** ***-***: *.**
  • ***** ***-*****: *.**
  • ********* **-**********-*: *.*.*

*********** *.*.*.****** *** **** for *********.

Comments (7)

Daniel Dollinger

10/18/16 05:01pm

Price aside, can we really say this is an apples-to-apples comparison due to the lack of IR? Does anyone know of a good non-IR comparison?

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 10/18/16 05:33pm

There are non-IR color night comparisons in the report:

The Starlight 7000 VR was better than others in that scene.

However, non-IR night has become less common than IR, with over 60% of cameras using integrated IR according to our surveys. Combining that with the fact that competitors are shipping integrated IR models priced similarly or less than the Bosch model, that's why we included IR in these tests. It's the reality of the market in 2016.

Avatar

Attila Szucs

10/19/16 10:10am

Am I the only one who thinks that Hikvision and Axis are the best here, taking into accoutn Ethans comment regarding market reality? I nnot counted pixels, just naked eye experience...

Undisclosed Integrator #1

10/19/16 02:59pm

Is there any reason why I should quote a non-IR fullHD starlight camera for the same price as a 5MP Hik with builtin IR ???

Daniel Dollinger

10/21/16 05:16pm

Image quality and visibility of IR. What range IR does the Hik have? Meaning how bright is it's red glow? Most end users might not notice, but in some environments, this might be a security issue for some particular customers.

Axis uses an 850nm IR led, which is barely visible unless pointing straight at you. External 940nm IRs are also available that are completely invisible.

I've used a Bosch starlight with an external IR spotlight, which was invisible. It gave a consistent image during the night for the entire scene no matter how far away the subject / objects were. Its not a cheap / value setup. Customer was particular.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Daniel Dollinger | 10/21/16 05:31pm

That camera is specified for 40m IR range. In our Hikvision IR tests, their specified ranges (especially in 4 series cameras) have been about accurate.

The Hikvision also uses 850nm IR LEDs, like you mention about Axis. Yes, it's a visible glow. Depending on how far the expected target(s) is/are from the camera, it may give away its location.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Daniel Dollinger | 10/21/16 05:32pm

Thank you for your valuable response, this will be convincing for our high profile clients. I will setup a demo to show the difference.

Did you use the 5MP starlight or thr hd version?

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