Budget IP Camera Competitive Comparison 2010
This report provides an extensive comparison of budget, home and SMB IP cameras. Inside the premium section, we examine and rank the results of 8 IP cameras available for sale on the Internet (and through Amazon where we purchased most of the cameras).
Vendors Compared
This comparison is based on the following test results:
- Archerfish Solo
- D-Link DCS-920
- Linksys Cisco WVC-80N
- Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000
- Lorex LNE1001
- Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB
- Panasonic BL-C210A
- Trendnet TV-IP110
- Viaas
This collection provides a broad range for very inexpensive ($50) to advanced functionality including analytics, megapixel video and hosted/managed video support.
Criteria Description
The following is a list of the top 10 differentiators for budget / home / SMB IP cameras. We used these differentiators as a starting point to identify patterns within our budget camera tests.
Daytime indoor image quality
The strongest rating was provided to cameras with exceptional indoor image performance for human identification, facial identification, environmental details, vibrant and accurate color representation, and fluid frame rate (up to the maximum the camera can support) under default settings.
Daytime outdoor image quality
The strongest rating was provided to cameras with exceptional outdoor image performance for human identification, vehicle identification, environmental details, vibrant and accurate color representation, and fluid frame rate (up to the maximum the camera can support) under default settings. Considerations were given if the camera featured additional lighting / exposure profiles for outdoor environments.
Low light image quality
The strongest rating was based upon the camera's default low light (measured at 1 lux) performance for human identification, facial identification, and environmental details. Considerations were given if the camera featured additional lighting / exposure profiles.
Codec
The strongest rating was provided to cameras that supported the most bandwidth efficient codec (H.264), and a weak rating was provided for supporting a less bandwidth efficient codec.
Remote access
The strongest rating was provided to cameras that not only support remote access functionality, but automate and maintain the process. An example of a weak rating is when an end user must register a DDNS account, access the network router, and manually port forward network ports so the camera may be accessed from the Internet.
Third party VMS support
The strongest rating was provided to cameras that support "professional" VMS systems (e.g., Milestone, ExacqVision, and Genetec), as well as "budget" systems (e.g., Blue Iris, Argus, and WebcamXP).
Setup simplicity
The strongest rating was provided to cameras that could (A) easily be identified over the network (using its own IP finder application), (B) included a step by step setup wizard (either included in the camera's web interface or as an executable software), (C) simple physical adjustments (lens focusing, mounting considerations).
Advanced features
The strongest rating was provided to cameras that support advanced features like wireless connectivity, Pan / Tilt functionality, video analytics, on board storage, etc.
Price
The strongest rating was provided to cameras with the lowest street price (all cameras on list may be purchased through direct channels). Consideration was given toward ancillary costs (USB extension cables for USB cameras) and recurring fees (monthly VSaaS service charges). No consideration was associated to camera features versus the price.
Included VMS
The strongest rating was provided to systems that offered advanced features (e.g., event monitoring, motion based search) in addition to basic support. A weak rating applies to systems that lack in basic functionality (e.g., live monitoring, searching, exporting video).
Levels
For comparing products, we used the following 6 levels to rate products:
- None: Camera does not support
- Weak: Camera does support, but is of limited use
- Moderately Weak: Camera does support, but has major constraints
- Moderate: Basic support, but not outstanding when compared to competitors
- Moderately Strong: High degree of functionality, but lacking when compared to a few competitors
- Strong: The highest level of functionality compared to competitors
Budget / Home / SMB IP Camera Vendor Overview
The following screencast overviews each of the 8 cameras tested including their strengths and weaknesses:
Budget / Home / SMB IP Camera Recommendations
For a 1 - 2 camera solution where cost is the driving factor, we recommend the D-Link DCS-920 because of its price point of $95 USD, relatively easy setup, and VMS functionalities. The trade-off is in the image quality- especially in low light environments. At a $24 USD price difference, the Linksys\Cisco WVC-80N ($119 USD) will provide better image quality in day and low light, but with the trade-off of price and included VMS functionality.
Another low cost, low camera count solution is the integration of USB cameras for surveillance. Assuming the distance from the surveillance area to your computer is short, then either the Microsoft Lifecam Cinema ($49 USD) or the Logitech HD 9000 ($64 USD) will provide moderately strong video images, but with the trade-offs of not being an inclusive kit (integration will be necessary) and remote access functionality (unless a compatible third party VMS has remote access support).
If the driving factor in your search is for a turnkey solution, we recommend the Viaas camera and hosted service. The user benefits from, (1.) a setup that does not require any IT experience, (2.) convenient access to VMS functions using an Internet browser, and (3.), strong low light performance due to a mechanical cut filter. This comes at a monetary expense of a recurring monthly cost ($9.95 USD/month per camera).
As an alternative, you may want to consider the Lorex LNE1001. Although not as much a turnkey solution in the setup process as the Viaas, the remote access functionalities are notable because very little setup is required to get it up and running. In addition, the remote access service (through third party provider, Yoics) basic plan does not have a recurring cost and does not expire. The main trade-offs to consider is the setup process when compared to Viaas (Lorex is not plug n' play), and its weak included VMS (recording is manual only, and no search functions available).
For a small to medium sized business needing a 4 - 8 camera solution and self maintained VMS, the Panasonic BL-C210A is a notable choice. It's VMS will be adequate for live monitoring, recording, and investigations; In addition, the camera's mechanical pan / tilt functionality will provide additional coverage. This comes at an expense of price ($170 USD), and scalability (third party enterprise level VMS support is lacking).
Master Comparison Table
Vendor | Daytime indoor image quality | Daytime outdoor image quality | Low light image quality | Codec | Remote access | Third party VMS support | Setup simplicity | Advanced features | Price | Included VMS |
Archerfish Solo | Moderately Weak | Weak | Moderately Weak | Strong | Moderate | None | Moderate | Moderately Strong | Weak | Moderate |
D-Link DCS-920 | Moderately Weak | Moderately Weak | Moderately Weak | Weak | Weak | Moderately Weak | Moderately Strong | Moderately Weak | Moderately Strong | Moderately Strong |
Linksys\Cisco WVC-80N | Moderate | Moderate | Moderately Strong | Weak | Moderate | Moderately Weak | Moderately Weak | Moderately Weak | Moderate | Moderately Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Strong | Moderately Strong | Moderately Weak | Weak | None | Moderately Weak | Moderately Strong | None | Moderately Strong | None |
Lorex LNE1001 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderately Strong | Weak | Moderately Strong | Moderately Weak | Moderately Weak | Weak | Moderately Weak | Weak |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Strong | Moderately Strong | Moderately Weak | Weak | None | Moderately Weak | Moderately Strong | None | Moderately Strong | None |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderate | Moderate | Moderately Weak | Moderate | Moderately Weak | Moderately Weak | Weak | Moderately Strong | Moderately Weak | Moderate |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Moderately Weak | Weak | Weak | Weak | Weak | Moderately Weak | Weak | None | Moderately Strong | Moderately Weak |
Viaas | Moderate | Moderately Weak | Strong | Strong | Strong | None | Moderately Strong | Moderately Strong | Moderate | Moderate |
Comparison Tables by Differentiator
Vendor | Daytime indoor image quality |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Strong |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Strong |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderate |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderate |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderate |
Viaas | Moderate |
Archerfish Solo | Moderately Weak |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Moderately Weak |
Vendor | Daytime outdoor image quality |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Strong |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Strong |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderate |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderate |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderate |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Weak |
Viaas | Moderately Weak |
Archerfish Solo | Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Weak |
Vendor | Low light image quality |
Viaas | Strong |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderately Strong |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderately Strong |
Archerfish Solo | Moderately Weak |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Weak |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Weak |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderately Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Weak |
Vendor | Codec |
Archerfish Solo | Stong |
Viaas | Strong |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderate |
D-link DCS-920 | Weak |
Linksys\Cisco | Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Weak |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Weak |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Weak |
Vendor | Remote access |
Viaas | Strong |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderately Strong |
Archerfish Solo | Moderate |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderate |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderately Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Weak |
D-link DCS-920 | Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | None |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | None |
Vendor | Third party VMS support |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Weak |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderately Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Weak |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderately Weak |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Weak |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderately Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Moderately Weak |
Archerfish Solo | None |
Viaas | None |
Vendor | Setup simplicity |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Strong |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Strong |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Strong |
Viaas | Moderately Strong |
Archerfish Solo | Moderate |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderately Weak |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderately Weak |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Weak |
Vendor | Advanced features |
Archerfish Solo | Moderately Strong |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderately Strong |
Viaas | Moderately Strong |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Weak |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderately Weak |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | None |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | None |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | None |
Vendor | Price |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Strong |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | Moderately Strong |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | Moderately Strong |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Moderately Strong |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderate |
Viaas | Moderate |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Moderately Weak |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderately Weak |
Archerfish Solo | Weak |
Vendor | Included VMS |
D-link DCS-920 | Moderately Strong |
Archerfish Solo | Moderate |
Panasonic BL-C210A | Moderate |
Viaas | Moderate |
Linksys\Cisco | Moderately Weak |
Trendnet TV-IP110 | Moderately Weak |
Lorex LNE 1001 | Weak |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 | None |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB | None |
Differentiator Tables for Each Manufacturer
Archerfish Solo |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderately Weak | Video exhibited "interlaced" effect lines around moving objects |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Weak | Image was significantly washed out from natural light |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Weak | Visible noise and color artifacts but fairly bright image |
Codec | Strong | H.264 support |
Remote access | Moderate | UPnP dependent, check network router compatibility |
Third party VMS support | None | Designed as a standalone system |
Setup simplicity | Moderate | Simple setup dependent upon network router support for UPnP and firewall settings |
Advanced features | Moderately Strong | Video analytics, event monitoring, search functions |
Price | Weak | $330 USD. Basic service is free, Premium service is $5 USD / Month + $0.99 for each device |
Included VMS | Moderate | Hosted service UI is accessed through internet browser, simple to navigate, provides live monitoring and playback of video, exporting video is limited to 5 minutes |
D-Link DCS-920 |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderately Weak | Soft details, muddy color representation |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderately Weak | Soft details, muddy color representation, and field of view is too wide for fine details |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Weak | At 1 lux, subject is too dark to see details, but environmental details may bee seen |
Codec | Weak | Supports only MJPEG |
Remote access | Weak | All port forwarding tasks must be performed manually |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Compatible with Luxriot software, but lacks support from enterprise level systems |
Setup simplicity | Moderately Strong | Setup wizard included, and automatic camera discovery worked in all PC setups we tested |
Advanced features | Moderately Weak | Model has wireless G connectivity |
Price | Moderately Strong | $95 USD, one of the most inexpensive budget IP cameras we tested |
Included VMS | Moderately Strong | VMS is a stripped down version of NUUO, which supports basic live monitoring, playback, and exporting. Advanced features include searching (date/time), map support, and scheduling. Software is not compatible with 64 bit operating systems, new version may be downloaded from Internet. |
Linksys/Cisco WVC-80N |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderate | Good image detail and color representation, but under performed on max frame rate |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderate | The camera provides good image quality for general use, but field of view is too wide to view minute details like license plates |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Strong | At 1 lux, image is bright enough to see subject and environmental details |
Codec | Weak | Only MPEG-4 and MJPEG codecs are supported |
Remote access | Moderate | The setup wizard (on the CD) performs port forwarding tasks on the network router and registers the camera to the third party TZO dynamic DNS service |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Compatibile with Luxriot software, but lacks support from Enterprise level systems |
Setup simplicity | Moderately Weak | Includes step by step setup wizard, but automatic camera discovery did not work in all PC setups |
Advanced features | Moderately Weak | Model includes wireless N connectivity, but support is limited to 2.4GHz wireless band |
Price | Moderate | At $119 USD, moderately higher price point than most budget cameras |
Included VMS | Moderately Weak | The monitoring software did not allow video exporting. Basic live monitoring features like changing layouts, image quality control, screen capture, and mic level controls. No instructions or manual provided |
Logitech HD USB Camera Pro 9000 |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderately Strong | Quality comparable to professional IP cameras |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderately Strong | Outdoor quality comparable to professional IP cameras |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Weak | Subject is too dark to see details, but environmental details may bee seen |
Codec | Weak | Supports only MJPEG |
Remote access | None | no remote access functionality through camera |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Most budget VMS systems support USB cameras, but is limited in support for enterprise level systems |
Setup simplicity | Moderately Strong | USB is plug n' play, no technical experience necessary, but consideration is necessary for wall or ceiling mounting |
Advanced features | None | No notable advanced features |
Price | Moderately Strong | $64 USD. Competitively priced even with the added cost of USB extension cabling |
Included VMS | None | Provided CD includes installation drivers, and non applicable social/entertainment software |
Lorex LNE1001 |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderate | Clear details, with good color representation |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderate | Image washed out under default profile; Change to "outdoor" profile in lighting settings |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Strong | At 1 lux, image is bright enough to see subject and environmental details |
Codec | Weak | Only MPEG-4 and MJPEG codecs are supported |
Remote access | Moderately Strong | Remote access available through third party service, but registration to service is performed manually on camera interface |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Camera connected to NUUO and Blue Iris, but lacks enterprise level vms support |
Setup simplicity | Moderately Weak | No setup wizard, but step by step printed instructions are included. Automatic camera discovery did not work in all PC setups |
Advanced features | Weak | Model has an audio jack for speaker output |
Price | Moderately Weak | $130 USD. Moderately higher price point than most budget cameras |
Included VMS | Weak | Software is very limited in functionality (manual recording, no search, no formal video exporting) and relies entirely on the automatic camera discovery utility (no manual input of camera's ip address) |
Microsoft Lifecam Cinema USB |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderately Strong | Quality comparable to professional IP cameras |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderately Strong | Outdoor quality comparable to professional IP cameras |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Weak | Subject is too dark to see details, but environmental details may bee seen |
Codec | Weak | Supports only MJPEG |
Remote access | None | no remote access functionality through camera |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Most budget VMS systems support USB cameras, but is limited in support for enterprise level systems |
Setup simplicity | Moderately Strong | USB is plug n' play, no technical experience necessary, but consideration is necessary for wall or ceiling mounting |
Advanced features | None | No notable advanced features |
Price | Moderately Strong | $49 USD. Competitively priced even with the added cost of USB extension cabling |
Included VMS | None | Provided CD includes installation drivers, and non applicable social/entertainment software |
Panasonic BL-C210A |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderate | Clear details, with good color representation |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderate | The camera provides good image quality for general use, but field of view is too wide to view minute details like license plates |
Low light image quality |
Moderately Weak | At 1 lux, camera suffers from noise artifacts, but environmental details may be seen |
Codec | Moderate | Supports H264, MPEG-4, and MJPEG, but H.264 stream is not supported in third party VMS |
Remote access | Moderately Weak | Automatic port forwarding did not work in our tests. Camera uses its own DDNS service, but relies upon UPnP for automatic port forwarding tasks, which may not work in all network setups |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Compatible with Luxriot, Blue Iris, and Argus, but lacks support from enterprise level systems |
Setup simplicity | Weak | No setup wizard, and automatic camera discovery did not work in all PC setups we tested |
Advanced features | Moderately Strong | Camera includes pan / tilt functionality and multiple sensors for motion, sound, and temperature |
Price | Moderately Weak | $170 USD. Higher price point than most budget IP cameras |
Included VMS | Moderate | Two versions of monitoring software included on CD, but both do not support the camera's H.264 stream. Both versions share functionalities of live monitoring, manual recording, motion based recording, alarm/sensor based recording, search, and video exporting |
Trendnet TV-IP110 |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderately Weak | Soft details, muddy color representation |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Weak | At default configuration, daylight causes image to be washed out |
Low light image quality |
Weak | At 1 lux, video quality is severely dark, so no details can be observed |
Codec | Weak | Supports only MJPEG |
Remote access | Weak | All port forwarding tasks must be performed manually |
Third party VMS support | Moderately Weak | Compatible with Luxriot software, but lacks support from enterprise level systems |
Setup simplicity | Weak | Basic setup wizard on web interface, automatic camera discovery did not work in all PC setups we tested |
Advanced features | None | No notable advanced features |
Price | Moderately Strong | $73 USD. One of the most inexpensive budget IP cameras we tested |
Included VMS | Moderately Weak | By default, recording is manual, but a recording schedule may be set up. Does not support searching, and exporting clips is done manually by navigating to directory folder |
Viaas |
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Criteria | Strength | Description |
Daytime indoor image quality | Moderate | Good image detail |
Daytime outdoor image quality |
Moderately Weak | Good image detail, but colors look muted |
Low light image quality |
Strong | Camera has a mechanical cut filter, strong nighttime performance at 0.3 lux, light sources appear slightly washed out |
Codec | Strong | H.264 support |
Remote access | Strong | No port forwarding setup necessary |
Third party VMS support | None | This is a VSaaS device; This is meant to integrate with its own hosting service |
Setup simplicity | Moderately Strong | No IT experience required, but focusing the camera's lens may be challenging |
Advanced features | Moderately Strong | MicroSD card support, bandwidth shaping functionality, vari focal lens, live and recorded video support for viewing on mobile devices |
Price | Moderate | $99.95 USD. Monthly service is $9.95 USD |
Included VMS | Moderate | Hosted service UI is accessed through internet browser, no option for continuous recording, multiple search options, exporting is done via selecting tagged events, basic case management functionality |