Chinese IR Camera Dominance

By Ethan Ace, Published Jun 02, 2015, 12:00am EDT

When contrasting 'Western' and 'Chinese' camera manufacturers, cost is the most obvious but not the only differentiator between the two.

Integrated IR has emerged as an important advantage at the low end, combining with cost to deliver clear advantages.

Using the IPVM Camera Finder, we analyzed how dominant Chinese manufacturers have been here.

Inside, we break down the low cost IR segment, look at historical factors impacting slow western adoption, integrator usage trends, and future prospects.

Dahua/Hikvision *********

******* ************ ** ******* ***** $200, *** ** ** cameras, ** *** *****, Hikvision, ** ***** ****. Only *** ********* ** ******, **** **** of ***** ********-******* ******* from ******, *-****, *** Samsung. 

**** ** ***** *** manufacturers' ********* ** * result ** *** ********* ****** *****, **** ** ********** only * ***** ** these ****** ***** $***.

Historical ***** **********

***** **** * **** or *** ***, ********** IR ************ **** **** as * "*****" ** "gimmicky" ******* ** **** manufacturers. **** **********, **** as ****, *****, ****, etc., ***** ** ** their **** ****, *** included ** **** ** a **** *** ******* in ********* ******. *** example,****' ***** * ****** integrated ** ********* *** $***+, ***** Bosch's ***** ***** *** the **************-** **** ***** ******, **** * ********$*,***+ ***** ***.

**** *****, ***** *************' integrated ** ****** **** for ************* **** **** low **** ****** **** Hikvision, *****, *** ***** OEMs. *** ****** **** IR ***** **** ****, Bosch, *** ****:

***** ****** *** *-** more ********* **** *** cost ** ****** **** Dahua/Hikvision, ********* ** *** range ** $***-***. *****/***** models ******* ***** **** gap, ******* *** ** little ** $**-**.

Market ****** ********** ** 

*******, *** ****** *** taken ** ********** **.

** *** *******, *********** ******** **** a ***** ** *** cameras **** ******** ******** integrated **. 

*******, **** *********** ******** that ****** *** ******* they **** **** ********** IR, *** **** ***** who *** *** ********* use ** ********* **** it *** * ******* trend.

** ******** *** ** compete **** *****, *********, and ****** ** **** market, **** ************* *** simply ************ **** *******.

Low-Cost ** "**** ******" *** ****

**** **** ******* *** issues **** ********** ** found ** ***-**** ******, such ** ********, ****** coverage, *** ********** *****. In *** *******, ** have ***** ***** ****** to ** **** ** many *****.

*******, ******* **, **** low **** ****** **** both ******* *** ******* manufacturers, *** *********** "*****", unable ** ******* * usable ***** ** **** 1-2 ***. **** *****, taken **** * ****** test, ************ ****:

**** **** ** ****, while ******** ******** **** as ***** **** ************ range ** ******** ** are *********, ******* ***** is * ****** *** low **** ** ** well.

Future ******

*** *** *********** ******, we ****** *****/********* ********* of *** **** ********** IR ** ********. **** others, **** ** ******* (with ************ **** ******), ****, *** *-****, have ******** ***** **** models ** *** **** 1-2 *****. *** ***** on *** ******** **** at *** **** *** otherwise, majors **** ** ****, Bosch, ****, ***., ** *** seem ********** ** ********* here.

 

Comments (6)

Chris Dearing

IPVMU Certified | 06/02/15 05:36pm

And when it comes to PTZ's there are apparently none with integrated IR from anyone besides Dahua, Hikvision and Samsung, at ANY price. Strange.

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Chris Dearing | 06/02/15 05:37pm

Bosch recently announced one, but your point remains that the 'West' is even more behind in IR PTZs. That said, PTZs are obviously a niche.

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Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 06/02/15 05:51pm

How about a West/East toggle button in the camera finder for just such comparisons? Seems wrong on the one hand, yet we always are talking about it, so...

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Undisclosed #2

06/03/15 01:21pm

This was a good post. It also underscores why you need to stay current on technology and trends across the board.

A couple of years ago onboard IR LEDs were almost the hallmark of cheap cameras, but that is no longer true. It's like the "CCD is better than CMOS" flawed logic. Things change with time.

I also believe it's important to understand the limitations and tradeoffs of onboard IR vs external IR. Onboard is, to me, most practical for shorter ranges (100' or less usually). You can also end up with more cases of spiderwebs in front of the camera (which, if you're doing motion-based recording can cause a LOT of motion at night and eat up storage). If you're trying to go for longer ranges or larger scenes it's probably best that the lighting design get conscious thought as well instead of just relying on whatever LEDs are on the camera you choose.

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Undisclosed Integrator #3

06/03/15 04:06pm

95% of all of our installs are using IRs. Most cameras can't see in the dark anyways, even $2,000 DSLR cameras have trouble in low light. The idea that all IR cameras are "cheap" is laughable and it just shows me the surveillance integrator's lack of understanding of fundemental camera principles.

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Undisclosed Integrator #3

06/03/15 04:09pm

Another point I'd like to mention... The majority of integrators I speak with don't even understand the basics of Shutterspeed, Whitebalance, and Gain/ ISO sensistivity... Its sad that so many are selling cameras yet they don't understand anything about them.

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