Cold Weather Dome Test

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Jan 25, 2018

Cameras frequently cite super low-temperature specs, with -30° or even -40° common. But to see how popular dome models actually handle real world winter conditions, we tested six common models from Axis and Hikvision during two weeks of January weather, as low as 0° F, with snow, sleet, and rain.

Weather During Testing

During a week of testing, daytime highs averaged below 20° F, with nighttime lows as low as 1°F/-18°C, and in single digits for 4 of 7 days:

During testing we also received several inches of snow, as well as sleet and ice, which collected on top of the cameras.

******* ********** **** ***** ***-*********** *****, **** -**° ** **** -40° ******. *** ** *** *** ******* **** ****** ******** handle **** ***** ****** **********, ** ****** *** ****** ****** from **** *** ********* ****** *** ***** ** ******* *******, as *** ** *° *, **** ****, *****, *** ****.

Weather ****** *******

****** * **** ** *******, ******* ***** ******** ***** **° F, **** ********* **** ** *** ** *°*/-**°*, *** ** single ****** *** * ** * ****:

****** ******* ** **** ******** ******* ****** ** ****, ** well ** ***** *** ***, ***** ********* ** *** ** the *******.

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

*******

****** *** *****, **** *** ***** ****** ********** ** *** temperatures, *** ********* **-**********-*. **** ****** ********** **** *******, ********, and ****** ** ****** ** **** ******* ** *****. *******, no ***** ********* ****** ****** ** **** (** ** ****'* past ******* ** ****** **********) *** ***** ******, ** ***** results *** *** ** ********** ** ** ***** **** ***** cameras ** *******, **** **** ******** *****.

*** ***** ******* ****** ** *** ************ ******** ****** *******, the **** *****-*** ** ** *** *** ********* ****, * standard ** ****. **** ******** ***** ** *** ********* **** and **** ** *** **** *****.

** ***** ******* ********* ****** ****** *******, **** ** **** in ******** ***** ** ******* ******.

Windchill *** * ******

**** **** ********* **** *** ****** ********* ******* **** ** cameras *** **** ** ** **** ****** *** *******. ********* only ********* *** **** ******* ****, *** ****** ****** *********** below *******. ** ** *** ********* ** -**, *** *** air *********** ******* **** ** +*, * ****** **** ***** drop ***** +*°. *******, ** *** ******** *** ****** ** time ******* **** ***, ***** ***** **** * ******** ****** on ********* *********.

*** ************ ** **** ****** *** *******, *** ********* *** windchill.

Camera *******

***** ***** ** ******* ******* ** ************ ** ~**° *** below, *** ********* **** ******, ***** ******** *** ***** ******, then ******* ** ******* ** *****. ** ***** ****** **** seen ***** ** **** *********, **** ***** ****** ******** ** one *****, ***** **** ** *****:

***** ******** *** **** ****** *** ** ** **** ***********, it ***** ****** ******* *****.

***** **** **** *******, *** **** *****-*** ** ** ******** once ****** *** ******* *** *** ********* **** ******** ** two ******** **** **** ************ **** ********** ***, ***** **** no ****** **** ***** ** *******.

No ***** ** ******** *********

*** ******* **** ********* ***** ******* ** ***** *** ***** of ******** ****** *****/********, *** **** *** *****. **** **** all ******* **** ****/** *****, *** ********/******* *** ***** ***** to ******, ********** **** **** ********** ** *** ** *** cameras.

What *** ** ****?

** ****** **** ** ********, ***** ****** ****** ******* **** built-in *******, ***** *** ** ********* ** *** ******* **** number (*.*., * -* ** *** ****** ** * ********* camera) *** *** **** ** ****** ** ****** *****/*** ***** (below). ** ** *****, ***** ****** ******* ******* ***** ******** camera ******** * ****** **** *** ************.

** ******* *** ************ (***** *° */-**° *) *** ********, third ***** ******** (*** *** ******) *** ** **** ***** ******* **** ****** ******* ******** than *******' **-***** ***********, *** ***** **** *** *********** ****, ~$500+, ***** ******* *** ***** ** **** *******.

******** ******* ** *****/******* *** **** ********, ** ****, ** some **** *** ******** **** *** ******** ********. *******, **** should *** ** ****** **** ** ************ *** ********* ***** freezing.

Future ******* *******

**** **** **** **** *** ********* ** ** ******* **** weather ****, ***** ** ****** **** ** *** *** *****, as**** ** ******* **** *********** ********* ******* ******** *******.

** **** ** **** **** ** *** ******, ********* ********* camera ******, ******, *** **** *************. ***** ** **** *********** in *** ******** *****.

Poll: ****** **** ******* ** ****?

**** *** **** ****** **** ******* *******, **********, ** ********* acting ***** ****** **** **** *******? **** ** *** **** and **** ** **** ********** ** *** ******** *****:

Comments (22)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

01/25/18 05:47pm

** ***** * **** **** ** **** **** **** ******? Many *** ********* *** * ******* * *** ********** **** in *** ****-** *****

Avatar

Rob Kilpatrick

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 01/25/18 10:23pm

*** ******* **** **** **** ** **** **** ***:

**** *****-*** ** **
********* **-**********-*
********* **-**********-*
**** *****-*** ****
********* **-*********-*
********* **-**********-*

Avatar

Will Van Wickler

01/25/18 06:04pm

***** ****. ** *** ****** ** *** * *** ** bad ** **** ******* *** ***** *** **** *** ****. One ********* **** ***** ** *** ********. **** ***** **** had * ****** *** * ****** ****** **.

Michael Miller

In reply to Will Van Wickler | 01/25/18 06:11pm

*** **** * ********* *** ******?

Avatar

Will Van Wickler

In reply to Michael Miller | 01/26/18 02:12pm

*** ** ***.

Mike Parker

01/25/18 06:17pm

** ****** * **** ******* ***** *** **** ** * winter. *** ****** *** ** * ***** **** ** ***** Dakota. *** **** ******** ********* **** *** ****** *** ****** losing ***** - **, ** *** *******, *** * ****** problem. ******** ***** *****, ** **********, ***** ********** ********... **** one *** *** **** ******* ** ** ***** **** ** was ********** **** *** ***** **** *** *** ****** - also ******* *** ** *** **** - ***** **** **** completely ** **** *******.

*'* *** **** * ***** **** *** **** **** ***** doesn't *****. ******* ******** ****, ***** **** **** ******* * combination ** ********* *** **********. *** ***** ***** *** ** aluminum **** *** ******* ******* ******** ** ***** ** **** for **** **** ******. * ****** ****** ****** ***** **** convective **** - ** *** **** ** **** *****, ***'* we?

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Mike Parker | 01/25/18 09:34pm

*'* *** **** * ***** **** *** **** **** ***** doesn't *****. ******* ******** ****, ***** **** **** ******* * combination ** ********* *** **********. *** ***** ***** *** ** aluminum **** *** ******* ******* ******** ** ***** ** **** for **** **** ******. * ****** ****** ****** ***** **** convective **** - ** *** **** ** **** *****, ***'* we?

** ****** *** **** *** **** * ****** ***, ** will ***** ******.

Undisclosed #2

01/25/18 08:31pm

**** * ****** - ******* ********* **** ***** ***** ********.

Avatar

Mark Palka

IPVMU Certified | 01/25/18 09:30pm

** **** **** ***** ** ******** ****** *** ** **** hit -** ** **** *** * *** ******** *** *** great ****** ** **** ** ***** *** ******* *** ******* we *** **** ****** *********** ** **** *** ******* ** the **** ** * ******** ** ******* ** * **** that **** *** **** **** ** *** ***** ****. **** its ***** **** *** ***** *** **** ***** *** ***** the *********** **** *** ******** * ***'* **** ***

Avatar

Brian Levy

01/26/18 04:08am

* **** *** ****** **** *** ****, ****, *** ****. I ******* **** * *** ** **** ***** ******* **** trouble **** ***** ******* **** ** ******* **** ***** *** freezes. *** **** ****** * *** *******, ***** ******** ** cold ************, ***** *** ***** ** ***** ** *** **** is **** *********** ** ********. * **** *** ****** ******* and **** ********* ** ******** *********** *** ************. **** * was ****** * *** ** ***** ******* ******** * **** a ***** ** ********** ******* **** ***** ** **** ******** camera *********. * **** ***** **** ******* ******* ** ***** are **** ********** ** ******* ******, * **** ** ******** makes * *** ********** ** ********* *****. * **** ******* quality ************ ******* *** **** *** **** ***** ****** **** the **** *** *****. * ** **** *** ** ********** NEMA ********** *********** *** ** ******* ** ******* *** ********* or *** ******** ********.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

01/26/18 10:28am

**! ** **** **** ******* *** ******* ******* ** ***** for ******* ***** ** *** **** ***** ** ****** ***** the *********** ******* ***** -** ******* (-***) *** **** ****** of ***** *** **** *** ******* ** *** **** ***** of ****** ******. ** ** ******* * *** ** **** at ***** ****** **** *** ** *** ** **** *** NO ********.

//*******

Avatar

David Johnson

01/26/18 07:03pm

* **** *** **** ******* - *** **** * ****** - **'* ** **** *****'* **** ** ******** ********** ;)

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 01/27/18 01:19am

** **** **** ****** ** **** ******* **** **** *** switches **** ** ** **** *******.

** ****** **** *********** ******* **** ***** *** ***** ****** would ****** ** *** ****.

****, *** ****** *** * ******** ******* ****** ** * NEMA *** ******** **** *** **** ****** ***** ********. ** have ***** ********* ** ******* ** **** * ****** ****** unit.

Damith Jayasinghe

01/28/18 11:41pm

*** *** **** ** *********, ** *** **** *** ******** problem ****** ********** ** *** *******.

Avatar

Guilherme Barandas

01/29/18 10:31am

** ***** ******** ** *** *********** ****** ** *** ******* EH ****** *** ** **** ** ******** **** *** ******* (mainly ********* ** ***************). -** ** -** *.
** **** ********* ******* **** ******* *** **** * ***** in *************, ******* *** *******.

Avatar

Larry Williams

In reply to Guilherme Barandas | 06/15/18 11:30am

**** ***** ******* *** *** ***** ** *** *************?

** ***** ******** ** *** *********** ****** ** *** ******* EH ****** *** ** **** ** ******** **** *** ******* (mainly ********* ** ***************). -** ** -** *.
** **** ********* ******* ****Vivotek *** **** * ***** ** *************, ******* *** *******

Sam Hightower

01/29/18 05:26pm

****** *** **** * *** ***** **** ** ******** ** did *** *** ** ***** **** *** ** *** *** 2142s ** *** **** **** ** **** ******* *** ****. I *** ****** **** **** * **** ******* ** *** time ** ***** ****** ******* ** *** *** ** *** street ** *** ****.

Undisclosed Integrator #5

01/30/18 04:29am

* **** ** *** ** *** ******* ***** ******* ** Earth. ******* ********* -*** ** -***. **** *** ** *** one ******* **** *** ****.

*** **** * ********* ** *** *** ** ***** **** from * ******** **** *****. **** *** *** ** **** out.

Avatar

Brian Levy

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #5 | 01/30/18 01:24pm

*’* ******* ** *** **** **** *** ***** ******* **** ice? ********** *** ********* ** ****? ** *** ****** *** be **** *** **** *** *** **** **********.

Sam Hightower

In reply to Brian Levy | 01/30/18 03:59pm

* *** * ****** ** * **** ****** **** *** over ****** ******** ****, *** **** *** *** **** *** I **** ********** *** **** ****** **. **** *** *** came *** ** ****** **** **** *******

Undisclosed Integrator #5

In reply to Brian Levy | 02/05/18 10:33pm

*** *** ******, ********* ******* ***** **** **** ** * magnet *** **** *** *** *******. ***** ****** ***** ** their ************ ***'* ****** ****** **** *** *** ** *****. It's ****** *********** ********* ** *** *** ***** ****'** *******. One **** ****** *** ** ** *** * ****** ******* on * ****** **** ******** ** * ******* **** ***** occasionally *** **** ***** ** ** *** ****, *********** *** view. **** *** ******, ***** **** *** ****. ******** **** two ** ***** ***** * ***** ** ***** * ***** and ****** ****** *** **** *********.

Undisclosed Integrator #6

01/30/18 01:26pm

* ******** ** *** ** ************ ** ** ** ***** ago **** ****** ******* *** ******* ** ** ********** ******* warehouse. *** ******* *** ******* *** ** ****** *** ******** with *** ******* **********, *** *** **** **** *** ********* on *** ***** **** ******* ***** ***** * **** ** so ** ***** **** *** ** **** ***** **** *** tried ** ******* **.

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