Dahua 12MP Fisheye Camera Tested (NK8BR4)

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on May 16, 2018

Continuing our coverage of 12MP sensor fisheye cameras, we bought and tested the Dahua NK8BR4, examining:

  • Default vs. Optimized settings
  • Smart PSS integration/dewarping
  • Third party VMS dewarping
  • Full light image quality
  • Low light/IR image quality
  • IR illumination range
  • Smart codec support
  • Bandwidth consumption
  • Physical construction

Readers should see our tests of other 12MP image fisheye models, including:

In the next month, we will publish a shootout amongst all of those cameras and more models still to be tested.

********** *** ******** ** **** ****** ******* *******, ** ****** and ****** ******** ******, *********:

  • ******* **. ********* ********
  • ***** *** ***********/*********
  • ***** ***** *** *********
  • **** ***** ***** *******
  • *** *****/** ***** *******
  • ** ************ *****
  • ***** ***** *******
  • ********* ***********
  • ******** ************

******* ****** *** *** ***** ** ***** **** ***** ******* models, *********:

** *** **** *****, ** **** ******* * ******** ******* all ** ***** ******* *** **** ****** ***** ** ** tested.

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

*******

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

  • **** ** ********/*****:*** ****** ********** ** *********** ******** ****** ***** **** **** fisheye ********** ******, **** **** ****** ********* ** *** ***** at *** ***** (**** ***** ********* ********).
  • *.*** ***********:*.*** ******* ****** **** ** ****** ** *****, *******, *********, and ******* *****, **** ******* ********* **** **** *.*** ** cameras ** **** ******.
  • ***** *** ********* *****:*****'* *** ***, ***** *** ******* ********** ********* ***** (******** view *****, ***** *******, *** *********) *** ********* ** *****-***** VMS, **** ****** ********** ** ******** ** ********** ******* *******, which *** ** ****** *** *************/********** *****.
  • ***** ****** **** *********:******-**** ********* ****** ******** *** ******* ***** ** ***** ***** VMSes ***** *** *********** *** (*****, *******, *********) *** ********* using ********* *********.

*** **** ******** ** *** ****** ** *** ******* *** its *** ** *** ********** ******* ********, ***** ************* ******* low ***** ***** *******, **** ******** ********* ** ****** ** ~20' ******** *** *** ******. *******, ***** ********* ********/**** ******** and ******** ******* ***, ********* ****** ******* *************, **** ******** easier ** ******* *** *** ********** ***** ***********.

***** ********** **** *** ****** *** ***** ******** ******* *** not **** **** ***** ******** *** ** *****, ****** ********* or ***** ********** ** **** ***********.

*******

*** ****** ***** *** ~$*** *** ******, ********** **** ********* than *********** ******, **** ** *** **** *****-**** (~$***), *** slightly **** ********* **** *********'* **-********-** (~$***).

Physical **********

*** ****** ** ******* ** **** *** **** ****** ** other ******* ****** ******, *** *** *** *** ***********:

  • ***** ****:*** ***** ******* **** * ~*' ***** ****, ***** **** other **** ****** ****** **** *********** ******** ** *** ******. In **** ***********,*********** **** ******* ******* ******* ******* ***** *****.
  • **** ******* *******:***** **** ***** ****** ****** *** ** **** ******* * black *****, ***** ******** ***** ***** ********, *** ***** ***** places **** ******* ** *** *******. **** **** **** ** mainly ** ********** *****, ** ** *** ** *********** *********** between ***** ****** ** **** ** ***** *****.

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

Default ******** ****** *** ***** ***********

*** ****** ******** ** "****" ******** ****, ***** ****** ********* gain ******* *** ******* *** ***** ***********. ***** ** *** testing, ** ********* *** *** ******** *******:

  • *** "******" ******** ****, ***** ****** ******* *** **** ** be *** ****** ******** ****** (*-**** *** *-***% ************).

  • ****** *** (******* **** ** **** *****), ***** ******** ******* image ********** ** ********** ******** ** **** ***** ** *** scene. **** **** **** ****** *** ****** **** **** ******, such ** ***** ****, ***** ** *** ********** *****.

***** ************ ** ********** *** ********** ****** ** ********* ********, with ******** ******* ** *** **** ** *** **** (~**' distance) ***** **** **** ********** **** ********* ** ******, ** possible ** ***.

******* ***** ******* ** ******* ********** ******* *** ********* ** the ******, ** **** **** ********* ****** ** *********** *****. The ***** ******** ** **** ****** ** ****** ********** ** improvements ** **********.

Imaging ***********

** ***** *****, *** ****** ***** ***** ******* ** *** subject ** **** ***** *** **** ****** (**** ** **), with * ******** ********* ** ******* ****** ** ***** *** light ****** (~*.***). **** **** *** ****** *** *** ********** the ******* ** **** *****, ********* ** **** ****** *****.

******** ******** ** ~**', ******* ******* ****** ****** ****** *** day. *******, *** ***** *** ****/** ******* **** *************, ********** in *** ***** *****, ***** *** *******'* **** ** ***** roughly ************ ** *** **** **** ** **.

Even ** ********

*** ***** **** *******'* ********** ** ************ *** ********** ****** bright, **** *** ***** ** *** ***** ** **** (**** as *** **** **** *****) ******.

*******, ****** **** ****** ******, *** ****** ********** *********** *** subject ** *** **** ** *** ****, ** ~**' *****. Most **** ******** ****** ** *** (**** *** ********* ** the**** *****) **** ****** ** *** ******** ** **** ********.

Smart *** *********

*****'* ***** *** ******** ******** ****** **** ********* ** *** NK8BR4 *** ***** ***** ******* ******, **** ******* **** ***** not **** ** ***** ***** *****, **** ** ******** ******** view ***** (*, *, *) ** * ****** ****, ** well ** *** ******* ** ***** ** *** ******** ** panorama ***** ** ****/**** *** ******* *** ******, ****** *********** faster *** ******.

VMS ****** **** ********* ***** ***********

** *** *****, *** ****** *** ******** ***** *** *********** driver ** *****, *******, *** *********. *******, ** ** *** listed ** ** *********** ******* ****** ** *********** *** ***** tells ** **** ** **** *** *** ** *********** ****, so **** ********* *** *** ** ******** ** *** **** geometry.

******-**** ********* ** ******** *** *** *********. *** *** ****** did *** ***** *** ******.

******* ***** **** *** *** *********** ********* ********* ******, ***** worked ******* ***** ** *** *****.

H.265 ******* ** *****/*******/*********/*********

*** ******'* *.*** ****** *** ********* ** *****, *******, *** Network ***** ******* *****, **** ** ********** ***** ******** ***** than ****** *** ****** ** *** ***, **** ** ******** stream ********* ** ****** *************.

**** ****** *** ****** ** ********* ******** ***** *.***, *** stream ****** ** ******** *** *** ****** *** ********* ***** to ********** ** ****** ** *.*** ** *** ******** ********** Client. *** ***** ** ****** *** ****** ** ***** ****** our *******. **** **** ** ********, *.*** ****** ******* ***** in ********.

Smart ***** *******

*** ***** ******** *****'****** *.***/*.***+ ***** *****. ** **** ***** ***** ***** ***** *******, ** ******* for ************* *** ********, ****** **/***, ****** ****** **** ****** ********* *,******** **** ***** *****, *********'* ***** ****** ***, ***** ***** ************* ** ******* ******** (*** ******, ***********, and *********).

***** *****'* ***** *****, *.***/*.*** ******** ********* ** **-**% ** day *** ***** ****** ******** ** ***-***** ****** (***** *.***+ vs. *.***, ***** *.***+ **. *.***).

Firmware/Software ******** ****

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

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

Comments (4)

Undisclosed Distributor #1

05/16/18 09:11pm

*** *** **** ** ******* ********* ******* ** * ***-*** lobby **** ***** ******* ** **** *** *** ***** *** (wdr)? ***’* ****.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #1 | 05/17/18 02:16am

** **** * ***** ** **** ** *** ** ************* faces *****, ** ***'* ************ *****. *** *** **********, ** might ** ****. ** **** ********* **** ** ******* ** open ********* **** *** * *** **** ****** *****.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 05/19/18 10:45am

* **** ***** **** *** **** *******! (***!) * ******* this ***** ** ****** *** **** ** *** ***** **-***-******** model, ***** **** * ******** ******. ***** *** ** *** Dahua *** **** *** ***** ** **** *** *******/**** ****. If **, ** **** **** ***** **** ***** *** * few ***** *** **** ** *******. **** **** **** ** small ******** *****. ** ********* ****** *** *******/****** ********. *** biggest ******** ** *** ****** ** *** ***** ******** ** the ***** ******** *****. ** ** * ****!

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 05/19/18 05:12pm

* ******* **** ***** ** ****** *** **** ** *** older **-***-******** *****, ***** **** * ******** ******.

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

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

Video Analytics Integration Guide on Aug 16, 2018
Video analytics is hot again (at least conceptually) but integrating video analytics with VMSes can be challenging. This is especially significant...
ISS VMS / Video Analytics Company Profile on Aug 16, 2018
Who is ISS? In the past few months, they had one of the craziest ISC West promo items in years. Then, they hired industry veteran and ex-Dahua...
Cut Milestone Licensing Costs 80% By Using Hikvision and Dahua NVRs (Tested) on Aug 13, 2018
Enterprise VMS licensing can be quite expensive, with $200 or more per channel common, meaning a 100 camera system can cost $20,000 in VMS...
Uniview Intrusion Analytics and VMD Tested on Aug 13, 2018
IPVM's IP Camera Analytics Shootout featuring Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision created some ill will with a Uniview distributor who...
Hikvision PanoVu Mini Tested (Multi-imager + PTZ For ~$500) on Aug 07, 2018
Hikvision has released their first PanoVu Mini multi imager, the PanoVu DS-2PT3326IZ-DE3, with four 1080p imagers, including a PTZ and integrated...
Bluebox Video UK Startup Profile on Aug 06, 2018
One UK startup, Bluebox Video has designed, developed and is manufacturing their own streaming video wall appliances. To the right is a picture of...
Zenitel/ Stentofon Turbine IP Intercom Tested on Aug 06, 2018
IPVM has published reports testing an Axis door station and a Hikvision door station (tested). However, those companies are new entrants to this...
Panasonic 9MP Panoramic Fisheye Tested (WV-X4571L) on Aug 02, 2018
Panasonic has released their latest fisheye camera, the WV-X4571L, with 12MP sensor and 9MP resolution, claiming "extreme image quality" under...
Genetec Self-Discloses Critical Vulnerability on Jul 31, 2018
In an unprecedented move for the video surveillance industry, Genetec has self-disclosed a critical software vulnerability across Security Center...
Milestone / Canon Spinout Arcules Cloud Launch on Jul 30, 2018
Canon and Milestone's VSaaS Startup spinoff Arcules launched their platform at Google Cloud Next. IPVM spoke with CEO Andreas Pettersson about the...

Most Recent Industry Reports

2Gig Gun Lock / Motion Detector Tested on Aug 17, 2018
Safer guns for families and an opportunity for security dealers to sell more services? That is the aim of Nortek's 2GIG 'Gun Motion Detector'...
Video Analytics Integration Guide on Aug 16, 2018
Video analytics is hot again (at least conceptually) but integrating video analytics with VMSes can be challenging. This is especially significant...
Hikvision IP Camera Critical Vulnerability 2018 Disclosed on Aug 16, 2018
The same day that the US government passed a prohibition on Hikvision cameras, Hikvision disclosed a critical vulnerability for its IP...
ISS VMS / Video Analytics Company Profile on Aug 16, 2018
Who is ISS? In the past few months, they had one of the craziest ISC West promo items in years. Then, they hired industry veteran and ex-Dahua...
Chinese OEM Avycon Gets ADI Push on Aug 15, 2018
Who is Avycon? An American company? A Korean company? A couple of guys relabelling Chinese products? The latter is the best explanation. While...
Backboxes for Video Surveillance Tutorial on Aug 15, 2018
Backboxes are a necessity in surveillance, whether for managing cable whips, recessing cameras, adding wireless radios. But it can be confusing to...
Genetec Stratocast / Comcast 'Motion Insights' Examined on Aug 15, 2018
Comcast recently announced "SmartOffice Motion Insights", an extension to their Genetec OEMed cloud video service (covered by IPVM here). This...
SimpliSafe Violating California, Florida, and Texas Licensing Laws on Aug 14, 2018
IPVM has verified that DIY security system provider SimpliSafe, founded in 2006 and acquired in June of 2018 at a billion dollar valuation, is...
Ban of Dahua and Hikvision Is Now US Gov Law on Aug 13, 2018
The US President has signed the 2019 NDAA into law, banning the use of Dahua and Hikvision (and their OEMs) for the US government, for US...
Cut Milestone Licensing Costs 80% By Using Hikvision and Dahua NVRs (Tested) on Aug 13, 2018
Enterprise VMS licensing can be quite expensive, with $200 or more per channel common, meaning a 100 camera system can cost $20,000 in VMS...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact