Dahua 12MP Fisheye Camera Tested (NK8BR4)

By: 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.

********** *** ******** ** 12MP ****** ******* *******, we ****** *** ****** the***** ******, *********:

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

******* ****** *** *** tests ** ***** **** image ******* ******, *********:

** *** **** *****, we **** ******* * shootout ******* *** ** those ******* *** **** models ***** ** ** tested.

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

*******

*** ****** *** ******* positives ** *** *****:

  • **** ** ********/*****:*** ****** ********** ** illuminator ******** ****** ***** than **** ******* ********** tested, **** **** ****** darkening ** *** ***** at *** ***** (**** using ********* ********).
  • *.*** ***********: *.*** ******* ****** **** no ****** ** *****, Genetec, *********, *** ******* Optix, **** ******* ********* than **** *.*** ** cameras ** **** ******.
  • ***** *** ********* *****:*****'* *** ***, ***** PSS ******* ********** ********* modes (******** **** *****, split *******, *** *********) not ********* ** *****-***** VMS, **** ****** ********** by ******** ** ********** viewing *******, ***** *** be ****** *** *************/********** users.
  • ***** ****** **** *********:******-**** ********* ****** ******** and ******* ***** ** third ***** ***** ***** the *********** *** (*****, Genetec, *********) *** ********* using ********* *********.

*** **** ******** ** the ****** ** *** testing *** *** *** of *** ********** ******* settings, ***** ************* ******* low ***** ***** *******, with ******** ********* ** detect ** ~**' ******** and *** ******. *******, after ********* ********/**** ******** and ******** ******* ***, nighttime ****** ******* *************, with ******** ****** ** discern *** *** ********** fully ***********.

***** ********** **** *** camera *** ***** ******** changes *** *** **** that ***** ******** *** an *****, ****** ********* or ***** ********** ** poor ***********.

*******

*** ****** ***** *** ~$700 *** ******, ********** less ********* **** *********** models, **** ** *** Axis *****-**** (~$***), *** slightly **** ********* **** Hikvision's **-********-** (~$***). 

Physical **********

*** ****** ** ******* in **** *** **** factor ** ***** ******* models ******, *** *** two *** ***********:

  • ***** ****:*** ***** ******* **** a ~*' ***** ****, while **** ***** **** models ****** **** *********** directly ** *** ******. In **** ***********,*********** **** ******* ******* cameras ******* ***** *****. 
  • **** ******* *******:***** **** ***** ****** locate *** ** **** beneath * ***** *****, which ******** ***** ***** location, *** ***** ***** places **** ******* ** the *******. **** **** this ** ****** ** aesthetics *****, ** ** saw ** *********** *********** between ***** ****** ** this ** ***** *****.

** ****** ***** *** other ******** ** **** overview *****:

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

*** ****** ******** ** "Auto" ******** ****, ***** limits ********* **** ******* and ******* *** ***** performance. ***** ** *** testing, ** ********* *** key ******** *******:

  • *** "******" ******** ****, ***** allows ******* *** **** to ** *** ****** specific ****** (*-**** *** 0-100% ************).

  • ****** *** (******* **** in **** *****), ***** improves ******* ***** ********** by ********** ******** ** dark ***** ** *** scene. **** **** **** change may ****** **** **** detail, **** ** ***** text, ***** ** *** comparison *****. 

***** ************ ** ********** are ********** ****** ** detecting ********, **** ******** visible ** *** **** of *** **** (~**' distance) ***** **** **** previously **** ********* ** detect, ** ******** ** all.

******* ***** ******* ** overall ********** ******* *** usability ** *** ******, we **** **** ********* images ** *********** *****. The ***** ******** ** fine ****** ** ****** outweighed ** ************ ** brightness.

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

** ***** *****, *** NK8BR4 shows ***** ******* ** the ******* ** **** light *** **** ****** (with ** **), **** a ******** ********* ** subject ****** ** ***** low ***** ****** (~*.***). Note **** *** ****** did *** ********** *** subject ** **** *****, discussed ** **** ****** below.

******** ******** ** ~**', ******* details ****** ****** ****** the ***. *******, *** light *** ****/** ******* drop *************, ********** ** low ***** *****, ***** the *******'* **** ** still ******* ************ ** the **** **** ** on.

Even ** ********

*** ***** **** *******'* integrated ** ************ *** moderately ****** ******, **** the ***** ** *** field ** **** (**** as *** **** **** below) ******.

*******, ****** **** ****** tested, *** ****** ********** illuminated *** ******* ** the **** ** *** room, ** ~**' *****. Most **** ******** ****** so *** (**** *** exception ** ******* *****) **** ****** ** see ******** ** **** distance.

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

*****'* ***** *** ******** includes ****** **** ********* of *** ****** *** other ***** ******* ******, with ******* **** ***** not **** ** ***** party *****, **** ** multiple ******** **** ***** (2, *, *) ** a ****** ****, ** well ** *** ******* to ***** ** *** overview ** ******** ***** to ****/**** *** ******* PTZ ******, ****** *********** faster *** ******.

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

** *** *****, *** NK8BR4 *** ******** ***** the *********** ****** ** Exacq, *******, *** *********. However, ** ** *** listed ** ** *********** Enables ****** ** *********** and ***** ***** ** that ** **** *** use ** *********** ****, so **** ********* *** not ** ******** ** the **** ********.

******-**** ********* ** ******** was *** *********. *** VMS ****** *** *** allow *** ******.

******* ***** **** *** own *********** ********* ********* driver, ***** ****** ******* issue ** *** *****.

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

*** ******'* *.*** ****** was ********* ** *****, Genetec, *** ******* ***** without *****, **** ** additional ***** ******** ***** than ****** *** ****** to *** ***, **** as ******** ****** ********* or ****** *************.

**** ****** *** ****** to ********* ******** ***** H.265, *** ****** ****** be ******** *** *** camera *** ********* ***** to ********** ** ****** to *.*** ** *** XProtect ********** ******. *** doing ** ****** *** client ** ***** ****** our *******. **** **** is ********, *.*** ****** without ***** ** ********.

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

*** ***** ******** *****'****** *.***/*.***+ ***** *****. ** **** ***** ***** smart ***** *******, ** options *** ************* *** provided, ****** **/***, ****** others **** ****** ********* *,******** **** ***** *****, *********'* ***** ****** ***, ***** ***** ************* of ******* ******** (*** length, ***********, *** *********).

***** *****'* ***** *****, H.265/H.264 ******** ********* ** 70-80% ** *** *** night ****** ******** ** non-smart ****** (***** *.***+ vs. *.***, ***** *.***+ vs. *.***). 

Firmware/Software ******** **** 

*** ********* ***** ******** and ******** ******** **** used:

  • ***** ******: *.***.*******.*.* ***** 2017-11-07
  • ***** ***** ***: *.**.*.*.******

Comments (4)

Undisclosed Distributor #1

05/16/18 09:11pm

Are you able to include something similar to a sun-lit lobby with glass windows or door for the shoot out (wdr)? Can’t wait.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

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

We have a lobby we test in but it unfortunately faces north, so isn't particularly harsh. But for panoramics, it might be fine. We also typically test in against an open warehouse door and a man door facing south. 

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

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

I love Dahua USAs new part numbers! (NOT!) I believe this model is really the same as the older DH-IPC-EBW81200 model, maybe with a firmware update. Maybe one of the Dahua OEM guys can pitch in here and confirm/deny this. If so, we have been using this model for a few years now with OK results. They work well in small overview areas. We generally prefer the Samsung/Hanwha fisheyes. The biggest drawback to the design of the Dahua fisheyes is the silly mounting plate. It is a PITA!

Undisclosed #2

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

I believe this model is really the same as the older DH-IPC-EBW81200 model, maybe with a firmware update.

If in doubt ask the IPVM comparator:

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