Dahua Low-Cost 4MP Camera Tested (N44CL52)

By Ethan Ace, Published Sep 10, 2018, 10:45am EDT

4MP use continues to increase, especially in low-cost models, according to integrators in our 2018 Resolution Usage Statistics.

We bought Dahua's latest generation entry-level 4MP model, the N44CL52, to see how it performs in real scenes, examining:

tested

  • Full light performance
  • Low light performance
  • Integrated IR coverage
  • Integrated IR range
  • WDR performance
  • Bandwidth consumption
  • Physical features
  • Pricing compared to others

Readers should also see our tests of other 4MP models, including:

And coming soon, we plan to release a shootout of these and other 4MP models to see which stand out.

*******

** *** ******** ****, the *****'* ******* *** three **********:

  • ***'+ ** *****:*** ******* ******** ******** its ***/~**' ** *****, with ******** ******* *********** (though *** *** *** to *** ******** *** wide ***).
  • ***** ******* *******:*** *******'* ******* ****** were ***** *** ****** exposed ******* ****** ********, providing ****** ******* **** some ***** *** ****** tested.
  • ***** *** *******:*****'* *** ******* ** broad ******** ** **** low **** *** ****** tested, **** *.*** *** camera **** ****** ********* in *****, *******, *********, and ** *******, **** H.264 *** ****** ******* in ********.

*******, ** ******** **** two ****** ******** ** other *** ****** ** our *****:

  • ****** ** ********:*** *******'* ** ************ was **** ****** ** the ****** ** *** scene, ****** ** *** point ** ************, *** much ****** ** *** edges, ******** *******.
  • ***** ******* **** *** performance:*** ******* ******** **** artifacts/halos ******* ****** ********, reducing ******* ******* ******** to *********** *** *** not ****** **** ***** issues.

*******

*** ***** ******* ******* for ~$*** *** ******, which ** ******* ** or ******** ***** **** others, **** ** *** Digital ******** ***-****** (**** ~$150).

** ******** ** *** 2.8mm ***** (***°), ***** also ****** *** ******* in *.*** (**°).

Physical ********

*** ******* ** ******* to *****'* **** **** models, **** ****** *********** in ** *** ****** and ************, *** ********* similar ************.

*** ****** **** ******** audio ** *** *** as **** ** ********** ***** *** ******, ******** ******** ** many ***** ***** *****.

Size/Form ****** ******** ** ***********

*** ******* ** ******* in **** ** *********** outdoor ***** **** ** the ********* **-**********-* *** Hanwha ***-***** ***** *****. Note **** ***** *** Hikvision *** * ***** whip *** ************, ***** Hanwha **** ***.

Uneven ** ********

*** *******'* ** ************ is **** ****** ** the ******, ************ *** subject ****** ** *** point ** ************, ***** leaving *** ****** *** at *** **** ** the ***** ** ****, obscuring *******.

Slight **** ********** **** ** *****

*** ******* ******* **** slight **** ********** ** the ***** ** *** field ** ****, ******* a ****** ********* ** detail. *******, ***** ******* are ********** ******/***-***** ** the ****, *** ****** maintains ****** ***********, **** the ******* *** ***** not ********* ******** ** stretched ** ** **** other *** **** **** angle ******.

Image *******

** ~**'/~** ***, **** the *** *** ***** images **** ******* ******* details, **** *** ******* easily ************ ** *****. Text ********** ** ******** worse ** *****, **** 5 ***** ** ******* text ******** ** *-* during *** ***.

** ***** ***** *** distance *** **** *** PPF (~**'/~** ***), ******* subject ****** ******* *** rougher, *** ***** *******, with *** ***** ******* to *** ***** ****, though **** ****** ************. At *****, ******* ******* are **** *****, **** only *** ***** *** second ***** ******* ** the **** *****.

*******, ** ~***' **** day *** ***** **** provide ********* ** *** subject *** ** ******* on *** *****. **** that *** ******* ** still *********** ****, ******* the ******'* ** ***** specifications (***/~**').

WDR ***********

** ****** *** ** a ********* ***** **** open ******** ****, **** a **** ******** ******** (~90 *** ******* **. 10,000+ *******).

*** *******'* *** *** below ******* ** *** tests, ********* **** *********** glows/halos *** ********* ****** the *******, *** ******* in ***** ****** ******, such ** ****, ******, or *********. ** *** darker **** **** ** the ****, ******* ******* can ** **********, ****** he ** ********** ****.

Solid *** ***********

*.*** ********* *** ****** configuration ****** ******* ***** Avigilon, *****, *******, *********, and ******* ***** *****. However, *.*** *******, ** well ** ****** **** motion *** *********, ****** depending ** *** ***:

vms integration comparison

Smart *.***+ ********* **********

*** ******* ******** *****'****** *.***+/*.***+ *****, **** *.*** ********* in *** ***** ****** except ********.

***** *.*** ******** **** notably ***** **** ***** H.264 ****** *** ***, over **%, *** **** ~15% ***** ** *****.

**** **** *** ************ were ***** **** ******** motion ** *** ***** (subjects *******). ***** **** less ****** ** ******* still ****** *** *** much ***** ********.

bitrate comparison

Versions ****

*** ********* ******** ******* was **** ****** *******. Settings **** **** ** default **** *** ********* of ******** (*** ** "Customized *****" **** * max ** **.****/*** ****) and *** ** *****.

  • ********: *.***.*******.**.*, ***** ****: 2018-03-30

Comments (5)

Robert Shih

Independent
09/10/18 03:48pm

Actually, I think some issues are fixed by one of the firmware versions below:

DH_IPC-HX5X3X-Rhea_EngSpnFrn_N_Stream3_V2.622.0000000.27.R.180525

DH_IPC-HX5X3X-Rhea_Internal_PN_Stream3_V2.640.0000002.0.R.180523

It's always best to check https://dahuawiki.com/images/Firmware/ directly for branded firmware.

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Robert Shih | 09/10/18 03:55pm

Go to the Dahua Wiki firmware search, please, and search for N44CL52. The version we tested with is what comes up. If these versions are newer, Dahua needs to do a better job.

Also, if I look for N44CL52 on that list you linked to, I would have no idea what applies. Nothing matches that camera model, and there is no indication of what series anything even is. The filenames are cut off before you can even see the version:

We also call Dahua (and Hikvision) tech support before we test, now, because of these issues, and they told us what we tested with was latest. 

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Robert Shih

Independent
In reply to Ethan Ace | 09/10/18 05:42pm

I've learned that Dahua's R&D isn't the most communicative with the rest of its team. New firmware gets released and posted somewhere random without full documentation about....85% of the time?

Basically, Tech Support can't always be...trusted?

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Sean Nelson

Nelly's Security
In reply to Ethan Ace | 09/10/18 07:12pm

Go to the Dahua Wiki firmware search, please, and search for N44CL52. The version we tested with is what comes up. If these versions are newer, Dahua needs to do a better job.

Also, if I look for N44CL52 on that list you linked to, I would have no idea what applies. Nothing matches that camera model, and there is no indication of what series anything even is. The filenames are cut off before you can even see the version:

Agreed. This is the way it is with most Chinese manufacturers. If you want the most current firmware to be displayed and used by users, then find out a way to to make it more easily findable without having to "know the system" to get the firmware.

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Robert Shih

Independent
In reply to Sean Nelson | 09/10/18 08:10pm

Default assumption: Dahua needs to do a better job.

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