Dahua Low-Cost 4MP Camera Tested (N44CL52)

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Sep 10, 2018

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.

*** *** ********* ** increase, ********** ** ***-**** models, ********* ** *********** in *** **** ********** ***** **********.

** ****** *****'* ****** generation *****-***** *** *****, the *******, ** *** *** it ******** ** **** scenes, *********:

tested

  • **** ***** ***********
  • *** ***** ***********
  • ********** ** ********
  • ********** ** *****
  • *** ***********
  • ********* ***********
  • ******** ********
  • ******* ******** ** ******

******* ****** **** *** our ***** ** ***** 4MP ******, *********:

*** ****** ****, ** plan ** ******* * shootout ** ***** *** other *** ****** ** see ***** ***** ***.

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

*******

** *** ******** ****, the Dahua's ******* *** ***** advantages:

  • ***'+ ** *****:*** ******* ******** ******** 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 ~$*** *** ******, which ** ******* ** or ******** ***** **** others, **** ** *** Digital ******** ***-****** (**** ~$***).

** ******** ** *** 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

IPVM | 09/10/18 03:48pm

********, * ***** **** issues *** ***** ** one ** *** ******** versions *****:

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

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

**'* ****** **** ** check*****://*********.***/******/********/******** *** ******* ********.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

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

** ** ******** **** ******** ******, ******, *** ****** for *******. *** ******* we ****** **** ** what ***** **. ** these ******** *** *****, Dahua ***** ** ** a ****** ***.

****, ** * **** for ******* ** **** list *** ****** **, I ***** **** ** idea **** *******. ******* matches **** ****** *****, and ***** ** ** indication ** **** ****** anything **** **. *** filenames *** *** *** before *** *** **** see *** *******:

** **** **** ***** (and *********) **** ******* before ** ****, ***, because ** ***** ******, and **** **** ** what ** ****** **** was ******. 

Robert Shih

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

*'** ******* **** *****'* R&D ***'* *** **** communicative **** *** **** of *** ****. *** firmware **** ******** *** posted ********* ****** ******* full ************* *****....**% ** the ****?

*********, **** ******* ***'* always **...*******?

Avatar

Sean Nelson

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

** ** *** ***** **** ******** ******, ******, *** ****** for *******. *** ******* we ****** **** ** what ***** **. ** these ******** *** *****, Dahua ***** ** ** a ****** ***.

****, ** * **** for ******* ** **** list *** ****** **, I ***** **** ** idea **** *******. ******* matches **** ****** *****, and ***** ** ** indication ** **** ****** anything **** **. *** filenames *** *** *** before *** *** **** see *** *******:

******. **** ** *** way ** ** **** most ******* *************. ** you **** *** **** current ******** ** ** displayed *** **** ** users, **** **** *** a *** ** ** make ** **** ****** findable ******* ****** ** "know *** ******" ** get *** ********.

Robert Shih

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

******* **********: ***** ***** to ** * ****** job.

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