Dahua Dual Imager Dome Camera Tested (HDBW4231FN-E2-M)

By: Rob Kilpatrick, Published on Nov 07, 2018

Dahua has introduced a dual-imager dome model, the HDBW4231FN-E2-M, with two independently positionable sensors including integrated IR, not found on competitive dual-imager cameras.

To see how this new model performs in real world scenes, we bought and tested the dual dome against Dahua's own single imager models, examining:

  • Camera positioning flexibility
  • Full light imaging performance
  • Low light color performance
  • <1 lux dark performance
  • Bandwidth comparison
  • VMS integration
  • Pricing compared to others

***** *** ********** * dual-imager **** *****, *** HDBW4231FN-E2-M, **** *** ************* positionable ******* ********* ********** IR, *** ***** ** competitive ****-****** *******.

** *** *** **** new ***** ******** ** real ***** ******, ** bought *** ****** *** dual **** ******* *****'* own ****** ****** ******, examining:

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

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

*******

** *** *****, *** Dahua **********-**-* **** ****** dome *** ******* *** positives:

  • **** ***********:*** ******'* **** ******* were **** ** ******** due ** ***** **** floating "*******" ******, **** support *** ******** **** to ****** ***** *** shaped *****.
  • ******** *** *****/**:*** ***** *********** *** superior ** **** **** imager ****** ** **** tested *** ** ********** IR, *** ***** ** competitors **** ** ****** or *******.
  • ***** *** ***********:*** ****** **** **** one ******* *** **** imagers ** ********, *****, Genetec, *********, *** ** Witness, ********** *** *.*** to *** ***** ******, and *.*** ** *******, Milestone, *** ** *******.

*******, ** ******** **** three *** *********, ** well:

  • **** ** ********: *** ******* ********** ** brightly *********** *** ****** of *** *****, **** objects ** *** ***** poorly ***********.
  • **** *** ***********: *** *********** *** **** against ******** ****** **** light, **** *** ********** and ******* ******** ********** washed ***.
  • *** ***** ************:*******, ** *** ***** color **** ******* ******* were ******, *** ******* objects **** ** *** test ***** **** *********** at **** ***** *** far ***** ** *** tests. **** ** **** rare/niche **** **********/** ************ but ***** ************ ******* for ***** ** ***** should ******.

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

*** ****** **********, *** Dahua **** **** ****** dome ** * ***** choice *** ***** ******* to ***** *** ****** or ****** ***** ***** may ******* ******** ****** imager ******, *** ** its **** ***********, ********** IR, *** ***** *** support, ** * ***** competitive ** *** *** cost ** *****, *** requiring **** *** ***** and *** *******.

*******

*** ***** **-***-**********-**-* ******* ****** for ~$*** ***. **** is ************* ***** **** competitive **** ****** ***** such ** *** *********-******(~$*** ******) *** ******* MicroDome *** (~$*** ******).

**** ******* ** ******* to *** ******* ** domes (********* ~$*** ****), though ******* *** *** licensing ** ******* **** using *** **** ****** camera.

Competitive *******

**** ****** ****** ******* are ***** ********** ****.*******'* ********* ***,******'* ***-******, *******'**** *********** *********. ******* *** Mobotix ******* ******* ******* not ********* ** ***** and ******, **** ** higher *********** (* *** 6 **), ** *********** audio, *** */*. *******, Dahua *** ****** ****** are **** ****** ********* and **** ******** **** brands.

Physical ********

*** ***** **********-**-* ** ******* in **** ** ****** imager *****, **** **** 5" ** ********, **** the **** ********** ***** its *** ***** ***** instead ** *** ****** one. **** *** ** seen ** *** ********** to * ******* ***** single ****** **** *** turret *****:

similar size to single imager domes

**** ****** ** ************** on * **** ***** an "*******" ***** ******. Camera ****** *** *****, with ** ********* ******* and ** ***** ******* aside **** *.*** (***° AOV) ** ***** *******. A ******** **°/*.*** ****** is ********* ** ***** regions.

***** ** ****** *** camera's ******** ********.

Open ****** *******

** ****** *** ****** in ** **** ****** area ~**' ****, **** both ******* ******* ******** of **** *****, **** the ****** ****** **** of ****** ** *** open ****** ****, ******* the *** **** *****.

**** ************* ******* **** sides ** *** **** office ****, **** **** exposure **********. *******, ***** is * ******* ***** spot ******** ***** *** camera (** *** ****** of *** ***** ****), which ***** *** **** to ***** **** * separate ****** ** *******.

Entry ****/******* *******

****, ** ****** *** camera ******** ** ***** vestibule ** **** ** a ********* *******, **** one ****** *** ** in ******** **** ****** fit *** *******. ** this *****, ******** *** even, **** *** ******* fully *******, ********* *** area ******** ***** *** camera. *** ****** ***** toward *** **** **** tightly ******* *** ***** and ***** **** ****.

Image ******* **********

******** ** * ******** 1080p ***** ****, *** dual ****** **** ******** similar ******/***** ******* ** near *****, **** **** slight ************ ** *** subjects **** ** ~* klux.

day performance comparison 10

** ***** ** ***/~**', performance *** ***** *******, but ****** ******* ************* reduced ** **** *******, with **** ***** ******* visible. ****** **** *****, detection ** ****** ********, but ************** ** *** possible.

day performance comparison 20

Dark ***** ******* (

** **** ****** **** IR **, ******* *** strong ** ***** ***** (~10'/~70 ***) ** *** dual ****** ******, *** slightly **** ** *** single ****** ****, **** better ***** ********** ** the **** ****** **** (line * **. **** 5)

dark performance comparison 10

******** *** ******** ** ~20' (~** ***), **** facial ******* *** ***** available ** *** ********** ***** they *** **** ** the ****** ****** ******.

dark performance comparison 20

Poor ** ********

** ******** ** *** HDBW4231FN *** ****, ******** illuminating *** ****** ** the ***** ***** ******* the ***** ****, *********** reducing ******* ** *** subject *** *****.

weak ir at edges of imager fovs

************, ** *** **** imager ******'* ********* ** range (***/~**'), ************ ** weak, ****** ********* ** possible. ** ********, *** single ****** ***** **** not ******* ******* ** the ******* ** **** range.

weak ir illumination at spec range

Low ***** ***** *******

*******, ** *** ***** (~2 ***) *** ****** into ***** ****, *********** was ********** ****** ** the **** ****** ******, with ******* ******** ******* in *** ****** ****** dome, ****** **** ******* overexpose **** ** *** test *****.

night color performance comparison

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

*** *** ****** ** a ********* ******* **** an ******** ****, **** lux ******* ********** *** due ** ***** ***** ~1,200 ***, **. ~** inside.

wdr test field of view

**** ******* ********* ********* in **** ********, **** facial ******* ********** ***********, though *******, ******* ******* backlight, *** ******* ******* in *** ****** **** beside *** ****.

wdr comparison

*********

********* ** *** *** Dahua **** ****** *** similar ** *** ****** imager ****** ****** *** day, *** ********** ****** at *****. ******** **** comparable ** ******'* ***-****** dual ****** ******, ****** note **** ***** ******** integrated **, ***** ****** does ***. ************ **** taken **** ******** ****** in *** *****, **** smart ****** **.

bitrate comparison

Broad *** ***********

*** ******* *** *** HDBW4231FN *** *****, **** both ******* ********** *** streaming *** *.*** ** all ***** ******. *******, H.265 ********* *** *** supported ** ******** ** Exacq. ****** *** ****** in *** ***** ****** Avigilon. *** ***** ****** used **** **** ******* license *** **** *******.

Versions ****

*** ********* ******** ******** were **** ****** *******:

  • **********: *.***.*******.**.*

*** ********** ** **** in *****.

Comments (4)

Undisclosed #1

11/08/18 11:18am

*** ***** ******** ***** streams *** **** ******?  

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 11/08/18 03:43pm

***!

Avatar

Abaas Mahroos

Al Aswar Trading Group | IPVMU Certified | 11/08/18 11:27am

** ***** *** **** positions **** *****, ** would **** *** **** to **** **** ** video ************ ***********.

Avatar

Jason Thomas

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Abaas Mahroos | 03/02/19 07:26pm

* **** * **** of *** ** *****, and * ******* *** same *****. **** *** about ******* ** *** apart ** ***** ****. They *** ** ********** fixed *** *******. ***** make **** ***** ****. Now * **** **** some ** *******.

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

Panasonic 4K Camera Tested (WV-S2570L) on Sep 13, 2019
Panasonic has released their latest generation 4K dome, the WV-S2570L, claiming "Extreme image quality allows evidence to be captured even under...
Yi Home Camera 3 AI Analytics Tested on Sep 10, 2019
Yi Technology is claiming "new AI features" in its $50 Home Camera 3 "eliminates 'false positives' caused by flying insects, small pets, or light...
Genetec Stratocast VSaaS Tested on Sep 05, 2019
The VSaaS market is rapidly expanding in 2019, with Verkada, Meraki, Eagle Eye, Avigilon and numerous startups growing their market share. When we...
WDR Camera Mega Shootout 2019 - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Panasonic, Vivotek on Sep 04, 2019
This is the biggest WDR Shootout ever, with 23 cameras from 8 manufacturers: We included true multi-exposure WDR and non-WDR models, ranging...
Scylla AI Video Analytics Company Profile on Aug 29, 2019
Scylla, an AI analytics startup, says they are targeting 1 Billion dollar valuation in 5 years and it "is not rocket science" to detect weapons and...
Uniview 4K Camera Tested on Aug 29, 2019
In our 8MP / 4K Fixed Lens Camera Shootout, Uniview's low end 8MP was firmly in the middle of the pack. Does their higher end Pro Series 4K camera...
Register Now - October 2019 IP Networking Course on Aug 28, 2019
Register now for the Fall 2019 IP Networking Course. This is the only networking course designed specifically for video surveillance...
Wyze Image Quality Tested vs Axis, Hikvision And Nest on Aug 27, 2019
With Wyze's new AI feature, it is strong at analytics, but how good is the camera's image quality? Is it just as good as incumbents like Axis,...
Warning: Windows 7 Update Crashing NVRs on Aug 26, 2019
Windows 7 updates are causing VMS servers to fail to boot. After running the update, impacted systems do not boot as normal, instead display this...
Anyvision Facial Recognition Tested on Aug 21, 2019
Anyvision is aiming for $1 billion in revenue by 2022, backed by $74 million in funding. But does their performance live up to the hype they have...

Most Recent Industry Reports

How Cobalt Robotics May Disrupt Security on Sep 13, 2019
While security robots have largely become a joke over the last few years, one organization, Cobalt Robotics, has raised $50+ million from top US...
Panasonic 4K Camera Tested (WV-S2570L) on Sep 13, 2019
Panasonic has released their latest generation 4K dome, the WV-S2570L, claiming "Extreme image quality allows evidence to be captured even under...
ASIS GSX 2019 Show Report Final on Sep 12, 2019
IPVM went to Chicago for ASIS GSX 2019, with many exhibitors disappointed about traffic and the exhibitor schedule changing next year. Inside we...
Installation Course - Last Chance - Register Now on Sep 12, 2019
Last Chance - Register Now - September 2019 Video Surveillance Install Course. Thursday, September 12th is your last chance to register for the...
Commend ID5 Intercom Tested on Sep 12, 2019
Commend touts the new ID5 intercom as 'timelessly elegant' and the slim body, glass front touchscreen indeed looks better than common, but ugly,...
US State Department: "Chinese Tech Giants" "Tools of the Chinese Communist Party" on Sep 12, 2019
The US State Department has called out "Chinese tech giants" for being "tools of the Chinese Communist Party" in a blunt new speech that makes...
Uniview OEM Directory on Sep 11, 2019
This directory lists 20+ companies that OEM products from Uniview, with a graphic and links to company websites below. It does not cover all...
Yi Home Camera 3 AI Analytics Tested on Sep 10, 2019
Yi Technology is claiming "new AI features" in its $50 Home Camera 3 "eliminates 'false positives' caused by flying insects, small pets, or light...
Hanwha Announces 32MP Camera + AI Line on Sep 10, 2019
In the first rise in maximum megapixel resolution in 5 years, Hanwha has announced a 32MP / 8K camera directly competing with Avigilon's H4 30MP /...
Fingerprints for Access Control Guide on Sep 09, 2019
Users can lose badges, but they never misplace a finger, right? The most common biometric used in access are fingerprints, and it has become one...

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