Dahua Repositionable IR Multi-Imager Camera Tested

By Rob Kilpatrick, Published Apr 16, 2019, 10:28am EDT

Dahua has released their first repositionable multi-imager camera, the Multi-Flex 4x2MP, claiming integrated IR, true WDR, and flexible positioning.

We bought and tested the Multi-Flex to see how it performs, examining:

  • How does it perform in full light (~300 lux) and low light/IR (~0.01 lux)?
  • Is IR coverage even and does it reach its specs?
  • How flexible is imager positioning?
  • How does it compare in size to competitive multi-imagers?
  • How do bitrates compare to single imager models?
  • How well does it integrated to third party VMSes (Avigilon, Exacq, Genetec, Milestone and NxWitness + Hanwha/DW)?
  • How many VMS licenses does it use?

This is the latest in a series of new repositionable multi imager testing. Readers should also see our tests of the Axis P3717-PLE and Hanwha's PNM-9000VQ. Coming up we plan to test Avigilon's H4 multi sensor, as well as a shootout of all these recent repositionable models.

*******

*** *****-**** ***** *** three *** *********:

  • ***** *** ***********: *** ******'* *.*** streaming/configuration *** ****** **** motion ********* ********** **** all ***** ******: ********, Exacq, *******, *********, *** NX *******. *.*** ****** in *****, *******, *** Nx *******.
  • **** ***********/******:******* **** **** ** position, **** *-**° **** (including ******** ****) *** adjustable ** ***** **** for ******** **** *************.
  • **** ** ********:** ******** *** **** across *** ***** ** view, **** ******** **** illuminated ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** closer ****** (~**-**'). *******, overall ** ***** *** weak, ********* *****.

*******, ***** **** ******* negatives ** ******* *** licensing ************:

  • **** *** ***** ***********:******** ** ******* ****** imager ** *****, *** Multi-Flex ****** ******** ******* and ****** ******, **** noticeably **** ******, **** after **********.
  • **** ** *****:*** *****-****'* ** ************ was **** ** **** ~80', ***** ** *** 30m/~98' ********* *****, ****** coverage ** ******* ****** was ****** **** ****** the ***, ********* *****.
  • **** *** **** *** imager:**** *** ***** ****** of *** *****-**** ****** features **** *** ***********, with ****** ***** *******/**** WDR, ********** **** *****. This ** ******** ** multi ****** ******, ***** typically ******* **** **** WDR ****** ** ****.
  • **** ******** ******** ** most *****:****** **** ****** ***** integrate ** ***** ***** only *** ****** ******* for *** **** ********, the *****-**** ******** **** licenses ** *** ***** tested ****** *********, ***** required **** ***. **** results ** * *********** cost ******** **** ***** third ***** ***.
  • ****** **** *** ***** whip:*** *****-**** *** *** key ******** *********, ** it ** ****** ******** than ***** ****** ****** (nearly **" ****) *** uses * ***** ****, uncommon ** ***** ***** imager ****** (****** **** used ** *********).

****: ** **** ** compare ** ***** ******* multi-imager ****** ** ** upcoming ********.

*******

*** ***** *****-**** ***** has ** ********* ****** price ** ~$*,*** ***. This ******* ** ********** lower **** ******* *****-************ ***-********** ***** ******* (**** ~$1,200 ******), ****** ******** higher **** *********'* *** model,*** **-**********-****, ~$*** ******.

Larger **** *********** ***** *******

*** *****-**** ** ****** in ******** **** **** the **** *****-*** *** Hanwha ***-****** ***** ******* and ****** **** *** Axis *****. *** ***** multi ****** **** ******** a **** *** *** LAN **********, ***** *** others ** ***, ******** ********************* ******** ******* *****.

Physical ********

*** *****-**** ****** **** a ***** ************** ****** for *** ****** *** IR. **** *** ****** is ****** ** ** down, *** ** *********** adjusts ***** **** **, shown *****.

***** ** ** ******** of *** ***** ******** features ** *** *****-**** camera:

Similar **** ***** ***** ******* ** ******* ***** (~*** ***)

** ~**'/~** *** *** Dahua ********* ****** ******* facial *** ***** ******* to *** *********** ***** 1080p ******.

*** **** *** **** at *** ** **** range ** ****, **** both ******* ******** ******* similar ****** *** ***** details ** ~**'/~** ***.

Poor ****/** ***** ******* (~*.** ***)

** *** **** **** IR ** (~*.****), ** ~25'/~50 *** *** *****-**** 4x2MP ****** ***** ****** details **** *** ***** Dahua **** *** ** increased *****, ***** *** chart ******* *** **** softer.

** ~**'/~** *** *** Multi-Flex *** ****** ****** dome **** **** ***** detection ** *** ******* while *** ***** **** still *** * **** of ******* **** ** the *****.

******* ** ~**' **** detection ** *** ******* is ******* ** **** cameras, **** **** ***** of ***** ***/~**' ********* IR *****.

IR ********

** ************ ** ********** weaker ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** view **** ******, ****** the ******* ** ***** properly *******, **** ***** details, ***** ** *** center ** ** ******** overexposed.

**** ************ ** **** noticeable **** *** ******* walks **** ~**' ** the ****** ********, **** him ******** *********** ** ~12-13' ******** *** ******* washed *** ** *-**' and ******.

Only *** **** *** ******

**** *** ***** ****** of *** ********* ** true ***, **** ****** using "*******" ***. ** tested *********** ** **** WDR ******* * ******* door ** ~**** *** with ** ****** *** of ~***.

*** **** *** ****** outperformed ******* *** ** this *****, **** * sharper ***** *** **** facial ******* ******* *********.

Sample ******

** ****** *** *****-**** 4x2MP ** ****** *** outdoor ****** ** **** potential ************* ***** *** motorized **** ****** *** integrated **.

*****, ** ** ****** warehouse ***** *** ****** was *** ** ** cover ***** ** ******** such ** ********, ******* areas, **** *****, *** finally ** ****** *** set ** ******** **** to ***** *** **** of *** *********. *** camera *** **** ** cover **** **** ******* noticeable ***** *****.

****, *** ****** *** set ** ** ********** the **** **** **** its ********** **, **** the **** ** ~*.* lux. *** ** ** specified ** ***** ~**', but *** ******* **** beyond **-**', **** *** subject ****** ********** ** spot ** ** ****** the **** ** ~**' (imager *). ** ****** range ** ***** *******, IR ******** ** *****, with *** ******* **** illuminated.

******* *** ****** *** set ** ******* ** cover *** ***** ****, the ******** ** *** parking ***, *** ******* spots, *** ** ****** was *** ** ******** mode ** ***** *** side ** *** ********.

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

*** ***** *****-**** *** well ********* ** *****, with ****** *** *.*** streaming *** ************* ******* without ***** ** ********, Exacq, *******, *********, *** Network *****. *.*** ******* worked ******** ** *****, Genetec, *** ** *******, but *** ** ********* or ********.

*******, ****** **** ***** recent ***** ****** *******, the *****-**** ******** **** licenses ** *** ***** tested ****** *** ********* XProtect, ***** ******** **** a ****** ******* *** all **** ********.

Bandwidth **********

*** *****-****'* *.*** ******** were **** ******* ** the ****** ****** ******* camera, **** *** *** night, ******** ****** ** both ******. ***** ************ were ***** **** ***** H.265+ ******* *** ******** motion ** *** ***** (subjects ******* ** ***** range).

Intrusion ********* ***********

** *** *******, *** Dahua *********-**** ******* ****** sources ** ***** ****** such ** ******** ******, shadows, ******* ***** *******, and ******* ******* ** the *****. ****** ********** of ****** ******* ******* the ***** **** ******, adding * ******** *** but *** ********** ** alarm.

Dahua-Multi-Flex-Missed-Detection-In-Well-Lit-Scene

Country ** ******

*** *****-**** ** **** in *****:

Test **********

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** **** **** changes:

  • ******** *** *** ** "Customized *****" **** ******** set ** *-**** *** gain *** ** *-*** (defaults ** ******** *** to *-**** *** **** 50)
  • *** *** *** ** on ****** *** ******* only
  • ** ************ *** *** to "*****"
  • ***** *.***/*+ *** *******

** ******* ****** **** was ******** ***** ***** settings.

*** ********* ******** ******** were ****, *** ****** available ** *** **** of *******:

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

Comments (4)

Undisclosed End User #1

04/16/19 02:32pm

Not that I would buy Dahua, but an excellent test that shows the value IPVM offers us.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

04/16/19 05:02pm

I like the subtitle labeling "corridor mode" to "quarter mode".  Doh! :)

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Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC
04/17/19 04:25pm

Hard pass. 

Agree: 1
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Rob Kilpatrick

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | 06/20/19 06:15pm

Update:

Added a section explaining Dahuas Intrusion analytics performance. the Dahua PDBW5831N-B360 ignored common sources of false alarms such as blinking lights, shadows, drastic light changes, and swaying foliage in the scene. Missed detections of people walking through the scene were common, adding a bounding box but not triggering an alarm.

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