FLIR IP Cameras Tested vs Hikvision

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Feb 19, 2016

Hikvision is well known for being a low cost leader, but our recent Camera Price Comparison Report showed an unexpected challenge from FLIR, one of Dahua's top OEMs, and one of ADI's favorite vendors. 

We bought two FLIR models representing the high and low ends of the line to see how they compare to Hikvision, the 3 megapxiel motorized zoom outdoor vandal dome N437VEW and the 1080p compact bullet, the N133EB.

We tested these models against Hikvision to see how they stack up in day, night, and WDR image quality, bandwidth, and other features.

********* ** **** ***** for ***** * *** **** leader, *** *** ************ ***** ********** ****** ****** ** ********** ********* from****, *** *******'* *** ****, *** one *****'* ******** *******. 

** ****** *** **** models ************ *** **** and *** **** ** the **** ** *** how **** ******* ** Hikvision, *** * ********* motorized **** ******* ****** dome********** *** ***** ******* bullet, *********.

** ****** ***** ****** against ********* ** *** how **** ***** ** in ***, *****, *** WDR ***** *******, *********, and ***** ********.

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

*******

****** ****'* ****** ***** slight ** ******** ***** advantages **** **** *** cost ***** *********, ***** cost ******* **** **** some *************. ******* *** nighttime ***** ******* **** slightly ***** **** ********* models ** *** *****, and Hikvision *** *********** *********/******* advantages **** **** ** all ****** ****** *** to ***** ****** ******** of *** *.***+ ***** CODEC (*** *** ****). 

************, **** ******** **** quirks ** ******* ******** not ******* ** ***** *******, ranging **** *********** (** automatic ********* ** *** at *****) ** ********* (such ** ********* ******** to ****** *-***** ********). These ****** ******* *********** or ***** ************* *** found ** ***** ******.

Key ********

**** *** *** *** findings **** **** ****:

  • ******* ***** ******* ** both **** ****** *** slightly ***** **** *********** models *** ** ********* visible *****, ***** ******* facial/test ***** *******.
  • ********* ***** ******* ** both **** ****** *** slightly ***** **** ********* integrated ** ***********, ***** due ** ********* ******* noise.
  • ******* **** *** ************* disable **** *** ******** at *****, ************* ********* low ***** ***********. *** may ** ******** ******** or *** * ********.
  • **** *******' ******** **** high compared ** ***** ***** equipped ******, **** ********* (*.***+) *** **** (*********). **** (*****) **** not ***** ***** ******.  
  • *-***** ******** ** ************ via *** **** *** interface (****** ******* ** Dahua ******) *** ******** to ** (*** ******* at ** ***). ***** must *** **** ***** Client ** ****** **** setting. 

*******

*** *******, ~$*** ****** price, ** ~$*** **** expensive **** *********'* ******* 3MP **** **********, *****-**********-***, *** ***** $*** less **** ****'*****-***(~$*** ******).

  • **** *******: ~$*** *** online
  • **** *****-***: ~$*** ******
  • ********* **-**********-***: ~$*** ******

******* ** *** **** N133BD (***** ***** **** bullet) ** ******* ** the********* ****, **** ~$*** ***, and ************* ***** **** Axis' ****** ****** ***** model, ********-*, ~$*** ******.

  • **** ******: ~$*** *** online
  • **** *****-*: ~$*** ******
  • ********* **-*********-*: ~$*** ******

**** **** ****'* **** bullet ******, ********* (*** ******** ** **** test), ***** *** ~$*** online, **% ***** **** Hikvision**-*******-*, ***** ***** *** ~$150.

Physical **********

*** ******* ** ******* in **** *** ******** to ***** **** ***** outdoor *****. *******, *** camera ******** * ****/***** control ** *** ****** itself, ** ***** *** easily ****** ***** ******** with * **** ******* or ****** ******* ******* to ****** *** *** interface. ***** ***** ******* include ****, ** ****, we ***** *** ***'* larger ******** **** ********** and ****** ** ***.

*** ****** ** ******* to ***** ******* ****** models, ** **** *** features. *** ***** ***** compares *** **** ** the ********* ****, ***** it ** **** ******** larger ****.

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

*** **** *** ********* will **** **** ******** to ***** **** ** Dahua ** ******* (** their ****), **** **** to *** ***** ******.

*******, ** *** ******* omission, ***** ****** ****** I-frame ******** **** *** web *********, *** ** both ****** **** ***** was ***** ** ** (6 ******* ******* *-****** at ** ***). *** FLIR ***** ****** (*****) must ** **** ** change ***** *******.

**** **** **** *** 437's *** ** ****** always ** ** ****** off, **** ** ****** to ************* **** ** off **** *** ****** switches ** ***** ****. Users *** **** *** using * ********* *******, but **** ******** ****** configuration, *** ********* ** other ******.


FLIR ***** ******

*** **** ***** *** client ****** **** *******, playback (**** ****/****), *** configuration ** ****/***** *******, similar ***********'* ****-**** *** ********* *******. ****** compatibility ** ******* ** FLIR/Dahua ******* ****, **** no ***** ** ***** party *******. ***** ******* and ***** ********** ******** are **** ********.

** ******* * ***** overview ** *** ***** client ** **** *****:

Outdoor ********* **** *******

****** *** ***, *** 437 ******** ********* ** other ****** ******, ****** with ******** **** ******* noise ****** *** *******'* features, ****** ** ******* easily ************. *** **** chart ** ******** **** legible **** *** ********* 4132, ***** ** *********** past **** *, ****** slightly **** ******* **** the **** *****, ****** exposed **** ** *** bottom ****. 

*** *****

*** **** *** ************* turn *** **** *** N437VEW, ************* ******** *** light ***********, **** *****. With ** ******** ****** off ** *****, *** light *********** ******** ***********.

***** *** **** ****** day *** ***** ******** to ****** *** ** and ***, **** *** camera ********* ******* *** two ***** ** * schedule. *** *** *****: ***/***** ******** *** IP ******* ****** *** **** ***********.

**** ** ****** ***, the ******* ******** ********* to *** ********* ****, with *** ******* ****** exposed. *******, ******* ***** is ********** **** ********** in *** ***, ******** details ********. *** **** ***** is omitted **** ** ** lacks ********** **.

 

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

*** **** ******* ******** slightly **** ****** ** our **** ******* **** the ********* *** **** cameras ** **** ***** and **** ***** ** the *****. ******* *** still ***** ******* *** outdoor *****, *** ****** in *** **** **** beside *** ****.

Compact ****** *******

** **** *****, *** N133BD ********* ********* ** the ***** *** **** models ******. *** ***** cameras ******** ******* ******* details ** *** *******, and ***** ********** **** to **** *. 

*** *****, ~*.***

** *****, *** ****** suffered **** ********* ******* noise ******** ** *** Hikvision ****, **** ******** worse ******* ** *** test ******* *** *****. The **** *****-* *** unusable ** **** ***** level.

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

*** ****** **** *** include **** ***, **** digital "***"/******** **********; *** does *** **** *****-*. *******, the ********* **** **** true *****-******** ***, **** its ****** ********** *********** (see ****** ********).

******* ** ****, *** Hikvision **** *********** **** FLIR *** ****, **** better ******* ** *** subject ******* *** ****** backlight ** *** **** overhead ****, *** ********** of *** ***** *** subject ** *** **** area ****** *** ****. The **** ****** ** moderately ****** **** *** Axis *****, ***** ******** no ****** ****** ** the ******* ** *** dark **** ** *** scene.

Bandwidth **********

******** ** *** ***** outdoor **** ****** ******, the *******'* ******** **** much ******, ** ** lacks ***** ****** ***** in *********** ****** **** Hikvision *** ****. *** example, ***** *.***, ** FPS, *** ************ ****** 28, *** *******'* ******* was **** ** **** of *** ********* *** model ****** *** ***, and **** ** ** night.

 

******** ** *** **** ****** were **** ************* ****** than *** ********* **** with *.***+. *** ****** was **** ******** ****** than *** **** *****-* during *** ***, ****** the *****'* ********* ********* dropped ** ***** ** it ******** ** ****** image.

Test **********

*** ******* **** ****** using ******* ******** ****** otherwise *********, **** *** following ******* ** *** cameras:

  • *.***, ** ***, ~** quantization *** ****
  • */*** ******* ******* *****

******** ******** **** ** this ****:

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

Comments (3)

Avatar

David Johnson

02/20/16 03:41pm

Thanks - Interesting results. I've worked with both and prefer the Hik for the iVMS 4200 which I've found to be the superior CMS.

Suggestion - how about a comparison of the smartphone/tablet apps.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to David Johnson | 02/20/16 03:43pm

David,

Thanks. I think it would be worthwhile to do some tests on mobile apps like the 4500, etc. We'll put that in queue.

Claude Wagner

04/26/16 06:49am

Thanks for the test results - interesting and food for thought.

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