Hanwha 20MP Multi-Imager Tested (PNM-9081VQ)

By Ethan Ace, Published Oct 09, 2017, 11:46am EDT

Hanwhwa has introduced the latest in their multi-imager camera line, the PNM-9081VQ, a Wisenet 5 20MP model with four repositionable 5MP camera heads.

We bought and tested this camera to see how it performs, examining:

  • Physical construction
  • Imager positioning issues
  • Full light image quality
  • WDR performance
  • Low light image quality
  • VMS compatibility
  • Streaming capabilities
  • Frame rate performance (including the 30fps claim)
  • Bandwidth

*******

** *** *****, *** Hanwha ***-****** ******* ***** image ******* ** ***, night, *** *** ******, as **** ** *** bitrates *** ** ******'* Wisestream ***** *****, **** superior ** **** ***** imager ******* ** **** tested.

*******, ***** *** ******* key ********* ***** **** be **********:

  • ***** ******* ***** ***********:*** **** ** ********** imagers *** ***** ******** shrouds ****** *** ******* they *** ** **********, making ** ********* ** aim ******** ******* ** one ******* ********* (**** than **° *****).
  • ***** ******* ****:*******, *** ****** ******* is **** *****, **** 12" **** ** *" tall, **** ****** **** other ***** ****** ******* and *********** ****** **** typical ******* *****. ***** prioritizing ********** *** **** its **** *** ****** a ********, *** *** to *** **** *** weight ** *** ****** from **** ********* ** strong ***** **** ******* models.
  • ******* *** *******:*** ***-******'* *.*** *** H.265 ******* *** ********** supported ** ********* ******** and ******* ******** ******, and ****** ** *** tests, *** ******* ***** streamed *** **** ******* using *.*** (****** ********* issues **** *******, *** below). *******, ***** *** unable ** ****** *** channels ** *.***, **** imagers *-* ********* ** MJPEG ****. ******** ******* Center ******** **** *** first ******.
  • ******* ********* ** *****:**** *** ***** ***** which **** **** ** properly *** *** ******, on ******** ********* ******* 2-4 ******** ** * FPS ***** ******* ** H.264 ** *.***, ********* reboots, ********* *** **********, or ********** *** ****** to ******.

****: ** ***** ****** VMS ******* ** ******* as *** ****** *** only **** ******** *** a ***** ****** ** time. ** ** **** updates, ** **** **** here.

Physical ********

*** ***-****** ** **** larger **** ***** *****-****** models, **** **" ****, and ****** ** ******. Much ** **** ******* size ** *** ** the **** ** *** individual *******, ***** *** larger **** **** ***** imager ******, *** ******* with ** ********** ****** which ********* ******** *** lens's ******** *** ***** the ****** **** ***** against *** **** (********* further *****).

*** *******, *** ***** below ***** *** ****** next ** ** ******* SurroundVideo **** *** ******** HD ***********, **** **** smaller *******. *** ****** camera's ******* *** **** larger **** *** ******* model, ****** ****** ** size ** ******** (***** also ******** ****** *****/****).

** ****** ***** ******** of *** ****** ** this *****, **** ******* of ******** **** ******, including **** *******, *****, I/O, *-**** ******, *** more.

Limited ****** *********** ***********

******* ** ***** **** and ****** ******, ******* cannot ** ****** ** angles ********* **** **° to **** *****. **** means **** ** ** difficult ** *** *** imagers ** *** **** general *********, ***** ****** potential ************, *** ******** the ****** **** ***** used ** * ***° panoramic ************* (****** ********** those ******* ***° ****** of **** **** ** their ***-**** ******). ****** says ***** *** ****** the *******, *** ** is *** *********** ** reflections ** *** ******** of *** **** *** possible. ***** ** ********** improves *** ******* ******* may ** ****** **** to **** *****, *** aiming ******** ******* ** one ********* ** ***** difficult.

Sample ******

** **** *** ***-****** in **** ****** ******* and *** ** **** potential ************** ** **** as *********** *********** *** to *** **** ** imagers, *********:

  • ****** ***** (**** ***) and ********
  • ******* ******** ******
  • ******* ******** ****/******* ****/******* lot

Indoor *****/********

*******, ** *** ** the ****** ** **** an ***** ***** **** double ***** *****, ***** with *** ********, **** these ******* ******* **° using ******'* ******* **** to ****** ***** *** long/narrow ****. *** ****** imager *** ***** ******** down ** ***** *** lobby/monitor ******* *********, ** it ***** *** ** focused ** ***** *****.

**** **** *** ******* present ** *** ******** facing ****** *** ** reduced ** **** ****** but ******** ** *********** closeups ** *** *******'* head ** **** ***** due ** *** *-*' office ******* ******** ******, so ** **** ****** the ****** *** ** avoid ****.

Building ******

****, *** ****** *** configured ** ******* * 270° ****, ******* ** a ******** ******, **** three ******* ********** *** parking *** *** *** looking ****. *** ****** is **** ** **** the * ****** ******* lot **** ** **** as *** **** ******** beneath *** ****** ******* issues.

Building ****/******* ****/*******

*******, ******* **** ***** as ***** ******** ** possible ** *** *********, covering * ***** ***° field ** **** (****** with **** *******), **** the ****** ****** ******* down, ******* *** ********* overhead ****.

**** **** ***** ** no ****** ********* *** to ***** ******* ** a ***° *********** (******* to ****** **** **********'* ** ***** ******). ******* ** **** scene **** *** ** slightly **** **** **** overlap ** ***** ** best **** *** *****, keeping ******* *****. ******* outer ******* ** ****** stitch ******* ** ****** images *** ****** *** (seen ******' ***** ****** ******). ***** ******* * simple ***° ***** ** view *** ****** ****** off ***** ******'****-********-************ *****.

Image *******

*** ***** ***** ***** image ******* ** ~**' distance/~50' **** *****, ***** 50 ***. ******* ******* were ****** ****** *** day *** ** *** light **** **** ***** overexposure ** *** *****. With ******** ****** ***, ~0.07lx, ***** ******* ******* are ***** *******, **** several ***** ** *** test ***** *******.

****: *** ****** *** not **** ******* ***** multi ****** ****** *** to *********** ** ************, resolution, *** ***** *******. We **** ** ***** this ****** ******* ****** as **** ******* ***** imager ******* ****** *********. However, ******** ** ****** at ******* **** *** light ****** **** **** tests, *** ***-****** ******** well:

VMS *******

** *** **** ** testing *** ***-****** *** fully ********* **** ** Genetec *** ********* (*.***, H.264, *****). ******* ***** supported *.*** *******, *** not *.***.

***** *** **** ** connect ** *** **** imagers, *** **** *** first ****** ********* *** H.264, **** ****** ********* in ***** ****. ***** says **** *** ******* on ***** *********** ****** to ** ***** ** a ****** *******.

******** ******* ****** ****** to ******* ** *** camera ** ***, ****** timing *** **** ********** to *** **.

Stream ******

****** *******, ** *** frequent ****** **** ****** stability, **** ******* ******** to *****, *** **********, and *** ********* ******** times, **** ** ***** VMSes ***** ***** ********* the ****** (*******/*********/*********).

30 *** ** *** *******

*** ***-****** ** ******* of ********* *** ** FPS ** *** ******** simultaneously, ****** **** *****-****** models ***** ****** ** a *** ** ** or ** ***. **** makes ** *********** **** useful ** ************ **** minimum *** ***********, **** as *******, ************, ***.

*** ** ****** *** VMS ************* ******, *** only *** ** ***** confirm **** **** *** Milestone ********, ***** ******** 30 ***, ***** *****:

*********

*** ** *** ********* of*.************'* ********** ** ***** codec (*** *** ****), *** ***-******'* ******** were ***** **** ******* for ***** ****** ******. Others, **** ** ************ ************** ************** ****** ******** ** all ****** ******* **** lower ********** (* *** 12 **, ************, **. 20MP).

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

** *** *****, *** Hanwha ********* ********* ******* to ***** ***** ****** on ****** ******* **** as ******** ****** ** the *****, *******, *** drastic ***** *******. ******** when ***** *******, *** camera ********** ******* ** swaying ***** ** *** scene.

Hanwha-False-Analytic-Alarm-On-Moving-Foliage

Test **********

*** ********* ******** ******* were **** *** **** test:

  • ****** ***-******: **.**

Comments (18)

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Skip Cusack

10/09/17 04:33pm

Embedding videos into the reviews is really very helpful and a trend I applaud. Great job IPVM. Again. 

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Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | 10/09/17 05:43pm

With it's large size and high-frame rate and lack of stitching, this unit seems more like a multi-camera dome with built-in switch, than a multi-imager.

Which wouldn't be a bad thing necessarily/

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 10/09/17 08:01pm

This is an accurate statement. Instead of the limiting factors of a single chip running four image sensors, this camera contains four chips, one for each sensor.

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Undisclosed #4

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 10/10/17 01:24pm

Currently 1 license on Milestone for example ***4 channels on Hanwha's own recording eqp

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Undisclosed #2

10/09/17 07:50pm

One interesting note (and maybe I just missed it) would be to list how many licenses are required from each VMS. For example, the Axis Q3709 requires 3 licenses in Exacq, but only one in Genetec. Salient only requires one license for all Arecont multi-imagers, etc.

Usually not a huge decision-point when selecting a multi-sensor camera, but something that is relevant, in my opinion.

Otherwise, great report.

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 10/09/17 07:54pm

The PNM-9081VQ uses a single license for all four channels in Exacq, Genetec, and Milestone. Axis seems to be the exception to this in Exacq due to their use of 3 IP addresses on the Q3709, but even the Q3708 only requires one.

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Undisclosed #5

10/10/17 03:42pm

Thanks! Excellent report! Very timely!

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Attila Szucs

10/11/17 05:18am

Arecont LOL

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Robb Larsen

10/24/17 01:15pm

Thanks for testing this guys.

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Paresh Desai

11/02/17 04:29pm

How much bandwidth and disk space would this camera require?

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Undisclosed #5

11/02/17 05:02pm

Just installed one a few days ago. FoV is grassed area, property, road way and parking. Scene dynamics are fairly low, especially at night. Property is lit.

Each sensor (camera) set to 2560x1920 @ 30fps, h.264, colour 24x7,

with VMS defaults (Genetec Security Center 5.6 sr4)

Unit is H.265 capable , but did not test this yet.

My findings:

per sensor: 3-6 Mbps, with only a minor increase at night

At 5 Mbps per sensor, continuous recording, that would be 210 GByte total storage per day for entire unit.

I'm seeing ~ 140 Gbyte actual storage per day (all four cameras continuous recording)

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Paresh Desai

In reply to Undisclosed #5 | 11/02/17 06:00pm

Thank you for sharing.  We're thinking about using them but I wasn't sure if we have enough storage and network bandwidth.  

Have you considered motion based recording?

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Undisclosed #5

11/02/17 06:19pm

Haven't had much time to get deep into the camera, so I haven't tested motion-triggered recording yet. 

 

Unrelated general comments about this model:

My first overall impression is very positive .

One negative: we don't feel the design for cabling up the unit was particularly well thought out, especially when using side entry with robust cabling out of doors. Our electrician was a under-happy, but we got it done.

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Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | 11/14/17 08:09pm

Have you (IPVM) retested with the newest firmware to see if the streaming issues have been resolved?

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Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC
04/17/18 06:05pm

Does anyone know the minimum coverage I can get using all four imagers side by side? Meaning I don't want to use the center imager firing downward and I want minimal overlap between imagers. I need to cover about 200-240 degrees (50-60 degrees each imager) with as much resolution as possible, with maintaining low light capability.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #6

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 04/17/18 07:39pm

With the 2MP model, if the lenses are all the way wide, you can cover 358.5 degrees (practically 360 degrees) with just 3 of the sensors, allowing you to have 1 looking down.  If you use all 4 sensors and zoom them in, then you can definitely get 200-240 degrees of coverage.  the only issue is that you can only ge the 4 lenses so far together due to the shrouds.  You could remove a shroud, but it is not recommended.  You could also just use 3 sensors and move the 4th to a rear position or center position and not record it...

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Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #6 | 04/17/18 07:52pm

Thanks for the quick reply. The image shown is how I would intend to use the camera, with shrouds in place and all imagers squeezed as tightly as possible, which would allow me to zoom out further and not have gaps between imagers. My preference is to zoom all lenses to their max, if possible. I will need a minimal amount of overlap as to not miss any areas.

Do you have any way of testing this scenario and letting me know the overall horizontal angle of view this setup will yield?

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Rob Kilpatrick

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | 06/20/19 06:17pm

Update:

Added section explaining Hanwhas intrusion analytic performance. The Hanwha intrusion analytics managed to avoid false alarms on common sources such as blinking lights in the scene, shadows, and drastic light changes. Although when taken outside, the camera frequently alerted on swaying trees in the scene.

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