Hikvision DarkfighterX Vs Darkfighter PTZ Tested

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Apr 26, 2018

Hikvision has focused on improving low-light performance for PTZs, an area that has traditionally been a problem, even more so than fixed cameras, due to the challenges of higher F stops and long-range varifocal lenses of PTZs.

Two of Hikvision's most notable efforts are (1) their Darkfighter PTZ line and (2) more recently, their DarkfighterX, the "next level of surveillance", that unlike any major manufacturer, uses 2 sensors, as Hikvision explains the "IR sensor delivers image brightness, the other sensor for visible light guarantees vivid color."

We bought and tested the Darkfigher X DS-2DF8225IH-AELW against Hikvision's Darkfighter line (the DS-2DF8236IX-AELW) to see how this technology works and which one is better in which ways.

Inside, we share our full test results, including:

  • Wide angle vs zoom details captured
  • Low light color performance (in sub 1 lux 'no light' and in 2 - 7 lux ambient / 'urban' lighting')
  • Monochrome vs. color performance differences
  • Focus issues
  • Size compared to other PTZs
  • Relative bandwidth consumption
  • Comparative pricing

********* *** ******* ** improving ***-***** *********** *** PTZs, ** **** **** has ************* **** * problem, **** **** ** than ***** *******, *** to *** ********** ** higher * ***** *** long-range ********* ****** ** PTZs.

*** ** *********'* **** notable ******* *** (*) their *********** *** **** and (*) **** ********, their************, *** "**** ***** ** ************", **** ****** *** major ************, **** * sensors,** ********* *********** "** ****** ******** image **********, *** ***** sensor *** ******* ***** guarantees ***** *****."

** ****** *** ****** the********** * **-*********-*********** *********'* *********** **** (the**-*********-****) ** *** *** this ********** ***** *** which *** ** ****** in ***** ****.

******, ** ***** *** full **** *******, *********:

  • **** ***** ** **** details ********
  • *** ***** ***** *********** (in *** * *** 'no *****' *** ** 2 - * *** ambient / '*****' ********')
  • ********** **. ***** *********** differences
  • ***** ******
  • **** ******** ** ***** PTZs
  • ******** ********* ***********
  • *********** *******

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

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

**** **** *********'* ********* shows, *** ************ *** produces ***** ****** *** better ********** ** *** full *** ** ****** than ***** ******** *********** model, ***** ******* **** IR ***** ** *** near *****, ********* ******* beyond.

*******, **** ******/******** ******* does *** ******** ********* to **** *******, ** the ***-* *********** *** produced ****** ******* ** subjects *** **** (****** without *****) ** *** light ****** *** ******. Additionally, ** ********* ****** with ******* ******** (*+ lux), *********'* ******** *********** PTZ ***** ******** ***** and ****** ******* ** or ****** **** *** DarkfighterX.

**** *** **** ** attractive *** ***** *** absolutely ******* ***** *********** when ******** ******** ** night *** *** ********* moderate *********** ******* ** do ** ** **** require **** ****** ** view. ****** *** ****** to ** ****** ****** by ******** ** **** which ***** ****** ******/**** details ** * ***** cost.

Other ******** - ***** *** ********* ******

*** ************ *** ******** from ***** ****** ***** in **** ***** ** PTZs ** *** **** tests, ******* ** ***** on ******** *** ** to ~** ******* ***** actively ********, ***** *** non-X *********** *** *** significantly **** ** **** problem.

*******, ************ ******** (*.***+) were ****** **** *** standard *********** *** ** low ***** *** **** scenes ** ~**-**%.

Competitor **********

** **** ******, ***** there *** ** **** technical ******** ********, ** focused **** ** *********. In ******** *******, ** will **** ** ***** manufacturer's ** / ***-***** PTZs, **** ****** ***** ***** ********* ** ***.

*******

*** **-*********-**** ************ *** sells *** ~$*,*** *** online, ***** **% ****** than *********'* ****** *********** (non-X) ***, *****-*********-****(~$*,*** ******).

Physical ********

*** ************ *** ** similar ** ************ ** other ********** ** ******, in **** *** ********** (though *** ******* ** silver ******* ** *** typical ***-***** ** ***** Hikvision/other ******).

**** *** *******, *** camera ***** ******* ** conventional ** **** ** its **** ******* *** not ******* ******* *** camera's ****** ****, ** shown ** *** ***** below:

DarkfighterX ******

************ **** *** ***** sensors, *** *** ***** and *** *** ********** and ********* ******** *** two. *********, **** ******* use * ****** ****, with ***** ***** ** each ** ****. ******* of **** ***********, *** DarkfighterX's ******* **** ** color (****** "***" ** the *** *********), **** IR **, ******* *** IP *******.

********* ***** *** ** images ** *** ****** produces **** ******* *******. Moving ********' ********** *** appear ******** "***" *** change ** **** ****, shown *****.

**** **** *** ****** also *** * "*****" monochrome ****, *** **** functions *********** *** **** as ******** ** ****, removing *** ***** *** light *********:

Bright ******/******** ******** **** ****** ***

**** ***** **** ****** of **** (***** *****), the ************ ****** ******** brighter ****** **** ****** contrast ** ***** **** the ******** *********** ****** produces ** ********** **** IR **. *** *** background ** *** *****, clouds, *** ******* ***** are *** ****** ******* in *** ************ *****, but *** ** *** non-X ***********.

**** ** ***** **** side ** ****:

IR "*** ***" **** ****** ***

*******, **** *** ************ camera ** ****** ***, subjects ****** **** ********* to ****** ** *** to **** ***** (***'+), as *** ******'* ** switched ** ****/******* *****, shown *****. **** ******** regardless ** ***** ** being ****** ** ** off.

**** ** ***** ** motion *****, **** *** subject ******* ********** ** range **** ****** **, then **** ********* ** see **** ****** ***.

Reduced **** ******* ******** ** ******** ** *******

******** *** ************ ******** a ******** ******* *****, with ****** *** ****** contrast, **** ******* **** as ****** ******** ******** moderately *******/******* **** ******* in, ******** ***** *********.

*** *******, ** ***' distance (~** ***), *** subject's ****** ******* *** test ***** *** **** clear ** *** ************ camera, *** ***** *** more ************/******* ** *** non-X *********** ***.

** ****** *****/****** **** levels, **** **** ** detail ******* **** **********. Shown ***** ** ~***', the ************ ****** ** dimmer, **** **** ***** subject ******* *** **** chart ********** **** *** standard *********** *****. *******, colors *** ***** ******* visible ** *** ************, shown ** *** ***** below.

*******, ** ****** ***** (~500'), **** *******' ******* suffer, **** **** **** of **** *** ******* and **** ***** ******* details.

Performance ***** ********** ** ******** ***** ******

** ********* ****** **** exterior ********, *** ************ performed ***** **** *** standard *********** *** ** color ****. ***** ****** from ~*-*** ** *** tests, ********* ** ********* to ******* *** ********.

*** *******, ** ~***' distance, **** ***** ** ~5-6lx, *** ************ *** Darkfighter ******* ******* ******* and ***** ******** ** "day" ****, ***** *** standard *********** ******** ******* details ** *** ******* and ***** **** ** on.

*** **** *** **** at ***** ***** ******, ~2-3lx, ***** *****. ** this *****, ******* ** the ************ *** *********** are ******* ** *****, with ******* ***** ****** with ** **.

Occasional ***** ******

****** *******, *** ************ camera *********** ******** ***** issues ******* ** ***** IR **** ******. ** the ******* *****, *** camera ***** ** ***** during *** ****** **** ~15 *******.

** ********, *** ***-* Darkfighter *** ******* ** the ******* ** **** 2-3 ******* ****** * similar ******** *******:

FoV **********

*** **** ***** ********** below ***** *** **** field ** **** ** each ******. ***** *** DarkfighterX ******** ******* ***** coverage **** *** *********** in ***** **** *** fine ******* *** ******* (see ***** ** ********** examples *****)

Full ***** ***********

** ******* ******, *** DarkfighterX *** *********** **** produce ******* ******* ** the ******* *** **** chart, **** ****** *********** in **********. *** ************'* image ** ******* ******/***** than *** ***********, *** practical ******* *** *******.

** **** *****, ~***', details *** *******, ** well.

Bandwidth **********

** **** **** (and *** ****** (~***) scenes, *** ************ *** consumed ~**-**% **** ********* than *** ***-* *********** model. **** ****** ****************'* *.***+ ***** *****.

**** **** ***** ******** were ******** ****** ****** tracking ** **** ******* represent **** ***** ***. Those ***** ****** ***** with **** ********* ** otherwise ****** *** ****** less ********** **** *** H.265+ ******** **** ******* to ***** *******, ****** the ************ ***'* ******** are ***** ********** ****** than ***-*, ** ~**%.

*.***+ ******* **** ********* in ***** *** *********. H.264+ ******* ****** ******* issues ** ******** ******* Center *** ****** ****.

Firmware ****

*** **** ******* ******** available ** *** **** of ******* *** ****, verified ** ********* *** technical *******.

  • ********* **-*********-****: **.*.* ***** 170824
  • ********* **-*********-****: **.*.* ***** 170907

Comments (6)

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 04/26/18 05:54pm

**** **** *******, **** ******** ******! * ** ********* * few ****** ******;

** "*** ***" **** ****** ***

** ** ******** **** ***** ***** ** ** ****** ***** be ***** ** ********? ** ** ** * ** ****** feature **** ** **** ** ******** ****? ** **** **** to ** * ***** ***** ** **. *** ***** ***** you ***** ***** **** **** ******* **** ***********.

****** *******, *** ************ ****** *********** ******** ***** ****** ******* to ***** ** **** ******. ** *** ******* *****, *** camera ***** ** ***** ****** *** ****** **** ~** *******.

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

* ******'* **** *** ****** **** ** ***** ******** **** the *** ***** *** ****** ** ******* ** *** ******* walking. ** *** ****, ** *******, **** *** ******* **** more ******* ******** ** ******** **** ***** **** ****? ** there ********* ******** ** *** **** **** ****** ****? ** is **** ****** * ****** ***** **** **** *** *****?

***** **** **** ** ******* ** ***** ** *&* ****? Would *** ******** ** **** **** ***** ****** ** ***** mode? ***** *** *** ***** ***** ****** ** *&* ****?

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 04/26/18 04:10pm

* ***** ***** **** ***** **** *** *** ** ************ in ********, ***. ** ****** ***** *** ** ** **** it *** **** * ***** **** ** ************. ***** *** longer ***** **** ** *** ***** ***** ****** ******* **.

** *** ******* *'** ****, **'* ********* **** ****** ** focus **** ****** ******* **. *** ******** **** **** **** the *********** *** ***** ** **** **** *****/***** ******* **** was *** ******* ** **** ** ********* ***** ******** ******** in *** ***** (~* *******). ** ***** ***** ** **** even **** ****.

**** ******** ** ***** ****. * ***** ****** *** ***-* camera ** ********* ***** ** ***** ****, *** ****** ******* the ***** ** ****** *** ***** ******** ***** ** ***** IR ***. *** *** ***** ** **, ** *** ********** image ***'* ****** *** ********/** ****** ********.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to Ethan Ace | 04/26/18 04:14pm

** * ****** ** *** **** ** *** *** **** is ******** ** *** **** ** ******* ****** ** *** sensors? ******'* **** ** * ********* **** **** ** ****? Maybe *********** *** ** ** **** ** ***** ** ******* the **** ******* *** **** ***** ** **** ******** ************? In **** ****, ** ** ****** * ******* ****** ***** and *** ********* **** ***** ** ******** ** ********?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

04/26/18 04:27pm

****** ************* ****.

********** ** ****** ****** ***** ******* ***** ***** ****.

Dennis Ruban

05/01/18 03:45pm

**** *** *** ************ ***** **** *** ******** *** *********? When * *** ** ********, *** ****** ********* ****** *.* mbps ** ****** **** *.***+ *******, *** *** ****** *** with ****** **** *** **** ********* ***********

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Dennis Ruban | 05/01/18 06:17pm

*** ********* ************ **** ***** **** *** ****** ***** **** for ********, ** ** ********* ** *** **** *** ******** on *** *****. ** ****'** ****** **** *******, ***** *****'* constant **** ****** ******. **** **'* *****, **'* **** *****, a *** ******* **/*.

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