Hikvision IR Bullet Camera Shootout

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Jan 08, 2018

Hikvision's widely used Value Plus line claims 30m/~98' IR illumination range, on multiple lens options ranging from wide angle (100°+) to telephoto (25°).

We bought and tested 4 Hikvision DS-2CD2025FWD-I bullet cameras against each other:

  • 2.8mm/108° AoV
  • 4mm/86.4° AoV
  • 6mm/52° AoV
  • 8mm/40° AoV

The image below from the IPVM Calculator shows the angle of view (and specified IR range) for each lens option:

Testing indoors and outdoors, we examined:

  • How does IR illumination pattern differ across models?
  • Which models, if any, offer more even coverage for their angle of view?
  • What advantages in details are there when using long lens options?
  • How does performance differ outdoors versus smaller, reflective areas indoors?

*********'* ****** ********* **** ********** ***/~**' ** ************ range, ** ******** **** options ******* **** **** angle (***°+) ** ********* (25°).

** ****** *** ****** 4********* **-**********-******* ******* ******* **** other:

  • *.***/***° ***
  • ***/**.*° ***
  • ***/**° ***
  • ***/**° ***

*** ***** ***** ******* **** *************** *** ***** ** view (*** ********* ** range) *** **** **** option:

******* ******* *** ********, we ********:

  • *** **** ** ************ pattern ****** ****** ******?
  • ***** ******, ** ***, offer **** **** ******** for ***** ***** ** view?
  • **** ********** ** ******* are ***** **** ***** long **** *******?
  • *** **** *********** ****** outdoors ****** *******, ********** areas *******?

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

Test *******

** *** *****, **** lens ****** *** ****** IR ************ *******. *******, users ****** ****** ** several *** ******:

  • ***** ****** ****** ******:****** ** ***** ***** lens ******* (*.***/***) **** notably ****** **** ***** in *** ** *** models ***** **** **** focused **.
  • *.*** ************:*** *.*** ***** *********** subjects ** ***** ****** outdoors, *** ** ***** in ***** ****** ******.
  • ** ******* ** *** IR *****:** **** ****** ********* recognizable ******* ******* ** the *******' *** ** range (***/~**').
  • ***/*** ****** **** ***** detection:*******, *** *** *** 8mm ****** ******** ********** better *********, **** *** subject ****** ** **** and ********* ** ***** instead ** * ****** blob.
  • *********** ******* ** ******* indoor *****:*******, *** ************ ** the *.*, *, *** 6mm ****** ******** **** more ******* **** ********, with **** ****** ***********, while *** *** *****'* pattern *** **** ********.

Test *****

** **** ***** ******, the ********* ******* *** used:

  • ******* **** ******* ** close ******** ** *** practical (******** *** ***** and ******** ***********) ** reduce ******* ** ********* angles ** ********* ** the ******, ******* ****** by ****** ********, ***.
  • ****** ** ************ **** tested *** ** * time ** ***** ************ between ******** ******.

Differing ************ ********

******** *** **** **** options ** *** ********* 2025 ***** ***/~**' ** range, *** ******** ******** are ******* *********. ** illustrate ****, *** ********* below ***** *** ***** of **** ** *** widest **** ****** (*.***/***°), with **** ******'* *********** turned **:

*** ********** ***** **** these ****** **** ** side *** **********:

******* ** ***** ******, three *** ****** *** noticeable:

  • *.*** ************ *****/******:******* ** *** ************ pattern ** *** *.*** camera, ** ** ********** dimmer **** ******, **** objects ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** view, ** **** ** our ******* ** ~***' more ********* ** ******* compared ** *** ***** three *******' ************.
  • *** **** ******:*** *** ******'* ************ pattern ** ******* ********, very *** ** *** center ** *** **** field ** ****, ******* intended ** **** ******* match *** ***** ** view ** *** *** model.
  • ***/*** **** *******:*******, ************ ** *** 4mm *** *** ****** appears **** *******, **** in ********** *** *****, with **** ****** ***********, despite * **°+ ********** in ***** ** **** between *** *** *******.

2.8mm ************ ******

** *** *****, **** the *.*** ***** *********** subjects ** **** *****. For *******, ** ~**' distance, *** *******'* **** is ********* ***********, ********* features, ** ** *** bottom **** ** *** test *****.

** ********, ***** ******* properly ****** *** ******* and *****, ******* ***** illumination ***** **** ******* on ***** ******** ****** of ****, ***** ** the ********** *****:

Poor ******* ** *** ** *****

**** **** ******* ***** much ****** ****** ** view, ****** **** ******* do *** ******* *** usable ******* ** ******** at *** *******' *** IR ***** (***/~**'). *******, detection ** **** ****** in *** *** *** 8mm *******, **** *** subject *********** ** ***** instead ** ****** * few ****** ******.

Indoor/Small **** ************

** ******** ** *********** differences *******, **** ***** indoors ** * ***-**** conference **** (~**'***'), *** illumination ******* ** *** 2.8, ***, *** *** cameras ******* **** **** similar. **** **** *** 6mm ******* ******* ** the **** *** ** the ***** ***** ** the *****/**** ****, ** it *** ******* ** the **** ** *** 4mm *****, *** ********* pattern ** *******.

*** *** ******'* ************ pattern ** ******* ****** in *** ****** **** others, ** ** *** outside.

****** *** ******* *****, none ** *** ******* overexposed *** ***** ** close *****, ***** *****. PPF *********** ** **** range *** *****, **** text ********** ******** ** narrower ***** ******.

Firmware ******** ****

*** **** ******** *** used ** *** ****** in **** ****:

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

Comments (6)

Undisclosed #1

01/10/18 05:44pm

*** ***** *****? *** *** ***** ****** **** *** ****.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 01/10/18 08:50pm

***, ** ** ******* ***** **, ****'* ** ***** **** the *.*** ******, ******* *** *** *********** ** **** ** them ******. ** **'* **** ** *** ** ******.

*** **** *****, ** ****** *** ** * **** ***** of **** **** **** ****** *** *******. **'** **** *** that ** ******.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Ethan Ace | 01/10/18 10:49pm

***’** *****, *** ** *** ****, **’* ***** *** **** I **** ** *****.

***, *** **** ******* ***** ** ******* *****?

** *** ***** *** **** ***** ***** ** ****** ** discern ** ** **** ******?

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 01/12/18 03:06pm

**** *** *******, **** *** ****** ***, *** ***** *.**-*.***, depending ** ********. *** ******* ***** ** **** ******* ** it **** ******, *** **'* ****** **** ** **** ** outdoor ***** ****'* **** ******.

fox vision

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/05/18 02:14pm

***** *** *** **** ** **, *** *** ****.

Chad Rohde

01/10/18 08:48pm

*** ***** *****? *** *** ***** ****** **** *** ****.

***** **** ****'* **** **** ** ****** ******** *********** ******* models, **** ****** ** **** ** ****** ** ******* *** other ******* *'* ********. *** *** *** **** ********** *******.

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