Hikvision IR Bullet Camera Shootout

Author: 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?

*********'* ****** ********* **** ********** ***/~**' ** ************ *****, ** ******** **** ******* ******* from **** ***** (***°+) ** ********* (**°).

** ****** *** ****** ********** **-**********-******* ******* ******* **** *****:

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

*** ***** ***** ******* **** *************** *** ***** ** **** (*** ********* ** *****) *** each **** ******:

******* ******* *** ********, ** ********:

  • *** **** ** ************ ******* ****** ****** ******?
  • ***** ******, ** ***, ***** **** **** ******** *** ***** angle ** ****?
  • **** ********** ** ******* *** ***** **** ***** **** **** options?
  • *** **** *********** ****** ******** ****** *******, ********** ***** *******?

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

Test *******

** *** *****, **** **** ****** *** ****** ** ************ pattern. *******, ***** ****** ****** ** ******* *** ******:

  • ***** ****** ****** ******:****** ** ***** ***** **** ******* (*.***/***) **** ******* ****** than ***** ** *** ** *** ****** ***** **** **** focused **.
  • *.*** ************:*** *.*** ***** *********** ******** ** ***** ****** ********, *** an ***** ** ***** ****** ******.
  • ** ******* ** *** ** *****:** **** ****** ********* ************ ******* ******* ** *** *******' max ** ***** (***/~**').
  • ***/*** ****** **** ***** *********:*******, *** *** *** *** ****** ******** ********** ****** *********, with *** ******* ****** ** **** *** ********* ** ***** instead ** * ****** ****.
  • *********** ******* ** ******* ****** *****:*******, *** ************ ** *** *.*, *, *** *** ****** appeared **** **** ******* **** ********, **** **** ****** ***********, while *** *** *****'* ******* *** **** ********.

Test *****

** **** ***** ******, *** ********* ******* *** ****:

  • ******* **** ******* ** ***** ******** ** *** ********* (******** for ***** *** ******** ***********) ** ****** ******* ** ********* angles ** ********* ** *** ******, ******* ****** ** ****** mounting, ***.
  • ****** ** ************ **** ****** *** ** * **** ** avoid ************ ******* ******** ******.

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

******** *** **** **** ******* ** *** ********* **** ***** 30m/~98' ** *****, *** ******** ******** *** ******* *********. ** illustrate ****, *** ********* ***** ***** *** ***** ** **** of *** ****** **** ****** (*.***/***°), **** **** ******'* *********** turned **:

*** ********** ***** **** ***** ****** **** ** **** *** comparison:

******* ** ***** ******, ***** *** ****** *** **********:

  • *.*** ************ *****/******:******* ** *** ************ ******* ** *** *.*** ******, ** is ********** ****** **** ******, **** ******* ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** ****, ** **** ** *** ******* at ~***' **** ********* ** ******* ******** ** *** ***** three *******' ************.
  • *** **** ******:*** *** ******'* ************ ******* ** ******* ********, **** *** in *** ****** ** *** **** ***** ** ****, ******* intended ** **** ******* ***** *** ***** ** **** ** the *** *****.
  • ***/*** **** *******:*******, ************ ** *** *** *** *** ****** ******* **** similar, **** ** ********** *** *****, **** **** ****** ***********, despite * **°+ ********** ** ***** ** **** ******* *** two *******.

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

** *** *****, **** *** *.*** ***** *********** ******** ** near *****. *** *******, ** ~**' ********, *** *******'* **** is ********* ***********, ********* ********, ** ** *** ****** **** of *** **** *****.

** ********, ***** ******* ******** ****** *** ******* *** *****, despite ***** ************ ***** **** ******* ** ***** ******** ****** of ****, ***** ** *** ********** *****:

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

**** **** ******* ***** **** ****** ****** ** ****, ****** lens ******* ** *** ******* *** ****** ******* ** ******** at *** *******' *** ** ***** (***/~**'). *******, ********* ** much ****** ** *** *** *** *** *******, **** *** subject *********** ** ***** ******* ** ****** * *** ****** pixels.

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

** ******** ** *********** *********** *******, **** ***** ******* ** a ***-**** ********** **** (~**'***'), *** ************ ******* ** *** 2.8, ***, *** *** ******* ******* **** **** *******. **** that *** *** ******* ******* ** *** **** *** ** the ***** ***** ** *** *****/**** ****, ** ** *** mounted ** *** **** ** *** *** *****, *** ********* pattern ** *******.

*** *** ******'* ************ ******* ** ******* ****** ** *** center **** ******, ** ** *** *******.

****** *** ******* *****, **** ** *** ******* *********** *** chart ** ***** *****, ***** *****. *** *********** ** **** range *** *****, **** **** ********** ******** ** ******** ***** models.

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

*** **** ******** *** **** ** *** ****** ** **** test:

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

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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