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°).

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

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

*** ***** ***** ******* **** *************** *** ***** ** view (*** ********* ** range) for **** **** ******:

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

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

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

Test *******

** *** *****, **** **** option *** ****** ** illumination *******. *******, ***** should ****** ** ******* *** issues:

***** ****** ****** ******: ****** ** ***** ***** 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 ******* ** ********* ****** of ********* ** *** target, ******* ****** ** offset ********, ***.
****** ** ************ **** 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 ******* ** *** *.*, 4mm, *** *** ******* appears **** **** *******. Note **** *** *** appears ******* ** *** left *** ** *** close ***** ** *** chart/back ****, ** ** was ******* ** *** left ** *** *** model, *** ********* ******* is *******.

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

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

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

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

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

Comments (6)

Undisclosed #1

01/10/18 05:44pm

*** ***** *****? *** AOV ***** ****** **** the ****.

Ethan Ace

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

***, ** ** ******* above **, ****'* ** image **** *** *.*** camera, ******* *** *** illuminator ** **** ** them ******. ** **'* easy ** *** ** narrow.

*** **** *****, ** should *** ** * full ***** ** **** from **** ****** *** clarity. **'** **** *** that ** ******.

Undisclosed #1

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

***’** *****, *** ** say ****, **’* ***** now **** * **** it *****.

***, *** **** ******* light ** ******* *****?

** *** ***** *** beam ***** ***** ** easier ** ******* ** it **** ******?

Ethan Ace

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

**** *** *******, **** the ****** ***, *** about *.**-*.***, ********* ** distance. *** ******* ***** be **** ******* ** it **** ******, *** it's ****** **** ** find ** ******* ***** that's **** ******.

fox vision

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

***** *** *** **** of **, *** *** lens.

Chad Rohde

01/10/18 08:48pm

*** ***** *****? *** AOV ***** ****** **** the ****.

***** **** ****'* **** pics ** ****** ******** differences ******* ******, **** wanted ** **** ** easier ** ******* *** other ******* *'* ********. And *** *** **** calculator *******.

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