Interesting read. I remember thinking the 210 was pretty darn nifty back in the day.
I'm just glad this isn't a review of my performance capabilities over the past 15 years!
How far have IP cameras come?
We bought and tested 4 cameras across the past 15 years to understand how much and where performance has improved.
For consistency across the long time frame, we bought these 4 Axis cameras:
[Note: if there is interest, we can do other combinations, different manufacturers across time, etc. Leave ideas in the comments.]
We shot these 4 cameras out in full light, low light, and WDR scenes to see the differences in performance.
*******
******* ***** ***, ****' *** **** and *** ******* ***** ******** ******** subject ******* ** **** *** ****** fields ** **** (~**-**'), ****** ******* less ***** **** **** ****** ********* models (*.*., *** ***** *** *****).
*******, ** ******** ***** **** **** lit ******, ******* ** *** ****** were ****, *** ***/** ***** ** night **** ******* ****** **** ** the **** (**** ** ******** ********). The *** ***** ******* *** ***** better, ****** ***** **** **** ***** and ***** ******* **** *** *****. Additionally, **** ********** ****** ********* ******* a ******* **** ** ******* ** WDR ****** ** *** ******* *** the *****.
*******, ******** ** ******, ********* ***** codecs (*.*. *********) *** ******* ************ when ********* *****, ***** ********** ****** to *** *****, ***** *** *** lower ******** ** **** ****, ******* having *** ******* **********.
Daytime ******
*****, ** **** ******* ******* ** a ****** *** ******** ***, ******* significant *** *****, ** *** *** they ********* ** **** *** ****** (shown **** **** *** ****). ******* were *** ** ***** *** ***** of **** ** *** ***** **** 2100 (*** ****, ~**° ***).
******* ***** *** ********** *** ***** imagers, *** ** **** *** **** and ** **** *** *** ******** recognizable ******* ******* ** **** ***** due ** **** *** ******. *******, details **** **** **** ***** ** higher ********** ******.
*******, ****** ** **** **' ********, recognition ******* ********* ** *** *** models, **** **** * ***** ** text ******* ** *** *** *** only *** *** **** ** *** 2100.
** **' ********, **** *** ***** provides ***** *********** *******, **** *** subject's **** **** ********* ** *** P1344. **** *** *** *** **** provide ********* ****.
Nighttime ***********
** *****, *********** *********** ****** **** significant, **** *** ***** *** ***** providing ***** ******* ** *** ******* and *****, ***** *** *** ******** more ***** *** *********** *** ** details ** *** ********** ****** *** subject. *** ****, ***** **** ******** than *** ***, *********** *** ******* and *****, ********* *** *******, *** exhibits *********** **** ******* **** (*****).
*** ****'* ****** ****** *** *** to **** *********, ***** *** *** controllable *** *** *** *********. *** example, **** **** ***** *** ****** in *** **** *****, **** *** subject ******* ****** *** ***. ****** are ******* *** *** ******* ******* across *-* ****, ******* **************. ** other ******* ********* **** ******* ****.
****** ******* **** *** *******, *********** become **** **** *****, **** *** Q1615 ******* ********** *** ******* ***** others ******* *** *******. *** *** produces ************ ***** ****** ** *** test ***** ** **** *, *** no ******* *******.
*******, **** ******* (~**'), *** ******* is ****** ********** ** ******* ** the *** ******, ***** *** ***** provides ********* *** ***** *******. *** Q1615 ******** **** ****** ****** *** multiple ******* ***** ** *** **** chart.
Wide ******* *****
*** *********** ** *** **** *** 210 *** **** ****, **** ******** practically ****** *** **** *** ********* in *** *****. *** ***** ********* moderately ******, **** **** ****** ******* (with ******* ******** **), ****** ** still ***** ** ****** ******* ** the **** ***** *** ****** *** the ******* ***** ******* *** *****.
Bitrate **********
*** **** ****'* ********* *** ** far *** ******* ****** *** ***, nearly * **/*, *** ** *** use ** ***** ****. ** *****, its ********* ******* ** *** **/*, but ** *** *** *********, ******** to **** **** * *** (**** above ** **** ******* ****). ******* of ****, *** ***** ***** ***** its ************ *******, ~* **/*, ** show * **** ********** ******* *** other ******* ***** *** *** **** frames.
******* ** *** *** ** *********, the *****'* ******** *** *** ***** than ****** *** *** ** *****.
VMS *******
***** *** ***, *****, *** ***** use ****' ***** ***, *** **** uses **** *********, ***** ** *** supported ** **** *****. ** *** tests,*********************** ********** ********, **** **** **** drivers.** ********/******* ******** **** **** ** **** *** camera's ****** ** ** ******** **** streams. ** **** ****** ** **** the ****** *****************.
Versions ****
*** ********* ******** ******** **** **** in *** *****. **** **** ******** is ***** ********* *** *** ******* on ****' *******, ****** *** *** 2100.
Interesting read. I remember thinking the 210 was pretty darn nifty back in the day.
I'm just glad this isn't a review of my performance capabilities over the past 15 years!
I loved AXIS 210!
I had plenty of similar cameras 10 years ago and 210 seemed as a quite reliable and decent camera. But we used it with a frame based MJPEG compression. MPEG4 looked like a bad choice for video surveillance these days.
Thank you for making me feel very old, Ethan. I remember the Axis 210 and thinking they were up against really strong competitors, e.g. Panasonic, Pelco etc.
Ethan, what were the settings for the Zipstream effort and GOV on the Q1615?
I'm curious which digital signal processors each of these cameras use?
I've got an almost 10yr old 209 Axis cam and that thing still performs better than some of the value HIK cameras.
almost 10yr old 209 Axis cam and that thing still performs better than some of the value HIK cameras.
In what way? I find that hard to believe. The Hikvision cameras have modern sensors with better WDR, integrated IR standard, smart codec standard, etc. (and that can generally be said about many 2017 cameras).
A. No back doors, not Chinese owned.
B. Me partly being facetious.
But, seriously that 209MFD is solid. I know it's my environment and camera location, but the 209 has a better picture at night due to more natural light. My demo Hik has a bad IR ' ring of fire'.
But yes, I'm sure the newer cameras are better no matter who the manufacture is.
Fun comparison article! The bandwidth is the crazy thing. Way better picture with WAY less bandwidth.
Whoa whoa whoa! I think we all know IPVM only reports on Hikvision issues so I can only conclude these links are fictitious. Possible planted by Russian and/or Chinese spies? Only a full congressional investigation will tell.
Well when you have as much market share as Axis you are #1 target for exploits. You need to change the filter you use to look at this, Axis may get exploited more often but their Cyber Security Program is one of the best if not best in the industry PERIOD! They set the bar very high, yes their products may cost a bit more but you get all of the value their solutions offer including robust Cyber Security and ACAP Integrations far more than anyone else offers. Also imagine a world where all manufactures use one version of firmware for the entire product line, that makes patching a breeze when you need to push an update.
I prefer a manufacturer who is responsive and open with the exploits/notifications versus one that still believes is Security by Obscurity.
NOTICE: This comment has been moved to its own discussion: Does Axis Have The Best Cyber Security Program?
I love that you brought up ACAP. One of their exploits was using the ACAP system. Also they don't sandbox applications - they can have full root access which can be exploited
I will have to dig to figure out which one it was. It wasn't a malicious ACAP app, rather a vulnerability in the ACAP system that allowed escalated privileges.
Here it is (Thanks Jon Dillabaugh for consolidating it for me):
https://ipvm.com/reports/axis-orwelllabs
Ah, remember that one
You have to login as root to execute this exploit, which mostly defeats the danger of the exploit.
No need to exploit if you already logged in as root, yes?
However, FYI, I just posted one old and forgotten exploit for Axis from August 2016 (fixed by Axis in Q3/2016), nothing special as of today, but I notify you so you don't think I'll defend Axis.
https://github.com/mcw0/PoC/blob/master/Axis%20SSI%20RCE
I liked the WDR comparison, I think it's a good way to illustrate the challenge and the different solutions.
What would be an interesting study/test, but it would probably be cumbersome is as you test cameras, leave them plugged in and running and see how they perform over time (years).
This would be interesting to see because I think some cameras just "spoil" after time, like geovision cameras, their varifocal cameras tend to get out of focus or degrade after 6 months to a year.
Almost like how car manufacturers put their cars on the treadmills to test them 1mil miles.
I'd be interested to see a survey of how often cameras are replaced these days. I see one was done back in 2012, wonder if lifespan has shortened at all
It would seem from this test 5 years is a good lifespan based on how quickly the technology moves; you'll get better image quality/WDR and save on storage costs, and with wide FOV/higher resolution you may be able to remove some redundant cameras and save licenses. We've done that for select cameras in public spaces/areas where WDR and increased image quality is a huge benefit.
On the flip side we also have cameras going on 6-7 years located in non-challenging environments where we can't justify replacing a still-functioning unit and benefits would be smaller.
We only change our cameras out when they die. Well I guess we did swap out some 2100's five or six years ago because IT got sick of the bandwidth, but anything that has Mpeg-4 or above we will use until it dies. Are there better options available? Of course. Are those options free? Of course not.
Budget plays the largest role for us and I would think that is the case for most non-government end users, but I could be wrong on that.
How fun .... I have an Axis 2100, 2120, and 200+ sitting on my camera display case right here next to me!
The 200+ is a museum piece. Maybe turn it over to Axis and let them display it in the Chicago training center.
I'd be interested to see a comparision of Pelco cameras over a 15 year period under the same conditions.
I'd be interested to see a comparision of Pelco cameras over a 15 year period under the same conditions.
Maybe from 1985 to 2000?