New Axis M30 Cameras Tested

By Derek Ward, Published Mar 26, 2020, 01:03pm EDT

Axis has released a new generation of, for them, relatively low cost M30 series cameras, claiming to deliver "sharp video quality even in poor light".

We bought and tested the new 1080p M3065-V and 4MP M3066-V, to compare to their last generation, the M3045-V and M3046-V, as well as Hikvision's Performance series, to see how they perform, including:

  • How does image quality compare in full light (~300 lux) and low light (~2 lux/~1 lux) scenes?
  • How do they perform in wide dynamic range scenes?
  • What are the hardware differences between the new and old generation M30s?
  • How does bandwidth compare in day and night scenes?

*******

*** ******* ****** **** Axis' *** ********** **** outperformed *** ******** ********** in *** ******, **** better ******* (~***-*** ***), low ***** (*-* ***), and *** *******, ** well ** ******** ********* consumption *** ************** ************.

*******, ******** ** *****-**** Hikvision, ****' *** **** produced ****** *** ***** details. ************, **** **** the ********** ** *** outdoor ******* ******* ** lower **** ***** **** domes.

New **** **** **. ********* *********** ******

******** ** *********'* *********** Series, **** *** ***** and *** *** ****** produced ****** ******* ** low *****. *** ********* Performance ****** ****** ******** rough ****** *******, ****** overexposes *** ***** ********, but *** **** ******* do *** ******* ************ facial *******.

** * *** **** WDR *****, *** *** Axis **** *** ********* Performance ****** ******* ********* similarly, **** ***** ******* details ******* ********* *** in ****** ***** ** the *****, ** **** as **** ******* ** the ********** *******.

******, ** ****, **** lighting, *** *** **** M30s *** ********* *********** Series ******** ******* *******, both ** *** *******'* face *** **** *****. Note **** *** *** Axis *****-* ******** ******* PPF ** ****** ** ~20' ******** *** ** its ***** ***** ** view.

*******

*** *** **** ***** M3065-V ***** *** ~$*** USD, *** *** *** M3066-V *** ~$***, *** same ***** ** ******** generation ******.

**** ******* ** ****** than *********** ****** **** as *** ****** ***-**** (~$160 ******) ** ********* DS-2CD2525FHWD-I (~$*** ******) **** of ***** *** ******* rated, **** *** ********* also ********* **.

Physical **********

*** ******* ****** ** the *** *** ******* is **** *** **** cover *** ****** ** attach ** *** ******'* base **** ** ******* hardware. **** ****** ************ as ***** ***** **** be ******* *** ****** more **** ** ****** network ******, ***** **** more ********* ** ***** in *** ******.

************, *** ******'* ***** has **** ***** ** the ***** ** *** camera (***** *** ****, next ** *** ******), instead ** ** *** bottom, ******** ********** ** access *** ****** ****** and ** **** **** to *** *** ****** to**** *********.

*******, *** ** **** slot ** *** ******* and ******** * *********** to ******, ****** ** cards **** ****** **** old ******, ***** **** exposed.

** ****** ***** ******* and **** ** **** video:

Similar **** ** *********** ******* *****

*** *** **** *** series **** **** ******* are ******* ** **** to ***** ***** ********** counterparts, ** **** ** other **** **** ********* from ******, **** ** the ****** ******* ***-**** and ******* *-****** *******-*.

Improved *** ***** **********

** *** ***** (~* lux), *** *** **** M30s *** **** ** provide ******* ***** *** facial ******* ** ***** range (~**'). *** ***** M30s ****** ******** ****** and ******* ** *** light, ******** *******.

******* ****, ~**', *** newer **** **** *** able ** ******* ******* chart ******* **** *** older ********, ***** ***** quality ********* ** ********.

**** ****** ******** ** low *****, *** *** Axis **** ******** **** noticeable ********* **** ******** details. ***** **** *** due ** **** *******, as ******** *** ************ at * ******* ** 1/30s, *** ****** ** be *** ** ********* digital ***** *********, ***** cannot ** *******.

******** *** ***** ***** to ~* ***, *** newer **** *** ******' advantages *** **** **********, providing ******** ****** *** chart ******* **** *** older ******.

Improved *** ***********

****, ** **** *** the **** ** *** exterior *** *** **** scene, **** *** *** demonstrated *****.

** ****** *** ******, the **** *****-* *** M3066-V *** ******* ******** and **** ********** *** entire *****, **** ******* subject *******.

**** *** ******* ****** through *** ****, *** camera ***** ******* ******* to ****** ** *** sudden ******** ******, **** strong ******* **** ******** just ** *** ******* enters *** *******.

*** **** ****** ******** from ******* ******, *** new ********** ****** ******** clearly ****** ******* ** motion, **** **** ************.

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

******, ** ****, **** lighting (~*** ***), *** Axis **** *** **** to ******* ***** ******* on *** ******* *** test *****.

Bandwidth **********

*** **** *****-* *** M3066-V ******** **** ********** lower **** ***** ********** models *** ** *** inclusion ** ********* **** H.265. *.*** ******** **** similar ******* *** *** new ***********. ********* *** set ** ****, **** Dynamic *** ******* ** these *****.

Strong *** ***********

******* ** ***** **** cameras, *** *** **** integrated *.***, *.***, ************* ** *** ***** tested ****** ********, ***** H.265 ********* ******.

Made ** ******

*** **** *****-* *** Axis *****-* **** **** in ******. *******, ** noticed * **** **** the **** *****-*, ** it ** ******* *** "-V" ** *** *** of *** ****** ***** name.

Test **********

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** **** **** changes:

  • ********* *** *** ** High, **** ******* *** set ** **, ******** of **** (*******).
  • ******* *** *** ** 30 (************ ~**).
  • *** *** ******* **** during *** *******.

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

*** ** *** **** M30 ******* **** ***** firmware ******* *.**.*. ********* models ****** **** ******** version *.*.*.

Comments (11)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

03/26/20 11:41pm

*** **** *** **** is *** ***** *.***? They ****** ****** **** H.265 ** *** **** supported *** ********* ***** just ** **** *** the **** *-* *****. Has **** ******* *******?

Agree
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Derek Ward

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 03/30/20 03:05pm

***** **#*,

** ********* **** ********* your ******** ***** ***** inclusion ** *.***, *** here ** ***** ********:

*** *** ***** **** Axis *** ****** **** H.265 ** *** **** supported *** ********* ***** as ****. ********* ** ideal *** ******* ***** surveillance ******, ***** *** not ****** **** *** and ***** **** **** periods **** ** ******. For * ******* ***** surveillance *****, ********* ***** a ************* ******* ************ to ******* ********* **** H.265 **** ******** ** H.264.

*.*** **** ******** ****** than *.*** ** **** scenarios, ************ **** * lot ** ******, **** though *** ********* ** typically ****. **** *** last ****** ** *****, Axis *** ***** *.*** support ** *** ******* part ** *** *********, still ******* *.***. ***** management ******* (******** *** software) ******* *.*** ** a ******* ****** ***** than * ****** ** years ***, *** ***** are ***** **** ******* that ** ***. ******* and ********** ******* *** H.265 ** *** *********, and ***** *** ***** licensing ******.

**** ******** **** *.*** and *.*** **** ******* for * **** ****.

Agree
Disagree: 1
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

03/30/20 04:24pm

**** ******** **** *.*** was *** **** ******* because **** ****'* **** it... ** ***** **** to **** **** ******** to * *** ******* that ******** * *** codec, **** ****** ***** support, *****, ********* ********, etc.

**** ***** ** ******* their ******** ** * substitute *** *.***, ** that **** ****'* **** to ***** **** **** were ****** *** **** on **. *** **** are ******* ******** ** in ** **** ******* their ******. * ***** assume **** *** *** models (****** ********* **** models) **** ******* ** once ***** ******* *** other ***** ** ***** solutions *** *******.

**** *** *********** **** Zipstream ***** * ****** reduction, **** **** ***** that *.*** ********** ****** in **** *********. ***** manufacturers **** ******* *.*** + ***** ******. (** course **** ************* *** only ** ***** ****** on *.*** :( )

*.*** ** ***** **********. H.265 *** ********* ** mitigate **** ************ ** H.264, **** ** *********** motion ***********, ** ** is **** ** ***** old. *.*** ** * much ***** *****.

Agree: 2
Disagree: 2
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 03/30/20 05:24pm

**** ***** ** ******* their ******** ** * substitute *** *.***, ** that **** ****'* **** to ***** **** **** were ****** *** **** on **.

* ***'* **** ****' internal ******* ******* *** the ******* *** **** when **** ********** *********, it *** * ************ and ***** ********* *** them. **** ** ******* **** ********* *** first ******** ** ****, * ***** ***.

*'* ***** **** *.*** smart ***** **** '*******' H.265 (*.*., ******* * smart *****) *** *** application.

*.*** ** ***** **********. H.265 *** ********* ** mitigate **** ************ ** H.264, **** ** *********** motion ***********

****'* *** ****. *.*** did *** **** *********** motion ************. ** *** higher ********* *********** *** the **** ******* ***** as *.***. *.*** ** a **** ********* *****, which ** ****** ******.

Agree: 3
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Informative
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

03/30/20 05:43pm

********* *** ********** * breakthrough **** ** **** out.

*** *. ***/*** ******** was ***** ********* ** 2003, ***** ** ******* in ***** ** ******.

***** ** ** ******* of *** ******* ***** of ********* **** *** common **** *.*** **** resarch ******** ******. *.*** has ** **-**** ********** filter ***** *** ***** artifacts, ***** **** *** present ** ***** ***** from ****** *.***. *.*** provided ********* ************ ** minimize ***** *********.

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

04/17/20 11:39pm

****, *** *** ***** which ********* **** ****** uses?

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Derek Ward

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 04/20/20 02:11pm

***** ** #*,

*** *** **** **** use ** ********* ***. (This ** **** *** Axis *****-*).

Agree
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Informative: 1
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Undisclosed #5

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Derek Ward | 04/20/20 03:34pm

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

Agree: 1
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Informative: 1
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Undisclosed End User #4

04/19/20 12:25am

***: *** ***** *********** the * ****** - be **** ** **** into *** ****** ** "streams" (****-***** *** *** number ** *******) ********* by *** ****** ************* to **** ***** ******* requirements. *'* ******* *** latest ******** *** *** M2026-LE ** ** *** constantly ******* ****** ******* issues.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed #5

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed End User #4 | 04/19/20 07:13pm

*** *** ***** * VMS ** *** ******* connecting ******** ** *** cameras?

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Derek Ward

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #5 | 04/20/20 03:56pm

*'* **** **** ** know ***** *** *** seeing *** ****** ******* issues. ************ (** **********), are ***** *** ***** cameras ** **** ******* experience *** **** ******? How **** ********* ******* are ***** ****** ** the **** ****?

**** *** *******/**** **** when ***** * ******** ping *** ******* **** camera, ** **** **** the ****** ****? * haven't *** **** ****** on **** ***** **** other *******, *** **** I ****, * ***** either ******** ***********/***** *******, or ******** ******** *** FPS * *** ******, just ** *** ** it ***** **** **** the ****** **** ********. Thanks, *** ******* ******* to **** ********.

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