Oncam 12MP Fisheye Camera Tested

By IPVM Team, Published May 29, 2018, 11:17am EDT

Oncam has made their name since the early 2000s as a fisheye specialist, focusing only on panoramic cameras. To see how this specialist stacks up against their generalist competitors like Axis or Hikvision, we bought and tested the Oncam Evolution 12 Outdoor (EVO-12NxD), their IK10/IP66 rated vandal-proof model.

Inside, we examine:

  • VMS dewarping differences (Avigilon, Exacq, Genetec, Milestone)
  • Camera side dewarping / "VCams"
  • Stream configuration
  • Full light image quality
  • Low light/dark image quality
  • Bandwidth consumption
  • Physical construction

For comparison, readers should see our other tests in this series:

*******

***** ** *** *****, the ***** ********* ** Outdoor *** ******* *********:

  • ***** ******* ******* *****:*** ********* **'* ******* ***** quality *** ***** ******* compared ** ***** **** imager ****** ** **** tested, **** ****** ******* and **** *******.
  • ***** ****** **** ********* SDK: ****** **** ********* ** supported ***** *** ******, with ** **********, *********, or ***** ****** ***** ** some *********** ****.
  • ****** **** *********:*** ********* **'* ****** side ******** "*****" *** rare ** ******* ****** tested, **** **** ******* on ****** **** ********* (with *** ********* ** Axis *** *********).

*******, ***** *** *** negatives ** ****:

  • **** *******:*** ** *** **** of ***** ******, *** common ** **** ***** 12MP ******* ****** ******, the ********* **'* ******** are ************* ******, ~* Mb/s ** * *** motion ******* ***** ****** <1 **/* *******. **** that ******** ** ***-***** codec *******, *** ********* 12's ******** *** ******* to ******** ***** ******* in *** *****.
  • ******** ******:** *********** ******* ****** **** configuring *** ******, **** settings ****** *** ******* in **** *****, ** requiring ******** *****.
  • **** *** *****:** **** **** ****** (~0.2lx), *** ********* ** provided ** ****** ***** of ********. **** **** Oncam **** *** ***** any ********** ** ******. By ********, **** ***** models ******* ********** ** in ****, ********* ** least ********* ***/** ***** details.

*******

*** ********* ** ***** for ~$*** *** ******, slightly ****** **** *********** such ****************, **** ~$***-***, *** notably ****** *********************'***** ******, ~$***-*** ******.

Physical ********

*** ***** *********'* ************ is ********* **** **** fisheye ****** ** *** key ****:

  • ***** ****:*** **** ** *** Evolution ** ** ***** large ******** ** **** outdoor ******* ****** ** have ******, ********* ~*" from *** ****** *******. Most ****** *** **** a ******* **** ***** covers *** ******* **** more *******.

  • *******:*** ***** ****** **** a ****** ****** ***** locks **** *** ****** backbox ***** * **** and * **********, ******** the ******* ** ** installed *** ****** ***/** conduit ********* ***** ** inserting *** ****** ******. 

** ****** ***** ****** in **** ******** *****:

Client **** *********

*** ********* ** ******** client **** ** *** VMSes ******, **** ********, Exacq, *******, *** ********* all ***** *****'* *** SDK ** ******, **** slightly ********* ***************, ********* below. NxWitness ******* ***** ***** universal ******, ******* ** other ****** ** **** tested.

********* ***** *** ***** SDK *** ****** *** responsive, **** **** ****** stutter ** *********. ******** objects' *********** **** ******** when ********, ** ****, unlike **** ***** *******/****** objects ** *** ****** or **** ** *** FOV. 

Avigilon *********

***** ** *** ** the *** ****** ** dewarp ****** **** ** Avigilon ** *** *****. The ****** ** ************* detected ** *****, **** users ****** ********* **** or ******* ******** ** cameras *****.

Exacq *********

** *****, ***** ****** select ***** ** *** "digital ****" ****, *** mounting ********. ** **** other ******* ******, ***** includes *** **** "******" modes, *** ******** *** dual ******** *****, ** well. 

***** ********* ******* (******* PTZ) ** ****** *** works ****. *******, **** switching ** ********/**** **** modes, *** ***** **** not **** ****** *******, with **** ***** ** the **** *** ***** and *** *** ******, regardless ** ***** ****** aspect ***** ** ****, shown ****:

**** **** ***** **** not ****** ** *** Exacqvision *** ******, **** *******.

Genetec *********

** ******* ******** ******, the ********* ** ** detected ** * ******* camera ** *******. ***** may ****** *** ********* by ******** *** **** of *** ***** ****** in ****** ****, *** dewarping ** ********* *********.

****** **** ********* ** Security ****** ** ******, with ****** ****** ** delay ** ****** *** viewing ******. ************, ***** may ***** ** *** overview ****** (*** **** corner) ** ********** *** view **** *******. 

Milestone *********

****** ******, ********* **** not ********* ***** ********* by *******, *** ******* uses ** *****-********* ****** for *** ******** ***** Client, ******* ******' ********* ******. ***** *** ****** view **** **** ******** to ******** ** **** panorama *** * **** on *** ***** *****.

*** ********* ****** *** similar ******* ****** ** Exacq, **** ********* ***** a **** **** ****** ratio ***** *** **** odd ** *******.

Camera **** *********

** ******** ** ****** side *********, *** ********* 12 ** ******* ** dewarping ** ** **** view ***** ** *** camera, **** * ******* resolution ** ****. ***** may **** ***** ******** views ***** *** ******** from *** ***, ******* to *** **** *****-****.

** *** *****, ***** streams ****** ** *******, but **** ***** *** ******:

  • ***** ******:********* ********* ***** ** the ****** *** ***** prone, **** ******** ****** not ****** *** ***** time, ** ****** ******** back ** ******** ***** saving. **** *** **** often ** ***** **** the ****** *** ********* to * *** ***** accessing *** *** ********* to ****** ********, *** still ************ ** ***** at ***** *****.

  • **** ****** **** ****** side *********:************, ****** **** ********* controls **** ********** ****** latency **** ****** ****, with * ***** ***** in ****** *** **** and ********** **** ******* in ******.
  • ******* *** *******:** *** *****, **** Exacq *** ********* ********* camera **** ******** *******. Others ********* **** *** main ****** ******* ******.

 

Image *******

** ***** *****, *** Evolution ** ***** ***** detail ** *** ******* in **** ***** ******, on *** ** ****** than **** **** ****** tested ** ***. ** low *****/***** ****, ******* worsen, *** **** ***** facial ****** ** ***** present, ** **** ** 4-5 ***** ** ****. In * ****** ~*.*** scene, *** ******* *** chart *** *** **********. 

 ** ~**' ********, ******* details ****** ******, *** with *** **** ***** slightly ****** ***. ** *** light, **** ********* ** the ******* ** ********, and ** ** ********** undetectable ** *** **** (~0.2lx) *****.

No ***** *****

*** ********* ** **** not ******* *** ***** codec ********* (******* ***********/***/***), only ******** *.***, ********* in ****** **** ******* bitrates ******** ** **** 12MP ****** ***** *** include ***** *********, **** low ****** ******** ***** well ***** * **/*.

Versions ****

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

Comments (3)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

05/29/18 05:51pm

The dome is quite large, but that is their outdoor version. 

We've used quite a few of their 6mp Fisheye, with the indoor version and the concealed version. We do have a few outdoor versions as well, that's we've put in vehicles.

The indoor version is basically a plastic cover that snaps over the camera module, and the concealed versions is different all together.

Here is the 12 indoor, you can see the lack of a dome.

Not affiliated with OnCam or anything, just used a bunch of them, well the Pelco branded version of OnCam.

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Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 05/30/18 02:25pm

The dome is quite large, but that is their outdoor version.

So is the Axis version on his comparison, the Oncam outdoor is huge.  I've had customers complain to us about the aesthetics when mounted to the front of buildings.  

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 05/30/18 02:33pm

Yes, as #2 says, all those cameras are outdoor models, and none of them use a dome the size of Oncam. Of all the past fisheye cameras we've tested (Avigilon, Axis, Dahua, Hanwha/Samsung, Panasonic, Vivotek), none have used a dome that size, either, only a lower profile one to cover the lens.

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