Panasonic 4K / 12MP Camera Tested

We bought the new Panasonic 4K / 12MP WV-SFV781L dome camera and tested it against the: 

• Axis P1428E
• Bosch NBN-80122
• Dahua IPC-HFW4800E

In this in-depth report, we tested:

• FoV widths up to 135' to determine how the 4K cameras would compete at under 30ppf levels / wide areas
• Daytime, nighttime and WDR scenes to examine how performance varies across the most fundamental different scene types.
• 4K vs 12MP modes
• Smart IR performance
• Super Chroma Compensation: Low Light Color Mode
• Compression Level differences
• Bandwidth consumption

*********'* ** **-******* ********* significantly ****** ******* ** wide ****** ** **** than ****, *****, *** Dahua ** ****** ******, with above ******* *** ***** performance, ********* ** ******** color ***** ****.

*******, ** ** ************ expensive *** ***** *****, ****** to *** ***** *** size ** *** ********** than ***** *****. ********* is **** * *******, as *** *********** ** many ****** *** *** highest ** ******* ******, even **** ***** ****** quantization **** *******.

Market ******

** *** (*) ** cameras ** **** ******, this *** *** ***** to **** ***** ******** of ****** ** ** Ultra ** ** ***** larger *****. ** **** end, ** ******* **** Panasonic ***** **** ****** an ********** ****** *** such ************.

****: ****, ** **** to **** *** **** 4K ****** ** ** starts ** ****.

Key ********

**** ***** **** ** our *** ******** *** each ****** ** **** test:



*******

• ** **** *** ******, the **-******* ******** **** fine ******* **** *** other ** ****** ******, such ** ****** ******** and ***** ****. **** was ********** ********** ** wide ****** ** **** (50'+).
• *** ***** *********** ** narrow **** *** *********, best ** ******* ******. However, ** ***** *** widths, details *** ******** ** digital *****, ****** ****** moderately **** ****** **** the ***** ** *** 1080p ********* ****.
• ****** *** *********** ******* bright *********, *** **** performance ** **** *****, with ******** **** ********* to ***.
• ******* *********** ******** ("******") resulted ** ************ ** ~37 *******, ************* ****** than *******, ****** ***** quality ****** *** *******, with ******* ******* ** ******* using ******* ~**-***.
• ******** ** **** *** scenes ***** ******* *********** were *-** ***** ** cameras, ****** *********'* ****** were **** ***** ** noted *****. *** ***** bitrates **** ******* ** other ****** ** ******** below.
• ******** ************ **** ~** to 30 ("******" ** "****" in *** *** *********) resulted ** **** ******* increases, **-*** ***** ****** in **** *** ****** due ** **** **** details ***** ********* (*****/****** patterns, *******, ***.).
• **** ****** ******* **** other ***** *****, ****** the **** ** ******* speeddomes.

*****

*** **-******* ***** *** ~$2,000 *** ******, ****** it ~$*** **** **** the***** ***-*****-*** (***** ****, ****** ****) *** about ****** *** ***** of ******* *****-* (***** ** ************).

Physical ********

*** **-*******'* **** ******* physical ******* ** *** size, **** ****** ** that ** ********** **** other ***** *****, *********** here ** **** ********** to ** **** ***** PTZ:



*** ****** **** ******** on-board ******** *** **** and *********, ** **** as * **** ******* output, which *** ***** ************. We ****** *** ***** features ** **** *****.

4K *** **** *****

** ******** ** ** resolution, *** ****** ** capable ** ** ****** ** 12MP ********** (*********). **** provides *********** *** **** horizontal ***, **** ****** 50% ******** ** ******** field ** ****. *** camera *** ** ****** maintaining *** ********* ** FPS ** **** ********** during *** *****.



12MP / ** ***** ********

****** *** ******** ** the ********* **-******* ** both ** *** **** resolutions. *** ~*** ** zip ****** *** ************ ****.

Daytime ***** *******

*** **-******* ******** **** fine ******* ** **** FOVs **** ***** ******* tested. **** ** **** pronounced ** **** ~***' HOV (~***' **** *******), where *** ********* ** is **** ** ******* stronger ******* ******* *** more ******* ***** ** the **** ***** **** other *******, ** **** as ****** ******* *** test ******* *****.



** ***** **' **** the *******, *** *** narrows ** ~**'. *** WV-SFV781L ***** ******** *** best ******* ** ******* tested.



*******, ** *** ****** indoor ***, *** ******* produce *********** ******* *** the **** ***** ** easily *******, ****** *** SFV781L ******** ********** ****** details **** **** **** exposure *** ****** **********.



Low ***** ***********

*** **-*******'* ** ***** is ********* *** ***/~**'. At **** *****, *** test ******* ** ********** in *** ******* **** scene, **** ****:



*******, ******* ** **** range *** **** (** in *** *******) *** to **** ****** ** digital *****, ********* *** subject.



****** ** *** ****** (~25') ***** * ******** 25' ****, *** *** delivers *** ********* ******* of *** **** ***** and ******* *****, ********** better **** *** ***** 4K *** ********* ***** IR ******.



***** ** ***********

** **** ***** ********* models (*** ******* ** *** ********* 6 ******), *** ******'* ** was ********** ** ******** entering *** ***** *** approaching *** ******, **** power ******* ** ***** overexposure. **** ** ******* in *** ******* *****, as *** ******* ***** from ~***' **.



***** ****** ************: *** Light ***** ****

** ******** ** *** built ** **, *** 781 ******** * ***** mode ****** "***** ****** Compensation" ***** ***** *** mechanical *** ****** ***** staying ** *****, ********* white ******* ** ********** for *** ******** ***** created ** ** *****. 

**** ******* ** ******* nighttime ***** ******, **** below ** ~*.* ***, with ******** ****** ******* than *** ******* ***** mode (**** *** ***** below). **** **** *** IR *********** ** *** used ** **** ****.



WDR ***********

*** *********** *** ****** against ****** *********, *** weak ** **** *****, seen ** **** **** FOV *****:



*** **-******* *** *** strongest ********* ** *** bright **** ** *** WDR *****, **** *** best ******* ** *** subject *** **** *****. However, ** **** ***** of *** *****, ** performed *****, **** *** subject *** ***** ****** visible.



***, ***, ***

** ******** ** *** WDR ****, ***** *** select ******** ***** ******* or ********* ************. ********* describes ******** ***** *******'* function **: "******** ********** of **** ***** ******* degrading *** ***** ******* in ****** *****."

** ***** ***' ******* to ** *******, **** no ********* ******** ** visibility ** *** **** areas ** *** *** scene. Turning *** ** ******** in *** ******* ***** almost ********** ****** *** in *** ****** **** of *** *****, ***** he *** **** **** visible ** *** **** area ****** *** ****, seen ****:



Compression ***********

*** **-*******'* ******* *********** ("Normal", * ** * scale ** *-*) ******** an ******* ************ ** ~37, **** **** *** most *******, ***** ******* significant ************* *** ******* quality ** ***** ******.

*******, *** ******* ********** between ~** *** ******* quantization ** ~** ** the *** *** *******, with **** ****** ********** in **** **** *******, despite * ****** ** increase ** *******. ******* this ** *** **** P1428-E, ***** *****, ***** show * **** **** significant ******** ** ******* when ********** ************ ** 37, **** *** *******'* face looking ******** *******.



Bandwidth **********

******* ** **** ********** in ***** ******* ** differening ************ ******, ** tested *** **-******* ** both ***** ******* "******" quality ***** *** ************ to **.

** **** ************ ******, the **-******* *** ****** than ***** ******* ****** in **** *** ******. However, ** *** *****, bitrates **** ******* ** slightly ***** **** ***** cameras ****** **** ***** Q30, *** *** *** was ****** ** *** dark **** ** ** when ***** ***** ******* ~37 ************.



***********

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** ****** ********* noted. ******* ***** *** set ** */*** *** in *** ******. ************ was ************ ** ~** with ** *-***** ******** of ** (* *** second).

*** ********* ********/******** ******** were **** ** **** test:

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