Hikvision PanoVu Mini Tested (Multi-imager + PTZ For ~$500)

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Aug 07, 2018

Hikvision has released their first PanoVu Mini multi imager, the PanoVu DS-2PT3326IZ-DE3, with four 1080p imagers, including a PTZ and integrated IR for ~$500 USD online.

While historically multi-imager / PTZ combination cameras have been very expensive ($3,000+ commonplace), Hikvision has disrupted the market with one a fraction of the price. Indeed, this 4-imager device is less expensive than many single imager fisheye panoramic cameras, e.g., see our Panoramic Fisheye Camera Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Oncam And Vivotek. Indeed, one Hikvision dealer who has used the PanoVu Mini said it made fisheye look like "dinosaurs".

We bought and tested the 3326 PanoVu Mini to see how it performs against low cost single imager cameras and high resolution fisheyes and whether a $500 multi-imager can compete in real-world scenes.

The short video below overviews the camera:

Inside, we examine:

Full light performance
Low light/IR performance
WDR performance
Panorama deadspots and overlap
VMS integration
Bitrates
Physical construction
Teardown / breakdown of the camera

********* *** ******** ***** first ****** **** ***** imager, *** ****** **-*********-***, **** **** ***** imagers, ********* * *** and ********** ** *** ~$500 *** ******.

***** ************ *****-****** / PTZ *********** ******* **** been **** ********* ($*,***+ commonplace), ********* *** ********* the ****** **** *** a ******** ** *** price. ******, **** *-****** device ** **** ********* than many ****** ****** ******* panoramic *******, *.*., *** our ********* ******* ****** ******** - ********, ****, *****, Hanwha, *********, ***** *** Vivotek. ******, *** ********* dealer *** *** **** the ****** **** **** it **** ******* ******** "*********".

** ****** *** ****** the **** ****** **** to *** *** ** performs ********** **** ****** ****** cameras ******* ********** *********** ******* * $*** multi-imager *** ******* ** real-world ******.

*** ***** ***** ***** overviews *** ******:

Wistia video player

******, ** *******:

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*** ****** **** ******** a **** ****-********* ******** for ***** ** ******** sized ****** ***** **** want ********* ********. ** particular, ** ******** **** details, ** **** ***** and ********, ** ~**’ / * ******, **** an ******** *** **** can **** *** *** deliver ******* ** ~**’ / ** ******.

*** ********* ** ** are ******** *** ******* (e.g., *******, ******* ********), moderately ******* *** ***** details (******** ** ******* integrated ** *******) *** notably ****** ********* *********** than ********** ********** ******* or ****** ****** ******* (due ** ** ***** codec ** *** ****** Mini), ***** ******* *** cost-effectiveness ********.

Key ******** **. *******

***** ** *** *****, ******** to ******* ******* ******, we ***** *** ********* key **********:

****** ******* **** ******* at IR: *** **** ******** ****** details ** **** *** PTZ *** ******** ******* than *********'* **** ******* camera (****) ** *** dark **** ** **.
******* ** ****** ******* **** ******* in **** *****: ** ****-*** ******, *** 3326's ******** ******* ******** similar ******* ** *** 63C2 *******. *** ******'* PTZ ****** ******** ******* images **** *** ****** field ** **** (~***°), with *** ********* ** stronger ******* **** ********* zoomed **.
**** **** ** ********:*** ****'* ************ **** evenly ******* *** ***** than *** **** *******, despite ***** ********* *** only *** **. ***.

*******, ***** *** *** disadvantages ** ****** **:

**** ******** ******** ** some *****: ***** ****** ******* *** number ** ******* ******** required ** ***** ***/***, as *** **** ******** four ******** ** ******** and ** *******, *** only *** ** ***** and *********. **** ********** in ******* **** ***** offset ******* ** ******* price.
****** *******:*** ****'* ***** ******* (for *** **** ***** imagers) *** **% ****** than *** **** ******* (H.264+) ****** *** *** and *-** ****** ** night *** ** *** lack ** *.***+ ***** *****.

************, ***** *** *** is ******, ** ** best *** ***** ***** (radius ** ~**' / 10m ** ****) *** not *** ****-**** ******** as *** *** ******* is ********** **** **** compared ** * ******** walking ******.

Key ******** **. ************ *******

******** ** *********'* *** low **** *********** ****** cameras (********** ***** **** H.265) the ****** **** ******** worse ****** ** **** light, **** (with **, *** *** scenes **** ***** ******* wide ****** ** ****.

************, *** ****'* ***** bandwidth ** *-** **** of ***** ******** ****** imager *.***+ ****** (~*.* Mb/s **. ~***-*** **/*) due ** *** **** of ***** *****.

*******, ** ********* *****, users ****** ****** ** license ************, ** **** VMSes *** ******* *** license *** *******, ********* **** licenses *** *** ****.

*******

*** **-*********-*** ***** ***~$*** *** ******. ******** ** ************ ****** *******, **** ** ***** low, **** ******* ********* in *** $*,***-*,*** *****. ************, this ******* ** **** expensive **** **** ******* models, **** ***********'* *** **** **** model, ~$***. *******, ********** licenses ******** *** ***** imagers, ** ******, *** offset **** ***** *******.

****, ** ******* ****** ****, the DS-2PT5326IZ-DE ** ****** ***********'* ***** ******** ******* guide** **** ** *************** ********, *** ** *** yet ******** ** ***** America.

Physical ********

*** **** ** **** ******* than ******* ***** ****** models, ***** *** **** of * **** **** dome ******, ***** *****. The *** **** * series ***** **** **** is ***** ***** *** reference, ** ****, **** smaller **** *** ****** Mini.

** ****** *** ******'* physical ******** ** **** video:

Wistia video player

Better ******* **** ******* *** *** *****

*** ** *** ***** and **** ******, *** PanoVu **** *** ** a ****** ******* ****** replacement. ** *** *****, the ******'* ******** ******* provided ****** ******* ** the ******* ** ~**' range **** *********'* **** fisheye, *** **-********-**, ****** chart **** *** ******** less *****. *** *** imager ******** **** **** even ******** *** ****** PPF *** ** *** zoom ****, ***** ***** at **** *** *** telephoto ** **** ** widest **** *****.

** ***** **** ** on, *** ** *** 3326's ******* ******** ****** details ** *** ******* than *** **** ******* due ** ******** *** light ***********.

Drawbacks **. *******

*** ****** **** *** two *** ************* ******** to ******* ******:

******* ** ***:******* ******** **** ** only * ****** ******* tile ** * *** layout, **** ********* ********* zooming/dewarping ** ******* ******(*), they *** ******* ** navigate *** ************* ***** who *** **** *** 3326's ***** ******** ******* used *** * ***° view ************ ** *********.
****** *******:************, *** **** ***** four *** ******* ******** in **** *****, ***** fisheye ******* ****** ******* more **** ***. **** increased ******* **** *** offset ********** ** ***** cost, ****** *** ***** performance, *** ********** ******* gained. ** ******* ******* requirements ***** ** **** report.

Vs. ******* ****** ******

*** **** ******** ****** similar ** ** ******** worse **** ******* ***** lens ****** ** **** light, ********* ** ** the ****** *** ****** or ******** ******* *** used. *** *******, ** ~18' ********/** ***, *** PTZ ****** ** *** narrowest ~**° ***** ** view ******** ************* ****** details **** *** ******** imagers *** *** ****** imager ****, **** ****** roughly ******* ** *** single ****** ***** ** its ****** *** (~***°).

*******, ** ***** (~*.* lux), *** ****** ******'* stronger ** ******** ****** details **** *** ****** camera, ********** ** **** level.

Poor ******* *** ***********

*** **** ******** **** digital ***, ** ******** to **** *** **** Hikvision ***********/***** ****** ****** in ****. ** **** moderate *********, **** ** the ******** ~*,*** *** day ***** *****, *** subject's ******* *** **** weaker **** *** **** camera ***** ******** **** WDR.

Panorama *******

*** ***** ******* ********** the ***° ******** ** the **** ******* **** other *************, **** ******* duplicated ** ******** *******. For *******, *** ***** and ****** **** ** the ****** ****** ** the ********** **** ***** below *** ** ******* seen ** ******** *******, as ****.

Slight ******** ***** ****

**** ***** *****-****** ***° models, ***** ** * blind **** ******** ******* the ******, ****** ** is ***** *** *********** only ***** ***** ** a ****** ******, *** unlikely ** **** *** activity. It *** **** ** mitigated ** ****** *** center ****** ******** ****, though ******* ********* ***** the *** ** ***** elsewhere *** ** ******.

VMS/NVR ***********

*** ******** ******** ********* and *** ****** ** licenses ******** ** **** VMS ******, ********** ****:

**** **** *** ********** *** ******* ** Genetec ******* ******* *********, ** ** *** been ******* **** **** comparison.

***** **** ********* ******** integrated ****** ** *** first ******* (***) ****.

Hikvision *** ***********

** ***** ** *** the **** **** *********'* own ****, *** ****** must ** ***** **** times, ****** ** **** channels. ***** *** *** same ******* ** *** NVR **** *****, ******** only *** "******* **." for *** ******** ****** (1/2/3/4).

VMS ******* ************

***** *** ********* ******** only * ****** ****** license *** *** **** channels, ***** ******** *** Nx ******* ******** ****, one *** **** ******. By ********, *** ******** of ***** ****** ****** in **** *** **** a ****** ******* ** most ***** (*** ********-****** ****** ***** *** ******* **********).

Camera **** ***/********* ***********

****** **** ****** ********* on *** **** ********** with *****, *********, *** Nx *******. *******, ** our ***** **** *********, VMD **** ****** ** the ***** ******* (****** PTZ), *** *** ***° imagers, ***** *** ** a *********** ********** ** many ************.

************, ***** *** ****** supports intrusion *** ********* *********, they *** ********* **** on *** ***** *******, not *** ******** *******. Additionally, ****** **** ***** analytics *** **** ********* in *********, *** ***** VMSes.

H.265 *******

*.*** *******: *.*** *** supported in *****, *********, *** NxWitness, ***** ******** ******** only *.***. **** **** unlike **** ********* ******, their*.***+/*.***+ ***** ******* *** ********* ** the ****, ********* *****.

Bitrate **********

*** **** **** *** include ****.***+/*.***+ ***** *********** ** **** ***** current ********* ******, ********* in **** ****** ******** than multiple ****** ****** ******, and ****** ***** ******** **** *** **** fisheye ****** (~*.* **/* for *** **** ***** imagers **. ~*.* **/* 9MP ******* ****** *** day). ***** ************ **** taken **** ******** ******** in *** *****, **** the *** ****** ***** (not ***** *****).

Teardown: *** ********* ********** ****

** ****** * ****** 3326 ** *********** *** examine *** ******** **********. The ****** **** *** Ambarella **********, ***** ****** ** ******* ** ***** **********/**-********** [link ** ****** *********].

** **** ****** ** see **** ******* **** in *** ******* *********** the ****** **** *** board. ** ***** ********** stood *** ** **** teardown, ****** ** ***** would **** *** ********** detail ** ********** **** in *** ***** *****, feel **** ** ***.

Wistia video player

Poll: *** ********** *** ***?

**** *** **** ****:

Versions ****

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

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

Comments (10)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

08/07/18 09:36pm

Very nice. Are there any analytic or automated features that use the PTZ (call presets\tours on motion\line crossing then auto track, etc?)

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 08/07/18 09:41pm

That's a good question, and a feature I was expecting. The specs vaguely mention PTZ linking, but there is no option to trigger a preset from any of the detection rules (motion or intrusion).

We'll double check with tech support, but it doesn't seem to be supported.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

08/08/18 07:19am

The integration/license issues are typically due to the camera not yet being tested or hard coded to require only one license. Most VMSes operate under the one IP = one license rule.

Interesting to see that you can’t trigger a PTZ preset from an analytic.

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC
08/09/18 12:25pm

This is a very interesting model. I hope that the next generation will build on this platform and offer better WDR and codec support.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 08/09/18 12:30pm

JD, good feedback. Question: what scenarios or applications do you see as being the best fit for this type of camera?

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC
In reply to John Honovich | 08/09/18 01:11pm

I see it being a good fit for a client of ours that has a museum remodel going on. We are working with them soon on designing the layout of cameras for the new building. We had fisheye or multi-imagers in mind, but we will also have to evaluate this option as well. I haven’t studied the plans well enough to know if WDR is essential or not, so that could be a deal breaker. But having the integrated PTZ could be a huge bonus.

Steve Beck

08/09/18 04:41pm

I know the DS-2CD6D54FWD-IZHS PanoVu camera counts as 4 cameras on Hikvision's NVRs. Does this model count as 4 cameras as well?

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Steve Beck | 08/09/18 04:50pm

Yes, it has to be added four times, same IP address but changing the channel number to 1/2/3/4 depending on which imager you want.

Results in:

Steve Beck

08/09/18 04:54pm

That's what I thought. I recommend a post update reflecting the 4 channel spaces taken up on HIK's NVRs. Thanks!

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Steve Beck | 08/09/18 09:06pm

I'm going to add in what I just posted to you, just getting the chart updated to go with it. Thanks for pointing it out!

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