Pelco GFC 4K Dome Camera Tested (IMP831-1ERS)

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Mar 12, 2019

Pelco has finally released their first 4K IP camera, after years of competitors' releases. Is this move too late? Or is their new GFC Professional 4K line on par with others?

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We bought and tested the IMP831-1ERS vandal dome to see how it compares to competitive models Axis' Q3518-LVE and Hikvision DS-2CD5585G0-IZHS, examining:

  • How do daytime details (~300 lux) compare to others?
  • How do low light/IR (0.01 lux) compare to others?
  • Does integrated IR reach its specified 30m/~98' range?
  • How evenly does IR cover the field of view?
  • How does it perform in WDR scenes?
  • How do bitrates compare to competitors?
  • How well does it integrate to VMSes?

***** *** ******* ******** their ***** ** ** camera, ***** ***** ** competitors' ********. ** **** move *** ****? ** is ***** ****** ************ ** ****** *** **** ******?

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** ****** *** ****** the ******-**** ****** **** to *** *** ** compares ** *********** **********' *****-*************** **-*********-****, *********:

  • *** ** ******* ******* (~300 ***) ******* ** others?
  • *** ** *** *****/** (0.01 ***) ******* ** others?
  • **** ********** ** ***** its ********* ***/~**' *****?
  • *** ****** **** ** cover *** ***** ** view?
  • *** **** ** ******* in *** ******?
  • *** ** ******** ******* to ***********?
  • *** **** **** ** integrate ** *****?

[***************]

*******

***** ** *** *****, the ***** *** ************ 4K **** *** ******* advantages:

  • ***** *** ***********:*** ***** ** ****** provided ********** ****** *** details **** *** **** Q3518-LVE *** ************* ****** performance **** *********'* ****** which *********** *** *****.
  • *********** ***** ***** ********:***** ***** *.*** ******** were ******* ** **** lit ******** ****** ****** (~300 ***), ***** **** Axis, *** ****** **** Hikvision, *** ***** **** both *********** ** ***** (~0.01 ***, ******** ******).
  • ***** *** ***********:*** ******'* *.*** ****** was ********* ** *** VMSes ****** ***** *** direct ***** ******, **** camera **** ****** ********* in ********, *****, *******, and *********, *** *** Nx *******.

*******, ***** **** ***** key *********** ******, ** well:

  • ** ********: *** ******'* default "****" ***** ** mode ******** ** **** scenes, **** *** ******* difficult ** *** ** only ~**-**' ********. **** may ** ******** ***** manual ***** **********, *** overexposure ******* ******** ** medium ** **** ****** (40+ ** * ***** of ***).
  • ** *******:** ******* **** ****** than ******, ********* **** compared ** *** **** or ********* ** *******' sharper ******.
  • **** *.*** *** *******:***** *.*** ******* *** broad, *** ******'* *.*** stream *** ********* **** in ********* ********. *** camera ****** ** *** to ***** ***** **** H.265 *******.

*******

*** ***** *** ************ 4K **** ***** *** ~$1,100 *** ******. **** is ******** **** ********' *****-***(~$*,*** ******) *** ******** more ********' *****-***************'* * ****** ** dome (**-*********-****), **** ~$***-*,*** ******.

Physical **********

********** *** ****** ** slightly ******* **** ***** 4K ***** ******, ***** below, ****** *** ***** feature *** ** ******* to ****** (********* ****, 30m **, ** *******, audio, */*, ***.).

Smaller Than Competitive 4K Outdoor Domes

Auto **. ****** **** ** ***********

** *** *****, *** Pelco ** ****** ******** from ** ************ ** underexposure, ********* ** ***** settings **** ****.

*** *******, *** ****** underexposed *** ***** **** set ** "****" ** illumination ****, **** *** background **** **** *** subject ********* ** ***, but ** ************ ** close *****.

******* *** ****** ** manual **** ****** *** better ************ ** *** full *****, *** *********** the ******* ** ***** range, ****** ********* ***.

** ***** ** *** tests **** * ******* between **-** *** ********** to ****** ************ ***** still ****** ************ *** full *****, *** **** setting *** **** ** our ********** ***** *****. Pelco **** **** **** is ****** *** ** a ******** ***** *** may ** ********* ** future ********. ** **** recheck ***** ****** **/**** this *** ** ********.

Integrated ** ***********

** *** *****, *** camera ******* *** ********* 30m/~98' ******* *****. *******, details *** **** *** at **** ***** ** wide ****** ** **** due ** *** *** (~14).

IR Reaches Max Range (Detection Only Due To Low PPF)

** *********** *** **** field ** ****, ****** was ********** ****** ** the *****, ***** *****. This *********** *** ******* to *** ********* ****, though *** **** ***** was **** ****.

Center Vs Edge IR Performance

Integrated ** ******* (~*.* ***)

** *****, ********** ** comparisons **** ***** ***** manual ** ********** *** to ** ** ******* between ************ *** **** images.

********** ** ******* **** rougher **** *********** ** a ~*.** *** *****, with ****** ***** ** the ******* *** **** chart, ***** ****:

Moderately Worse Dark IR Details Than Competitors

**** **** ******* ** settings **** **** *** competitive ******.

Daytime ******* (~*** ***)

** ** ****** *** daytime *****, ~*** ***, the ******* ******* ******* details, **** *** ***** 4K ****** ********* ******** clearer **** ********** **** others, ***** ****** ******** slightly ****** ******* ****** images.

Similar Daytime Details

Above ******* *** ***********

** ****** *** ******* an **** *** **** on * ***** ***, ~13,000 *** ******* *** door **. ~*** *** inside.

WDR Test FOV

** **** *****, *** Pelco ** ****** ******** the **** ******* ** the ******* *** **** chart, **** *** **** even ******** **** ******* strong ********* *** ******. The **** ***** ********* well, *** ********* ********* on *** *******'* **** against *********, ******** ******* somewhat, ***** *** ********** of *** ********* **** was ********** ****** ***, with ******* ***** ******* in ****** *****.

WDR Performance Comparison

**** **** *** **** Q3518-LVE *** *** ******* these ******** *** ******** ******** **** *** ** an ***** ** ******* firmware. ** **** ******* out ** **** *** comment *** **** ****** here **** ** ******* response.

Bitrate **********

***** ******** **** *********** with **** *** ********* with ***** ****** *******, slightly ****** **** ********* in ******* ******, *** lower **** **** **** and ********* ** **** scenes **** ** **. Note **** ***** ************ were ***** ****

Competitive Bitrate Comparison

Smart ***** ********

*** ***** ******* *** found ** **** *************' cameras ** *****'* ******* charts ********* ** ***** ***** ********** *******. **** ****** users ** *** ******* reductions ** **** **** without ******* *** *** interface ***** ****** ******** changes. *********, ***** **** view *** *** ********* and * *** ************** to *** ***** *******.

Bandwidth Graph Shows Smart Codec Reductions

Broad *.***/****** **** *** *********** *** **** ** *.***

*** ***** *** ************ 4K ****** ********** ** all ***** ****** ***** H.264 (********, *****, *******, Milestone, ******* *****), **** camera **** *** ****** supported ** *** *** Nx *******. *** ******** of ***** ***** ****** Pelco *******, ****** ******* Optix ***** **** *****.

*******, *** ******'* *.*** stream *** ********* ** only ********* ********. *** camera ****** ** ******** add ** **** ***** when *.*** *** ******** as *** ******* ****** in *** *** *********.

VMS Integration Comparison

Similar ************ ** ********* / ***** ********

*** ***** *** ** camera ****** **** ************ with *********-************ ******, **** as ********** ******** (***** *****) ** FLIR/DVTel ******. *** *******, the *** *** *** same **** *******, ********* size, *****, ******** **** pattern, *** ****. ************, both *** **** ** Taiwan.

Housing Similarities To Dynacolor OEM

******, ***** *** ***** more ************, **** ** the ******** ** ******** and */* *****, ****** there *** **** *********** between *** ***, **** as ******/****** ***** *** power/audio *****.

Housing Port Similarities To Dynacolor OEM

*******, ****** ***** *** models, *** ***** ****** is *** ******** *** Dynacolor's ********* *****, *** does ** *** ** VMSes ***** ********* *******. Instead, ** **** *****'* firmware, ***************** **** ***** Sarix ******, *** *****'* own ***, ***** ***** points *** ** ***** product *******.

Not **** ********* / **** *********

***** ***** **** *** GFC ************ ** **** is *** **** ********* (PDF ****), ** ** **** HiSilicon, ****** *** **** of ***** ****. **** specify **** *** *****, Spectra, ******, ******, *** other *****************.

Country ** ******

*** ***** ******-**** *** manufactured ** ******.

Comments (10)

Undisclosed #1

03/12/19 03:43pm

********** *** ******** ** to *** *** *******, not **** ** **** review, *** ******.

**** ***** **** ******* who *** ***** * HikVision *** ****, ***** that **** ***'* *** IP ******* *** ** cyber ******** ********. ******.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 03/13/19 12:21am

**** ** *********, ** are *** ****** **** the ***** ** ******* are ***. ******** ************* is ********* * ***********, but *** ******** ** clearly *****, *** *********. Without ******* **** * Pelco *** *** ******* equivalent *********, ** ***'* say *** **** **** hardware *********** ***** *** or *** *** **, either.

Undisclosed End User #2

03/12/19 05:21pm

** ***** ** *********** to **** *** ***** mostly ***** **. *'* guessing ******** *******. ** many ***** **** ******* out *****.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Undisclosed End User #2 | 03/12/19 05:50pm

**********, ******, ****

Undisclosed Integrator #3

03/13/19 02:49pm

*****'* ******* *** ********** with ***** *** ********. They *** ****** *** product **** ********. ** did * ********** ** a ****** ******** **** a **** **** ** the ******** *** ******** components *** **** *** clones.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #3 | 03/13/19 02:53pm

*****'* ******* *** ********** with ***** *** ********. They *** ****** *** product **** ********

** ** *****, *** classification ** *** ** when **** *** ******** and ******** ** **** others. *** **** ******, we ***** ******** ** an ***. ****** ***'* own ******** ** * material ************** **** * cybersecurity *** ************* ***********.

**** **, ** ******, not ** *********** ** Pelco *** * ***** we ****** ******** **** OEMing (*.*., ******* **** which ** ********* ******** and ********) ** **** Pelco ** ***** ****.

Undisclosed End User #5

In reply to John Honovich | 03/19/19 06:09am

** *** ** * know, ***** ** ******. This **** ******** *** small ************ ** *** inside (***** *********, ***).

Undisclosed Distributor #4

03/14/19 09:19am

******* ***** **** **** H.265 ** ** ******, using * ******* (**, 1080p *** ***, *** at *****).

Avatar

Rob Kilpatrick

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | 05/29/19 04:37pm

******:

***** *** ******* ** origin ** *** ******, the ****** *** **** in ******.

Undisclosed Integrator #6

06/13/19 02:28pm

*** ****** * **** heard **** ***** ** they *** ****** ******* made ** ******* **** on * ******** ***** per ***** **************.  ***** owns *** ******** *** engineering ******, *** **** are **** ** ******* else *** *****.

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