Sony 20MP / 4K Camera Tested

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Oct 26, 2015

For 18 month, Sony has been hyping 4K cameras, a year before they even announced a 4K network camera. Now, amidst intense competition and price pressure, Sony has released their long awaited 20MP / 4K camera, the SNC-VM772R.

We tested the Sony 20MP / 4K camera against the 4K Axis P1428-E, the 12MP Bosch NBN-80122-F6A, the 4K Dahua, and the 12MP Panasonic WV-SFV781L as well as Sony's 1080p SNC-VB630

Below are previews of side by side image comparisons between the 6 cameras:

*** ** *****, **** has ********** ** *******, * **** ****** they **** ********* * 4K ******* ******. ***, amidst ******* *********** *** ***** pressure, **** *** ******** their **** ******* **** / ** ******, *** ***-******.

** ****** *** **** 20MP / ** ****** against ***** **** *****-*, ******* ***** ***-*****-***, *** ** *****, and ******* ********* **-******* ** **** ******'* ***** ***-*****

***** *** ******** ** side ** **** ***** comparisons ******* *** * cameras:

**** **** ****** ***** Sony's ******* ********* ** represent * **** *** the *******?

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

*******

****'* ***-****** ***** ******* ** overall ** *** **** end ** ** ******* tested, *** ******* **** multi-exposure ***, *** *********** lagged *** ********** ** had ************ ****** ** close *****.

*** ****** ******* *** the SNC-VM772R ** *** **** limitations (** ************** ** 4K/30fps, ** ** + 20MP **************, *** **** frame **** ** ****, VBR ** *** **** VBR, ***.)

*** ***** *** *** Sony **** *** *** willing ** *** *** $2,000+ ***** ***, ** expect **** **** ** happy. *******, ***** *** limitations, *** **** *** the *********** *********, ** believe **** **** **** difficulty ******* * ***** percentage ** ***** ****** users.

Key ********

*** ***-****** *** ******* ********* limitations ******** ** ***** 4K *******:

  • **** ********* ******* ** a ****** ****** ****, no **********.
  • *****-********* *.*** ******* ** framerate ** ***** ***.
  • **** ****** ***** ****, with *** ********** ******** H.264 *********
  • *** ******* *** ********* to **** * *** when *****-********* (***** ** single ******).

** **** *** *********, using * ****** ******* instead ** ****** *********** and ******* ***.

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

**** ** **** *** competitively ****** ** **** light, *** *** ********** better ***** ** **** mode. *******, **** ** WDR **** ****** ***********.

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

********** ****** *** ***** performance (~*.** ***) ** wide **** (**'+) ******** to ***** ********** ** 4K ****** (***** *** Panasonic).

*******, ** ********, ~**' FOVs, **** ***** ******* overexposed *** ********** ** read **** **** * in **** **, *** present ** ***** ** models.

**** ****** *** ***** performance **** *** ***-** models ******, **** ** which ******** ****** ****** of *** ******* ** ~0.05 ***.

***********

*.*** ******* ********** ******** in ********, *****, *** Milestone. ***** ****** *** supported **** ** *********. Genetec ******** ****** *.* R1 *** ****** ** connect ** *** ****** but ******* ******** ** that ** *** ****** can.

*******

*** ***-****** ***** *** ~$2,200 *** ******.

**** **** **** ****** the ***** ** *** Axis *****-* (~$*** ******)*** **** **** ** the ***** ** *** Dahua ***-******** (~$***), **** outdoor ****** ******.

**** ** ******* ** the ******* ** ************ **/**** **-*******, **** ******* ****** ***** **** ********** IR, *** ***** **% **** than *** ****** *** Bosch ***-***** **/**** ****** (~$*,*** ******).

Physical ********

** ****** *** ******** features ** *** ****** in **** *****. *** camera ** ******* ** size ** ****'* ***** outdoor **** ******, *** slightly ****** **** ******* for **** ****-**** ***** (though **** ******* **** Panasonic's ** ****, *** SFV781L).


Streaming ***********

*** ***-****** *** *** *** ********* limitations *** ******* ** other ** ******:

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

*** ****** ****** *** 4K ********* ****, ****** and *****-******:

  • ****** **** ******:** **** ****, *** camera ******* *** ** stream, ** ** ** FPS, **** ** ***-*******. **** makes *****-********* **********, ********* VMSes ** ******* *** full ********** ****** ********** of ****** ****, ***** increases ********* *** *** needs.
  • ******** *******:** **** ****, ** to ***** ******* *** be **********, **** *** first ** ** ** resolution, *** ******* ** 10 ***. ****** *** third ******* *** ** 1080p *** ***, ************. No ** *** ********* is ******** ** **** mode.

*** **** ********* 

**** ******* *** **, framerate ** ******* ** 50%, ** * *** of ** *** ** single ****** **** *** only * **** *****-*********. Note **** *** **** not ******** ** **** mode (****** *** ******* is ***** ***** ** the *** **).

** ****** *** ****** above ** **** *****:


20MP ****

** ******** ** ** H.264 *****, *** ****** is ******* ** * 20MP ***** ****, ** well. ***** *** **** limitations **** ***** **** mode:

  • **** *** *********:********* ** ******* ** 2.5 *** ***.
  • **** ********* *****:******* ** *** ***** stream ****** **** ***** 30-50 **/* ** *** tests, ******** ** ~*-** Mb/s *** **** **** bitrate ** *.*** *******.
  • ** ** *********:**** **** **** ** turned **, ** ** stream ** *********, **** a ******** *.*** ******.

**** ****** **** * resolution ** ********* (*:* aspect *****), ***** **% more ********** ****** **** 4K (*********). ***** ** the ********** ** ***'* between **** *** ** modes:

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

** **** *****, *** added *** ** *** 20MP ***** ******* ******** details ** *** ******* and **** *****.

** *** *****, *** 20MP ***** ** *******, obscuring *******, **** ** real ********* **** *** 4K *****.

Image ******* 

** **** *** ** cameras *** ** *** FOV ******, ~**' *** ~45' ** **** *********** in **** ****** ******* the ** *******. ***** is *** *** **** for *******:

***

***** * ~**' ***, 

** *** ******** **' HFOV, *** ***-****** ******** ******* similar ** ********* *** Axis, *** ********** ****** ******* than ***** *** *****.

*****

** *** ~**' ****, the ***-****** ******** **** of *** ******* ******, with * ********** ******** (though *******) ***** *** better ******* ** *** subject *** *****. *** background ** **** ******* than ** ***** ** cameras, ** ****, ***** it ** ****** ********** dark.

*******, ****** ** *** camera, **** * ~**' HFOV, *** **** ** dome ****** *** *** chart **** **** *, with **** ****** ** our *******'* ****** *******, though ** ******* ************. Neither ***** *** ********* display ***** ******. **** that **** ** **** closer *****, *** ******* is *** **** ** any ** *** ***-** models.

** *** *****, *** VM772R met *** ***' ** range *************. ** *** video *****, *** ******* walks **** ~***' ** just ** ***** ** the *******, ******** ******* at ~***' *****. **** that *** ****** ******* exposure ** ********** *** moving ********, **** ****, but ** ***** ** not *******.

***

** ****** *** *********** against ** **** ******** door ** *** ********* scene, ***** ****:

****** **** *** ** were **** ******** ****** exposed **** ***** **** WDR ***, **** *****. With *** ***, ******* are **** *********, ****** the *******'* **** **** difficult ** *******. ** the **** **** ****** the ****, ******* *** much **** **********.

*** ******'* *********** *** below ******* ******* ****** backlight, ***** **** *********, Bosch, *** ***** ** this *****, ** **** as *** *** *** 1080p ***-*****. ************, ** the **** **** ****** the ****, ******* ******* were ****.

CODEC ********

**** **** *** ******* true *** ********* ** the ***-******, ****** ***** 4K ******* ** **** test. *******, ***** "***" implementation ******** * "******" bitrate *** ***.

*******, ** *** *****, target ******* *** **** limited ****** ** *********, with ****** ******** ********* lower **** ******, ****** often ***** ****** **** only ******** ****** ** the *****. ********, *** camera ******* ** ******** compression ******* ******** ********* significantly ***** **** *** *** set ** *** *** UI.

****, ** ****** **** both *** *.* ******** and *** *.** ********. In *.*, *** *** simply ****** *** *** not **** ** ***. In *.**, ** ******** to **** ** *** describing ****. **** *********** further *** ************ ** future ******** ********.

** **** *** ******'* "VBR" ************** ** ****** in **** *****:


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

**** *** ******** **** they **** "*********** ******" in *** ******, ***** allows the ****** ** ****** compression *** ********* ***** on ****** ****** ******* or ****** *******. ******* regions ******* *** ***** to ** *** ** the ****** (** ** 4).

** *** *****, ******* regions reduced ******* ** **-**% in ***** ******. *******, with ******** ****** ** the *****, ******** **** similar ** ***** **** intelligent ****** *** ****** off. **** *********** **** behind ****' ********* **********, which ******* ******** ** still ****** ** ** 80%, *** **-**% ** higher ******.

**** ***** ****** *****, the ******* ** *** *** outside *** ****** ** more ****** **********, ********* in ******* ***** ***** quality, ***** ******** *** reduced **** ********, ***** 10-20% ** ***** ******, and ~*-*% **** ****** amounts ** ******.

** ****** *********** ****** configuration ** **** *****:


Bandwidth ***********

*** ***** ***** ***** the ****'* ** ********* compared ** ******. *** these *****, **** *** set ** ** * Mb/s ****** ******* (*********** by ****), ***** ****** were *** ** ***, ~28 ************.  

*** ***** ***** ***** ******* actual ******* (******, **** light, ~*** **) *** target ******** **** *-** Mb/s. ****'* ******* *** of ** **/* *** used ** *** *****.

 

Test ********** 

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** ****** ********* noted. ******* ***** *** set ** */*** *** in *** ******. ************ was ************ ** ~** with ** *-***** ******** of ** (* *** second) ****** ** *** Sony ***-****** ***** **** *** use *** *********** ** its VBR ************** (*** *****).

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

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

Comments (9)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

10/26/15 11:18pm

What did you observe was the bit-rate in the 20MP JPEG mode when it was delivering those images to the the Web UI or Milestone?

Did it stay under the 32Mb/s system cap via nerfed frame-rate?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 10/26/15 11:22pm

The 32Mb/s is for H.264.

There's different controls for MJPEG, screencapped below:

The bandwidth consumption for MJPEG 20MP / 2.5fps ranged from 30 - 50fps depending on the JPEG level selected.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

10/27/15 10:32pm

Would be great to see these tests with headlights.. how do you think it would go getting number plates?

Undisclosed Integrator #3

02/19/16 05:22pm

John, how did you get the camera to integrate into Exacq, since it's still currently not on their supported camera list?

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #3 | 02/19/16 05:42pm

The H.264 streams worked fine in Exacq when we tested it, using the Sony driver. The MJPEG stream didn't work at all.

Matt Alvey

02/23/16 09:19am

What were your settings when calculating the bandwidth? FPS?

Also, comparing your WDR shot in the garage, my picture for the panasonic comes up as completely black. Is that really what came from the shot?

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Matt Alvey | 02/23/16 02:12pm

Bandwidth measurements were at 10 FPS, 10 GOP. All the cameras except Sony were set to ~30 quantization except for Sony, which had no fixed compression levels (which we talk about above).

And yes, the Panasonic was completely black in the area beside the door. We saw that in our original test of it, as well. It's excellent against backlight, poor in darker areas.

Undisclosed End User #4

01/04/17 02:11pm

Does anyone have a POC for Sony to get a demo camera. I tried the main office they needed to speak to my manager and or attorney. I'm on east coast. Thanks in advance for assistance

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #4 | 01/04/17 02:15pm

#4, I will put you in touch with Sony offline.

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

Bandwidth vs Low Light Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Geovision, Hanwha, Hikvision, Uniview, Vivotek on Feb 08, 2019
Nighttime bandwidth spikes are a major concern in video surveillance, but do all manufacturers' cameras perform the same? Are some more consistent...
Speco Ultra Intensifier Tested on Apr 22, 2019
While ISC West 2019 named Speco's Ultra Intensifier the best new "Video Surveillance Cameras IP", IPVM testing shows the camera suffers from...
Panasonic 32MP Multi Imager Camera Tested (WV-X8570N) on May 16, 2019
Panasonic has released their first multi imager models including the 32MP (4x4K) WV-X8570N, claiming "Extreme image quality for evidence capturing...
Vivotek 20MP Multi-Imager Tested on May 30, 2019
Vivotek has released their latest repositionable multi-imager camera, the MA9321-EHTV, a 20 MP model claiming "Supreme Night Visibility", "Optimal...
Avigilon 32MP and 12MP H4 Multisensor Cameras Tested on Jun 11, 2019
Avigilon has released their H4 Multi-Sensor line of cameras claiming "broad scene coverage and high image detail" We bought and tested the...
Axis ARTPEC-7 P1375-E Camera Tested on Jul 12, 2019
Axis claims the new P1375-E box camera with ARTPEC-7 chip delivers "clear, sharp images in any lighting condition." But how well does it do? We...
WDR Camera Mega Shootout 2019 - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Panasonic, Vivotek on Sep 04, 2019
This is the biggest WDR Shootout ever, with 23 cameras from 8 manufacturers: We included true multi-exposure WDR and non-WDR models, ranging...
Pelco Sarix Pro3 Camera Tested on Oct 16, 2019
Pelco has released their Sarix Professional Series 3 cameras, claiming "more security detail in challenging scenes with excellent low light and...
Color Low Light Mega Camera Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Panasonic, Speco, Sony, Vivotek on Nov 12, 2019
This is the biggest color low light shootout ever, testing 20+ super low light models from 10 manufacturers: Increasingly, each manufacturer...
Axis Next Gen P32 Camera Tested (P3245-LVE) on Dec 18, 2019
Axis has released the next generation of their widely used P32 camera series, now with their current ARTPEC-7 chip, claiming their imaging...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Intersec 2020 Final Show Report on Jan 21, 2020
IPVM spent all 3 days at the Intersec 2020 show interviewing various companies and finding key trends. We cover: Middle East Enterprise...
Vehicle & Long Range Access Reader Tutorial on Jan 21, 2020
One of the classic challenges for access control are parking lots and garages, where the user's credential is far from the reader. With modern...
Clearview AI Alarm - NY Times Report Says "Might End Privacy" on Jan 20, 2020
Over the weekend, the NY Times released a report titled "The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It" about a company named...
Favorite Camera Manufacturers 2020 on Jan 20, 2020
The past 2 years of US bans and sanctions have shaken the video surveillance industry but what impact would this have on integrators' favorite...
"Severely Impacted" Mercury Security 2020 Leap Year Firmware Issue on Jan 17, 2020
One of the largest access controller manufacturers has a big problem: February 29th. Mercury Security, owned by HID, is alerting partners of the...
Apple Acquires XNOR.ai, Loss For The Industry on Jan 16, 2020
Apple has acquired XNOR.ai for $200 million, reports GeekWire. This is a loss for the video surveillance industry. XNOR.ai stunned the industry...
Installation Course January 2020 - Last Chance on Jan 16, 2020
Thursday, January 16th is your last chance to register for the Winter 2020 Video Surveillance Installation Course. This is a unique installation...
Halo Smart Vape Detector Tested on Jan 16, 2020
The Halo Smart Sensor claims to detect vaping, including popular brand Juul and even THC vapes. But how well does it work in real world...
PRC Government Entity Now Controlling Shareholder of Infinova / March Networks on Jan 16, 2020
A PRC government entity is now the controlling shareholder of US security manufacturer Infinova as well as its wholly-owned subsidiary March...
Network Cabling for Video Surveillance on Jan 15, 2020
In this guide, we explain the fundamentals of network cabling for video surveillance networks, how they should be installed, and the differences in...

What IPVM Is

The world's leading authority on video surveillance, with 200,000+ visits monthly.

  • Articles on cameras, video analytics, VMS, and trends
  • Tests showing actual performance and problems
  • Courses in surveillance, access control, etc
  • Camera Calculator for designing systems

Dedicated To Independence

We're dedicated to staying independent and objective. We're the only industry source to refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship, and consulting from manufacturers. Why?