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?

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?

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

Biggest Low Light Problems 2019 on Nov 08, 2019

Over 150 integrators responded to our survey question: "What are the biggest problems you face getting good low-light images?" Inside, we share...

Rhombus Cameras, VMS and Analytics Tested on Nov 06, 2019

Rhombus boasts they have created "the new standard in Enterprise, cloud-managed video security" and told IPVM in January 2019 they offer twice the...

Avigilon Appearance Search Tested on Oct 30, 2019

Avigilon Appearance Search claims that it "sorts through hours of video with ease, to quickly locate a specific person or vehicle of interest...

Illustra Pro Gen3 4K Camera Tested on Oct 23, 2019

Johnson Controls has released the latest generation in their Illustra Pro line, the Pro Mini-Dome Gen 3, a non-OEM model claiming to "optimize...

Integrated IR Camera Usage Statistics 2019 on Oct 21, 2019

Virtually every IP camera now comes with integrated IR but how many actually make use of IR or choose 'super' low light cameras without IR? In...

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...

IPVM Camera Calculator User Manual / Guide on Oct 16, 2019

Learn how to use the IPVM Camera Calculator (updated for Version 3.1). The guide below includes instructions, images, gifs, and videos...

Last Chance - Register Now - October 2019 IP Networking Course on Oct 10, 2019

Last Chance - Register Now - Fall 2019 IP Networking Course. The course starts next week. This is the only networking course designed...

Avigilon H5A Analytic Cameras Tested on Oct 07, 2019

Avigilon has released its H5A analytic cameras, claiming to "detect more objects with greater accuracy even in crowded scenes." We tested the...

Hikvision ColorVu is Smart Marketing on Oct 03, 2019

Hikvision ColorVu (see IPVM test results) is smart marketing, a lesson to be learned by competitors and a rising trend. Inside this note, we...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Hikvision Markets Uyghur Ethnicity Analytics, Now Covers Up on Nov 11, 2019

Hikvision has marketed an AI camera that automatically identifies Uyghurs, on its China website, only covering it up days ago after IPVM questioned...

Open vs End-to-End Systems: Integrator Statistics 2019 on Nov 11, 2019

Preference for open systems is on the decline, according to new IPVM statistics. We asked integrators: For video surveillance systems, do you...

Biggest Low Light Problems 2019 on Nov 08, 2019

Over 150 integrators responded to our survey question: "What are the biggest problems you face getting good low-light images?" Inside, we share...

US Issues Criminal Charges For Fraudulently Selling Hikvision And Other China Products on Nov 07, 2019

The US government has made an unprecedented move on the video surveillance supply chain, charging a US company, Aventura for "having conspired with...

The Access Control Codes Guide: IBC, NFPA 72, 80 & 101 on Nov 07, 2019

For access, there is one basic maxim: Life safety above all else. But how do you know if all applicable codes are being followed? While the...

Rhombus Cameras, VMS and Analytics Tested on Nov 06, 2019

Rhombus boasts they have created "the new standard in Enterprise, cloud-managed video security" and told IPVM in January 2019 they offer twice the...

"Stress in the Residential Market" - Major Lender Exits on Nov 06, 2019

The residential security / 'alarm' market is getting worse, at least for traditional players. Now, one of the biggest lenders in the industry has...

Aiphone Video Intercom Tested (IX Series 2) on Nov 05, 2019

Aiphone was one of integrator's favorite intercom manufacturers but how well do their products work? The company's newest offering, the IX Series 2...