Super Low Light HD Lens Tested

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Jun 26, 2015

A smaller F-number can make a big difference in how much light reaches an imager.

For example, the difference even between a f/1.2 and f/1.0, which may seem very close, can be significant, as shown by our F-Stop Calculator:

However, almost all megapixel cameras use lenses of at least f/1.2, with many at f/1.4 and even some lower cost ones at f/1.8 or higher.

We recently bought a F/0.95 6MP rated lens from Hikvision (the HV0733D-6MP). This lens is huge, shown below in the middle surrounded by 'normal' size megapixel surveillance lenses:

We tested this lens on three cameras from Axis, Arecont, and Samsung, ranging from 720p to 5MP, to see what differences, if any, existed between this super low F number lens and typical megapixel lenses.

* ******* *-****** *** **** * *** ********** ** *** much ***** ******* ** ******.

*** *******, *** ********** **** ******* * */*.* *** */*.*, which *** **** **** *****, *** ** ***********, ** ***** by ****-**** **********:

*******, ****** *** ********* ******* *** ****** ** ** ***** */*.*, with **** ** */*.* *** **** **** ***** **** **** at */*.* ** ******.

** ******** ****** * */*.** *** ***** **** **** ********* (the *******-***). **** **** ** ****, ***** ***** ** *** middle ********** ** '******' **** ********* ************ ******:

** ****** **** **** ** ***** ******* **** ****, *******, and *******, ******* **** **** ** ***, ** *** **** differences, ** ***, ******* ******* **** ***** *** * ****** lens *** ******* ********* ******.

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

Key ********

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

  • *** */*.** **** ******** *** ***** *********** ** *** ******* tested, *******, *** ***** ** *********** *** ********* ******, ********** relative ** *** ***** ** *********** ********* ***** *******.
  • ** *** ***** *** *** ******* ******, ******* **** ******** at ***** ***** ****** ***** *** */*.** ******** ** ***** lenses.
  • ** *** ***** *** ***** **** ***** (**** */*.* ****), digital ***** *** *******, ********* ******* *********, ****** ***** ********** was **** ******** ********* ******* ******.
  • **** ****** ******** **** *** ** ** ***** *** ********** or ********* *********.

*******

*** *******-*** *** * ****** ***** ****** $***. **** ** significantly **** ********* **** ******* *-* ********* ***** ******, ********* in *** ***** **$***.

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

** ******** **** *** ***** *********** ** ******** *** ****** is ** *****, *** */*.** *** ******* ******** *********** ** ****** at ***** ****** ***** * ***, ********** ** ******* ***** and **.

***** ****** ** ******* **** ********* ********** *** *** ******* using **** ****, ** *** ********* **** ******** ** ******** lenses *** ******* * ****** *******. 

Physical ****

*** ********* */*.** **** ** **** ****** **** ******* ********* rated ******, ****** ****** ** **** ******** *** ******. **** size *** ** * ********* ***** **** **** ****** ********, as *** **** *** ******** *** ****** *** ****** *** fit ** ******* **********. ************, ** **** *******, ********** *** be * *******.

Low ***** *********** ***********

** ****** *** */*.** ********* **** ** ***** ******* ** low ***** ****** ******* **** *.** ** *.* *** ** show *********** ******* ***** ****** *** *** *** ***** *****. We ****** * ***** ** *******, **** **** ** *** resolution ** *** *********** *** **** *****:

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

*****, ** ****** *** *******-*** **** * *** ******* ****** AV5115DNAIv1, * *********** **** *** ***** *********, **** * **** F/1.8 *-**** **** (*** *****-**). ***** *** * **** **********, ** *** *** *** ********* **** ****** *.** **** light **** *** ******* *****.

** ~*.** ***, *** ********** ******* *** *** ****** ** clear, **** *** ****** ********* ** ***** ***** *** */*.** lens, ***** ** ****** ****** *** ******** ***** *** ******* recommended *****-** **** (*/*.*). ** ~*.** ***, *********** *** **** clear, **** *** ****** **** ** ****** *** ***** ***** the */*.** ****, *** ** ******* *** ********. ** ~*.** lux, ***** ****** *** *** *** ** ******* * ****** image **** ****** ****.

**** *****

*** **** ***** ***** **** * *** ***** */*.* ****, able ** **** **** ***** **** *** ***** ** *** F/0.95.

** *** **** *****, *** ********** ** ***** ***** ** ~0.67 *** ~*.** *** ** *****, **** ****** ******* ** both ******* *** ***** ******** **** ***** *** */*.** ****. At **** *** ***** ******, *** */*.** **** ***** ******** better ***** **********, *** *** ***** ** *** **** *** noise ****** *** **** ** ******* ******* ** *** *******.

******* ***-****

*******, *** ******* ***-**** **** * ************ *********** */*.* *-**** lens.

** *** ******* ***-****, ******* *** **** ********** *** ** the ****** * ******* ** *** ******, ** **** ** the ******'* ********* *** ***** ***********. *** **** ********** **** at *** ***** ****** ** ******* ******* *****. ** ~*.** lux *** ~*.**, ******* ******* *** **** ****** ** ******* using *** */*.** ****

Comments (8)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

06/26/15 04:20pm

** ***** ***** ** ******** ** ** ***** ****, *** some ******* ***** **** *** ***** *********** ** ***** (*** mode) ** ****. **** *** **** ***** ****** ** ***** as ****?

Undisclosed #2

06/26/15 11:08pm

****** *****. ***** *** ******* *** *****? *** ****:

* ******* *-****** *** **** * *** ********** ** *** low ***** ******* ** ******.

...*** ********** **** ******* * */*.* *** */*.*, ***** *** seem **** *****, *** ** ***********.

*** **** ***** ** **** **** *** *********** ** ****-**** ********:

***** *********** ** * ******* (*.*., */*.* ** */*.*) ********* do *** ****** *** ***** *********** *************.

** ***** * ****** *********** *'* *******?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 06/26/15 11:14pm

***, ********* #* ***** ***** *** **** ***** ******* *** imager. ********* #* ****** ** *** **** ** ******* ***********. Two ********* ******.

******** ********* #* ****** *** ******, ******** ****:

"*** */*.** **** ******** *** ***** *********** ** *** ******* tested, *******, *** ***** ** *********** *** ********* ******, ********** relative ** *** ***** ** *********** ********* ***** *******."

Undisclosed #2

In reply to John Honovich | 06/26/15 11:27pm

*** ********* ******.

***'* **** **** *********** ****.

**** ******* **** "******** ********************"

*** ******** **** "*** ************* ********************"

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 06/26/15 11:30pm

** **** ****, ** ****** */*.** ** ****** ** ** F/1.8, ***** ** **** ****** **** *** ******* ** **** in *** ********, ***** "*/*.* ** */*.*".

Undisclosed #3

06/27/15 12:12am

***** ** *********** ** *** * ***** ** ***** ********** or *********** ** *** ****** ** ****.

Chris Dearing

IPVMU Certified | 06/29/15 04:04pm

****, **** *** **** **** *** *** **** *** *** Computar **** ****different ******* have to be considered? The Computar is listed as a 1/2.7" and the Hik is listed as a larger 1 1/8" format.

**** ***** *** ******** ** *** ***** ****** ****** ** the ****** ** *********. *** *** ******** ***** ** ** around *.***, ******* *** *** ****** ** ****** ***. *** 5004's ****** ** * */*" ** *** ********, ** ******** using * **** **** * * */*" ****** **** ** possible, ** ****** **** **** ** *** ***** ****** ** the ****, **** *** */*.*" ******:

* ****'* **** ** *** ***** ****** *****, * **** wanted ** ***** **** *** *** ********** *** *** ** it ***** *** ***** *****.

Chris Dearing

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Chris Dearing | 07/01/15 05:33pm

**********: ****** **** ****** **** */*.*", *** * */*".

Relative ***** *** ***** ** ** *** **********.

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