Super Low Light HD Lens Tested

By: 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:

* ******* *-****** *** make * *** ********** in *** **** ***** reaches ** ******.

*** *******, *** ********** even ******* * */*.* and */*.*, ***** *** seem **** *****, *** be ***********, ** ***** by ****-**** **********:

*******, ****** *** ********* ******* use ****** ** ** least */*.*, **** **** at */*.* *** **** some ***** **** **** at */*.* ** ******.

** ******** ****** * F/0.95 *** ***** **** from ********* (*** *******-***). This **** ** ****, shown ***** ** *** middle ********** ** '******' size ********* ************ ******:

** ****** **** **** on ***** ******* **** Axis, *******, *** *******, ranging **** **** ** 5MP, ** *** **** differences, ** ***, ******* between **** ***** *** F ****** **** *** typical ********* ******.

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

Key ********

**** *** *** *** findings **** **** ****:

*** */*.** **** ******** low ***** *********** ** all ******* ******, *******, the ***** ** *********** was ********* ******, ********** relative ** *** ***** of *********** ********* ***** passing.
** *** ***** *** 5MP ******* ******, ******* were ******** ** ***** light ****** ***** *** F/0.95 ******** ** ***** lenses.
** *** ***** *** light **** ***** (**** F/1.2 ****), ******* ***** was *******, ********* ******* delivered, ****** ***** ********** was **** ******** ********* between ******.
**** ****** ******** **** may ** ** ***** for ********** ** ********* selection.

*******

*** *******-*** *** * street ***** ****** $***. This ** ************* **** expensive **** ******* *-* megapixel ***** ******, ********* in *** ***** **$***.

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

** ******** **** *** light *********** ** ******** and ****** ** ** issue, *** */*.** *** ******* moderate *********** ** ****** at ***** ****** ***** 1 ***, ********** ** cameras ***** *** **.

***** ****** ** ******* when ********* ********** *** box ******* ***** **** lens, ** *** ********* size ******** ** ******** lenses *** ******* * longer *******.

Physical ****

*** ********* */*.** **** is **** ****** **** typical ********* ***** ******, nearly ****** ** **** diameter *** ******. **** size *** ** * practical ***** **** **** camera ********, ** *** lens *** ******** *** camera *** ****** *** fit ** ******* **********. Additionally, ** **** *******, aesthetics *** ** * concern.

Low ***** *********** ***********

** ****** *** */*.** Hikvision **** ** ***** cameras ** *** ***** levels ******* **** *.** to *.* *** ** show *********** ******* ***** lenses *** *** *** light *****. ** ****** a ***** ** *******, from **** ** *** resolution ** *** *********** FOV **** *****:

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

*****, ** ****** *** HV0733D-6MP **** * *** Arecont ****** ************, * notoriously **** *** ***** performer, **** * **** F/1.8 *-**** **** (*** UHD45-10). ***** *** * **** **********, ** *** *** the ********* **** ****** 2.5x **** ***** **** the ******* *****.

** ~*.** ***, *** difference ******* *** *** lenses ** *****, **** the ****** ********* ** image ***** *** */*.** lens, ***** ** ****** images *** ******** ***** the ******* *********** *****-** lens (*/*.*). ** ~*.** lux, *********** *** **** clear, **** *** ****** able ** ****** *** chart ***** *** */*.** lens, *** ** ******* are ********. ** ~*.** lux, ***** ****** *** too *** ** ******* a ****** ***** **** either ****.

**** *****

*** **** ***** ***** with * *** ***** F/1.3 ****, **** ** pass **** ***** **** the ***** ** *** F/0.95.

** *** **** *****, the ********** ** ***** level ** ~*.** *** ~0.35 *** ** *****, with ****** ******* ** both ******* *** ***** provided **** ***** *** F/0.95 ****. ** **** low ***** ******, *** F/0.95 **** ***** ******** better ***** **********, *** the ***** ** *** dark *** ***** ****** too **** ** ******* details ** *** *******.

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

*******, *** ******* ***-**** uses * ************ *********** F/1.2 *-**** ****.

** *** ******* ***-****, effects *** **** ********** due ** *** ****** F ******* ** *** lenses, ** **** ** the ******'* ********* *** light ***********. *** **** difference **** ** *** light ****** ** ******* digital *****. ** ~*.** lux *** ~*.**, ******* details *** **** ****** to ******* ***** *** F/0.95 ****

Comments (8)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

06/26/15 04:20pm

It makes sense to evaluate it in night mode, but some cameras claim good low light performance in color (day mode) as well. Will you test these lenses in color as well?

Undisclosed #2

IPVMU Certified | 06/26/15 11:08pm

Thanks Ethan. Could you clarify one thing? You said:

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

...the difference even between a f/1.2 and f/1.0, which may seem very close, can be significant.

But this seems at odds with the information in the f-stop tutorial:

Small differences in F numbers (e.g., f/1.2 vs f/1.4) generally do not impact low light performance significantly.

Is there a subtle distinction I'm missing?

John Honovich

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

Yes, statement #1 talks about how much light reaches the imager. Statement #2 refers to how much it impacts performance. Two Different things.

Consider statement #3 inside the report, weighing both:

"The F/0.95 lens improved low light performance of all cameras tested, however, the level of improvement was typically modest, especially relative to the level of theoretical increased light passing."

Undisclosed #2

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

Two Different things.

Let's just talk performance then.

This article says "modestly improving performance"

The tutorial says "not significantly impacting performance"

John Honovich

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

In this test, we tested F/0.95 vs lenses up to F/1.8, which is much larger than the example we gave in the tutorial, quote "f/1.2 vs f/1.4".

Undisclosed #3

06/27/15 12:12am

Would be interesting to see a depth of field comparison or calculation of the lenses as well.

Chris Dearing

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

John, does the fact that the Hik lens and the Computar lens have different formats 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.

This means the diameter of the image circle formed by the lenses is different. For the Computar looks to be around 6.6mm, whereas the Hik should be around 9mm. The 5004's sensor is a 1/3" or 6mm diagonal, so although using a lens with a 1 1/8" format lens is possible, it wastes much more of the light passed by the lens, than the 1/2.7" format:

I didn't look up the other sensor sizes, I just wanted to throw this out for discussion and see if it makes any sense first.

Chris Dearing

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

Correction: Format type should read 1/1.8", not 1 1/8".

Relative sizes and sizes in mm are unaffected.

Read this IPVM report for free.

This article is part of IPVM's 6,367 reports, 855 tests and is only available to members. To get a one-time preview of our work, enter your work email to access the full article.

Related Reports

Uniview Color Low Light Camera Tested Vs Hikvision ColorVu on Jan 07, 2020

Hikvision has been marketing ColorVu aggressively. Now, Hikvision domestic rival Uniview (UNV) is offering aggressive pricing for their new rival...

Hikvision 4K Camera Shootout on Aug 02, 2019

With their latest Smart Series 5 cameras, Hikvision is claiming cameras "fully loaded" with "state-of-the-art technology for high performance and...

Axis 4K vs. 5MP Camera Shootout (Q3518-LVE + Q3517-LVE) on Oct 04, 2018

Axis has released the 4K counterpart to their 5MP Q3517-LVE (see our test). Axis claims of both these cameras: Simply put, AXIS Q3518(17)-LVE...

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

Hikvision ColorVu Integrated Visible Light Cameras Examined on Jun 22, 2018

UPDATE: Hikvision ColorVu Camera Tested When it comes to low light, infrared light has become the defacto standard in surveillance. But IR is...

Hanwha Low-Cost 4MP Camera Tested (QNV-7010R) on Jun 11, 2018

4MP usage is increasing noticeably, as IPVM 2018 resolution statistics show. And low-cost, fixed focal cameras, are popular for budget...

Super Low Light Surveillance Guide on Aug 01, 2017

At the beginning of this decade, low light performance of megapixel cameras was generally terrible. This was the era of super slow shutter where...

Hikvision 8MP Low-Cost Camera Tested on Jul 14, 2017

Hikvision has introduced their latest generation of low-cost Value Plus cameras, now including smart H.265 and up to 4K resolution, with prices...

Hanwha 9MP Fisheye Camera Tested (PNF-9010R) on May 09, 2017

12MP sensor fisheye panoramic cameras are becoming increasingly common. We have tested Hikvision's DS-2CD63C2F as well as Panasonic's SFV481 4K...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Hikvision Illicitly Uses Back To The Future In Marketing on Jul 03, 2020

NBCUniversal told IPVM that Hikvision UK's ongoing coronavirus marketing campaign using NBCUniversal's assets was not allowed. Hikvision mass...

Verkada: "IPVM Should Never Be Your Source of News" on Jul 02, 2020

Verkada was unhappy with IPVM's recent coverage declaring that reading IPVM is 'not a good look' and that 'IPVM should never be your source of...

Vintra Presents FulcrumAI Face Recognition on Jul 02, 2020

Vintra presented its FulcrumAI face recognition and mask detection offering at the May 2020 IPVM Startups show. Inside this report: A...

Uniview Wrist Temperature Reader Tested on Jul 02, 2020

Uniview is promoting measuring wrist temperatures whereas most others are just offering forehead or inner canthus measurements. But how well does...

Dahua USA Admits Thermal Solutions "Qualify As Medical Devices" on Jul 02, 2020

Dahua USA has issued a press release admitting a controversial point in the industry but an obvious one to the US FDA, that the thermal temperature...