WDR Shootout 2017: Low vs High Cost Cameras

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Jan 24, 2017

Multi-exposure WDR was once only available in expensive cameras but in the past few years, this capability has become available even in sub $200 cameras.

But is the multi-exposure WDR in low cost cameras just as good as more expensive ones or is there any deficiencies?

To see low-cost models stack up against expensive models 2 - 4x the price, we tested high and low end WDR cameras of 3 manufacturers: Axis, Hikvision, and Samsung/Hanwha:

We shot out these cameras in two common WDR scenarios to see how performance differs and whether low cost models can truly compare with their more expensive counterparts. First, a door with the subject exiting from a much brighter exterior with the door closing behind him, to see how cameras adjust to large changes in dynamic range. And second, a warehouse scene with open overhead door to show how cameras perform in more constant, though still wide dynamic scenes (typical of warehouses, garages, and lobbies)

See our results and recommendations inside.

Readers should also see our WDR Tutorial for more information on the basics of WDR, as well as WDR Camera Shootout 2015, which tests 10 of the latest WDR cameras head to head to see whose WDR model is best.

*****-******** *** *** **** **** ********* ** ********* ******* *** in *** **** *** *****, **** ********** *** ****** ********* even ** *** $*** *******.

*** ** *** *****-******** *** ** *** **** ******* **** as **** ** **** ********* **** ** ** ***** *** deficiencies?

** *** ***-**** ****** ***** ** ******* ********* ****** * - ** *** *****, ** ****** **** *** *** *** WDR ******* ** * *************: ****, *********, *** *******/******:

** **** *** ***** ******* ** *** ****** *** ********* to *** *** *********** ******* *** ******* *** **** ****** can ***** ******* **** ***** **** ********* ************. *****, * door **** *** ******* ******* **** * **** ******** ******** with *** **** ******* ****** ***, ** *** *** ******* adjust ** ***** ******* ** ******* *****. *** ******, * warehouse ***** **** **** ******** **** ** **** *** ******* perform ** **** ********, ****** ***** **** ******* ****** (******* of **********, *******, *** *******)

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

******* ****** **** *** ****** *********** **** *********** ** *** ****** ** ***, ** **** as*** ****** ******** ****, ***** ***** ** ** *** ****** *** ******* **** to **** ** *** ***** *** ***** ** ****.

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

Recommendation: ******** ***** **********, **** ********* ******

** *** *******, **** ********* *****/**** **** ****, **** **** and *******'* ********* ****** ************* ************ ***** *** ************, ** they **** **** **** ** ***** ** *** *******/******* ** the **** *** ****** ****** **** **********, **** ****** ******** across ***** *** **** ***** ******.

****, *********'* **** *** *** *** ****** ********* **** **** similarly ** **** *****, **** **** *** (****) ********* **** requiring **** **** ** ****** ** ***** ******* **** **** and *******. ******* ** ****, *** ***** **** ********* ***** will ******* ****** ** **** *****.

Recommendation: ******** *** ******, *********** *** *******

** *** "******" ********* *** *****, *** **** ******* ********* more ********* ** ***** **** ********* ************, ********** ******* ****** backlight. ** ****** ***** ***** ****** **** *************, *** *** static **** ** *** *** (******* ***** *******/*******), ***** **** options *** ****** ** ******* ****** *** ********* ****** **** difficult ** ***** *******.

** ****** **** ** *******, ***** ***** ******, **********, *******, etc., **** **** ******** *** ****** (** ******* ** *******/******* doors), ** ********* ******* *** *** ******, ** **** *** save *********** **** ******** ** ********* *** *******.

Individual ************ *** **. *********

** *** *****, *********** ******* *************' *** **** *** ********* WDR ****** ****** *************:

  • *** **** ***** *********** ************ *** *** **** ***** ** both ****** ******, **** **** ****** ** *** ******* *** background *** **** **** ** ****** ** *** ****** ********* introduced ** ******* *** **** ****, ***** *** ***** ********* poorly **** ****** ****** ** *** *******.
  • ******'* *********** *** **** *******. *** ***-**** ******** ****** ******* than *** ***-***** ** *** *****/**** **** *****, *** **** slight ********** ** ******* ** *** ******** **** ********* *****.
  • *******, *** *** **** ********* **** ********* ********* ** ***** top *** *** *****, *** ****, ** *** *****/**** **** scene. *******, *** **** ******** ****** ******* ******* **** ****** backlight *** ****** ***** ** *** ***** ** *** ********* test.

Price ***********

********* *** **** *** ********* ****** **** **** ************, *** expensive ****** ******* *-** *** ***** ** *** *** ***.

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

Test ******

** ****** ******* ** *** ****** *** *** ***** ** show *** ***********:

*****, * *****-****** **** ****, **** *** ******* ********, ** show *** ******* ******** ** ******** ******** ** * ********** much ****** ******** *** ******* ****/*********** *** ******* ** *** moving *******.

******, * ******** *********/****** **** **** ******** **** **** * stationary *******, **** ****:

Entry/Exit **** **********

*****, ** ****** ** ** *****/**** **** *****, **** *** subject ******* *** ****, ********, *** *** **** ******* ****** him, ********* *** ******* ** ****** ** *** ****** ******** in *********, *** ******** **** ******.

*** **********, *** ***** ***** **** *** **** *** ****** on *** ***** ***, *** ***** **** ** *** ******:

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

*** *** ******* *** *** ****** / ******* ******* ****** was **** ***********, **** **** ********* ********* ***** ******* ** the ******* ** ** ***** *** ****. *******, *** ******* Q ***** ****** ** ****** ** *** ********* **** ******* and ********** **** ** *** *******, ********* **** ******.

*** *********** *** ******* *** **** ***** *** *****-* *** narrower, *** *** *****-* ************* ******** *** ******* *********** ***** entering *** ****, ********* *******.

*******, *** *** ********* ****** ********* **** *********, **** **** reacting ** ***** *** **** **** *** ******* ******* ******* of *** *******.

Warehouse ******** **** **********

****, ******* ** *** ********* *****, *********** ******* **** *** most ********** *****, **** *** *****-* ******* **** ****** ** the ******* ** *** ****** **** ** *** *****. *** Hikvision ****** ******** ***** **** *** **** ** *** **** area ** *** *****, ** ****, ****** **** ******* ******* are ***** *****. *** ****** ******* ******* **** ********* ****, with ******* ******* ******** ** ****.

Test **********

******* **** ********* ***** ** *******, **** *** ********* ******** applied:

  • **** ***** *** *****-*: *** "**"
  • ********* **-**********-*: *** "**"
  • ********* **-**********-**: *** "**", ***** **
  • ******* ***-**** *** ***-*****: ********* *** ** "***", ***** "****"; SSDR *** ** ***** **

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

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

Comments (9)

Thumbnail rich

Rich Moore

01/24/17 05:13pm

**********, * ***** **** ***** **** **** ****** **** **** manufacturers ********.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Rich Moore | 01/24/17 05:53pm

****, *** **** *** ****** ** ***? ** **** ************ aiming ** **** *** *********** (** **** *******) ******* *** performers *** *** **** ******* ****, *** **** ** ******* to ***** ****** ********.

** **** * *** ******** ******* ** *************' *** **********, as ****, ** ****'* **** **** *****. **** **** ** ******* later **** ****, **** ******, ** ***** ****, ** **** models *****'* ******* ***** ** *** ****.

Thumbnail rich

Rich Moore

In reply to Ethan Ace | 01/24/17 06:17pm

*** **** ******** ** ******** *****. * **** ******* ** the *** ******** ******* *************...*******. *** **** ********, * *** hoping ** *** ***** *** ***** ** **** ******* ***** cost *** ******* ****** **** *** **** ********.

Itamar Kerbel

01/25/17 07:49am

*** **** *** ** *** **** *** **** *** *** the ****** *** *** ******* :)

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Itamar Kerbel | 01/25/17 04:35pm

* ***** **** ****'* ****, *** **'* * ******** ** how **** ****** *** *** ******** ** *****. *** ****, I ****** **** * $*** **** *** ****** **** **** their ***** **** ****. *** *** ******** ******, ******, *** higher *** ****** ** ******* ******.

Igor Averchenko

01/25/17 04:33pm

** ***** ** **** ******* ** **** ****: ***** ******* of ************ ** ***** ******* ** ****** *** **** ******.

Jason Brown

06/21/17 03:05pm

***** ** ***, ****** *** *** ****. *******, ** *** risk ** ******** **********, *** ***-**** ** ***. ***** **** been **** ** *** *** ***-**** *** *** ******** ***** WDR.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Jason Brown | 06/21/17 03:13pm

******* * ****'* ******** **** ** *** **** ****. **** was ********* ** */** ***** ***** ** *** ******** **** in *** ********* ** *******.

******* * ****'* ********* *** *** ****, *** ****'* ***** shipping ***** ********. ** *** **** *** ***-**** *** ***** the *** ********** *** ******.

** **** ***** ** *** ******* * ******, ******:

Jason Brown

In reply to Ethan Ace | 06/21/17 04:51pm

*****, * ****** *** ****. ****** *** *** *****.

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