Review of Various Cameras for Outdoors

[rory 0]

Had some cameras for a job, and also a few to test for another client, here are my findings. In this case I was primarily trying to get the best cameras for a 4 channel application which still needed to be installed.

 

Setup the cameras using a 1000TVL 9" BW CRT CCTV monitor AND a 13" Color TV .. Sorry no images but I dont have a decent enough quality card right now to post any from. I tested inside a garage, outside the garage looking at my jeep, lights on and off, dusk to dawn light, a somewhat dark area, and in pitch dark both outside and inside.

 

Cameras are:

 

CNB CNB-B2310NVF

KT&C KPC-S230CHWWX

KT&C KPC-EXH190SWX

Nuvico NVCC-W28IR12N

Nuvico CB-SD3895N-L

 

Others mentioned and used:

 

Eclipse ECL-377X

Eclipse ECL-596

Nuvico NVCC-HW4N-D

Vitek VTC-EB15B

 

CNB-B2310NVF:

 

Bought this since it had the True Day/Night Specs, and thought could save a few dollars over the Nuvico or others.

 

Dont waste time with the CNB-B2310NVF. It may look perty but it has little to no color at night and the focus shift is noticeable (even though the lens claims to be an IR lens). Also it has no settings for day night switch over, or anything what so ever, so even in areas where it is fine in color (power off and power back on again it stays in color for a few seconds) it still switches to BW. It handles glare from light very poorly as well.

 

One of the 2 cameras I bought came bad too, the focus ring broke and could not get it back on, after dissecting it and even switching the lens from another camera (made it not go into color then) its on the side in a box for now. It has unlabeled dip switches on one of the inner boards, but you have to take it totally to pieces to get to that.

 

See photos at the end of this just for kicks (took out lens from Eclipse ECL-598HIM but it has 1 less lead which on the CNB it has to do with the switchover to color).

 

 

KT&C KPC-S230CHWWX:

 

Piece of nanny .. dont waste your precious money .. if you have a retail store with a ton of light and are using a $1000+ DVR Card (GV1120 etc) then fine .. anything less it will look terrible. On a flip side it handles glare from light pretty good, but then again you dont see anything much anyway.

 

Instead of using this, I am selling it to another client who has a GeoVision GV1120 and lots of light inside .. and getting his Nuvico Big Boy instead (pay the diff). In the location this was meant for, Im using an Eclipse ECL-596 which can not only handle alot of light pointed at it, but does not pixelise like mad compared to this one. The ECL-596 is a 1/4" however, but I had a 2.5mm 1/3" lens from a fixed lens pack from long time ago, so I switched it and it works great - lower res but once it works, and the required FOV is very small, close like 10-15'. Ok, so I loose one of my own personal cameras (will charge them for a new one!)

 

 

KT&C KPC-EXH190SWX

 

Not bad, Exview BW and supposed 600TVL. Its not that high res, not much more than a 420TVL, infact can't tell the difference. The Exview part is for the most part just hype, its basically the same level of other BW cameras I have used, it is only just a touch more sensitive than the Vitek VTC-EB15B, a better image though. It doesn't come close to seeing what the Eclipse ECL-377X Exview bullet can see in low light, BUT, that one is shabby during the day due to being TOO bright, and also the quality is less on that one (barely a diff though). Perhaps KT&C adjusted theirs inside a really bright room?? Since it is set so "dark" it handles glare from light pretty good.

 

Big problem with this KTC though is due to the wide angle it shows the edges of the black cover at both top corners, so its like looking out of a round hole type effect. NO WORRIES, I just happened to have a 6mm fixed lens in that lens pack I mentioned before; so I switched it to a 6mm and all is good - the location doest require seeing anything close up so the FOV from the 6mm 1/3" lens in this case is fine. Think about this though when you goto purchase it. The problem didnt show up on my 9" CCTV CRT monitor, but did on the TV and a DVR Card (CCTV monitor isnt showing entire image). Other than that, what other somewhat high res mini BW bullets are out there today? I think this is pretty much it.

 

 

Nuvico NVCC-W28IR12N

 

This one is nice for indoors inside a small room. Nuff Said!!!

 

No really, soon as you point it outside, even under a dusk to dawn light which the ECL-596 color bullet sees like daylight, this one just goes into "pizelise" mode .. just one big almost useless picture. The colors are off as it has no IR Cut filter, and handles glare from light pretty gawd awful. On a plus side, it switches back and forth to IR quickly, but then when in its "color mode" there are really not much colors at all, and the IR is next to unnoticeable outdoors even at distances of 12 feet away. Ofcourse it doesn't claim to be the best camera in the world .. and is really cheap .. well you get what you pay for aye?!

 

 

Nuvico CB-SD3895N-L

 

Ahh .. this BIG BOY .. yeah its huge .. about the size of a box camera. You just turn the body to get into the guts. Its similar to the design of the ECL-598HIM in that way, but thats as close as the 2 get.

 

Has OSD, for setting it up. Has AGC, Backlight, DSS, all that funny stuff, and then some. I didnt need all of that, just needed a camera that had true colors and switched over properly. In this case though, this camera was the best of the lot, and knocked the ECL-598HIM to the curve also. In fact its similar to using a professional box camera, as far as settings and how it reacts to light. It does go dark when you move it around physically and at the point when it adjusts to the light change, but thats an issue well worth the final image it gives you. Perfect in pitch dark, perfect in almost pitch dark, perfect under dusk to dawn lighting (stays in color), perfect all around image.

 

Seems you can adjust the Day Night switch over, but didnt appear I needed to even touch that, it worked well as it was.

 

Conclusion

 

EDITED - see next post!!

 

For Black and White apps Im leaning to the KT&C "Exview" Bullet, it still works fine and looked good when tested inside the night club; and its very small.

 

For Color apps, wish I could say otherwise but the ECL-596 still takes the cake. I only wish I could say otherwise because it comes as a 1/4" camera and low resolution (380TVL), other than that it works great. Sorry but I have also tried the KPC-S230CHWWX as mentioned, the a COP USA D420CBC-4B (ID from my distributer), and the Nuvico NVCC-HW4N-D, all budget color bullet cameras (high res in 1 case), and they just don't match up to the ECL-596 overall - thats right, I would rather a narrower FOV and a lower res than pixelisation and fake clarity.

 

Anyway, thats my 5 cents.

Rory

 

Dissecting and changing the lens on the CNB:

(oh yeah, bang goes the warranty!!)

Edited November 25, 2008 by Guest

[rory 0]

Scrap the Nuvico CB-SD3895N-L for now .. its great at night but the IR Cut Filter doesnt work during the day time ... contacted them to see if there is a fix for that, otherwise the day time image is useless.

[raymond 0]

Rory,

 

I just wanted to thank you for the reviews of the cameras, as well as the work you have done investigating the issues with the lower end Geovision surveillance cards.

 

I have encountered the KT and C cameras before. I have also seen some that look very similar to others you were testing.

 

Raymond

[rory 0]

No problem .. the problem Im having right now with the Nuvico, it will start with great color and all outside in the day, soon as you put it inside and it switches to BW and IR .. thats great .. but then when you move it outside again it goes back to color but the IR cut filter does not work again .. when you reset it using the OSD it clicks the IR cut filter and you get great color again .. tested with 12VDC and 24VAC and still the same .. thats a big problem ..

[bricor 0]

Rory,

 

I just got a couple of the Nuvico's and tested one last night after reading your post.

I did this inside at night but I was able to make the filter engage and disengage time and time again. It did seem to stick once or twice but it would correct itself.

I tested by simply turning on the lights in a room, waiting for the camera to switch and then turn the lights off and let it switch to night mode.

I've got another one but it was late so I didn't open it up but I can check it out later as well.

[RickA 0]

Hey Rory, have been testing some new camera's and have put them up against some of the same camera's you have tested here, like the new camera's better than any of them. Take a look at the new dome's on the website, if I can get a good sample will post it.

[rory 0]

Ok so this afternoon I tested one of the Nuvicos that was already mounted, and that one works .. it switches back and forth fine .. but the other one still no go .. hear a faint click but then nothing and it does switch to BW fine at first .. when you power it down and back up again, works again .. anyway going to unplug all the cables right now and plug them in and see what happens ..

 

Thanks Rick .. not looking for Domes though .. in most of these cases there is no place to mount a dome .. will still take a look though

[bricor 0]

Did you test any IR bullets or just domes? Can you share some more of your thoughts? Models compared, etc.

 

 

Hey Rory, have been testing some new camera's and have put them up against some of the same camera's you have tested here, like the new camera's better than any of them. Take a look at the new dome's on the website, if I can get a good sample will post it.

[rory 0]

Update on the Nuvico ..

 

I figured out where the clicking noise was coming from for the IR cut filter, kept resetting it back and forth using the Menu's Color/BW/Auto section, where it was also having issues turning on the IR cut filter, until it finally worked several times after pushing the piece near the lens some more in the direction of the lens. Guess that was somewhat loose or not getting proper contact.

 

So for now .. it appears to be switching back to color normally with the IR cut filter. Lets hope it stays that way after mounting it ..

 

Plug and Play .. they say?

[RickA 0]

Tested the Nuvico CB-SD3895NL cameras about two months ago against one of our Pegasus models and a few of the other bullets that they brought in, most of them had to be resealed before any testing, the CB-SD was tight right off the bat, had to insert a couple of dessicant pacs in all camera's, just to remove any moisture from the inside of the bullets after adjusting for best view and focus. Long story short, the Nuvico bullet was the best of the six we tested. Got the two domes in right before this and connected to power, placed them on a board and set them outside to test in weather condition, both are IP67 rated, left them for three months in Kentucky weather conditions, never fogged or leaked. Brought them in for visual and recording test, have to be the best camera I have seen for the price, has all the bells and whistles, AGC,DNR,DSS,on screen menu, D/N switch. In low light conditions with D/N switch off, still shows color and great detail, I am impressed with these two domes. Enough of my rambling hope you all get a chance to check out our new domes.

[rory 0]

The Nuvico comes with the packs now.

[rory 0]

Well Im back, and I never ... had the Nuvico's here by me and they looked great .. at least i nthe garage in the pitch dark and ourtside in the sun .. mount them at the client .. not too bad .. but didnt seem to go into full BW mode .. kind of pixelised .. the CNB meanwhile is mounted there and that goes into BW right away soon as the sun goes down .. no pixelisation at all. No settings either but color in the day and thats what matters! So maybe the CNB is good after all!?

 

Anyway .. long story short, plugged the Nuvico into the Geo and its got mad contrast .. lone bright bright and tons of pixelising .. 10 pm at night, hadn't eaten since 7am, and been at this for almost 2 weeks with one problem to the next .. so yeah I left it for tomorrow. Good thing is the Nuvico's still belong to someone else, so I still have time to switch them .. but Im even looking at just switching the DVR now .. for the Avermedia 1304.

 

Oh well .. so goes life. Back to Extreme CCTV from now on!!

[rory 0]

Nother update ..

 

Going down tonight to see whats up with the Nuvicos .. may use an Avermedia 1304 net DVR i have here now, instead of the Geo.

 

Anyway, I got the broken CNB working, did this and that until I had parts from a couple other broken cameras on it .. anyway in the end its stuck on 8mm now which is fine .. and I disabled the IR but it still switches to BW and back to Color fine.. .. IR cut Filter works good also (had that and the lens etc all in pieces but managed to get it back together LOL). So I have an 8mm True Day Night Bullet camera now ... without IR. Spent hours just getting the wires right so it would switch back and forth properly since the last disection it was pretty much gone .. so I thought .. anyway no IR is fine. Unfortunately the IR ring has to stay there as the IRIS and Photocell is on that.

 

Okay so I will put that up against the Nuvico .. in addition I also now have a WizKid WZ18 and an Eclipse ECL-598HIM .. yep will put them all up against each other and post my findings.

[rory 0]

Well dropped the Nuvicos as they would just not do the job at the location, the Eclipse ECL-596HIm was actually the better out of all I tested .. for this location. Also see a posting on this thread regarding that.

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=77395#77395

[DVR MAN 0]

My 8 pound 280 foot I/R cam just died. I replaced it with the 3895L. I have to say that this particular camera is a killer! I do not know what happened to Rory's samples, but this thing has killer contrast, fast I/R switching, and super quality BW image in I/R mode. The 8 lb dud is on its way to SCD for a replacement or repair. It looked good at night but had hot spots. The Nuvico is set at the widest view, and the I/R is evenly dispersed. The I/R covers the whole view at 60 feet.There is one small halo in the lower right of the image that I have to figure out, but that is not a showstopper.The I/R looks like daylight!

[DVR MAN 0]

My 8 pound 280 foot I/R cam just died. I replaced it with the Nuvico CB-SD3895L. I have to say that this particular camera is a killer! I do not know what happened to Rory's samples, but this thing has killer contrast, fast I/R switching, and super quality BW image in I/R mode. The 8 lb dud is on its way to SCD for a replacement or repair. It looked good at night but had hot spots. The Nuvico is set at the widest view, and the I/R is evenly dispersed. The I/R covers the whole view at 60 feet.There is one small halo in the lower right of the image that I have to figure out, but that is not a showstopper.The I/R looks like daylight!

[rory 0]

Sounds like you're doing a small area .. Im doing a 100' driveway, 100' one way and 100' the other way .. I have them mounted in dark areas, looking to bright areas .. the IR actually is not even needed in my case, just the BW. This is where they dont work to well as they cant handle the glare from all that lighting, coming from a dark area, as well as the Eclipse can. They are both not good when zoomed at TELE (in this location), but the Nuvico is even worse with extremely high contrast - need to be able to sustain DAY/Night mode without having AGC on - that is the cameras biggest problem as it requires AGC be enabled for switch over to BW.

 

Not to mention the one that came fault right out of the box which had the IR cut filter problem, but I did fix that myself in the end.

 

As for IR, it has equal the amount as the Eclipse, at double the size of the camera. Its OSD is also a real pain. Both the Eclipse and the Nuvico's have more IR than the CNB.

 

Then again, when all is said and done, cant expect an Ex82 for the price of these cameras

[DVR MAN 0]

I am looking at 60 feet at 3.8 MM. There is ample illumination to fill the whole image. I could see a mouse running across the lawn. There is no light facing the camera to cause AGC problems. I guess that is the difference between our results. This camera fits my application requirement.

[rory 0]

I am looking at 60 feet at 3.8 MM. There is ample illumination to fill the whole image. I could see a mouse running across the lawn. There is no light facing the camera to cause AGC problems. I guess that is the difference between our results. This camera fits my application requirement.

 

Exactly .. different locations with different lighting .. also Infrared is hardly needed in my case, just needed a color image in the day and BW at night. This place was an extreme case (really needed a Panasonic WDR!).. anyway dont tell my other client cause i still need to install these 2 nuvicos at his location

 

Nah he knows the results .. but his place should be fine.

[dopalgangr 1]

Heres a link that is a live feed that has alot of the Nuvico CB-SD3895-L cameras running.

 

User name = user

pwd = 000000

 

w506fbf(.)dvrhost(.)com:7000/viewn

 

(dont forget to get rid of the parenthesis I cant post web pages until Tues)

 

Now you can sit back and watch people do there laundry all day

[ak357 0]

Heres a link that is a live feed that has alot of the Nuvico CB-SD3895-L cameras running.

 

User name = user

pwd = 000000

 

w506fbf(.)dvrhost(.)com:7000/viewn

 

(dont forget to get rid of the parenthesis I cant post web pages until Tues)

 

Now you can sit back and watch people do there laundry all day

 

Thx for link

 

what connection do u use ?

is this Video Insight ?

 

I am getting about 3-3.5 mbps download wow

[rory 0]

Heres a link that is a live feed that has alot of the Nuvico CB-SD3895-L cameras running.

 

User name = user

pwd = 000000

 

w506fbf(.)dvrhost(.)com:7000/viewn

 

(dont forget to get rid of the parenthesis I cant post web pages until Tues)

 

Now you can sit back and watch people do there laundry all day

 

Will wait for the night shots .. dont see any street lights or excessive lighting that could pose an issue though. Daytime I didnt have issues with any of the cameras i tested

[rory 0]

Thx for link

 

what connection do u use ?

is this Video Insight ?

 

I am getting about 3-3.5 mbps download wow

 

Going to take a guess .. is it the Nuvico?

 

Also, it pauses all other cameras that are not shown, so the less cameras the faster the video, hence when in a single view you get full speed ahead

[dopalgangr 1]

Yes, that is just a link off of Nuvico's site, I watched the two outside cams at night and they are not that great. Cant tell though if its the cams or the dvr. Just thought I would post it since everyone kept asking for video from those cameras

[rory 0]

Yeah thought I remembered that Laundry mat from somewhere . .its been a while since i looked at that