Dahua cameras now at Costco

[MaxIcon 0]

Someone else, earlier in the thread, mentioned that they had purchased the $2.10 lens. They reported that the focus was a bit soft and that this other $2.70 lens actually looked better with the exception of the dark corners.

 

But yeah, I agree, didn't see 1/3" specified anywhere either.

 

This is a problem in the jungle of board-cam lenses. You can't even assume that a $15 ebay lens isn't just a marked-up $3 lens.

 

If image quality matters, best bet is to find a vendor who specializes in lenses and applications, like ragecams on ebay or m12lenses.com, and pay a few bucks more. My experience with inexpensive lenses has not been great so far, though I still buy them on a whim now and again.

 

I'm a big fan of DX and have bought many things from them, but their quality control and spec dependability can be weak...

[lowpro 0]

Someone else, earlier in the thread, mentioned that they had purchased the $2.10 lens. They reported that the focus was a bit soft and that this other $2.70 lens actually looked better with the exception of the dark corners.

 

But yeah, I agree, didn't see 1/3" specified anywhere either.

 

This is a problem in the jungle of board-cam lenses. You can't even assume that a $15 ebay lens isn't just a marked-up $3 lens.

 

If image quality matters, best bet is to find a vendor who specializes in lenses and applications, like ragecams on ebay or m12lenses.com, and pay a few bucks more. My experience with inexpensive lenses has not been great so far, though I still buy them on a whim now and again.

 

I'm a big fan of DX and have bought many things from them, but their quality control and spec dependability can be weak...

 

I'm waiting for hear back the feedback on the m12 megapixel lens that someone else ordered. I'm tempted to go ahead and order 2 of them but at a little over $35, I can wait a few days. I am however looking around for a coupon code.

[300winmag 0]

I just spent half an hour writing Costco.ca an email (begging for better cameras) which got deleted because of an error from their servers, So I'm... short right now so please bear with me...

So the 4ch is $1000 here in Canada but I still think it's worth it because of the warranty... Yes or No? Who's comparable (with warranty)?

Now the 4ch has 4 real ports, the 8ch still has 4 real ports but the software allows for 4 more cameras you just need a switch.. correct?

It may come with an extra 1TB hard drive but an extra $500 for 1TB and a software upgrade seems strange. Would it not be better to just get 2 of the 4ch systems?

4 cameras on 24/7 doing 720P @ 30fps on a 1TB drive... How long before it starts to rewrite over itself? a week?

 

Thanx for the help guys!

[JackOfAllTrades 0]

I received the new lenses and installed them today. Here is the review:

 

The $3.00 lens (3.6mm) leaves a dark ring around the viewing area. I believe this is due to the lens not wanting to focus until I almost had to screw it all the way in. The view is wider, which I do like, but the dark ring is somewhat of annoying factor.

 

The $14 MegaPixel Lens (PT-03618MP 3.6mm F1.8, Mega Pixel). It gives me the wider shot but there is NO dark ring around the corners like the above lens. The lens focused in at the same spot the factory lens does, unlike the above lens.

 

Overall the 3.6 mm lens gives the wider shot but at the cost of losing a narrower more upclose shot. Without a doubt the $14 lens is the better lens if you want a wider shot without the dark ring around the corners.

 

I will try and take screen shots and post the before and after.

[gabe 0]

I just spent half an hour writing Costco.ca an email (begging for better cameras) which got deleted because of an error from their servers, So I'm... short right now so please bear with me...

So the 4ch is $1000 here in Canada but I still think it's worth it because of the warranty... Yes or No?

 

yes, retail is 1,200us, warranty/return/support all worth the price.

 

Who's comparable (with warranty)?

 

whom else sells ip cameras this cheap with this kind of support?

 

Now the 4ch has 4 real ports, the 8ch still has 4 real ports but the software allows for 4 more cameras you just need a switch.. correct?

 

yes, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833181163

 

It may come with an extra 1TB hard drive but an extra $500 for 1TB and a software upgrade seems strange. Would it not be better to just get 2 of the 4ch systems?

 

i agree, two 4ch nvrs... pss should work with all cams as one. buellwinkle needs to really answer this. pm him..

4 cameras on 24/7 doing 720P @ 30fps on a 1TB

drive... How long before it starts to rewrite over itself? a week?

5-7 days..

 

Thanx for the help guys!

[gabe 0]

"JackOfAllTrades

 

I will try and take screen shots and post the before and after.

 

be looking for your pics, thanks jack!

[lowpro 0]

I want to see also! " title="Applause" />

[JackOfAllTrades 0]

I am having a hard time getting a screen shot. I can download video but it requires the special codec to play it.

 

Any quick guide on how to grab a screen shot/pic off of the NVR?

[lowpro 0]

I am having a hard time getting a screen shot. I can download video but it requires the special codec to play it.

 

Any quick guide on how to grab a screen shot/pic off of the NVR?

 

Are you trying to do it from the computer or from the nvr itself? PSS has a snapshot feature, just tell it where you want the pictures to be saved to.

[JackOfAllTrades 0]

 

The above is the FACTORY 6mm lens.

 

 

The above is the 3.6mm MegaPixel $14 Lens.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Guest

[JackOfAllTrades 0]

 

Above is the factory 6mm lens. As you can see, no dark ring around the corners.

 

 

Here is the 3.6mm lens for $3.00. It creates a dark ring around the corners and at night it is worse because of the LED flare. The other 3.6mm MegaPixel lens does NOT create the dark ring.

 

All-in-all, I think it is better to pay the $14.00 and get the better lens vs. the $3.00 lens. It's just $11.00 more and you don't get the dark ring and flare at night. You get what you paid for...

[Agentchuckles 0]

Wow...that 14 dollar megapixel lens looks good. I wonder if a 6mm lens from the same manufacturer would be an upgrade to the stock 6mm. Thanks for posting the pictures!

[lowpro 0]

Agreed! The mp lens looks pretty good. Do you have any night time shots from it?

 

*goes to look for wallet*

[gabe 0]

great picks jack! the $14 lens looks way better, the other stock lens looked out of focus and colors washed.

 

i just ordered the $14 PT-03618MP lens, i have a narrow side yard and camera field of view needs improvement. i will post before and after pics when i receive my lens. thanks again lowpro and jack for the info on adapting these lenses " title="Applause" />

[lowpro 0]

Placed my order for 3!

 

I agree, the stock 6.0mm did look not as sharp as I would have expected.

 

Only 7 lenses left in stock!

[JackOfAllTrades 0]

How secure is the PSS software? Can someone access it and do a backdoor and get into your network?

[MaxIcon 0]

I received the new lenses and installed them today. Here is the review:

 

The $3.00 lens (3.6mm) leaves a dark ring around the viewing area. I believe this is due to the lens not wanting to focus until I almost had to screw it all the way in. The view is wider, which I do like, but the dark ring is somewhat of annoying factor.

 

The $14 MegaPixel Lens (PT-03618MP 3.6mm F1.8, Mega Pixel). It gives me the wider shot but there is NO dark ring around the corners like the above lens. The lens focused in at the same spot the factory lens does, unlike the above lens.

 

Overall the 3.6 mm lens gives the wider shot but at the cost of losing a narrower more upclose shot. Without a doubt the $14 lens is the better lens if you want a wider shot without the dark ring around the corners.

 

I will try and take screen shots and post the before and after.

 

Great info and screenshots! The two different 3.6mm lenses are almost certainly 1/4" (with the dark ring) and 1/3", since 3.6mm in the same size would give the same zoom factor, while 3.6mm in different sizes give different zoom factors.

 

This is due to the light from the lens covering a different area around the sensor. If you took the pic with the dark corners and selected a square that excluded all the dark areas, it should look a lot closer to the 1/3" 3.6mm lens field of view.

 

In any case, how much quality can you expect from a lens that costs a few dollars?

 

The $14 lens is clearly the best of the lot, with much better detail even at the wider field of view, and is a pretty small investment for that big a quality increase. It would be interesting to see if the stock lenses are plastic or glass - that factory 6mm image is really not very good. I may try an upgrade on my Dahua with a stock 3.6mm lens - if it gives that big an improvement, it'll be great.

[lowpro 0]

The stock 6.0mm lens that I took out was not plastic.

[chucky 0]

I received the new lenses and installed them today. Here is the review:

 

The $3.00 lens (3.6mm) leaves a dark ring around the viewing area. I believe this is due to the lens not wanting to focus until I almost had to screw it all the way in. The view is wider, which I do like, but the dark ring is somewhat of annoying factor.

 

The $14 MegaPixel Lens (PT-03618MP 3.6mm F1.8, Mega Pixel). It gives me the wider shot but there is NO dark ring around the corners like the above lens. The lens focused in at the same spot the factory lens does, unlike the above lens.

 

Overall the 3.6 mm lens gives the wider shot but at the cost of losing a narrower more upclose shot. Without a doubt the $14 lens is the better lens if you want a wider shot without the dark ring around the corners.

 

I will try and take screen shots and post the before and after.

 

 

I see these lens are now out of stock at M12lenses.com. I also noticed more of this style lens with a iris of F2 instead of the F1.8. What is the advantage of the iris being F1.8 in comparison to the F2?

 

Thank You

Chucky

[Kawboy12R 0]

The lower the f-stop the faster the lens so the better it is in low light.

[chucky 0]

The lower the f-stop the faster the lens so the better it is in low light.

 

 

 

Thank You Kawboy12R for clarification. I emailed M12lenses for an approximate date for restocking of these 3.6mm, F1.8 Mega Pixel CCTV Board lens but have not seen a response. I will keep looking for the F1.8.

 

Thank You

Chucky

[voip-ninja 0]

Also keep in mind that the lower the F stop of the lens, the narrower the depth of field. So a lens operating at F1.8 might have a larger out of focus area then one that is F4, F5.6, etc. It's a trade off.

[chucky 0]

Also keep in mind that the lower the F stop of the lens, the narrower the depth of field. So a lens operating at F1.8 might have a larger out of focus area then one that is F4, F5.6, etc. It's a trade off.

 

So on this low cost system do you think there would be a great disavantage in purchasing the F2? I guess I am assuming that the stock 6mm lens has an F1.8 lens?

 

Thank You

Chucky

[voip-ninja 0]

Also keep in mind that the lower the F stop of the lens, the narrower the depth of field. So a lens operating at F1.8 might have a larger out of focus area then one that is F4, F5.6, etc. It's a trade off.

 

So on this low cost system do you think there would be a great disavantage in purchasing the F2? I guess I am assuming that the stock 6mm lens has an F1.8 lens?

 

Thank You

Chucky

 

I don't have any experience with these lenses, just pointing out a consideration as I know something about lenses from my photography hobby.

[KyleK29 0]

Thanks for the pics Jack. I just got my DX Lenses (the 3.6mm ones) and noticed the black ring, so naturally I hopped on here before swapping any more. Glad I did, the $14 looks much better.

 

Does M12lenses ship from US? Or is it going to be another 4 week wait-on-China thing? I need three of the 3.6mm's.

 

One thing I've noticed is that the higher quality (read: not $3) lenses tend to take the time to etch the sizing on the side of the lense. I might even try a 4.2mm to see how that looks.

 

I know everyone says the wide-angle lense isn't good for facial recognition, but if you put the sweetspot of the camera in a smart place where they have to pass their face in front of it, I think it'll do fine. I'm mounting one angled at the front door, it's the only stairway to the house, so unless they scale the side of the building they have to walk up towards it. The extra field of view is nice because I can see the kitchen and living room too.