H.265 2.0 megapixel IP PTZ camera - Darkfighter

H.265/HEVC is the latest video compression standard which is ready to replace the mature H.264 standard. Just like the IP camera rapidly occupied the analog video surveillance market share, we expect that H.265-based IP cameras growth will outpace H.264 products. Since this is the obvious trend, in 2015 many video surveillance products companies released H.265 products including front-end megapixel IP cameras to back-end network video recorders.

The H.265 in video surveillance technology initiated by Hisilicon and Ambarella which are two major SoC providers for HD video surveillance solution. As the pioneer video security products manufacturers, Dahua, Hikvision, Sony launched H.265 product portfolio intended to meet the increasing demand of H.265 products. Why use the H.265? To answer this question, you need to read below article:

What's the advantage of H.265?

Among these manufacturers, we notice that Hikvision responded to this trend quickly, as they might realize that the change of video compression technology is inevitable. In this article, we aim to introduce you Hikvision's darkfighter series IP PTZ camera which adopts latest H.265/HEVC video compression (encoding). DS-2DF8223IW-A is Hikvision recently released 2.0 megapixel Darkfighter series IP PTZ camera with IR, the camera housing made of aluminum metal material. Overall appearance is professional and sleek. This camera adopts 1/1.9" large size high performance progressive scan CMOS image sensor, high clarity image, precision motor-driven, response quickly, smooth rotation, precision deviation less than 0.1 degree. During camera's rotation, no image jitter occurs. Additionally, this camera is IP66 rated weatherproof IP camera, it can be used in a variety of different network video surveillance applications.

What's Darkfighter?  Darkfighter is Hikvision's new series smart IP camera which can capture color images even working in low light or darkness conditions. In order to know the exactly benefits of H.265 IP camera, ASMAG tested DS-2DF8223IW-A's performance from different perspectives including video resolution, color reproduction, network bitrate control, low illumination performance, WDR function, etc.

Exceptional HD video quality

Resolution test: In 1080p video parameter, set camera's optical zoom to zero. Let the camera aim at the resolution test card. Through the measurement, we conclude that images have no distortion. The camera's horizontal resolution is 1050 TVL, vertical resolution even can reach 1100TVL, edge resolution is 900TVL, overall resolution performance is excellent.

Color reproduction test: Using 24 colors reproduction test card, 24 different colors can be clearly distinguished. When comparing the camera's image with test card, except light green color is a little yellowish, the overall color reproduction is basically accurate; in gray-scale test, the camera's image can easily identify the 19 level, color reproudction control is good.

Bitrate control test: In H.265 codec mode, 1080p@25ps, bitrate 2 Mbps, let the camera aim at traffic road, using the bitrate calculating software to measure its bitrate. We found that this camera's bitrate is in the range of 1.6~2.3Mbps, the average bitrate is 1.7Mbps, bitrate is stable. We continued to measure its video latency time, after several calculations, we measured its average video latency time is approximate 238 ms, video streaming is stable and fast. Moreover, this camera supports H.265, M-JPEG, etc video codec algorithm, in real test, camera can output excellent video.

Excellent night vision performance

Put this camera into dark box to simulate darkness environment, meanwhile let camera aim at doll and light meter, reducing the brightness of light, when illumination is 3.00Lux, at this time image is clean and noise-free; continue decreasing the illumination to 0.2Lux, the camera automatically switch to monochrome mode. Image still keeps clean and noise-free. In real test, when camera works in B/W mode, the camera still can capture clean images even when the illumination is 0.00 Lux, the image has a slight noise; in color mode, the camera still can see color images when the illumination is 0.01Lux. In conclusion, this PTZ camera has excellent imaging capability, its low illumination performance is extraordinary.

Hikvision DS-2DF8223IW-A is a smart IP camera which incorporated with latest video technologies including 120dB WDR, 3D DNR, Defog, Triple streams, intrusion detection, Face detection etc. Making the camera aim at strong light which has a doll inside. When WDR is OFF, the whole image's brightness is insufficient, doll is not visible; when turn WDR ON, the image improved significantly, the doll is clear, image's background also has some improvements.

Additionally, this camera offers defog function, you can check following picture to know its defog performance. 

Lastly, tested its IR function, in complete darkness indoor office, let camera aim at 15 meters away human, right now light meter indicates light illumination is 0.00 Lux (complete darkness), then check the image, we surprisingly found that camera's image is clear and noise-free. There is no IR-saturation in the image, Smart IR performance is excellent.

Precise pan/tilt rotation

This camera PTZ control is quite stable, preset is also precise. This camera supports 360°continuous pan rotation, tilt rotation angle supports -15°~90°, the field of view (FOV) is wide, it also supports 300 presets. In order to test its PTZ control, we set 4 different preset positions, then let it auto cruise, after a half of hour operation, we concluded that camera's PTZ function has no deviation. Hikvision DS-2DF8223IW-A H.265 network PTZ camera supports maximum 23x optical zoom, its horizontal view angle reaches 59.8°~ 3°. 

Asmag China performed above test, Hikvision is the trademark of Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd. We (Unifore) don't distribute/sell any products which come from Hikvision. The pictures used in this article are from Asmag.com.cn; H.265/HEVC was jointly developed by the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11 Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and ITU-T SG16/Q.6 Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) as ISO/IEC 23008-2 MPEG-H Part 2 and ITU-T H.265 MPEG and VCEG established a Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) to develop the HEVC standard.