Dahua IPC-HDBW4431R-ZS surveillance camera, or what the competition has to offer

As it happens, there are currently two leaders in the video surveillance industry. I’ve written quite a bit about one of them, the well-known company Hikvision. The other company has somehow remained in the shadows. Although Dahua may not be the most euphonious name for Russian speakers, it would still be wrong to overlook it. I don’t know why, but there are noticeably fewer reviews of this company’s products, and that’s partly why I decided to fill the gap. Besides, I’ve been asked about Dahua products several times already.
So today I’m reviewing and briefly comparing products from two major companies.


I won’t get into sales figures, revenue, and so on, since that information doesn’t give the full picture, even though it puts Hikvision in first place and Dahua in second worldwide. In any case, both companies make a lot of fairly high-quality products, and they’ve pushed aside such a well-known company as Axis, which was also one of the leaders for a long time. Another well-known company is Pelco, but there haven’t been any statistics on them lately, even though they also make professional systems.

I’ll be comparing the camera under review not with any specific Hikvision model, but in general. Partly because I don’t have a Hikvision camera with exactly the same features, and partly because I haven’t used Dahua cameras before, whereas I work with Hikvision cameras often.
The reason I don’t work with Dahua is simple: people who install various kinds of equipment usually get “locked into” one or two brands and stick with them. There are several reasons for this:
1. There are so many models that it’s hard to know them all
2. The camera software is similar, but not identical
3. The camera server software and recorders aren’t compatible, so you can’t just add a Dahua camera to a Hikvision system, or vice versa.

As for the last point, there’s ONVIF, of course, but its functionality is severely limited, so it should only be used as a last resort. For example, when working with the full surveillance software, you can access all the camera settings, while ONVIF only gives you access to the basic features.

You could sum up this review as “A Dahua camera through the eyes of a Hikvision camera user” :)


But I’m getting carried away. Let’s move on to the review. First, the technical specifications:
Main features:
4-megapixel video camera with a 1/3” CMOS image sensor
Supports three video streams: H.265/H.264 & MJPEG
Records images at a high resolution of 4M (2592x1520)
Analytics: Corridor mode / Line crossing / Intrusion into a monitored area / Scene change detection / Face detection
Supports DWDR, Day/Night, 3DNR, AWB, AGC, BLC
Supports remote viewing via Web interface, CMS (DSS/PSS) & DMSS
Motorized lens with a focal length of 2.8 mm–12 mm
Infrared illumination range up to 50 m
Supports SD cards up to 128 GB
IP66 dust and water protection rating
Supports PoE power

Specifications:
Image sensor: 4 megapixels
Infrared illumination: 50 m
Backlight compensation: BLC / HLC / DWDR
Lens type: Motorized
Focal length: 2.8 mm–12 mm (motorized)
Resolution: 4M (1–20 fps) / 3M (1–25/30 fps)
Bitrate: H.265: 32K–8 Mbps
Microphone: No
Ethernet protocols: IPv4/IPv6, HTTP, HTTPS, SSL, TCP/IP, UDP, UPnP, ICMP, IGMP, SNMP, RTSP, RTP, SMTP, NTP, DHCP, DNS, PPPOE, DDNS, FTP, IP Filter, QoS, Bonjour
Wi-Fi: No
Built-in memory card slot: micro SD
ONVIF: ONVIF Profile S
Analytics: Corridor mode / Line crossing / Intrusion into a monitored area / Scene change detection / Face detection
Power supply: DC12V, PoE (802.3af)
Housing material: Metal
Dimensions (W x H x D): 122 mm x 89 mm
Operating temperature: -40°C to +60°C
Mounting type: Ceiling, wall
Supported mobile devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone
Ethernet interface: RJ-45 (10/100Base-T)

Oddly enough, when I tried to find detailed information about this camera, I discovered that Dahua’s official website had no information about it at all. There are very similar cameras, but without a motorized lens, so in the end I had to get the information from “other sources.”

I ordered not only the camera itself, but also a wall mount for it, which I’ll cover in this review as well. I received two neat little boxes. The mount’s box actually felt heavier than the camera’s.


Everything inside is neatly packed, and the camera is held firmly in place, so nothing rattles around. The mount is also packed snugly. No complaints here.


The package includes:
1. IPC-HDBW4431R-ZS camera
2. Mounting hardware
3. Waterproof cable gland
4. Star-shaped hex key.
5. Mounting template
6. Software CD.



The mounting sticker is standard for this type of system. I didn't even look at the disc, since everything can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website anyway, and besides, my computer doesn't even have a disc drive.
The mounting hardware is the usual "give it to your enemy" kind. The cable gland and hex key are useful, so don't lose them.


The camera has a dome form factor and is designed for ceiling or wall mounting. The connectors are standard for surveillance cameras: Ethernet with PoE support and a regular 5.5 mm power connector. Unfortunately, Dahua hasn't started making caps for the power connectors like Hikvision does now, but I think it's only a matter of time.
I won't describe how to use the cable gland; I've already covered that in another review. It's definitely useful, though, and I recommend using it even when installing the camera indoors, if only to keep it from getting lost.


The camera has two powerful IR LEDs rather than an array of small ones. The illuminator is controlled by a light sensor.


The camera housing is made of aluminum. On the last Hikvision camera I reviewed, the top part was plastic, with only the bottom made of metal. There's a cable channel on the underside of the housing.


Like any other dome camera, this one has to be opened at some point, at least for installation, since the camera is mounted from the inside for better protection. Use the included hex key to take it apart.


Here's a fairly important difference. To prevent condensation, the manufacturer included three to four times as much silica gel as in the Hikvision camera. Essentially, the inside of the front glass is lined with silica gel all the way around.


The inside is pretty familiar: a swivel mechanism that lets you rotate the whole assembly and tilt the camera up and down.


The optics and sensor are housed in a fully enclosed module, which looks very neat.


But there's another important difference. With the Hikvision, you could rotate the whole assembly horizontally and tilt the camera up or down. This one adds a third adjustment axis: the camera module itself can rotate around its axis by about 330–340 degrees, which can be genuinely useful for wall mounting. A big plus for Dahua's engineers on this one.


One more small plus: the camera has a memory card slot. Hikvision also makes cameras with this feature (the letter F at the end of the camera model number).


The limited space makes the slot a little awkward to use, but fortunately, you rarely need to.
To install a card, first slide the mechanism to the left (it's labeled, but hard to see) and open the cover. Then carefully place the card as shown in the first photo.
Hold the card in place, close the cover, and slide the mechanism to the right. That's it.
The camera definitely supports memory cards up to 128 GB. I haven't tested larger cards.


The rest of the disassembly is optional, and I don't recommend trying it unless you're sure you can put everything back together afterward.
I remove a couple of self-tapping screws on the sides of the mechanism and take out the camera module.


I happened to notice notches on the rotating part of the frame. In theory, the camera should move in steps, but in practice you can't really tell. I have to say, though, I really like the adjustment: it's smooth enough, but still tight without being overdone. I had to loosen these screws a little on the Hikvision.


The rest is more for the enthusiasts, so I'll hide it under a spoiler.


The camera almost completely disassembled. I left the lens itself alone; I didn't want to risk damaging the delicate mechanism.


As I mentioned right at the beginning, I also ordered a wall-mount bracket. The camera can be mounted directly on the wall, of course, but in some situations it's more convenient to use a "specially designed" bracket—especially since it's made by the same company, Dahua, so there'll be no need to modify it with a file and a few choice words.

The model is PFB203W, priced at $14.99, link
There's also the PFB202W model. It costs more, but I couldn't figure out how it differs apart from the cable outlet location and weight.

This one also comes with fasteners and a small hex key, but here it's actually a hex key, not a "Torx". The wall fasteners are just as useless as the ones supplied with the camera, but the three hex-head screws are more useful.


It looks like.... well, it looks like a bracket, though it brought some other things to mind for me :)
There are plenty of hole-position options, so it's compatible with quite a wide range of cameras:




Software.
There are quite a few settings and screenshots here, so in addition to putting everything under spoilers, I'll also split it into groups.
First, an overview of the web interface.






Now for the tests. Since the camera has a varifocal lens, there will be a few more tests than usual.










Video samples:
1. Day, 2560x1440 at 25 fps


2. Evening, 2592x1520 at 20 fps


3. Night, 2560x1440 at 25 fps



Before wrapping up, I should make a brief digression about using cameras with motorized lenses. In my opinion, they have a fairly narrow range of applications, since they need an operator to work properly. For example, a camera like this would work well at the entrance to a guarded facility, where the guard occasionally needs to zoom in for a better view of a license plate, while the camera otherwise serves as a general overview camera.
Another option is keeping an eye on your car: most of the time the camera records a wide view of the yard, and when you need to watch the car, you zoom in as much as you like.
There is also a third use case, where you simply need to set the desired fixed viewing angle. For that, you can use:
1. A fixed lens or a camera with a specific focal length. This is the cheapest option, but much less flexible and difficult in some situations.
2. A camera with a manual varifocal lens. More expensive than a fixed-lens option and offers more flexibility, but you have to adjust the camera—and especially focus it—by hand.
3. A camera with a motorized lens. The most convenient option, but also the most expensive.

If all you need is to set the desired angle, first decide whether you're willing to pay more for option 3 than for options 1 and 2. If so, you'll get a pretty convenient piece of equipment; if not, you can get the same result for less, with a little less convenience.

Now, about the camera itself.
Although I knew Dahua was a fairly large company that also makes decent equipment, I was still pleasantly surprised by how well the camera performed. The image is sharp, with good color reproduction and decent sensitivity, and there are plenty of video enhancement and processing options. Other pluses include a memory card slot and a fully metal housing with plenty of silica gel inside and a properly designed heat sink.
In terms of features, it's roughly comparable to Hikvision cameras in the same segment—some things it does better, some worse, but overall they're about on par. Dahua uses a fairly old HiSilicon chip for video processing, while Hikvision uses Ambarella, but I preferred Dahua's image quality.

The computer software is a bit of a mixed bag. It offers a lot of features, but that comes at the cost of some ease of use, although it's perfectly fine for viewing and recording. I spent a lot of time on the initial setup; “Chinese” cameras, and Reolink in particular, are much easier to set up, though they have their own drawbacks too. I was a little disappointed with the native player, which has trouble playing back at speeds above 2x.

I couldn't get the Android app to run in the end. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I haven't had this kind of problem with other cameras before, and I really hope they'll “fix” this feature.

I also liked the mounting bracket, though its price is a little... steep. It's convenient, though, and there's a link in the review in case it's useful.

As for the price, the store offered a discount coupon: CAMDAHUA. With it, the price should be $83.99 through July 9. The coupon can be extended if needed. They promised free shipping.
At first glance, the price may seem high, but if you take the $69 Hikvision DS-2CD1141-I that I reviewed recently and add:
1. A motorized lens
2. A memory card slot
3. Higher sensitivity thanks to a better, faster lens
4. A fully metal housing

Then the extra $15 doesn't seem like much after all.

That's all from me. As always, I'm looking forward to your questions, especially since it's impossible to cover everything in a review. You may have suggestions for additional tests; I'll do them if I can. I hope you found the review useful. In my view, Hikvision has a pretty strong competitor here.