4K 8MP Outdoor PTZ IP POE Camera, Pan Tilt 20x Optical Zoom, Human Vehicle Detection, Auto Tracking PTZ Camera with 393ft IR Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, MicroSD 256GB(Compatible for Hikvision)

I am phasing out and replacing my older low technology cameras while also reducing the number of cameras I have. Currently, they use too much power, require more maintenance and I see too many false motion recordings. In addition, I don’t need several cameras to monitor the surrounding areas (i.e. 270 degree viewing) if just one camera system can do the same. So, to address my current inefficiences, I purchased this VD-SD4825X PTZ camera system. After using it for the past month, it is accomplishing what I need it to do.

The PTZ function can automatically rotate/move between different camera locations(i.e. tilt/pan/zoom) at user defined intervals, such as every 15 seconds. Essentially, this VD-SD4825X single PTZ camera can monitor/cover the same amount of space as compared to multiple cameras. To do this, you must
configure the PRESETs and Touring features via the GUI.

Other reasons why I chose this VD-SD4825X PTZ camera model is because it is Plug-N-Play, has incredible night vision, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intelligent Video system (IVS) and Smart Motion Detection (SMD) features.

AI / SMD means that it can detect/record humans and automobiles while ignoring environmental movements such as moving branches/shadows, animals…etc. With these features, you will save disk tons of disk space and never have to sift thru hours of false alarm video recordings.

Artificial Intelligence, which works in conjunction with IVS, has the following:

– Tripwire and Intrusion – my favorites
– Crossing Virtual fence
– Fast moving car
– Loitering
– Missing object
– Abandoned object
– Crowd gathering

It uses indepth algorithms to properly identify/track human/automobile. But of course, missing/abandoned objects feature will track non-human/non-auto as well.

Instead of using the AI features, you can just use the standard motion detection option where the camera will detect/record anything that moves (humans/cars/animals/trees..etc) within the user defined grid. You can even enable the SMD option where motion detection will only detect/record humans/cars within the user-defined grid. This will also eliminate all false motion recordings.

If you have more advanced needs, you can enable (AI/Motion/SMD). It all depends on your needs and surrounding areas.

Here is a breakdown from using the VD-SD4825X:

Whats in the box:
– PTZ camera.
– Gasket.
– Wall mount to attach to the camera (comes with three hex screws and a hex wrench).
– Two hooks (you attach the two hooks between the camera and the wall mount).
– Limited installation paper-work.
– No bolts/screws for mounting. Get them on your own.
– There is no speaker/microphone. There are dangling wires (labled) on the camera for an external speaker/microphone.

BTW: There are additional mounting brackets you can purchase separately (i.e. mount to a pole, ceiling..etc).

Three ways to connect the PTZ camera to the network:

1. Dahua NVR (100% compatible) – Preferred option.
2. 3rd-Party ONVIF compliant NVR. I tried this on my older ONVIF compliant QSEE NVR (Presidio / Archer). The motion detection and PTZ work great. No issues here. However, because this is an older NVR, it does not support the AI or Smart Detection features on the camera.
3. Connect the camera to your router, then use a web browser to point to the camera’s default IP address. You will be able use all camera functions. In addition, when you connect to your home router, this allows the camera to utilize P2P services and allow mobile app (DMSS) access.

When using the web browser, be sure to download the browser plugin, or else you maybe missing some of the camera functions.

Power Supply:

– PoE: Connect the camera’s ethernet socket to an NVR that has PoE support. When you use PoE, you do not need an external 12V power supply.
– Without an NVR/PoE, then you will need to connect an external 12V power supply to the camera.

Storage:

– NVR: The storage disk installed ina NVR.
– Without an NVR, you must install a microsd card inside the camera. Remove the four screws that are on the back cover of the camera, then pop off the cover. I did not find any instructions that tell you how to do this. Be very carful when installing the microsd card. It’s a small space, and I accidently dropped the card into the camera. I had to gently shake/turn the camera around to get it out. The camera options allows you to overwrite older files when the card is full.

Setup:

There are two ways to setup/initialize the camera. (both processes are very quick/easy)

– Point your web browser to the default ip address. Once the webpage loads up, just follow the user prompts (i.e. timezone, new password..etc).
– Download Configtool from the internet.

Camera registration was also very quick/easy via the web interface. Took just ten seconds. This is also where you connect your cell phone app (DMSS) to the cloud service for remote viewing.

Now, as far as the camera features, this is where the camera model has so many advantages:

PROs
– Auto-tracking/IVS: The camera detects a target (car/auto), locks in and tracks the movements until the target is out or scope or the user defined timeout expires. This is a very accurate and reliable AI feature. – Very nice!!
– The 25X optical zoom (not digital zoom) is incredible. When zooming in on a far away target, the image is so clear – as if it were a few feet away.
– Preset/Tour feature. Being able automatically rotate/move to view different locations is one of my favorite features. This is where this single PTZ system takes the palce of multiple cameras.

– Night Vision is incredible. The red LEDs are very bright and you can see them, but this because of long distance viewing purposes. But regardless, the night vision is great and you can easily identify faces.
– Daytime 4K images (30fps) are crystal clear.
– Human and Automobile detection has been near perfect. Automobiles are detected hundreds of feet away. I know this because the live viewing screens put a yellow frame around the vehicle (see attached JPG). Whether you use it with Smart Motion detection or AI, the system has been flawless.
– The AI features (tripwire, intrusion..etc) allows you to customize how and when a object is detected and for how long.
– Ability to adust the camera images. (i.e. exposure, backlight, resolution..etc)
– Camera image that can be customized with different profiles. For example, different settings for night and day.
– Alarm detection based on whether the object enters/exits/both a user defined area.

Some usage examples:

– Tripwire: If a human/auto crosses a user-defined virtual line, the alarm will trigger. This is a great feature because it narrows the detection area to a very thin line, as opposed to a region.
– Intrusion: Entry into a user-defined area will trigger the alarm. To minimize unecessary alarms
– Abandoned and Missing ojbect: If an object is removed or abandoned from/in a user defined area, the alarm will trigger. You can define the time duration as to how long the object has to be abandoned or missing before the alarm trips.
– Privacy mask: This allows you to place a virtual cover over a sensitive area (i.e. neighbors window) so that you cannot see that image. I use it to cover street signs/addresses..etc..

Many other great features. All depends on your needs on what/how you want to monitor.

General comments:

– Install this high enough so that people can not steal it and it gets good viewing coverage.
– For night vision settings, the web browser did not give me the option to configure the light illumination settings. In other words, the ability to adjust how much environmental light is needed to turn on/off the LED night vision LEDs. It’s only based on auto detection. For example, I want it to get very dark before the night vision LEDs come on. Currently, the LEDs come on a little sooner than what I want them to.
– MicroSD card and web browser is convenient and inexpesive, but browser operations may be a little slow. Hence why it is better to use a Dahua NVR.
– When you playback recordings, it will not show you the dotted frames around the target. (well, at least with the browser method it doesn’t show it). Maybe if you use a NVR for playback it will.

Overall, I am very impressed with the VD-SD4825X PTZ system. The 4K daytime images are crystal clear. Night time images are extremely clear and will light up the area. The AI and Smart Detection features are very high-tech and accurate. The ability to detect, lock and track human and automobile targets put this camera model a step above other camera technologies. There is a great amount of technology that goes into this PTZ camera. The days of false detection are over, whereas AI and Smart Detection is the new normal. From initializing the camera, configuring it and using it, the process from beginning to end was very easy and somewhat self-explanatory. There were some occassions where I had to read the users guide for a few of the features. I just don’t have any complaints about this camera.

I really like the fact that I can get the same area wide coverage from this single PTZ camera as I can with multiple fixed cameras. For anyone who is looking for a PTZ camera system, you should consider this model as one of your options and compare it to others that you are interested in

For me, this camera is a keeper that I will use for a very long time.

BTW: If you want to learn more about IVS / AI, goto the dahua wiki website.

You can get then to view in Blue iris but the PTZ is slow as eff! then it dies altogether after 5 days. Can’t anyone make a decent camera for outdoor use? Need UPTILT with 20x zoon fiolks!

Excellent picture with optical zoom. Good night vision. It is not fully functional through my Lorex system but works fairly well with Lorex local system and with phone app.

I recently purchased the PTZ PoE camera for my surveillance needs, and I must say it has exceeded all my expectations. This camera is truly a game-changer when it comes to monitoring and securing my property.

The pan-tilt-zoom functionality of this camera is simply outstanding. I can remotely control the camera’s movement with precision, covering every corner of my property with ease. The ability to zoom in and out allows me to capture even the tiniest details, ensuring I never miss a thing.

Setting up the camera was a breeze, thanks to its Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature. It eliminated the need for separate power cables and made the installation process much cleaner and simpler. The PoE functionality also ensures a stable and reliable power supply, keeping the camera operational at all times.

The image and video quality of this PTZ camera are exceptional. Whether it’s day or night, the camera’s high-resolution footage provides crystal-clear visuals. The infrared night vision feature is particularly impressive, delivering sharp images even in complete darkness.

The camera’s advanced motion detection and smart tracking capabilities give me peace of mind, as I receive instant notifications and alerts whenever any suspicious activity is detected. This level of proactive security is invaluable for safeguarding my property.

Moreover, the camera’s rugged and weather-resistant design makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It can withstand harsh weather conditions, ensuring continuous surveillance even during inclement weather.

The PTZ PoE camera is compatible with various security systems and offers seamless integration with third-party applications. This compatibility has made it effortless to incorporate the camera into my existing security setup.

In conclusion, I highly recommend the PTZ PoE camera for anyone seeking an efficient and reliable surveillance solution. Its advanced features, ease of installation, and exceptional image quality make it a top-notch choice for both residential and commercial use. Investing in this camera has truly elevated the security of my property, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase!

Pros: Very nice day image and video. Good night image but so/so night video in my darker, country environment. Good features.

Cons: I’d set up Presets and they’d only stick for a couple of hours and then they would end up being way off. The ptz was very frustrating. Often times (web interface) I’d press an arrow for up/down/left/right and… nothing… 3, 4, 5 tries nothing. A couple of minutes later, it’d work fine???

The final straw is when I got tired of waiting for a ptz command to actually work, gave up and rebooted it via the config menu. Even after 10 minutes, it didn’t come back on (and yes, I tried logging back in). So, I went to the POE router and unplugged it for a cold boot. When It came back online it was pointed to some random spot with the focus endlessly going near to far to near to far and pan/tilt still not working.

Return in progress…

Slow, my old Sunba was faster in response and in motion. When you crank up the resolution it really acts up, gets real slow, Running 5 GHZ cpu 64GB ram, replaced the cat6a with cat 8 POE ethernet and still the same issues. Does of a great picture but cuts your FPS way down when you place on highest resolution. Pain the arse to get going on network, but it works mostly.