I WASN’T sure what to think of the Bosch IP 5000 when I unpacked it – the sunshade and the overall camera are quite light but when it’s up and running you find that this a surprisingly good camera in the best tradition of motorised, remote auto focus bullets. I've really enjoyed working with the Bosch 5000 Bullet.
The F1.4 varifocal 2.7-12mm lens has the fastest zoom and refocus I’ve met – really, it’s barnstormingly fast. Pull the slider and refocus is right behind you – half a second behind – that’s exceptionally useful for real time operations. Notwithstanding some variable overexposure on the sunny side of the street with WDR on auto in 70,000 lux, the 5000 Bullet offers a strong and composite image at all times.
Full wide – this is with BLC off…Sunstars on hot points suggest a lens design resistant to flare and ghosting.
There’s some barrel distortion at the wide end – it’s mostly gone at 5mm past which point it gives way to mild moustache distortion. Depth of field at 5mm is sensational and noise levels are very low in good and bad light – this is not as common a quality as you’d think. I can see noise only if I really look for it. Chromatic aberrations are very low at 5mm though more pronounced at 2.7mm. Motion blur is low – I can get plates easily in good light – faces are a snap. Fiddling with settings is very easy via the browser.
Reeled in to about 5.5mm – no problems getting moving plates. BLC is on, giving a brighter foreground and mild overexposure in the background.
WDR performance is tight, image quality remains excellent in falling light and IR performance is very strong – the best I’ve ever had in the back lane, with support from great depth of field in monochrome all the way up towards 70 metres. Is the 5000 Bullet hands-down the best camera we've ever reviewed? With half our test completed, it’s right up there with the leaders.
Check out the full review of the Bosch 5000 Bullet here! ♦
