SAMSUNG’s 5MP SNO-8081R bullet, distributed locally by EOS, incorporates a 1/1.8-inch CMOS sensor, a 3.6-9.4mm, f1.3 motorized varifocal lens with auto-focus, 120dB WDR, integrated IR to assist in low light applications and a resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixels.
This camera offers colour images at 0.12Lux and delivers monochrome images under integrated IR at 0 lux. Frame rate is 30ips in H.265/H.264/MJPEG, there’s simple focus, P-Iris, tampering, audio detection, SD/SDHC/SDXC memory slot, NAS, local PC support, hallway view (rotate 90 degrees or 270 degrees), lens distortion correction and IP66/IK10 ratings against environment and vandalism. Build quality is superb and the attention to detail is exemplary.
First impressions? This camera is at another level when compared to ordinary bullet cameras. It’s not just the elevated resolution, which gives deep fields and allows strong digital zooming – that optical zoom, which is 9.4mm at the long end, is really useful in typical street views. It lets you zoom to crop unnecessary walls and trees so as to deliver tighter optical views at the same high resolution, facilitating excellent digital zooming at closer ranges.
Note longitudinal chromatic abberrations along powerlines in this image – it's the same in the street scene. These disappear when you zoom in…see below…
Colour rendition, general acuity and sharpness are excellent. In areas of sunlight and shade images are composite, with none of the black holes you often see. WDR performance is very solid, too. I saw longitudinal CAs on tree branches and powerlines in high contrast areas at the wide end but these disappeared upon zooming in. I spent a lot of time playing around with this camera during the test. High resolution and optical zoom allows thorough investigations of events going on in scenes. But don’t expect PTZ simplicity of zoom and autofocus. Shifting focal length is still a process – a process involving no scissor lifts, however.
This camera does well in low light, too. Check out the full report on Samsung’s SNO-8081R 5MP Bullet in the April issue of SEN. ♦
By John Adams
And a couple of grabs to show digital zoom from wide to long…the one way sign on Albion Lane is 50m from the lens – this digital zoom is certainly useful at serious ranges – it offers situational awareness far deeper into scenes than any 1080p camera could at its widest focal settings – at longer focal lengths, digital depth of field is just as deep and it's right at the click and roll of your mouse wheel using the very pleasing and intuitive camera manager…
