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Bullet vs Dome: Tradeoffs?

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I have been buying HikVision DS-2CD2032-I bullet cams: http://tinyurl.com/kg3xzrq

 

They are plenty good for my use, but now I have occasion to buy a few more and it has dawned on me that the same specs are available in a dome-type cam as HikVision DS-2CD3132-I (http://tinyurl.com/pgpcqgm)

 

First thing that comes to mind is that a bullet cam is more difficult for the mentally-challenged to grab and rip off the side of a building (been there, had it done...).

 

Second thing is that once they are aimed, they seem more likely to stay aimed.

 

OTOH, I wonder if the dome becomes an issue under certain weather conditions - as in high wind/salt water environment.

 

Can anybody elucidate on the tradeoffs?

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Domes are more vandal-resistant, for sure, but can be prone to IR reflections in low light, especially if the lens is oriented near the base. An alternative to the dome is the Hik turret, DS-2CD2332-I, which has many of the advantages of domes but no IR issues.

 

With smoked domes, you lose a bit of light sensitivity, but it's hard for people to tell which way it's pointing, if that matters.

 

I don't have any experience with bad weather, but they're all IP66 rated, I think.

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An alternative to the dome is the Hik turret, DS-2CD2332-I, which has many of the advantages of domes but no IR issues..... they're all IP66 rated, I think.

Interesting. I had glanced at those but, because of how they looked, just assumed they were indoor cams and did not even read the specs.

 

It looks like the IR source is concentrated in that little square instead of being distributed in a circle around the lens. Any idea of how that looks at night? i.e. is the red glow significantly brighter than the glow of the circular LEDs?

 

Clearly easier to adjust - and with no concerns about leaving finger prints on the dome.

 

Can somebody who is using these chime in?

 

Edit 2015 04-27 11:16:

Oops! Looks like there is already a thread: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=39148&start=15

 

Edit 2015 04-27 12:41:

Just pulled the trigger on two 2.8's from NewEgg and one 4.0 from AliExpress.

Edited by Guest

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Bullets tend to have better IR and a better image because they are not looking though curved glass (easier to focus) . Also they tend to stay cleaner in our experience.

One thing I am hoping for (only hoping...and not too much...) is that the eyeball cam's placement of IR emitters next to the lens instead of in a circle around same may mitigate the spider problem - at least a little bit....

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It should help with spiders, but I haven't mounted mine outside yet. For instance, if a web is directly across the lens, the offset IR shouldn't illuminate it the way the concentric ring LEDs do.

 

The single high power IR LED gets better reviews for coverage than the multiple low-power LEDs that most cams have.

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Bullets tend to have better IR and a better image because they are not looking though curved glass (easier to focus) . Also they tend to stay cleaner in our experience.

One thing I am hoping for (only hoping...and not too much...) is that the eyeball cam's placement of IR emitters next to the lens instead of in a circle around same may mitigate the spider problem - at least a little bit....

 

Have you tried 'SLIP' No More Webs! It's on Amazon and has done the trick for me. Here's the info

Prevents Spiders Spinning their Webs over CCTV Camera Lenses. Tried and Tested.

• Developed in Collaboration with the UK's Leading Arachnologists.

• Very Long Lasting and Durable.

• Does Not Wash Off like most Sprays and is Non Drip.

• Very Effective as a Barrier on Ant Farms.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00O6E71IA/ref=cm_cr_dpvoterdr?ie=UTF8&keywords=no%20more%20webs%20cctv&qid=1433364301&sr=8-1&thanksvoting=cr-vote-R2RUQE5L1FNWG4#R2RUQE5L1FNWG4.2115.Helpful.Reviews

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Have you tried 'SLIP' No More Webs! It's on Amazon and has done the trick for me. Here's the info

Prevents Spiders Spinning their Webs over CCTV Camera Lenses. Tried and Tested.

• Developed in Collaboration with the UK's Leading Arachnologists.

• Very Long Lasting and Durable.

• Does Not Wash Off like most Sprays and is Non Drip.

• Very Effective as a Barrier on Ant Farms.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00O6E71IA/ref=cm_cr_dpvoterdr?ie=UTF8&keywords=no%20more%20webs%20cctv&qid=1433364301&sr=8-1&thanksvoting=cr-vote-R2RUQE5L1FNWG4#R2RUQE5L1FNWG4.2115.Helpful.Reviews

 

 

Pretty nifty.

 

I wonder if something like this exists in Canada, because at that price + shipping, I may as well buy external IR illuminators instead.

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It should help with spiders...

It seems to.

 

To review, I am comparing a regular bullet cam HikVision DS-2CD2032-I as per http://tinyurl.com/pw4x5wv with what I call an "eyeball cam" HikVision DS-2CD3332-I as per http://tinyurl.com/nmxxwos.

 

I replaced the bullet with the eyeball in one place that was particularly subject to spider-web problems and the problems seem to have abated by at least 90 percent.

 

I'm about to order a few more of the eyeball cams.

 

FWIW, I do not notice any diff in the IR effectiveness - qualified by the observations that I also use motion-triggered floods, so the IR is only in use for a few seconds until the light from the flood kicks in.

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I have installed about 15 turrets recently and I have found them the easiest and fastest to install and adjust , that really saves time if you have a lot to install , also you can put them on the ceiling or on the wall which you can not do with a dome without a special bracket . The down side is the reset button is inside the ball , but if you do your job right you wont need it

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Also the IR light is more spread out and less concentrated than the conventional ones and they will illuminate up 25/30 M . I like them , they are tough and solid !

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I have installed about 15 turrets recently and I have found them the easiest and fastest to install and adjust , that really saves time if you have a lot to install , also you can put them on the ceiling or on the wall which you can not do with a dome without a special bracket . The down side is the reset button is inside the ball , but if you do your job right you wont need it

While I too prefer the turret, note that the 2132F domes (with F in the model number are 3 axis and therefore can be wall mounted without a mount)..

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DS-2CD2132F-IS does not necessarily mean 3-axis. F actually means it has an SD Card slot.

 

2132 2015 model is 3-axis. Most DS-2CD2132F-IS (chinese versions) are 2015 models and hence have 3-axis, but some are old 2014 chinese versions which don't have 3-axis. It's the 2015 model which is key, not the F.

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