One of several new cameras from Hikvision, the Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS like its siblings sports a massive 4MP image resolution.
The Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS is a dome CCTV camera released in 2015.
But does this Hikvision dome camera deliver the image quality promised on the box?
That’s a lot of pixels Mr Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS
Manufacturer’s in the electronics industry love to cram a few more megapixels into their optical products. Oftentimes the results are marginal at best.
Hikvision are playing the same game with their DS-2CD2142FWD-IS which is very similar to the 3MP variants in their stable. The dome camera housing is unchanged compared to other Hikvision cameras. Like the 3MP equivalents such as the DS-2CD2132 it cranks out full HD video streams at 1080P to your NVR of choice.
The firmware is tweaked regularly by Hikvision but the 4MP variants share all the same features as their 3MP equivalents.
The Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS will capture stills at 2688×1520 resolution which is better than the 3MP CCTV cams. How important really is this if you’re capturing a 1080P stream any way?
For very specific usages the extra megapixel in this dome camera will convince some. For most mortals installing or upgrading a live surveillance system with network recording, stills aren’t really a priority.
Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS ticks the feature boxes
The Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS really delivers on the rich feature-set though.
This is a Power-over-Ethernet camera, and if you can crimp a network cable, you’ll get a good waterproof seal from Hikvision’s cable routing system into the camera.
Onboard recording to a microSD card now supports capacities up to 128GB. With memory card prices now being crazy low (I remember what I paid for a 128MB card years ago) bung in a card and you have reliable backup target for if your network target goes wonky.
The Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS is rated down to 0.01lux so low-light performance is even more impressive. There are 4mm and 2.8mm lens variants too, so you can get a wider angle for monitoring larger areas – think garages and back gardens.
Audio and alarm I/O give you some flexibility for wiring in additional security elements too.
Is the Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS worth it as an upgrade?
With bullet variants of this camera, if I was buying new I’d definitely opt for these 4MP Hikvision cameras.
Unless you can get a substantial discount on the older 3MP versions, cameras like the Hikvision DS-2CD2142FWD-IS really set the standard, and are worth the RRP.
You could build a high-resolution, low-light capable surveillance system, and with PoE it can be made a secure and tidy install.
However if you’ve already got the 3MP Hikvision alternatives and you’re happy with the video quality, it’s difficult to recommend an upgrade. These cams still stream at 1080p, the firmware is basically the same, and the low-light performance is a bump up in spec, rather than anything revolutionary.
But it’s always nice to have few more pixels…
