Dahua 4K IP Camera Bullet IPC-HFW4800E

Technology is rapidly advancing on a daily basis in terms of quality, reliability and affordability. In the security camera world, cameras are becoming more compact and efficient in their design, while offering better features and higher resolution. One such example is the brand new product we are reviewing here, the 4K Ultra High Definition IP Bullet Camera. This camera offers incredible resolution for a security camera, along with IR night vision capabilities, and rock solid performance in a camera housing that is much smaller than most other bullet cameras on the market today. This is a prime example of the potential of security camera technology, and the direction manufacturers are going with IP cameras.

First Impressions

The first impressions we have of this camera are very positive and encouraging. Overall the build is very sleek and stylish. When picking the camera up, you’ll notice instantly the quality and care that has gone into the manufacturing of this product. It does not feel or look at all cheap or breakable. Very lightweight and compact, it seems like an excellent choice for many tight spots where other bullet cameras might be simply too big or awkward to mount appropriately. The actual mounting bracket is attached to the bottom of the camera in a fashion that is very similar to other bullet cameras. It is small yet very solid metal construction that could stand up to harsh weather. It is a typical Ball joint bracket for a good range of angles and maneuverability that locks into place with a screw. On the topic of IR, the IR sensors are located around the lens as is standard, but behind the glass place that covers the lens. Overall the build is very impressive and seems very solid and well designed. For such a small camera it packs a very high resolution and performance punch.

Physical dimensions

As already mentioned this camera is very small and lightweight. Proving that incredibly high resolution doesn’t have to mean a big physical package. The whole camera and bracket together is less than seven inches long. In millimeters the manufacturer listed dimensions are: 168.1mm x 66mm x 58.4mm. The whole camera weighs just over a pound making it impressively low weight. The pigtail is around 16 inches long, providing a substantial length to work with. Lens diameter is about 2.5 inches.

Technical Specifications

The resolutions listed on the manufacturer's product specification page are not entirely correct. We have listed below the resolutions we were able to record at based on actual usage of the camera. We found the camera was able to record at both DCI 4K (4096x2160) and UHDTV 4K (3840x2160) resolutions.

Main Stream Resolution – DCI 4K (4096 x 2160), 4K(3840 x 2160) , 3MP (2048 x 1536), 1080P (1920 x 1080), SXGA (1280 x 1024), 1.3MP (1280 x 960), 720P (1280 x 720)

Extra Stream Resolution – D1 (704 x 480), CIF (352 x 240)

Frame Rate – Main stream: 4K (1-7fps), 3MP or 1080P (1-30fps), Sub Stream: D1 or CIF (1-30fps)

Lens – 4mm fixed, F1.6 with 80 degree angle of view

Infrared Range – 30m or approx 100ft in total darkness

Back Light Compensation – BLC / HLC / DWDR

Power Source – DC12V, PoE (802.3af)

Power Consumption – 7.5W max

4K CMOS Image Sensor Settings

Being that this is a 12 Megapixel 4K network camera, it has a wide range of different video encoding settings. Here is a list of different frame rate and bit rate settings we found based on each resolution option.

DCI 4K (4096 x 2160)
Frame rate: 1-7fps
Bit Rate: 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048, 4096, 6144, 8192, 10240, 12288, 14336, 16384

UHDTV 4K (3840 x 2160)
Frame rate: 1-7fps
Bit Rate: 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048, 4096, 6144, 8192, 10240, 12288, 14336, 16384

3MP (2048 x 1536)
Frame rate: 1-30fps
Bit Rate: 512, 640, 768, 896, 1024, 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048, 4096, 6144, 8192, 10240

1080p (1920 x 1080)
Frame rate: 1-30fps
Bit Rate: 320, 384, 448, 512, 640, 768, 896, 1024, 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048, 4096, 6144

SXGA (1280 x 1024)
Frame rate : 1-30fps
Bit Rate: 192, 224, 256, 320, 384, 448, 512, 640, 768, 896, 1024, 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048, 4096

1.3MP (1280 x 960)
Frame rate: 1-30fps
Bit Rate: 192, 224, 256, 320, 384, 448, 512, 640, 768, 896, 1024, 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048, 4096

720P (1280 x 720)
Frame rate: 1-30fps
Bit Rate: 160, 192, 224, 256, 320, 384, 448, 512, 640, 768, 896, 1024, 1280, 1536, 1792, 2048

4K Ultra HD Image Samples

This 4K bullet camera takes amazing pictures and fluid video. We have tried this camera out in a variety of settings and we are consistently impressed with the quality. It has impressive IR and very crisp clear visuals. Here are some examples of its visuals.

Indoor Image Samples

Here is an example of an indoor picture quality during lit conditions. The camera is mounted roughly 50ft away from the cutout, at approximately 15ft height. The visual is clear and crisp for this distance. If you click on the picture thumbnail below, it will open up in a popup with the full resolution 4K image giving you a good idea of the power this camera has to offer. You can make out the letters on the board hanging around the neck of the cutout. There is no optical zoom on this camera, but the digital zoom is impressive for this fixed lens camera.

Also here is an example of the IR capability at night. In our completely dark warehouse you can see this camera performs excellently for the distance.

This camera has very impressive visual quality even at decent distances. This small bullet camera packs very excellent quality visual capability and a size and lightweight build that will appeal to most consumers.

Outdoor Image Samples

In daylight outdoors the HFW4800E produces beautiful color video comparable to that of a 4K GoPro. The colors are sharp and detail is amazingly clear compared to any 3 megapixel or 1080P IP camera we've seen. Please note the image thumbnail can be clicked to see a 4K resolution image dependent on the resolution of your monitor.

4K Video Sample

Below is a video sample of footage recorded from this ip camera at DCI 4K resolution (4096 x 2160 pixels) at 7 frames per second. This is the highest resolution offered by the camera. The first part of the video is played at regular 1X playback speed, while the second half is slowed down at 40% playback speed with digital zooming and panning to track a moving vehicle. We determined that the farthest distance this camera can be used to discern a license plate on a moving vehicle is about 30ft at a 80 degree angle. The digital zoom is about 235% in the second half of the video. We found the video clarity to be very similar to that of a 4K GoPro, with even less blur on motion.

Compatible 4K NVR and Software

This 4K ultra HD camera can be recorded using the Smart PSS suite that we offer or our 4K NVRs:

• 8 Camera PoE NVR 4K, NVRS084KPOE
• 16 Channel 4K NVR with PoE, NVR164KPOE
• 32 Channel 4K Resolution NVR, NVR4K32A
• 64 Channel 4K Capable NVR, NVR4K64A

You can also use third party NVR software that supports ONVIF compatible IP cameras. It is worth noting however that you might need a 4K resolution computer monitor or TV to be used in conjunction with this camera to get the most out of the video. If you are looking to just use one of these cameras for live viewing, then using either Internet Explorer or SmartPSS on a Windows PC is best, or our IPTECNO Pegaso App on a phone or tablet.

Conclusion

For $599 $499 this 4K IP camera bullet is a steal. It offers twice the resolution of a 1080P IP Camera and allows for digital zoom of recorded video footage to discern facial detail which is vital in the successful prosecution of suspects. If you have a need for the best resolution outdoor security camera there is to offer, then this 4K Ultra HD Security Camera should be on your list.