Page 4 - Sample Videos and Analysis
I decided I would set up the D-Link DCS-8010LH in my study area, where my computer and other gear exist. To not use any of the mounting equipment, I placed it on the window sill and let it sit under the blinds. I left everything recording at the maximum resolution, which was 720p in 60fps. I also left night mode to turn on automatically based on the lighting in the room.
The first two tests were just indoor tests with normal daylight. Generally, the lighting is acceptable for most consumer cameras to get a decent shot without losing much detail. While the DCS-8010LH is not meant to be a good camera by any artistic means, you can tell the 1MP sensor was lacking in capturing a whole lot of detail. Everything on my computer screen to even the Starbucks cup in front was blotchy. Nothing was clear, and there were a lot of artifacts all over the place. However, what was important was that you could recognize what was in the frame, something the D-Link DCS-8010LH had no problems doing. The wide 120 degree angle was captured in full effect, making for a bit of a fish-eye. This was especially noticeable near the sides of the camera. You can see the door frame bent around the left side. Otherwise, color was generally accurate.
When it came to evening shots, you can see even more detail was lost. The Starbucks cup was barely distinguishable and the color of the chair was inverted as with any night vision videos. While the back may look like a light gray, it is actually a black backing. Otherwise, the blurring was pretty noticeable, though you could still make out the depth of different objects. In addition, you could see further into the hallway of my house. Just for your information, from the camera to the door was approximately thirteen feet in distance, which was a decent amount of coverage in darkness. D-Link has stated up to sixteen feet of night vision and this number does not seem too far off. After taking this shot, I decided it was time to sleep for the night, so I closed my door and went to brush and go to sleep. What would happen next would be most surprising.
As you can see in the video above, I actually captured some footage of a possible thief rummaging through my stuff. From the video, you can see the door open, and a suspicious figure wander in. I was not really sure what they were looking for, but they crawled around until they casually glanced at the D-Link DCS-8010LH. Shocked, this figure escaped as fast as they could. I was in the middle of brushing my teeth so when I saw the notification on my phone, the person was bounding out the door. Thankfully, nothing was taken. As for the video quality, the image and the video were very similar in quality, which is not necessarily a good thing. While the night video showed a decent amount of detail, there were still many artifacts and blurring around the whole frame. When the perpetrator entered the room, you could barely see their face. It was not until they crawled closer to the camera that you could see a better image of the criminal's face. Otherwise, the mobile app was quick to give me a notification and if I were not preoccupied at the time, I probably could have caught this person. One other thing to note is the fact the video and the audio recorded is not exactly in time, with the audio being slightly delayed.
(Editor's note: The "criminal" in the video, of course, may look like Aaron, but this may or may not have been purely coincidental.)
The next day, after I checked nothing was missing, I decided to do some daylight testing. In this quick video above, you can see the image quality capture in better lighting was much better, but only in a relative sense. You can see more detail from the things on my shelf, but you can also see how the sunlight completely blew out the middle shelf in terms of contrast. Some strange stuttering was also noticed near the end of the shot, but the DCS-8010LH still captured the important parts.
It is important to remember this camera is meant to be a surveillance camera, with security being more of the purpose than image or audio quality. Implementing a better image sensor, even if still a 720p one, would make a whole world of difference in the end result. The night video was acceptable, despite the lacking detail. It was still capable of capturing human movement, which is really the main point of this camera.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Configuration and User Interface
4. Sample Videos and Analysis
5. Conclusion
