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Would you buy a camera from this guy?
How is the quality?

These heavily-advertised consumer security cameras sounded too good to be true.

Granted, they are marvels of low-cost technology and the accessories, controllers and other attachments seemed like a nice idea.

But when we actually tried them out, we were disappointed.

The cameras themselves didn’t give a very good picture. They were somewhat fuzzy in daytime or good lights. The outdoor ones were often dazzled by patches of sunlight.

A Dim View
In low light indoor use, the picture from the little cameras turned grainy. Outdoors after sunset, they just went black. Even the “Night Owl” versions with “low light” black & white only, were just plain black unless a strong nearby yard light was turned on.

“Lux” is a measure of light; the higher the number, the more light. In very dim light, even the least expensive Sony camcorder from Wal-Mart gives usable color pictures at 1.0 lux (their green “nightshot” mode works with less).

But the $79 camera fades out below 3.0 lux. Even their “night” version needed 0.5 lux. Compare that to our cameras, some of which can record in as little as 0.003 lux in color, and 0.0001 in black & white! (That’s 5000 times better!)

Other Features
The “wireless” feature of the cheap cameras was nice, but we had interference from our cordless phone. The distance range was limited and, on models that could be aimed by remote control, the attached antenna moved around and lost signal.

By comparison, our professional-grade cameras did their job well. They were always sharp, clear, and had much more capability in variable or low lighting.


Ten Reasons why getting a
$79 hidden camera is a BAD idea!

You’ve probably seen the ads on late-night TV or on the Internet: “Tiny Wireless Camera for only $79 and if you act TODAY you’ll get a free extra package of accessories but you’ve got to act NOW”… etc.

But just how good a job do cameras like that really do? We wanted to know, so we bought some, installed them around one of our employee's home and barn. We also took them apart and compared their specifications and construction to professional-grade cameras that we sell. Here are the results.

Performance
Here are freeze-frame video photos of his farm house and barns at night. It was pitch dark; he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face. His yard has a small array of InfraRed LED’s which are invisible to the human eye but create some light for the cameras to see by. He mounted the $79 camera next to the LED’s, along with our professional camera. In this blackness, the photos are in black and white. Which camera would you rather have?

Cheap camera did poor job. $79 Hidden Cam

(No, the photo below is not
a misprint; all the camera showed was black!)

Professional camera did an excellent job!Professional Camera

(This is what the pro camera showed, even in total darkness.)

Night view with cheap camera. Night view with pro camera.
Meanwhile, indoors on the couch with a couple of 100w floorlamps on, here's what the family cat looked like with each camera.

Poor cat seen on cheap camera.$79 Consumer Camera

(poor kitty!)

Happy cat seen on pro camera.Professional Camera
  $79 Consumer Camera Professional-grade Camera System Benefit of Professional

Lens......................

Plastic.............. 5-element glass..... Clarity, durability
Pixels.................... 76,800............. 410,000................. Sharpness
Lines of resolution.. 310.................. 500........................ Significantly more clarity
Video chip............. 1/4".................. 1/3”....................... 77% better picture
Lighting required.. 3.00 lux............ 0.01 lux................. Sees 300x better in dim light
Electronic shutter speeds.................. 1/50-1/6,000.... 1/60-1/200,000..... Adaptability to harsh light
Lighting conditions. 10 steps........... 500 steps.............. Better exposure
Motorized shutter.. No.................... Yes........................ Better focus at all distances
Construction of case...................... Plastic.............. Metal.....................

Rugged, longer life

Warranty.............. 1 year.............. 3 years.................. Long term reliability
Built-in Motion Detection.............. No................... Yes........................ Compatible with alarm systems
Privacy masking of areas.................... No................... Yes........................ Shows everything except selected confidential items.
On-screen location, time and date....... No................... Yes........................ Proves when and where things happened.
(Note: we promised you 10 reasons and delivered 13. Call us and we will give you even more!)

Conclusion: You get what you pay for. If you just want some hobby cameras, the cheap consumer ones are fine. But if you are serious about video surveillance and want results that are clear, usable and reliable, choose the professional cameras.

 

(413) 733-7306
Northeast Security Solutions
33 Sylvan Street
W. Springfield, MA 01089

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