At the beginning of 2020, we released our newest product line: Uniview. Since then, our Uniview catalog has continued to grow at a steady space. In this blog post, I want to introduce you to our newest Uniview fixed lens camera: the IPC3614SR3-ADPF28-F. This incredible new camera brings a few welcome updates to the previous fixed lens turret models at the same exact price point.
The Limitations of Uniview’s Fixed Lens Cameras
Our first ever Uniview product review we released was focused on their three fixed lens models: the bullet, turret, and vandal dome. Each of these three models comes in 2MP (FullHD 1080p), 4MP (1440p), and 8MP (4K UltraHD). In that review we were able to show you some great features of Uniview. But we did point out that these cameras had a few limitations. Namely, the cameras had no audio capabilities and no slot for a MicroSD card slot. Additionally, the 4MP and 4K models only shoot video at 20fps at their highest resolutions.
If any of those points were a deal-breaker for you, I have some great news! Our updated 4MP fixed lens turret, the IPC3614SR3-ADPF28-F, overcomes each of these limitations.
Built-In Microphone
Our new Uniview 4MP fixed lens turret still doesn’t have any audio in/out connections in its pigtail. However, this camera does have a built-in microphone with very nice quality.
Already this camera sets itself apart from the rest of the Uniview fixed lens line. That built-in microphone is a great feature to find on this camera. But this is only the beginning! There are a few more updates to talk about.
MicroSD Card Slot
Our original Uniview fixed lens cameras have no edge storage capabilities. That’s why one of my favorite updates included with this new turret is a slot for a MicroSD card. Now you can store up to 256GB of video and images directly to your turret without having to go through an NVR. So if you’re looking for a nice standalone camera, we have one for you right here. Or if you’re just looking for a camera with backup footage capabilities, it can do that for you too.
Higher FPS Video
With the original fixed lens cameras, you had to choose between high resolution or high frame rate. That’s no longer the case, as this camera shoots its highest resolution (2688 x 1520) at 30fps. That means at this beautiful 4MP resolution, you’re going to get nice and smooth video. Especially when compared to the 20fps of the original 4MP model.
Check out the video samples below to get a feel for how these cameras compare to one another in terms of video quality. While they both have roughly the same resolution, that 30fps definitely gives the updated model a leg up.
Original Turret (4MP @ 20fps)
New Turret (4MP @ 30fps)
Updated Design
The housings of these two cameras also look a bit different. If you remember those original turrets from the first video, you'll know they had a plastic ring around the top that popped off for installation. In this newer model, Uniview has done away with that plastic cover. Now it's just two pieces and all metal, from the top to the bottom. To me, this newer camera looks a lot sleeker without that plastic piece on top. I'm glad they got rid of that for this model.
The original turret with a plastic ring cover
The new turret has no plastic cover
(Slightly) Better in Low-Light Scenarios
When it comes to low-light scenarios, the newer turret does have a slightly better sensor. It can see in color with a minimum illumination of .01 lux, compared to the original turret’s .03 lux. In practice, though, you can’t really tell the difference. See for yourself in the video samples above!
(Slightly) Wider Field of View
I want to be comprehensive here, so I do want to mention that the field of view on the new turret is about 3° wider than the field of view of the original turret. I know it’s not much to write home about, but it is a difference.
Check out the images below and see if you can tell the difference between the 104° field of view of the original turret and the 107° field of view of the new turret.
Original turret with a 104° Field of View
New turret with a 107° Field of View
Differences Favoring the Original Turret
That’s all the upgrades when it comes to this newer 4MP turret. Now let’s talk about some of strengths of the original turret.
First, the surge protection is a bit stronger in the original turret with 4K voltage protection compared to the newer turret’s 2K voltage protection.
The original turret also has a few more options when it comes to on screen display, region of interest, and privacy mask customization. The new turret has 8 individual areas for each setting, whereas the new turret only has 4.
But by far the biggest strength of the original turret is the number of smart events available. It has the full range of Uniview intelligent events, from line crossing and intrusion detection, to face detection and people counting, and to everything in between.
The new model only has line crossing detection and human body detection available as intelligent events.
Conclusion
And that’s all the differences between these two models. The best thing is, this newer camera is available at the same price point as the original. That’s a great deal, seeing as how the hardware for this newer camera has been updated in several ways.
So if you’re looking for a Uniview 4MP turret, you now have two options available to you. If you’re interested in a turret with a built-in microphone, a slot for a microSD card, and smooth 30fps video, the IPC3614SR3-ADPF28-F is an excellent choice for a wide range of video surveillance scenarios.
