Panasonic BL-C140A Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver)
by Panasonic
List Price:
Our Price: $163.77
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: PanasonicModel: BL-C140A
Color: Silver
Product features:
- Outdoor (IPX4 splash proof, low temperature)
- Simultaneous MPEG-4 and JPEG
- 3 Lux Color Night View Mode
- Built in Web Server/IP Address (IPv4/v6)
- One-wire installation
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to A-Female Extension Cable (3.3 Feet/1.0 Meter)
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Mini-B Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to B-Male Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to A-Female Extension Cable (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters)
- AmazonBasics Ultra-High-Speed HDMI Cable Braided (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters)
Digital camera reviews of Panasonic BL-C140A Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver)
Digital camera Review: A good value, but you may want better.
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this unit and a Panasonic Panasonic BB-HCM511A Network Camera with Two-Way Audio (which is the same guts as the Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver)) to compare for outdoor use with some higher priced IR illuminated cameras. I wanted a cheaper alternative for outdoor monitoring, and what I got was a mixed bag.
High end cameras have IR cut filters on them which side out of the way at night giving the camera a higher level of sensitivity, and most use IR illuminators to then light the scene without any visible lighting. To save costs, this camera does not have a filter, and does not have any IR illuminators. As a result it struggles at night. On a street well lit by street lights you can make out very crude shadows only. For instance you can tell a car is parked on the street, but even trying to give a basic description of the model would be quite difficult. Basically I find this camera is totally useless at night.
By comparison, the BB-HCM511A, which has a CCD sensor, does much better at night. See my review of that product for more information.
What about during the daytime? Well, during the day this camera does pretty good. Again it's outperformed by all of the higher end cameras including the BB-HCM511A, but the image is pretty decent quality. If you're looking for a weather camera or other daytime application this is a pretty cheap way to get decent quality.
Pros:
- Cheap! Considering you get Panasonic build quality and an outdoor rating this camera is really a bargain.
- Easy to set up. The web interface is simple and easy to understand.
- Lots of features. E-mail, ftp and http upload on schedule or on motion. Can tile in up to 4 Panasonic cameras to have a video solution with no computer. UPNP.
- Outdoor Rated, rare at this price level.
- If you dig around on Panasonic's web site, you can find full documentation of the web interface.
Neutral:
- The "PoE" is a proprietary injector. It is included with the unit, but you'll have another wall wart and injector running around. For one or two camera installs this is cheaper than a PoE switch and a plus, but for multi-camera installs where you have a PoE switch this is a huge annoyance.
Cons:
- Night / low light images are nearly worthless.
- Outdoor rating is only an IPX4 "splash resistant". Needs to be protected under an eve or something if you're going to put it outside.
Unless cheap is the overriding concern, I would look towards the Panasonic BB-HCM511A Network Camera with Two-Way Audio or Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver) cameras for much better quality at still competitive prices. However, if you really need low light performance you'll want a camera with an IR Cut filter and IR illuminators which probably put you up over the $500 mark, and can approach $1000.
Summary of Panasonic BL-C140A Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver)
Panasonic Outdoor MPEG-4 Network CameraSurveillance Cameras
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