All the way dome

24 hour protection

We Bench Tested Panasonic's WV-CS950 dome last month. This is what our experts had to say:

"Panasonic has managed to breathe new life into dome camera design with the CS950. It doesn't offer any significant new features or performance enhancements, but it does show that there is still room for improvement when it comes to drive mechanisms and cosmetics.

"The combination of a high-performance day/night camera, advanced video processing, flexible operation and that eye-catching housing has set a new standard for compact dome cameras and hopefully started a trend that other manufacturers will seek to emulate."

Reader Service No 103

Vandals beware

DeView's 316 grade stainless steel vandal resistant dome series is designed for areas prone to vandalism and abuse.

DeView says its domes are "compact, durable, and a cost effective solution for any environment where rapid deterioration and premature replacement of security cameras occurs".

"The series benefits from an IP66 rating providing protection against water jets," the company says. "Suitable for indoor and outdoor installations, the deView series provides unmatched protection against the elements in addition to superior impact and scratch resistance.

"Installation of housings could not be easier, combining the option of surface, flush and corner mount configurations.

"All housings are offered with a choice of monochrome, colour, or day/night variant high quality CCD cameras. These camera modules are available in either standard or high resolution with fixed or varifocal auto-iris lenses."

Reader Service No 104

Small, but powerful

The TK-C625 from JVC was tested in December 2005's Security Installer. This is what we said:

"The C625 turns in an impressive set of results. It is small, light and easy on the eye. The camera delivers a clean, sharp image from near total darkness to bright sunlight and the pan/tilt platform is fast, accurate and silky smooth. Installation poses no significant problems, and operationally it should be very easy to live with."

Reader Service No 105

Refresh thinking

Panasonic has introduced the WV-NW470 Series to its range of vandal proof cameras. Supported by Panasonic's Super Dynamic II technology, the new ultra tough, vandal proof dome is equipped with a range of benefits, including a higher refresh mode which will increase the field rate by almost double, the manufacturer says.

The dome is a colour/mono IP66 rated unit, with the option of either 240vAC or 24vAC. It also has a 2x varifocal lens and 2x electronic zoom.

It also has a 16 character display title, which allows immediate identification of pre-set camera locations, helping to prevent errors during emergency situations.

In addition, the WV-NW470 Series is fitted with a Digital Motion Detector which senses movement in the monitored image, automatically sending an alarm signal to the system.

Easy to install, the WV-NW470 Series can be connected directly to either digital or analogue networks. Connected to an Ethernet port, its output can be monitored or settings adjusted from a networked PC. An analogue interface is also provided, allowing users to connect it to an existing coaxial cable-based surveillance system.

Reader Service No 108

Vandal eyes!

In November 2005 we Bench Tested the HTC-11H vandal dome from Hunt Electronic. This is what our testers had to say:

"The Vandal Dome definitely lives up to its name, and short of a very determined attack with a hard, sharp instrument there's not much that will stop it going about its business. The lack of manual controls does not seem to be a disadvantage as the image sensor and auto exposure systems cope with gradual and sudden changes without any drama whatsoever, delivering a crisp, highly detailed image in a very wide range of lighting conditions."

Reader Service No 109

Videcon's new range

Videcon has launched a new range of vandal resistant dome cameras from Concept Pro. The VVP range is designed specifically for areas that are prone to attack, such as prisons, schools and car parks.

The VVP range features a tri-axis mechanism to enable free rotation of the built-in varifocal lens. "With the ability to mount on the wall or ceiling and an on-screen display menu, the VVP range can be installed virtually anywhere with ease," says Videcon sales director Andy Croston.

"At Videcon we are always looking for innovative, affordable solutions for our customers and we believe the VVP range will be very popular with today's installers."

Reader Service No 110

Dome goes Micro

Pecan has introduced a new range of discrete, compact, low profile D050C MicroDome cameras. Designed with ease of installation in mind, the cameras are available in a range of metal housings and are weather resistant to IP66 standards.

Pecan says they are ideal for a wide range of industries such as retail and transport, including marine, road and rail applications.

Available in chrome and matt black finishes, the D050C is supplied ready for flush mounting. An optional angled surface mount adaptor providing a 15 deg tilt is also available.

This enables the camera to be positioned on a wall or ceiling so that it can view almost horizontally along the wall or ceiling.

The D050C is available in standard 330TVL resolution using a Sony 1/3-inch CCD sensor with sensitivity of 0.4 lux.

A high resolution version with 450TVL and sensitivity of 0.8 Lux is also available. A wide angle 2.5mm lens can also be fitted as an option to the standard 3.7mm lens.

Reader Service No 111

Speed camera!

March of last year saw the LPT-SD168 Speed Dome from LG get the Bench Test treatment. Here's what we said:

"The camera performs very well indeed, the whole assembly is very sturdily built, and despite the absence of progressive speed control, the pan/tilt mechanism is fast, responsive and accurate, with negligible overshoot.

"The camera is competitively priced and generally quite easy to install, and setup with a good range of adjustments to cope with a wide range of conditions. LG's presence in this market is clearly very welcome and it is off to a promising start."

Reader Service No 112

Easy install range

JVC says its range of TK-C210/215 dome cameras are designed for applications that require easy installation and low maintenance.

The TK-C210FWE features a ¼-inch CCD producing high resolution images at 500TVL, automatic white balance and a fixed focus F2.0 3.8mm lens.

The TKC215V4E incorporates a ¼-inch CCD and produces images at 540TVL. It has automatic and manual white balance functions and features a 4x varifocal lens.

Colour/mono functions are included for 24-hour monitoring.

The TK-C215V12E produces images at 540TVL, using a ¼-inch CCD. A colour/mono function is included for 24-hour monitoring, and there is automatic and manual white balance.

A key feature is the 12x varifocal lens, which works with an in-built alarm zoom function.

Reader Service No 113

Premier resistance

Premier has released a vandal resistant option in the form of its MagnaView Series modular camera system.

The company says MagnaView is a premium CCTV camera featuring a stainless steel or aluminium housing. The HEV28F and HEV28G have no ligature points, so are ideal for institutional or industrial applications.

All MagnaView cameras have impact resistant, non-scratch, clear polycarbonate domes with adjustable dome inserts to conceal and protect camera components.

There are six MagnaView housings, nine camera boards and nine lens options, all available to custom-design a camera for distinct specifications. "This assortment of standard or high resolution colour or black and white cameras, with true day/night resolution or wide dynamic functionality, teamed with a quick change lens or varifocal auto iris lens, will turn out clear, sharp, colour or monochrome images in bright daylight, as well as in little or no light," Premier says.

Reader Service No 106