What our experts say…
The term ‘all-in-one’ is not one you see very often in connection with video surveillance cameras, at least not at the serious end of the market, where modular construction is the order of the day.
Specifiers and installers value the facility to mix and match different kinds of camera bodies, lenses and mounting hardware to suit the infinite variety of applications and environments, so the Sanyo VCC-XZ400P could be considered a somewhat bold venture.
All-in-one in this context means exactly that. The XZ400 is a fully self-contained weatherproof outdoor camera with day/night functions, integrated motorised zoom and autofocus lens, attached to an impressively engineered wall, ceiling or pole mount that looks like a miniature robotic arm.
It’s important to remember that the mount is a fixed type, because the feature list wouldn’t look out of place on a high-end dome or PTZ camera.
We’ll begin with the front end, which consists of an autofocus lens with 22x optical zoom and 16x electronic zoom, giving a total magnification of 352x.
A servo actuated infrared cut filter slides away from in front of the CCD image sensor when switching from colour daytime to monochrome night modes.
The image sensor is a 1/4-inch Interline transfer type with a 752 x 582 (effective) pixel matrix yielding 520 lines resolution, and a basic low light sensitivity of 0.06, down to 0.002 lux in B/W mode with all of the various gain-up and digital processing options engaged.
A built-in motion detector system with variable sensitivity, using an 8 x 6 detection grid, can be used to switch the optical zoom (from 1.6x to 6x) and trigger an external alarm.
Backlight compensation is unusually sophisticated, with a choice of three modes (multi spot photometry or masking using a 6 x 8 sensitivity grid) or 5-section photometry with user-defined weighting.
Exposure options include a 13-speed manual shutter; it has presettable gamma connection, aperture settings and sensitivity controls (up to x32 gain).
Four variable-sized privacy masks can be used to blank out doors and windows in the camera’s field of view, and these can be password protected to restrict unauthorised access.
A title generator superimposes a 16-character camera ident on the image, and this can be positioned on any part of the screen. An RS485 comms port allows it to communicate with compatible SSP (Sanyo Serial Protocol) controllers, and it is powered by a 12-volt DC or 24-volt AC supply.
The mounting hardware comprises a rectangular base with a chunky 3-axis arm arrangement that allows the camera to rotate through 360 degrees and pivot and tilt through 270 degrees.
The camera on the end of the arm can additionally be rotated through 360 degrees, providing an almost infinite range of movement.
All of the components are made from a lightweight alloy, and once in position can be locked rigidly in place using a supplied Allen key.
The camera and lens module is housed inside an alloy tube and protected from the elements by a tough shatterproof polycarbonate window.
Silicone rubber seals at either end of the tube keep the elements at bay, and the whole assembly is compliant with IP66 weatherproofing. The outfit is supplied with a heavy-duty plastic sunshade that screws on to the top of the camera.
There is little to see on the outside of the camera body, and all of the cables are routed through the mounting base plate and terminated in a simple spring-loaded connection block and flying BNC socket.
Access to the camera’s setup functions are via an external control unit, using the RS485 comms line, or the camera’s own on-board controls.
These are mounted on a PCB inside the camera housing, and to get at them it is necessary to remove the cover, which is held in place by four long bolts on the front of the module.
Once slackened off the housing slides away, and to prevent it falling off it is attached to the rear plate bracket by a safety wire.
Construction
The controls are on the right side and consist of a four-way rocker switch and a button, but before we look at the setup let’s quickly run through the camera construction and layout.
Inside there are six PCBs rigidly mounted on a steel frame chassis. The two largest ones are at the front and located above and below the zoom lens assembly. It is a strong and sturdy design, interconnections are kept to a minimum, and there appears to be very little chance of anything working loose.
All functions are controlled from a menu-driven on-screen display superimposed on the video output. The main menu appears when the lower control button is pressed and held for at least two seconds.
The control PCB also has a connection for a portable monitor, which is essential if the camera is being configured manually in-situ.
There are nine options on the main menu, most of them leading to a series of sub-menus.
These cover the ‘OSD Language’ (English, French or German), setting the ‘Camera ID’, ‘Sync’ (internal or line-lock), configuring the ‘Privacy Mask’, ‘Lens’ functions (focus, zoom, day/night, view angle), ‘Mirror’ (reverses and inverts the picture in 4 stages), ‘View Settings’ (iris, white balance, shutter, motion sensor, aperture, gamma), ‘Option’ (comms and alarm settings) and ‘Preset’, which returns the camera to its factory defaults.
Straightforward
It’s all reasonably straightforward and most of the functions are self-explanatory, once you’ve got the hang of the controls.
However, given that there are so many options, there’s a very strong argument for doing it remotely, using a system controller or the optional VAC-70 camera set-up unit, a small battery-powered module, which duplicates the camera’s internal controls.
The thinking behind an integrated lens and camera is immediately obvious from the on-screen performance.
Between them the two principle components are perfectly matched, producing a vivid and highly detailed image.
In good natural light the picture looks stunning, with masses of fine detail, and it’s always well balanced and pin-sharp, thanks to the highly responsive auto exposure and autofocus systems.
Colour accuracy is also spot on; it even manages to render skin tones in mixed and artificial light, without any need to resort to manual adjustment.
Noise levels remain well below average, and even when light levels drop the increase in grain is comparatively modest and well controlled, right down to the day/night switchover point.
When the camera changes to monochrome mode there is a tendency for the picture to look a little over-exposed, but within moments the exposure and processing systems kick in and, provided there are no bright lights in the scene area, brightness and contrast are bought swiftly under control. Fast changes in light levels are handled quickly and effectively and we had serious difficulty creating conditions that would cause the camera to stumble, even for a moment.
As expected, the camera module is very stable and our sample proved to be virtually immune to physical shock or vibration.
What the manufacturer says …
The VCC-XZ400P is a highly sensitive camera that enables 24-hour surveillance with superior picture quality. Its versatility allows installation almost anywhere.
The all-in-one package features auto-focus camera, lens, IP66 weatherproof housing, wall mount fittings, and even a shade.
Without the shade, the camera is very compact, and all you need to do is set it up with system devices of your choice. No other accessory is needed.
The camera’s arm is adjustable in all directions. Installation on a ceiling or wall is easy without any additional parts, and installation on a pole or a room’s walled corner is also possible with a separately sold bracket.
By adopting a proprietary DSP circuit based on a unique algorithm, the camera produces natural colours, clear and crisp contours without smears.
The fine picture of 520 TV lines of horizontal resolution, plus the zoom function, allow secure surveillance of small subjects.
The 22x optical zoom and 16x digital zoom produce a combined close-up effect of 352x.
This makes it possible to monitor details of even a far-off subject, allowing one camera to monitor a wide area.
Selecting colour or B/W mode can be done automatically by the camera, or manually.
The user can change the switchover point from 1 to 10 lx (nominal) using the on-screen menu.
The integration of colour and high sensitivity B/W modes in one camera makes it a versatile tool for any surveillance need.
The built-in Intelligent Digital Motion Detector enables reliable and accurate motion detection by analysing the ‘magnitude of movement’ and ‘size of object’ from changes in picture brightness.
Other features include three kinds of backlight compensation; easy setting with the on-screen menu; a built-in RS-485 terminal; privacy masking; 32x electronic sensitivity; 13 mode electronic shutter speeds; a built-in electronic shutter; and AC/DC power source compatibility.
