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If you’ve already come across Montavue and Amcrest security products in the past, then you will know that these two are fairly recent newcomers to the industry. Both companies are less than 10 years old and they specialize in security products by rebranding Dahua OEM and adding their own software and services into the mix.
Despite having the same manufacturer, the lineup of products and kits offered by each brand is very different. On top of that, the software and smart features provided by each are also quite varied and need to be compared as well.
So, with all these in mind, let’s find out if there’s a clear winner between the two.
Montavue vs Amcrest at a Glance
High-End PoE Camera Turret Head to Head
Mid-Range PoE Bullet Head to Head
Mid-Range PTZ Head to Head
Fisheye Head to Head
Montavue vs Amcrest Overview
Monatavue is the younger brand, out of the two, as it was founded in 2016 in Missoula, Montana. Despite being a recent newcomer, they are well-recognized with their unique selling point being their fully US based tech support team.
Montavue is more business leaning as their main product line is selling complete camera systems. These are kits ranging from 4-32 cameras with an NVR and all the other accessories needed to set up the system.
Amcrest was founded in 2013 and they are also a brand that specializes in security camera systems. However, unlike Montavue, this brand includes a wider range of devices and doesn’t just restrict itself to IP cameras and doorbells.
Amcrest has a new optional cloud service feature that costs $6/month per camera, and this service includes cloud storage and smart AI detection features.
Amcrest are popular for users of Blue Iris software as a lot of their cameras are ONVIF compatible.
The Android and iOS apps of both brands have very mixed reviews and their aggregate ratings tend to be somewhere in the middle at around 3/5 stars. So despite having good things to say about both these apps, there are some noteworthy issues as well.
On a final note: both brands do not advertise their products as having NDAA and FCC approval because they are both rebranded Dahua so cannot be used in US Federal Projects.
High-End PoE Camera Turret Head to Head
Key Differences
For our first head-to-head, we have the Montavue MTB81130-V-AISMD-B vs the Amcrest IP8M-VT2879EW-AI.
The Flagship Montavue camera has a bullet-type chassis while the Amcrest counterpart is a turret-style camera. Out of these two, the Amcrest camera is the most expensive. (And rightfully so as you’ll come to see)
Despite being the more affordable option, the Montavue MTB81130-V-AISMD-B can record low-light footage through both infrared and full-color (provided there is enough ambient lighting) while the Amcrest camera can only record via infrared.
Unfortunately, full-color night vision is the only advantage the Montavue camera has over its Amcrest competitor.
Both cameras support integration into 3rd party systems through RTSP or ONVIF.
On top of that, the Amcrest camera also has more options for storage including MicroSD, NVR, NAS, FTP, and optional cloud storage capabilities. The Montavue camera supports NVR and MicroSD along with other storage through RTSP.
Both cameras can detect vehicles and people. However, the Amcrest camera has an additional feature that allows it to detect faces.
The Amcrest camera can perform optical zoom for a maximum of 5x while the Montavue camera can only go up to 4x.
Key Features in Common
Despite the high level of optical zoom, both cameras can capture footage at 30fps on a 4K resolution of 3840x2160.
The cameras on both devices are 8MP and they also process footage with true WDR.
Both cameras are rated at IP67 and they can record audio thanks to the in-built microphone. Although these devices cannot perform two-way communication.
The Montavue MTB81130-V-AISMD-B and Amcrest IP8M-VT2879EW-AI are IP-based cameras that can operate independently when powered by the DC adapter. However, you will have to use an SD card for storage if you don’t configure them to work with a compatible NVR. (Or use the SD card as a backup)
Mid-Range PoE Bullet Head to Head
Key Differences
The Montavue camera is more expensive but only includes a 5MP camera that records 30fps footage at a maximum resolution of 2592x1944. (2K-ish resolution.)
On the other hand, the Amcrest competitor is slightly more affordable and it has an 8MP camera that can output 4K resolution footage (3840x2160) but it can only record at 15fps. Therefore, the footage will be a bit choppy even though it has more details and colors.
The Amcrest camera cannot be powered using a DC adapter. It needs a PoE connection even if you don’t transmit data and save to the SD card. (Making things difficult for standalone operation) Fortunately, this is not the case with the Montavue camera as it supports both PoE and DC power.
The Montavue camera can record footage at full-color night vision and it has an integrated microphone for recording audio, two things not included in the Amcrest camera.
It can also output 3 simultaneous streams while performing intelligent features such as human and vehicle detection. The Amcrest camera can only produce 2 streams and it doesn’t include any object detection capabilities.
Both cameras are highly interoperable with multiple protocols to integrate into 3rd party services or systems.
Key Features in Common
The Amcrest camera and Montavue camera both have a bullet-type chassis with an IP67 rating. Their data type is IP-based and relies on PoE for both power and data transmission.
Both cameras have a fixed focus lens and cannot perform any PTZ (Pan Tile Zoom) functions. They also have the same image sensor size of 1/2.7" and can process footage with true WDR.
They also have a Micro SD card slot for recording footage, so if you need to use them as standalone devices, you can do so as long as you provide them power through ethernet. (DC power option is only available for the Montavue camera)
Mid-Range PTZ Head to Head
Key Differences
The Amcrest IP4M-1063EW-AI is a very useful PTZ camera for object detection. Its computer vision capabilities allow it to identify and detect a variety of objects, and these include people, faces, vehicles, and even non-motor vehicles like bicycles, handcarts, and wheelchairs.
The Montavue camera doesn’t have such elaborate features but it can detect humans and vehicles.
With that being said, it supports ONVIF and RTSP technologies while the Montavue counterpart is compatible with these two and also has support for CGI.
The Montavue PTZ camera includes the usual MicroSD and NVR storage options. On top of that, it can also use FTP to transfer footage. The Amcrest device on the other hand supports all three of these while also being compatible with cloud storage. (the cloud subscription is optional)
Key Features in Common
Both are indoor/outdoor compatible PTZ cameras with an IP66 rating. They can perform a maximum of 25x optical zoom and can also perform motorized panning and tilting.
They can process 3 streams simultaneously and record low-light footage using infrared. However, they cannot record audio and do not include an in-built siren but can act as two-way communication devices.
They use a 4MP camera with a maximum 2K resolution of 2650x1440. The size of the sensor is 1/2.8" and they can process footage with True WDR to improve the overall clarity.
Fisheye Head to Head
Key Differences
The Montavue MTF5360X fisheye lens camera is more expensive than the Amcrest IP5M-F1180EW-V2. However, it doesn’t support DC power or two-way communication facilities.
The Montavue camera lacks a wider array of storage capabilities as it can only record footage to an NVR or local Micro SD card. The Amcrest camera, on the other hand, includes these two features while also providing support for cloud storage.
In terms of object detection capabilities, the Amcrest camera can detect and even count people. Along with that, it can also provide a heatmap of motion zones. The Montavue camera can only detect people and objects.
Also, the Amcrest camera has the better True WDR feature over the Montavue camera’s software-based digital WDR.
Key Features in Common
These cameras are both indoor cameras and they do not have a weatherproof IP rating. They both can operate independently but otherwise need PoE for data and power.
The maximum resolution on these cameras is 2592x1944 through a 5MP camera. There are no integrated sirens but these devices can record audio as there is a microphone built inside.
In low-light environments, they can only rely on infrared, and like many fixed focus lens cameras, they cannot perform PTZ functions.
The Montavue vs Amcrest Verdict
So these are the main differences between Montavue and Amcrest with regards to their hardware and software features. All things considered, the Amcrest cameras are seen as more accessible and DIY friendly while the Montavue cameras are more specialized and designed to work on their own ecosystem.
Which brand do you think is the better option for you? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
