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Uniview and Dahua are two major OEMs originating out of China. Both of these brands offer their products and services to several rebranders located in the US and internationally.
In this comparison, we will be comparing these two brands and see how they differ from each other. Despite having somewhat similar origins, there are some notable differences between them.
Let’s begin.
Uniview vs Dahua at a Glance
Mid-Range PoE Head to Head
High-End PoE Head to Head
Budget PTZ Security Camera Head to Head
Positioning Camera Head to Head
Uniview vs Dahua Overview
Uniview (Also known as Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co., Ltd) was founded in 2005 by Huawei and 3Com in Hangzhou, China. The company manufactures its own video surveillance equipment and manufactures devices for other rebrands. Their catalog of items involves almost every device or component used in security camera systems, including (but not limited to) recorders, network switches, mounts, and even display panels.
Some but not all of Uniview's security cameras are approved by the FCC and NDAA. Here is a list of the compliant devices.
Dahua is also another company that originated in Hangzhou. It was founded in 2001 and it is another OEM that sells its security cameras and devices to others and includes an even more varied catalog of video surveillance and smart devices.
Dahua security devices are not an NDAA compliant brand despite being one of the top security camera manufacturers in the world.
Mid-Range PoE Head to Head
Key Differences
In our first comparison, we will be comparing Uniview’s 4K turret vs Dahua’s 4MP turret security camera. Let’s see how they fare against each other.
Since the Uniview camera records at 4K resolution using a superior 8MP camera, it is more expensive. However, depending on your circumstances, you may not need this much detail from a mid-range PoE camera.
Apart from 4K recording, the Uniview camera does not come with an integrated microphone; hence, it cannot stitch audio into the footage. This is where the Dahua counterpart has a slight edge where unlike the Uniview camera, it has an integrated microphone for seamless audio recording.
Also, it goes a step further and includes full-color night vision (via a low-light sensor) and MicroSD support. (The Uniview camera only offers infrared night vision.)
Key Features in Common
Both cameras utilize a turret-style enclosure with an IP67 waterproof rating.
They both have ⅓-inch image sensors with fixed focus lenses, and their 2.8mm (focal length) variant with a DORI detection distance of 84m (275ft).
Although they have different IR LED configurations, the maximum IR distance is the same at 30m (98ft). Also, they include 120dB True WDR for post-processing.
High-End PoE Head to Head
Key Differences
For our second comparison, we are considering the high-end PoE cameras. These include the Uniview 4MP turret and Dahua’s counterpart with the same megapixels and turret-style chassis.
Right off the bat, we can see that the Dahua N43BU82 camera includes more features.. Its expensive price tag is justified thanks to two-way communication facilities, integrated sirens, and intelligent computer vision applications for the human, vehicle, and object detection.
Meanwhile, the only thing that the Uniview camera has got going for it is the affordable price tag.
Key Features in Common
Both cameras record footage at 4MP (2688x1520) resolution and have fixed-focus lenses with a 2.8mm focal length variant. The Uniview camera defines this 2.8mm variant with a DORI detection distance of 63m (206ft). (It's fair to say that the Dahua counterpart has the exact DORI specifications, especially when considering the similarities in focal length and almost similar image sensor sizes.)
When dealing with footage, both cameras can export three separate streams and support maximum frame rates of 30fps, although the resolution and fps combinations may vary for each stream.
Finally, they have IP67 ratings, making both of them suitable for any outdoor environment.
Budget PTZ Security Camera Head to Head
Key Differences
This comparison is between the budget PTZ options offered by Uniview and Dahua.
The Uniview PTZ camera is the most expensive option out of the two. What distinguishes it over the Dahua counterpart is the PoE support and integrated microphone for recording audio.
Also, this Uniview camera doesn’t have an official IP rating; hence, it most likely lacks a weather-proof/resistant enclosure.
The Dahua PTZ camera is ideal for the outdoors, thanks to its IP66 rating. On top of that, it incorporates starlight sensors for full-color night vision and the Wireless 2.4GHz connectivity, which makes it very convenient for installations, especially in an outdoor setting.
Key Features in Common
Both PTZ cameras record footage in 2MP 1080p with a maximum framerate of 30fps and include full PTZ functionality with 355° panning and 90° tilting. On top of that, they readily support ONVIF and RTSP interoperability protocols.
Positioning Camera Head to Head
Key Differences
Our final comparison is regarding specialized positioning camera systems, namely the Uniview IPC7622ER-X44-VF vs the Dahua PTZ85260-HNF-WA.
Although slightly more premium than the Uniview counterpart, Dahua’s 2MP positioning security camera is the preferred option mostly due to it’s wide catalog of intelligent motion detection features.
While the Uniview camera includes only sound detection, the Dahua camera goes the extra mile by including person, vehicle, face, and animal detection on top of the existing sound detection feature..
Also, it has 60x optical zoom over the Uniview’s 44x.
The only notable features in the Uniview camera (that might not even be worth considering) are the AC power option, NAS support and 60fps maximum framerate.
Key Features in Common
Both cameras record footage in the 2MP 1080p resolution, and they have advanced starlight sensors that help the system carry out spotlight-independent full-color night vision. They both have a 400m (1312ft) infrared range.
Both devices include similar minimum illumination for color values, with the Uniview camera having a 0.0005Lux (before switching over to full-color night vision) while the Dahua camera has a 0.001Lux value.
In terms of lenses, they have similar varifocal lenses, with the Uniview camera sporting a 5mm-225mm lens and the Dahua counterpart incorporating a 5.6mm-336mm.
The Uniview vs Dahua Verdict
This has been our comparison of Uniview vs Dahua. Despite having a lot of similarities, they have a few notable differences between them. For instance, Dahua devices are relatively more affordable and most of them are designed for general purpose applications with some useful additional features. However, they tend to compromise image quality in order to reduce the unit costs..
Uniview cameras, on the other hand, tend to work best in specific situations where high-quality cameras with larger resolutions and faster frame rates are preferred over features such as full-color night vision, intelligent object detection.etc. Therefore, if you value image quality over versatility, Uniview could be a better option for you.
Which is your favorite brand? Let us know about your thoughts in the comments.
