Panasonic Network Camera Packed With Installer-Friendly Features

Find out if Panasonic’s Model WV-SFV631L network camera is the best product for your project in SSI’s Bench Test review.

The Model WV-SFV631L is part of Panasonic’s 6 Series network cameras. This line is composed of indoor and outdoor fixed dome assemblies in “HD” (1.3 megapixel) or “Full HD” (2.4 megapixel) resolutions. The indoor fixed domes have regular and vandal-resistant housings, while the two outdoor fixed domes both have vandal-resistant enclosures. I was provided the outdoor full HD camera for review, and this model certainly has plenty of tools available for the installer and end user to incorporate into their CCTV systems.

Construction

The first thing I noticed about the IP66-rated Panasonic WVSFV631L was the solid design and feel to the camera assembly. I have seen several camera assemblies over time that claim to be a vandal dome but their overall feel and construction leaves something to be desired. The Panasonic WV-SFV631L certainly doesn’t have that problem with its cast aluminum case and polycarbonate dome. Both of the body sections have close tolerances and the internal seal’s edge has a smooth finish. The camera’s umbilical cords protrude through two sealed openings on the rear of the assembly and the internal dome gasket provides a nice tight seal for the camera’s front cover. The WV-SFV631L is also designed to operate in a wide temperature range (-45⁰ to 122⁰ F). When properly mounted, the enclosure should be able to withstand any weather event.

Panasonic WV-SFV631L Camera

SPECS

  • Network IP camera
  • Designed for rough environments

PROS

  • Solid construction
  • Easy to install and configure with different mounting options
  • Wide temperature range
  • Installation features a big plus

CONS

  • Proprietary software requirements

The WV-SFV631L ships with a ceiling/wall mounting bracket that, once installed, allows the camera assembly to be easily snapped into place and secured with a retaining screw. There is also a raised trim ring that accepts the mounting bracket and is predrilled to mount to six different bolt patterns (I really didn’t know there were that many options for a j-box!). The trim ring has a side opening that allows the easy connection of conduit through the threaded opening and keeps everything neat during the installation.

The camera assembly has a couple of nice features for the field installer that can simplify mounting the unit. First, the camera’s main assembly is clearly marked with “top” and “front” indicators, helpful when orientating the camera from the top of the ladder. Second, the camera’s gimbal assembly has a “top” indicator to also allow the installer to know where the field of view is relative to the camera’s assembly.

Features

The Panasonic WV-SFV631L, like the majority of network cameras today, is designed to be powered via PoE through its RJ-45 network connector. This provides a simple “one-wire” solution for a systems integrator when mounting the device. The camera can also be powered via a separate 12VDC connection through the camera’s umbilical cord, if desired. The WV-SFV631L has the ability to provide two-way audio capabilities through hardwired connections to the two 3.5mm line jacks located on the rear of the camera assembly. This can allow remote conversations to be conducted over the network connection. The dome also has the capability to connect to a total of three hardwired alarm inputs and send alerts back to the system.

The WV-SFV631L also has two built-in slots for micro SD memory cards to allow remote video storage at the camera assembly. The SD slots can be configured to record different occurrences to the respective SD card. For example, one SD card can be tasked to record alarm incidents while the other SD card can be configured to record video during a specified schedule. In addition, one or both cards can be tasked with recording video during a network failure, thus allowing the video server to be able to recover any lost frames from the SD card and maintain a continuous recording stream on the server.

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