INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    With crime rates skyrocketing all over the globe it's no surprise that people are looking for all kinds of ways to safeguard both their loved ones and their property with smart locks, smart alarm systems and surveillance cameras leading in sales. I've honestly never seen this many manufacturers of security related systems/peripherals in the market ever before and even though competition is always good for the end user finding the proper product to cover your needs is sometimes harder than expected. Ajax Systems may not be one of the first names that come to mind when talking about security systems (though according to their about are the largest of their kind in Europe), but they have a very rich lineup and for the past 2 months or, so I've been testing one of their complete video surveillance kits.

    Ajax Systems is an international tech company and the largest manufacturer of security systems in Europe, with over 4 million end users and 290K PRO users in 187 countries. The company offers end-to-end solutions for protecting homes and businesses of any scale. To date, Ajax product portfolio includes 180 wired and wireless devices for intrusion protection, video surveillance, fire and life safety, and comfort and automation.

    The video surveillance kit I received by Ajax Systems consists by an NVR (network video recorder) and three IP cameras (BulletCam, TurretCam, DomeCam Mini - available in black and white colors) all of which feature 8MP (megapixel) 4mm lens (75-85 degrees viewing angle / 5MP and 2.8mm models with 100-110 degrees are also available) that can record video of up to 4K UHD (3840x2160p @ 20fps / 8196Kbps). All three cameras are IP65 certified (water and dust proof), NDAA compliant, PoE ready (802.3at/af), feature built-in digital microphones, accelerometers (for impact/tampering detection), IR LEDs for night vision (up to 50m range for both the BulletCam and TurretCam models, 15m for the DomeCam Mini) and microSD cards slot for direct recording (up to 256GB) and support technologies like TrueWDR, H.264/H.265 video compression, JetSparrow peer to peer transmission, TLS video encryption and AI analysis for optimal object detection (humans, pets, cars). As for the NVR (also available in black and white colors) it's IP20 certified (indoor use), NDAA compliant, can be used with IP cameras either by Ajax Systems or ONVIF compliant, supports up to 16 channels in 4K (8-channel model also available), SATA drives up to 16TB in capacity and can record video of up to 4K @ 30fps with H.264/H.265 video compression.

 

 

 

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ajax Systems uses white boxes for the entire kit (or pieces of the kit since these are sold separately) that just have product pictures at the front and lens details (focal length and MP).

 

 

Both the features and specifications for each product are printed at the rear.

 

 

Packaging is sufficient with all devices held in place by extensions of the boxes themselves so no issues here.

 

 

Aside the NVR which comes with just its power cord and user manual each of the cameras gets shipped with wall mounting bits (Allen keys, screws, waterproof covers and drilling stickers), surveillance sticker and the user manual.

 

 

 

THE BULLETCAM, TURRETCAM & DOMECAM MINI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The BulletCam weighs 550g, features an IP65 certified metal enclosure and measures 197.5mm in length and 76mm in diameter.

 

 

As mentioned before this camera features a built-in microphone (1-way) and is available in 5MP/8MP resolutions and with two focal length lens (2.8mm and 4mm) which produce different viewing angles (100-110/75-85 degrees).

 

 

Typically, the microSD card slot is located at the base of the camera and is protected by a watertight cover.

 

 

The TurretCam weighs 475g, has its main body made of IP65 certified metal, its base made of plastic and measures 103mm in height and 98mm in diameter.

 

 

Just like the BulletCam the TurretCam also features a built-in microphone (1-way) and is available in 5MP/8MP resolutions and with two focal length lens (2.8mm and 4mm) which produce different viewing angles (100-110/75-85 degrees).

 

 

Again, the microSD card slot is located at the base/rear of the camera under a watertight cover.

 

 

The DomeCam Mini weighs 360g, also has ab IP65 certified enclosure made of metal and plastic and measures 113mm in diameter and 60mm in height.

 

 

Just like the other two models the DomeCam Mini also features a built-in microphone (1-way) and is available in 5MP/8MP resolutions and with two focal length lens (2.8mm and 4mm) which produce different viewing angles (100-110/75-85 degrees).

 

 

Unlike the other two models this one has its IR LEDs beneath the plastic cover as seen above.

 

 

Also, unlike the other two models the microSD card slot is not located at the base/rear so to access it you will need to remove the two screws holding the IR LED area and take it off.

 

 

Forgot to mention that all cameras feature both an RJ45 plug and an DC plug (using an PoE switch is recommended).

 

 

 

THE NVR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 615g heavy enclosure of the NVR is made of IP20 certified plastic and measures 193mm in width, 193mm in length and 47mm in height (the company logo on top is illuminated).

 

 

Turning the NVR over we find 4 rubber feet and the tamper alarm mechanism.

 

 

Once you open the enclosure, you'll find an RJ45 Ethernet cable and wall mounting bits.

 

 

The NVR by Ajax Systems can be used with  single SATA drive (2.5/3.5") up to 16TB in capacity.

 

 

It's a tool-less design so just mount the drive and secure it with this plastic piece seen above.

 

 

The power and RJ45 LAN ports are located inside the enclosure.

 

AJAX SYSTEMS APP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The easiest way to access your NVR is via the smartphone app by Ajax Systems.

The app has 5 main tabs, the devices tab which lists all connected cameras, the rooms tabs which you can use to assign the cameras to different rooms, videowall (low quality live feed), notifications tab and the control tab from where you can set the various NVR modes (arm/disarm/night/panic).

 

 

One thing you'll notice a lot is that Ajax Systems is releasing firmware updates non-stop and so during the 2 months I ended up testing the kit I had to update both the NVR and the cameras 3 times.

 

 

From the NVR tab you can check the status of the device, check for firmware updates, check video archives, report problems and check for solutions, read the user guide and add cameras (either Ajax Systems ones or ONVIF compliant).

 

 

The app also allows you to fill out your personal details and pair it with HikVision and Uniview security systems.

 

 

Aside the firmware updates for all 3 cameras everything else remains the same so again you can check their state from the initial tab and from the settings you can enable arm in night mode (alerts), set recording preferences when the microSD card is installed, enable/disable notifications, adjust motion detection details, adjust video recording details (max bitrate is set at 8192kbps for all 8MP cameras), adjust image details, enable/disable audio recording and set privacy zones.

 

AJAX SYSTEMS DESKTOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For people who may want the best from their Ajax video surveillance system the Desktop software is a one way, if anything because you can get every bit of image quality as opposed to smartphones.

The desktop software has a similar layout as the smartphone app so on the left you can see your NVR and cameras and on the right their status.

 

 

Clicking on the settings of each device opens up a similar tab as well.

 

 

The video wall function allows you to choose one of the 8 available layouts or create your very own. Also just like the smartphone app all cameras display low-quality live feed on the video wall.

 

 

Again, the sole reason the desktop software is superior to the smartphone app is the live feed which if you own a 4K monitor gives you the best possible image quality (next page screenshots have been updated with ones from the desktop software).

 

 

Finally, just like the smartphone app you can customize your space settings here as well.

 

VIDEO QUALITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BulletCam

TurretCam

DomeCam Mini

With a maximum bitrate of 8192kbps the 8MP cameras by Ajax Systems are far from the highest resolution models out in the market but still they produce much better quality compared to other models like for example the S330 by eufy, especially during the day. Much like many other similar models there’s no zoom function but you can still zoom in the picture as seen above (with not great results).

 

BulletCam

TurretCam

DomeCam Mini

Night vision is actually very good when it comes to the BulletCam and model (not so much for the TurretCam and DomeCam Mini - although to be fair fisheye lens models like the DomeCam Mini are mostly for interior use)  but again, zoom function falls behind.

 

CONCLUSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    One of the things I liked about the Ajax Systems video surveillance kit is that the end user can choose between black and white color, something we don’t see a lot. The same applies with the built-in microphones which is something most wired IP cameras lack due to privacy laws, especially inside the EU. Build quality is also good and on par with some high-end models by brands like HikVision and Dahua. I was also surprised to see that the JetSparrow peer to peer transmission works very well and again better than other systems like the S330 by eufy. The single downside that I honestly wasn’t expecting from the Ajax Systems was the lack of PoE RJ45 ports on the NVR. If you go out in the market to get a new NVR, you’ll notice that there are plenty with PoE RJ45 ports (meaning you don’t need to purchase a switch to perform that task – also far more convenient) and so it makes very little sense that Ajax Systems decided to skip on that entirely. I just so happen to have three PoE+ switches in the lab so it’s not a big deal for me (still I’d rather not have to use my switch’s ports for this) but most people don’t and yes, I expect this to be somewhat of an issue for many.

    This 8MP video surveillance kit is not available as is, all components/parts are sold separately by Ajax Systems and so the BulletCam, TurretCam and DomeCam Mini will each set you back 321.29Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de / Amazon.de / Amazon.de) while the 16-CH NVR will set you back 253.57Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). With these current prices the entire 8MP video surveillance kit by Ajax Systems retails at around 1220Euros and well, it doesn’t come cheap (for people who may need professionals to install the system feel free to access the Ajax Systems page). Still, it offers very good image quality, has audio recording, it’s very easy to setup and use (providing you have a separate switch), packs numerous useful features, build quality is at high levels and as of now Ajax Systems provides impressive product support so for all these the Golden Award is in order.

PROS

- Build Quality (IP65 / IP20 Enclosures)
- 8MP Resolution (4K @ 20fps / 8192kbps)
- 4mm Focal Length (75/85 Degrees Viewing Angle)
- Audio Recording (1 Way)
- Features (Motion Detection / AI Recognition / Detector Alarm / Automation / TrueWDR)
- Available Models (5MP/8MP, 2.5/4mm, 8/16CH)
- Available In Black & White
- JetSparrow Peer To Peer Transmission
- Ajax Systems App & Desktop Software
- Product Support

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- No Built In PoE Switch (NVR)