D-link DCS-3420 Wireless Camera

The DCS-3420 takes the usability attributes of the DCS-1110 and piles plenty of extra functionality on top, starting with 802.11b/g (WEP and WPA security included), moving from support for four cameras to up to 16, and accommodating interchangeable lenses (chief among them the optional infrared unit for shooting in total darkness). We didn’t receive the IR or auto iris lenses for testing, and our unit seemed biased by default for shooting in low light as images were very over-exposed.

However, altering the video settings for optimal balance between bit rate, frame rate, and quality and tweaking the image settings (brightness, hue, etc.) yielded substantially better results. Even with the stock lens, though, low-light video proved remarkably clear.

D-Link integrates a BNC video output for connecting to a standard monitor or CCTV system. Another cool feature unique to this camera is the 4X digital zoom capability, which can operate like a mouse-controlled magnifying glass zooming in on a portion of the full frame. Other hot bonuses include two-way audio with the built-in microphone, a removable 802.11b/g antenna, email/FTP of video snapshots, and AVI export.

Motion tracking in 320 x 240 resolution mode was excellent, with very little noticeable blur or frame drop even over a wireless connection. The 10fps inherent at top resolution (704 x 480), however, shows a clear trade-off between detail and motion capability; you get one or the other, but not both. On the plus side, this unit’s MJPEG and MPEG-4 footage is viewable in any browser without a special application. Given its quality, rugged design, and flexibility for various lighting conditions, we highly recommend this as an upper-midrange security camera.