The bench test 2: The lighter side…

What our experts say …

The CC-18875SE, or 'EZ-Eclipse', is billed as a simple no-frills colour camera, a typical low-cost design intended for routine applications. The external appearance and layout are certainly uncontroversial, as are the specifications.

Inside the unassuming metal case there's a 1/3-inch Sony CCD sensor with a 512 x 582 pixel array giving a claimed resolution of 420-lines. Low light sensitivity is a seemingly respectable 0.5-lux, and it requires a 12 volt DC or 24 volt AC supply (12volt DC and 99 to 240 volt AC models are also available).

So far, so good, and there's little to distinguish it from most other low-cost general-purpose colour cameras on the market. The lens mount (C/CS) comprises a lockable threaded collar that provides back-focus adjustment and a standard 4-pin auto-iris connector is mounted on the left side of the body.

On the rear panel there's a simple screw terminal for the power supply connections and a BNC socket for the video output. A small slide switch handles DC or video auto-iris selection; there's a recessed preset for adjusting auto-iris DC level, a power-on LED and a four-way miniature DIP switch for the various exposure options.

The first couple of items on the brief feature list are also very straightforward. It has a switchable auto electronic shutter (AES), which is disabled when using an auto iris lens, and there's a backlight compensation (BLC) mode.

However, after that it all starts to get a little strange. The instruction booklet is mostly to blame for the first oddity, and on page two it lists an Automatic Gain Control facility, but on page four this has changed to an 'Aperture Gain Control', which it maintains is used to switch between a 'sharp' and a 'soft' picture, presumably a reference to the marked increase in picture noise when the facility is enabled.

However, it's the last entry on the list that causes the most confusion. The fourth DIP-switch position is labelled ATW/Eclipse. As you might expect ATW is auto tracking white balance, which the instructions awkwardly describe as '… to have a normal color picture' but the alternate Eclipse position does something quite unexpected. It doesn't seem to affect white balance to any extent but it does invert the bright areas of the picture.

It's similar to an exposure aid feature on some high-end camcorders and broadcast video cameras, highlighting areas of excessive brightness to assist with manual iris control, but there's no explanation of how to use it in the manual, or indeed why this might be necessary or useful on a surveillance camera. In fact the idea is that it blanks out bright lights in the scene, which should make it easier to identify faces, read numberplates and so on. It's a potentially useful feature in areas with constant lighting conditions, such as interior doorways, parking garages etc, but where light levels change to any degree it could be more trouble than it is worth.

Removing the two case halves reveals one last small surprise. Inside there's a 'board' type camera module with the CCD sensor and its associated video processing circuitry mounted on a single small printed circuit board bolted to the inside of the front case moulding.

There's a second PCB for all of the connections and switches on the rear of the case and in between a great deal of empty space, a tangle of wires and a third small board with a handful of power supply and regulation components. In short, the whole kit and caboodle could be comfortably housed in a case one-third the size of this one - and there would still be room to spare. Whilst we have no particular objection to this type of construction on technical grounds, the untidy wiring loom connecting the boards does suggest a worrying lack of attention to detail.

Standard 1/4-inch mounting threads are fixed to the top and bottom parts of the case. It's a robust enough construction but the housing is not weatherproof and provides little protection against the ingress or dust or moisture.

Setup and operation

It would be hard to justify using the camera in anything but the most undemanding applications

Attaching the lens and the back focus adjustment are about as easy as it gets, though the Allen key needed to lock the lens collar is only slightly thicker than a human hair and doomed to disappear the moment you put it down...

Fixing the camera and connecting the power and video leads should also pass without incident. When it comes to the rear panel controls the mysterious Eclipse mode switch can be safely left in the ATW position, otherwise the DIP switches can be set as required and it's ready to run.

Performance

The presence of a Sony CCD sensor is clearly beneficial when it comes to resolution and our test sample was reasonably close to the manufacturers specs, however, other aspects of the image left something to be desired. The most problematic area was colour accuracy.

Even in good natural light most colours looked under-saturated and dull but the real concern was the way it managed to turn bright reds into muddy browns, with a touch of green, at lower light levels. Blues too seemed to suffer, loosing almost all of their vibrancy, all of which points to poor automatic white balance control or alignment, but without any manual controls there is no way of telling.

Noise levels are also a little higher than we would have liked, and again the effect becomes more noticeable as light levels start to fall. In semi dark conditions the noise quickly becomes intrusive and the claimed minimum sensitive figure of 0.5 lux seems a tad optimistic.

In spite of our earlier misgivings about the internal wiring this doesn't appear to have any impact on stability. The picture on our sample remained rock solid when the camera was subjected to a series of intermittency tests - courtesy of the Security Installer rubber mallet.

What the manufacturer says ...

The EZ-Eclipse Colour Body Camera is a high resolution CCTV camera….with a difference. It features a unique 'Eclipse Mode' which actually blocks out excessive light in the camera view. The installer can enable or disable this feature easily via a control switch at the back of the camera.

The EZ-Eclipse camera can play a part in any CCTV installation as a standard colour CCTV camera, but when excessive or unusual lighting conditions are apparent, the eclipse mode will provide amazing image quality and enhance the objects in view whilst eradicating any light which may affect other CCTV cameras.

In areas such as foyers or nightclubs where excessive light may occur or for capturing car license plates, the EZ-Eclipse camera will deliver high quality images.

The EZ-Eclipse camera is compatible with C or CS Mount lenses, has fixed or manual/auto iris support, as well as Back Light Compensation, Aperture Gain Control and Auto Electric Shutter. By simply flicking a switch at the back of the camera, the installer can choose between Auto Tracking White Balance Mode (standard colour CCTV camera mode) and 'Eclipse Mode' (excessive light mode which will enhance the areas affected by too much light). The camera can be powered either by 12v DC or 24v AC, making it more versatile for installation.

The EZ-Eclipse camera is one product every installer should take with them to any installation. Its unique 'Eclipse' feature make it a great asset to any installation and could save the installer both time and money when deciding how best to solve installations where excessive light is a problem.