Axis or Digital Watchdog for cameras… any thoughts?

Seeking Advice
1

I’m trying to find high-quality monitoring, and I’m more focused on quality than cost. Axis cameras seem to be a top recommendation here, though they’re a bit pricey. However, an installer suggested Digital Watchdog instead. I’ve got a few questions:

  1. Are Axis and Digital Watchdog similar in quality?

  2. Any big downsides to either brand?

  3. For those using AI cameras from either brand, what’s your take? Would you recommend them right now?

2
  1. Not quite.
  2. Digital Watchdog is a solid option, more of a budget-friendly high-end brand. It’s definitely not like Dahua or Hikvision, but it’s not quite at Axis’s level either.
  3. For price, I’d recommend Digital Watchdog or Hanwha with Spectrum or Wisenet over Axis.
3

@Aaron
I thought Digital Watchdog and Hanwha software had some differences?

4

Isabella said:
@Aaron
I thought Digital Watchdog and Hanwha software had some differences?

The software between Digital Watchdog and Hanwha is actually almost identical, even down to the coding.

5

@Aaron
I was aiming my comment at the original post. WAVE and DW Spectrum are indeed based on NX Witness, but there are slight variations in the NX code. We notice differences when working on integrations, needing unique code for each platform.

Aside from that, Hanwha has affordable cameras, like the A series. If you’re on a budget, you could skip a VMS and just use a basic NVR instead.

6

In the mid to high-end range, commercial cameras are generally priced similarly. But Axis doesn’t really offer budget options.

With Digital Watchdog, the software is solid. If you’re going budget, Hanwha’s NDAA-approved cameras are good, while other cheaper brands are usually just rebranded versions of brands like Hikvision or Dahua. Might be better to go straight to the source if you’re considering those.

7

Had a one-on-one webinar with my Digital Watchdog rep recently. Their VMS and AI are strong, and while they can go toe-to-toe with Axis on higher-end models, the VMS doesn’t fully compare to Axis. The upside is DW’s VMS is free, and camera licenses are perpetual and can be transferred.