Despite the plethora of network cameras on the market, few come close to those offered by Axis Communications. On features alone, its latest 221 looks unbeatable: it supports simultaneous Motion-JPEG and MPEG-4 playback with top framerates, and its infrared sensor allows it to function during the day and night.

For the latter, Axis also offers optional infrared illuminators so areas can be covertly monitored in darkness. There’s much more too, as the 221 supports PoE (Power over Ethernet), so its placement isn’t restricted by available power sockets, while full motion detection allows it to send out warnings if it picks up activity in the areas under scrutiny.

The bundled software makes light work of installation, and once an IP address has been assigned you can access the camera over secure HTTPS sessions for even tighter security. An IP filter table also restricts access further, although full support only for IE5 and upwards is a drawback. Picture quality is without doubt the best we’ve seen from an IP camera, and the increased framerate makes for very smooth playback with little discernable jerkiness. The camera supports up to 45fps at all resolutions, although dropping down to 480x360 allows it to be increased to an amazing 60fps. As light levels decrease, the camera will drop into a mono mode automatically but it also incorporates a removable IR-cut filter that allows colour images to be displayed under IR lighting.

Up to 20 people can use the camera simultaneously in Motion-JPEG mode and you can restrict access with usernames and passwords. There are no user limits when using multicast MPEG-4, but each client must have a valid licence to use this. Bandwidth consumption can be reduced by increasing the image compression, reducing resolutions and limiting the framerate available to multiple clients.

For motion detection, you can specify 10 areas in the image where it is to be enabled or disabled, and motion triggers can be used to download images to an FTP or HTTP server for emailing. Other external security devices, such as door sensors, can be fitted to the camera’s external I/O connector blocks as well.

The 221 offers a range of features few other network cameras can match. Although you’re paying a premium for these, its versatility makes it a top choice for surveillance applications.