Reddit mentions of Hikvision IP Camera 4MP POE Dome 2.8mm WDR IR Day/Night DS-2CD2542FWD-IS HD 1080P IP67 Waterproof Firmware Upgradeable Eziview

welcome to the rabbit hole. what's your budget, man?

i'm a commercial fire and security PM, after being in the field for 18 years.

-

so, first thing to understand as that all these smart and HA integrated cameras offer really low resolution for a really high device price.

i just checked, and the ring floodlight is 1080p / 2MP, and $250 https://shop.ring.com/products/floodlight-cam

meanwhile you can get a hikvision 4MP camera for $135 https://www.amazon.com/Hikvision-DS-2CD2542FWD-Waterproof-Firmware-Upgradeable/dp/B074N3NYMP/

so, why the price difference? you're trading pure resolution and surveillance performance for convenience.

for many users, the convenience is well worth it. a higher resolution video that is less than dead simple to use is worthless to them.

my only point is, please don't mistake fancy-pants interface features for fancy-pants video quality.

you'll be able to build a better performing system for less money, if you're willing to learn the interface.

the other issue with ring cameras is you need to pay $3/mo per device for the system.

so if you wanted 4 ring flood lights, plus a door bell, you're looking at $1250 for equip, and $15/mo for as long as you want the cams to work.

$1250 for 5x 1080p cams, plus monthly service fee.

​

you can get an 8 camera 8MP system from Lorex for the same price.

https://www.lorextechnology.com/4k-ip-camera-system/hd-nvr-with-super-hd-4mp-security-cameras-/4KHDIP88MW-1-p

$1250 for 8x 8MP cams and local recording on DVR, no monthly fee.

​

just to illustrate the difference in equipment you get with these HA based systems VS a more traditional CCTV system.

-

now to some of your questions.

1. POE is a convenient method of wiring. it lets you use IP cameras which have more granular control over their settings. it does not inherently improve video quality. many IP video cameras have the option to plug in a local microSD card for storage, which could eliminate the need for a stand alone recorder.
   
2. mount your cameras out of reach, but also low as possible. a wide camera lens (2.8mm for example, VS 4mm) will give you broad coverage. if you stick your cameras high up you'll have less chance of recognizing faces, because you'll be looking at the tops of people's heads. a 10' mount height (typical for low eves) is more than sufficient for a wide FOV.
   
3. there are plenty of google or other HA options to add smart relays to flood lights. go ask the /r/homeautomation folks. they love it.
   
4. if you have an spare computer, you can run up to 8 cameras on Milestone for free. Milestone is the best VMS i've used. i don't think their free license gives you any bells and whistles for a phone app. in which case BI may be your best bet.
   
5. most CCTV vendor (Lorex, Hikvision, etc) have their own phone apps that can give you whatever alerts you want. they just won't be delivered via the HA app that you want to use for other HA functions.
   
6. as far as brands, i use Hikvision for my mid-price commercial customers, i have an EC that swears by Lorex. Axis is the best if you have money to burn, they're not made in China either.
   
7. desiring privacy, and using any smart Home Assistant are mutually exclusive goals. they all pipe everything back home for analysis. any video going to their cloud services will be no different. https://www.npr.org/2019/07/31/746878763/how-tech-companies-track-your-every-move-and-put-your-data-up-for-sale