M871 Series Covert Ultra Low Light STARVIS Cameras
Description
Description
Covert Ultra Low Light STARVIS Cameras
The MAXSUR M871 Series is a compact 30mm x 30mm covert camera family designed for law enforcement investigations, tactical surveillance, custom concealments, robotics, and FPV applications where small size, strong low-light performance, and flexible video output matter.
One Micro Camera Platform. Multiple Mission Configurations.
Covert surveillance camera selection should start with the mission, not a wall of confusing part numbers. The M871 Series consolidates multiple ultra-compact STARVIS camera configurations into one product family, allowing agencies and integrators to choose the lens style and video output that best fit the deployment.
Built for Concealment
The compact 30mm x 30mm profile makes the M871 Series easy to integrate into covert enclosures, fixtures, vehicles, field kits, utility-style housings, and other custom surveillance builds.
Rugged Machined Housing
The small machined housing gives the camera a more durable, professional integration platform than bare board cameras, making it well suited for demanding covert surveillance, mobile deployments, robotics, and FPV applications.
Procurement Friendly
The M871 Series is NDAA compliant and sourced from KT&C in South Korea, helping agencies address procurement mandates for public safety, defense, corrections, and critical infrastructure projects.
Why Sony STARVIS Matters in Covert Surveillance
Many covert camera deployments happen in terrible lighting: alleys, rural drop sites, dark rooms, vehicle interiors, warehouses, field locations, and building perimeters with harsh backlighting. STARVIS imaging helps compact cameras capture more usable detail in those difficult environments.
1. Low-Light Performance Without Giving Away Position
STARVIS sensors are highly sensitive to visible and near-infrared light, helping operators capture usable color and detail in scenes that may appear extremely dark to the naked eye. For investigators, this can reduce the need for visible lighting that could compromise the deployment.
2. Strong Near-Infrared Capability
When ambient light is not enough, STARVIS sensors pair well with covert IR illumination, including 940nm IR designs that avoid the obvious red glow associated with many standard illuminators.
3. Better Detail in High-Contrast Scenes
Wide dynamic range and advanced light handling help preserve detail when a subject moves between shadow and bright light, or when headlights, windows, doorways, and reflective surfaces would normally wash out the image.
4. Small Camera, Serious Video
The efficiency of the STARVIS design allows very small cameras to produce useful high-definition video, reducing the compromise between concealment and image quality.
5. Efficient for Long Deployments
Efficient CMOS imaging is valuable for battery, solar, and rapid deployment surveillance systems where power budget, heat, runtime, and reduced service visits all matter.
6. Useful Across Multiple Missions
The same image-performance benefits support covert investigations, interview room upgrades, mobile surveillance kits, drone FPV views, robotic inspection, hidden facility cameras, and custom-built surveillance enclosures.
STARVIS Low-Light Capability
Low-light performance is one of the most important deciding factors for covert video. A camera that looks good in a brightly lit test room may fail when placed in a vehicle, hallway, alley, warehouse, or rural field position. STARVIS imaging helps the M871 Series gather more usable intelligence in those difficult lighting conditions.
Wide Dynamic Range for Evidence-Focused Video
Covert video often has to deal with headlights, windows, doorways, bright skies, reflective surfaces, and deep shadows in the same frame. Wide dynamic range helps retain important details across those extremes, improving the chance of capturing useful faces, clothing, vehicles, and identifying features.
Choose the Lens Style That Fits the Concealment
The M871 Series is available with multiple lens styles so the camera can be matched to the concealment, mounting surface, standoff distance, and desired field of view.
Micro Lens
Standard focal length: 3.6mm
The standard M12 lens is a strong general-purpose choice for covert surveillance, FPV views, robotics, UAS integration, and applications where the camera can look directly through an opening or small window.
For medium-range covert surveillance or more specialized views, the lens can be swapped with other compatible M12/S-Mount lenses.
Flat Pinhole Lens
Standard focal length: 3.7mm
The flat pinhole lens is ideal when the camera must view through thin materials such as fabric, sheet metal, cardboard, panels, trim, or other shallow concealment surfaces.
Conical Pinhole Lens
Standard focal length: 4.3mm
The conical pinhole lens is designed for thicker substrates and deeper concealments, including drywall, thick cardboard, toolboxes, custom housings, and other materials where the lens must reach closer to the viewing surface.
Video Output Options
Different deployments require different video paths. The M871 Series is available in IP, 6-in-1 HD, SDI, and analog configurations so agencies and integrators can match the camera to the recorder, transmitter, network, encoder, or covert system already in use.
IP Output
Best for networked systems, PoE-powered deployments, remote viewing, NVR integration, and applications where the camera will sit on a managed IP video network.
6-in-1 HD Output
Best for integrators who need flexible support for multiple HD-over-coax standards, including TVI, CVI, AHD/AVI, SDI paths, and CVBS compatibility depending on system design.
SDI Output
Best for low-latency, high-definition video over coax where IP networking is not preferred or where existing SDI infrastructure is already in place.
Analog Output
Best for legacy covert recorders, body-wire-style DVRs, simple composite video transmission, and low-power investigative systems where CVBS remains the practical choice.
Available M871 Configurations
Select the M871 configuration by choosing the required lens style and video output. All variants use the compact 30mm x 30mm camera format for easy concealment and integration.
| MAXSUR SKU | Lens Style | Video Output | Body Size | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M871-ML-IP | 3.6mm M12 Micro Lens | IP | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Networked covert systems, PoE, NVRs, remote viewing, robotics, and FPV integration. |
| M871-FP-IP | 3.7mm Flat Pinhole | IP | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Networked covert deployments through thin surfaces and panels. |
| M871-CP-IP | 4.3mm Conical Pinhole | IP | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | IP video through thicker concealment materials such as drywall, boxes, and custom housings. |
| M871-ML-61 | 3.6mm M12 Micro Lens | 6-in-1 HD | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Flexible HD-over-coax systems and mixed recorder environments. |
| M871-FP-61 | 3.7mm Flat Pinhole | 6-in-1 HD | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Multi-format covert video through thin concealment surfaces. |
| M871-CP-61 | 4.3mm Conical Pinhole | 6-in-1 HD | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Multi-format HD video through thicker concealment surfaces. |
| M871-ML-SDI | 3.6mm M12 Micro Lens | SDI | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Low-latency HD video over coax with a standard micro lens view. |
| M871-FP-SDI | 3.7mm Flat Pinhole | SDI | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Low-latency SDI covert video through thin panels or fabrics. |
| M871-CP-SDI | 4.3mm Conical Pinhole | SDI | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Low-latency HD covert video through thicker materials. |
| M871-ML-AL | 3.6mm M12 Micro Lens | Analog | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Legacy covert DVRs, simple composite video systems, and low-power deployments. |
| M871-FP-AL | 3.7mm Flat Pinhole | Analog | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Analog covert video through thin materials. |
| M871-CP-AL | 4.3mm Conical Pinhole | Analog | 30 x 30 x 29.3mm | Analog covert video through thicker concealments and custom housings. |
Specifications and available features vary by selected output format. Contact MAXSUR for help matching the correct M871 variant to your recorder, transmitter, concealment, or integration project.
Inline OSD Control
Select M871 configurations support detailed camera adjustment through an inline joystick controller. This allows integrators to access advanced camera settings while keeping the visible camera profile extremely small.
- Adjust exposure, image orientation, day/night behavior, and picture settings
- Fine-tune performance for difficult lighting conditions
- Keep the camera head compact while placing controls inline with the cabling
- Useful during bench testing, final concealment, and field setup
Inline Joystick
A compact control interface allows camera adjustment without increasing the size of the camera head.
Camera Menu
OSD menus help tune the camera for low light, backlight, color, exposure, and installation-specific needs.
Common Applications
Law Enforcement Investigations
Covert room video, temporary surveillance, vehicle deployments, evidence-gathering, undercover support, and custom concealments where standard cameras are too large or too obvious.
Corrections & Facility Security
Discreet monitoring in interview rooms, controlled spaces, evidence handling areas, sensitive access points, and custom fixtures.
Drones, Robotics & FPV
Compact FPV viewing, robotic inspection, custom payloads, and specialized platforms where camera size and weight are critical.
Custom Covert Systems
Integration into objects, housings, field kits, utility-style enclosures, hidden observation points, and rapid deployment surveillance systems.
Critical Infrastructure
Low-profile monitoring for telecom, utilities, substations, yards, remote facilities, and restricted access areas.
OEM & Large Volume Builds
For larger programs, MAXSUR can support custom case design, optics, video output, wiring, enclosure integration, and specialized camera builds.
Special Order & Custom Builds
MAXSUR can support specialized versions of the M871 Series for OEM programs, agency-specific concealments, custom enclosures, robotics, drone payloads, and large-volume deployments. Case design, optics, wiring, connectors, video outputs, and integration requirements can be reviewed with your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which M871 version should I choose?
Start with the video path. Choose IP for networked systems and PoE. Choose SDI for low-latency HD video over coax. Choose 6-in-1 HD when you need broad recorder compatibility. Choose analog for legacy CVBS recorders and simple covert DVR systems. Then select the lens style based on the concealment material.
What is the difference between micro lens, flat pinhole, and conical pinhole?
The micro lens is best when the camera has a direct viewing opening or small window. The flat pinhole lens is better for thin materials such as fabric, sheet metal, and cardboard. The conical pinhole lens is better for thicker concealments such as drywall, boxes, tool cases, and custom housings.
Are these cameras NDAA compliant?
Yes. The M871 Series is sourced from KT&C in South Korea and is positioned for NDAA-compliant public safety, defense, corrections, and critical infrastructure procurement.
Can MAXSUR customize these cameras?
Yes. For OEM, agency, and larger-volume projects, MAXSUR can help configure optics, wiring, output type, camera housing, concealment design, and complete system integration.
Need Help Selecting the Right Covert Camera?
MAXSUR can help match the M871 Series to your recorder, transmitter, enclosure, concealment, drone, robot, or field deployment requirement. For agency and government customers, we can also support broader covert video systems, rapid deployment kits, and custom surveillance solutions.
