Hikvision DS-2DF8425IXG1-ELWY 4MP Outdoor PTZ Camera, 25× Optical, 400m IR

Who this is for

For the installer. 40 W on Hi-PoE or 36 VDC — and note there is no AC input, which is a change from the older 5-inch domes and a common mis-quote. At 8 kg and Ø 266 × 410 mm this is a serious lump on a mast: the bracket is not included, so add DS-1276ZJ, DS-4612ZJ-WAAC or DS-4603ZJ-WAAC to the order. NEMA 4X puts it in Hikvision's moderate anti-corrosion class, which is what makes it viable within a couple of kilometres of the coast or on an acid-rain-exposed industrial site. Heater and wiper are fitted; the wiper is the reason this one keeps working through a wet winter at 400 m when a plain dome does not. For ANPR, the plate reading is specified for checkpoint scenarios — a controlled approach — not for reading plates at random across an open car park.

For the end user. Four hundred metres of infrared is the number that separates this from everything else here: in total darkness it sees roughly four times as far as a 100 m camera. Add 25× zoom on a larger 1/1.8" sensor and it will pick a person out at the far end of a site that would otherwise need a line of cameras and a cable route to match. It also reads number plates — better than 98% accurate on a controlled approach, across more than 124 countries' plate formats, with a blocklist and allowlist of up to 10,000 vehicles, so it can flag a known vehicle automatically. The gyroscope-assisted stabilisation matters more than it sounds: at 400 m and full zoom, a mast moving in the wind is enough to make footage unusable, and this corrects for it.

Buying this in the UK

ANPR is the part that carries the most UK obligation. Number plates are personal data, so an ANPR deployment needs a documented lawful basis, a data protection impact assessment in most cases, a defined retention period and signage — the ICO treats it as more intrusive than ordinary CCTV, and enforcement on car park ANPR has been active. Get that documented before commissioning rather than after. On the physical side, the NEMA 4X rating is the reason this model appears on coastal and industrial specifications where a standard dome corrodes within a couple of seasons. WME supplies the security and electrical trade from Birmingham and has done since 1975.

Common questions

How far does it really see at night? Infrared reaches 400 m. For a formal specification, the EN 62676-4 identification distance at full tele is 203.4 m and recognition is 406.9 m.

Is this an ANPR camera? It is a long-range PTZ camera that supports ANPR. Plate recognition runs at ≥98% in checkpoint scenarios, at up to 120 km/h on a front installation. If ANPR is the only requirement, a dedicated fixed ANPR camera on a defined lane is usually the better tool; this one earns its place where you want long-range surveillance and plate reading from one unit.

What power does it need? 36 VDC or Hi-PoE, maximum 40 W on either. There is no 24 VAC input on this model.

Is a bracket included? No. DS-1276ZJ, DS-4612ZJ-WAAC and DS-4603ZJ-WAAC are available as options and one must be ordered separately.

What does NEMA 4X mean here? It is an anti-corrosion classification. Hikvision rates this model as moderate protection, intended for coastal areas around two kilometres from the shore and for sites affected by acid rain — a step above the standard domes in this range.