Hikvision 6MP CCTV Dome Camera, AcuSense, 2.8 mm, Black DS-2CD2566G2-IS(2.8mm)(C)(BLACK)

What this Hikvision dome camera is for

A camera over a shop door or a side entrance has to stay out of the way and be hard to knock out of position. A low, dark dome does both, and this Hikvision model pairs that with alerts aimed at the right targets.

It can suit a homeowner or business with dark exterior finishes, and an installer wiring a new network system. A mini dome camera keeps its lens under a clear cover, on a short, wide base.

How the camera's technology works

• AcuSense: Hikvision's name for this kind of deep learning. Software trained on examples sorts what it sees into people and vehicles, so alarms can be limited to those targets.
• Powered by DarkFighter: Hikvision's label for the camera's low-light performance. An F1.6 aperture sets how much light reaches the sensor.
• Infrared: IR lights the scene at night without a bright visible beam. An IR cut filter moves to suit the conditions, and you can set day, night, auto or a schedule.
• H.265+: a video compression method that needs less bandwidth and storage than older formats for a similar picture.

Where to use it

The -30 °C to 60 °C working range and aluminium base suit outdoor soffits and walls, as well as indoor spaces such as shops and offices.

The 2.8 mm lens has a wide view, so it suits areas a few metres from the camera. The far end of a long drive will show much less detail.

What the figures mean in practice

• DORI distances: DORI stands for detect, observe, recognise and identify. Plan on 7 m where you need to identify a stranger, and treat 76 m only as seeing that something moved.
• Close limit: focus holds from 1.8 m outwards, so faces directly under the camera may not be sharp.
• Alarm output: it is rated max. 12 VDC, 30 mA, so check the current of anything connected to it.
• Polygon masks: four shaped privacy masks let you hide a neighbour's window or garden.

Installing it

• Power budget: a PoE switch port needs to supply Class 3, one of the PoE power levels. Allow max. 7 W for this camera when adding up the switch's load.
• 12 VDC adapter: it takes a 5.5 mm coaxial power plug with reverse polarity protection, which guards the camera if the supply is wired the wrong way round.
• Colour-matched fixings: Choose accessories in the same colour as the camera. Options include the DS-1276ZJ-SUS (Black) corner mount and DS-1271ZJ-120 (Black) pendant mount.
• Set-up: use plug-in free live view in Chrome 57.0+, Firefox 52.0+ or Edge 89+, or the iVMS-4200 client.

Planning your system

A recorder is optional for small jobs, because the camera can save to a memory card or to a NAS (network attached storage) drive.

For longer retention, add a network video recorder that shares one of the profiles below, plus hard drives sized for how many days you want to keep.

Standards and ratings explained

• IP67: dust tight, and protected against temporary immersion in water.
• IK8: the impact rating under IEC 62262, also written as IK08.
• Profiles S, G and T: parts of the Open Network Video Interface standard. Profile S covers streaming, G covers on-device recording and T covers advanced video such as H.265.
• EN 50130-4: an immunity standard for alarm equipment, covering electrical interference.