Hikvision 4MP 25x PTZ Camera, 100 m IR, AcuSense DS-2DE4425IW-DE(T5)

What this PTZ camera is for

One fixed camera can see a wide area or a small detail, but not both at once. A PTZ camera handles that by moving and zooming, one view at a time, so one unit can watch a car park, a road or a site boundary.

This Hikvision PTZ camera suits commercial sites and public spaces with someone able to use its controls, or with routes set up in advance.

How does a PTZ camera work?

Motors turn the head and tip it up and down, while the lens zooms. You can steer it live, or store positions and let it run on its own.

• AcuSense: Hikvision's name for deep learning that picks out people and vehicles. Alarms can be limited to those targets, which can improve alarm efficiency.
• DarkFighter: Hikvision's low-light technology. It keeps a colour picture down to 0.005 Lux @ (F1.6, AGC ON), before IR is needed. Lux measures light on a scene, and AGC is automatic gain. F1.6 is the aperture, and a lower number lets in more light.
• 3D positioning: on a screen, click or draw around a spot and the camera moves and zooms to it.

Where to use it

It is an outdoor camera. The IP66 housing and the -30 °C to 65 °C range handle hard UK weather, and a heater and demist feature help keep the view clear.

Keep it away from salt air and chemical plants, as those sites call for higher anti-corrosion levels.

What the figures mean in practice

• 25× optical zoom: the lens runs from 4.8 mm to 120 mm, so the view closes from a wide 55° to a tight 2.4°. At full zoom you see detail, but only a small slice of the scene.
• 16× digital zoom: this enlarges the image in software and adds no real detail, so rely on the optical figure.
• 240 m to identify: DORI stands for detect, observe, recognise and identify, and this is a calculated figure at full zoom under EN 62676-4. Real results depend on light, weather and how steady the mount is.
• IR (infrared) up to 100 m: on an unlit site the camera's own light sets the limit, so plan night coverage to that distance and not the daytime zoom figures.
• Patrols and pattern scans: with 8 patrols and 4 pattern scans, the camera can walk a route of stored views while nobody is watching. Anything outside the current view is missed, so add fixed cameras where you need full-time coverage.
• 256 GB card: at the top 16,384 kbps rate this is about a day and a half of constant recording. Treat it as a backup to a recorder.

Installing it

• Power budget: the PoE port needs 802.3at, sometimes called PoE+, which is a higher class than the 802.3af many older switches give.
• Weight and height: the camera is about 2 kg and 290 mm tall, so choose a solid fixing point. Mounts on a tall pole need to resist sway, as movement shows up badly at full zoom.
• Accessories by code: Optional accessories include the DS-1604ZJ, DS-1604ZJ-box, DS-1604ZJ-corner and DS-1604ZJ-pole. Check that each code suits your surface.
• Set-up: configure it in a browser, or through iVMS-4200 or HikCentral Pro.
• Surge: TVS 6000V lightning protection helps absorb voltage spikes on the unit itself. Consider protection on long outdoor runs.

Planning your system

Plan for a network video recorder, or a video management system such as HikCentral Pro, and an 802.3at switch or 12 VDC supply. The alarm input and output can link to other equipment, so check the ratings in the camera's manual before wiring.

Alarm events can trigger a preset, patrol or pattern scan, so the camera can turn towards a door when its contact opens, once wired and set up. Line crossing and intrusion events can also trigger a PTZ action, such as a preset.

Standards and ratings explained

• IP66: dust tight, and protected against powerful jets of water.
• ONVIF Profiles S, G and T: ONVIF is the Open Network Video Interface standard for mixing network devices. S covers streaming, G covers on-device recording and T covers advanced video such as H.265.
• EN 62676-4: the video surveillance standard whose criteria set the DORI distances.
• ISAPI, SDK and ISUP: Hikvision's own routes for connecting software and management platforms to the camera.
• Hik-Connect: Hikvision's app for viewing cameras remotely.