Hikvision 4MP PTZ Speed Dome, 30 m White Light, AcuSense DS-2DE3A400BW-DE(Ceiling)(F1)(T5)

What this PTZ speed dome is for

A fixed camera sees one view all day. A PTZ camera can turn towards what matters, so one unit can cover a shop floor, a car park or an entrance in turn.

This Hikvision model suits commercial sites with someone able to use its controls, or with positions set up in advance. It can warn as well as watch, through its speaker and light.

How does it work?

• Moving without optical zoom: motors turn the head and tip it, while the 4 mm lens stays at a fixed width. Moving the view is the main job here, and zoom is digital.
• AcuSense: the name for deep learning that sorts what the camera sees into human and vehicle targets. Alarms can then be limited to those targets.
• Face capture: it detects faces in motion and picks out the clearest picture of each.
• 3D positioning: on a screen, click or draw around a spot and the camera moves to it.

Where to use it

The IP66 housing, -30 °C to 65 °C range and demist feature allow indoor and outdoor use. Keep it away from salt air and chemical plants, as those sites call for higher anti-corrosion levels.

The (Ceiling) in the part number marks this version of the camera, so check it matches the fixing point before ordering. As a rule, aim the lamp away from a neighbour's window.

What the figures mean in practice

• 4 mm lens: the view is a wide 88.7° across. Plan coverage on what sits within a moderate distance, as digital zoom adds no real detail.
• White light up to 30 m: on an unlit site the lamp sets the limit, so plan night coverage to that distance.
• Lux and aperture: lux measures light falling on a scene, AGC is automatic gain, and a lower aperture number lets in more light.
• 512 GB card: this is local storage for short gaps. 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: the camera is approx. 1.125 kg, so choose a solid fixing point. Movement shows up badly on a flexible mount.
• Set-up: configure it in a browser, using IE 10+, Chrome 57+, Firefox 52+ or Safari 12+.
• Surge: 6000 V 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 that shares one of the profiles below, plus a PoE switch or a 12 VDC supply. Up to 20 live views can run at once.

Anything outside the current view is missed while the camera looks elsewhere, so add fixed cameras where you need full-time coverage.

Standards and ratings explained

• IP66: dust tight, and protected against powerful jets of water.
• ONVIF Profile S, G and T: ONVIF is the Open Network Video Interface standard. S covers streaming, G covers on-device recording and T covers advanced video such as H.265.
• 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.