Hikvision 2MP Ultra Low Light Turret Camera, 2.8 mm DS-2CE72D8T-IT3FS(2.8mm)

What this turret camera is for

Plenty of premises still have good coaxial cable in the walls. This Hikvision turret camera gives those systems a full HD picture without a move to a network camera.

It suits a homeowner or small business with a DVR (digital video recorder), and the installer upgrading one camera position at a time. A turret camera has a ball-style lens unit in a base, with no dome cover over it.

How the camera's technology works

• Ultra Low Light: the wide F1.0 aperture lets more light reach the 2 MP sensor, which helps the picture in dim scenes.
• Night vision: its IR (infrared) light gives a black and white night picture.
• 3D DNR: noise reduction compares frames to remove grain.
• BLC and HLC: backlight compensation lifts a subject against a bright background. Highlight compensation tames glare such as car headlights.
• TVI, AHD, CVI and CVBS: four ways of sending video down coaxial cable. CVBS is the older standard-definition signal, and the other three carry HD.

Where to use it

The IP67 rating and the -40 °C to 60 °C range cover outdoor walls and soffits in UK weather, and it works just as well indoors. Common spots are entrances, side passages and yards.

The 2.8 mm lens has a wide view, so it covers the area close to the camera better than anything far away.

What the figures mean in practice

• 2 MP at 1080p: enough detail for a general overview of a small area. Mount closer where you need to see faces clearly.
• IR up to 40 m: this is how far the camera's light reaches. Recognising someone needs them to be far closer than that.
• WDR: this balances bright and dark parts of a picture, which helps where a doorway faces a bright street.
• 0.0005 Lux @ (F1.0, AGC ON): lux measures light falling on a scene, and this is a very low figure. Real results vary with AGC, the camera's automatic gain, and the scene.
• Privacy masks and motion areas: four of each let you block a neighbour's window and limit motion detection to the parts of the view that matter.

Installing it

• Video cable: one coaxial run carries both picture and sound to the recorder, so an existing run can often be reused if it is in good condition.
• Power: the camera takes a separate 12 VDC supply, so run one to each position.
• Fixings by code: as well as the optional wall and pole mounts, the options also include the DS-1276ZJ-SUS corner mount, the DS-1281ZJ-S inclined ceiling mount and the DS-1280ZJ-S junction box.
• Aiming: the three-axis adjustment lets you level the picture on a sloped soffit or a side wall.

Planning your system

To record the built-in mic, the recorder must also accept audio over coaxial cable, so read its specification first. For HD, it also needs to take 1080p on the signal you choose.

Add any mount the wall or ceiling calls for. Recording happens at the recorder.

Ratings explained

• IP67: dust tight, and protected against temporary immersion in water.
• PAL and NTSC: the two older regional video systems. PAL is the UK one, which is why 25 fps is the frame rate to set here.