Hikvision ColorVu Integrated Visible Light Cameras Examined

Published Jun 22, 2018 11:02 AM

UPDATE: Hikvision ColorVu Camera Tested

When it comes to low light, infrared light has become the defacto standard in surveillance. But IR is limited to monochrome images, making colors impossible to distinguish.

Hikvision has the DarkfighterX (see IPVM test results), a dual imager camera aimed at delivering low-light color images but those units are relatively expensive.

Now, Hikvision is adding a low-cost option, integrating visible light LEDs into their cameras in the new ColorVu series, claiming 'round-the-clock vivid color images'.

Hikvision ColorVu Camera

Is this smart or foolish? Based on our Hikvision IFSEC meeting, we examine the ColorVu line, its potential outlook, pros and cons inside.

Visible ***** **** + ***********

******* **** ***** ***** ************ (**** IR) ** * *********** *****, ***** below ******* ***** **** *****.

********* ***** **** *** ******* ***** illuminators *** ** ******** ********** (**/***, on ******, ********* ********* ***** - 15%, **%, ***.)

Other ************: ***** *-****/***** ******** *****

********* *** **** ********* *** ***** additions ** ***** ******:

  • **.* ******:******* **** ** ******** **** ****** with ********* ** *** ** **.*. Typical ***-**** ****** *** ********* **.*, 1.6, ** *.*, ******** **** **** light.
  • ******** *****:********* ****** **** ****** **** *** anti-reflection ******** *** *****-*** ********** ******* glass ** ***** ** *** **** on ***** *** ***** *****.

************

******* ******* *** **** ** *********'* low-cost**** ** *.* ************** *.* *** ****, **** ******** ** ***** ******** in ** ****.

*******

********* **** ******* **** ** ****** at * ****** ******* ** ******** Darkfighter ******* (** *** **% *****). As ****, ** ***** ****** ***** focal ***** ** ****** ** *** $300 *****.

Big ******* - **** ******* ********

**** ******* ******** ** ****** ** many ***** ************ ************. **** ******** visible ******** **** *** *** ****** and *** ****** ** *** ******'* area.

Challenge: ****** ***** ********

*** ***** ********* *** ******* ** how **** *** ******* ***** ******** is ** ** ***. ** ********** seen ** ** ************, ********** ***** cost ******, ************ *** ***** ****** in *** ******, ************ ********, *** dark ** *** ***** ** *** field ** ****, ****** ********* ********* to ***.

**** ** *********'* *** ***** **** video, *** ***** ** *** ***** of **** ****** ****** *** *** subject ****** ***:

Challenge: **** **********

*** ****** ******* ** *** ********** or ******** ** *** ** ** users ***/** ********* ** **** ***** illuminators ** *** *****. ******* *********** onto * *********** ******** ** ********* frowned ** ** ** **** ******* for ********* ** **** **************.

**** *** ** ********** **** ** ColorVu ************ *** ******** *******, ********* harsher ************ ********. *******, ** ************ are **** ******* *** *** ***** a ******* ******* ** ******* ******* lights, ***** *** ** **** ****** to ****** ***** *******.

Benefit: ******** ** **********

******, **** ***** *** **** **** integrated ******* ******** ** * ******** benefit, ********* ** ********* ***-**** *** to *** ******** ** * ********* to ***** *** * *** ** make ****** **** **** *********** ******* in ** **** ** *****.

Other ***** ***** *******

*** **** ******* *********** ***** ***** illuminator ****** ******'* ***-******, * ***** ****** **** *****-** white ***** *** ** ************. *******, the *****'* ***** ***** **** *** intended *** ***** ***, *** **** time, *.*., ********* ** ********* **** a ******* **********. ************, *** ****** sells *** ~$*,*** ***, ***** *** ColorVu **** **** ** *** **** expensive.

Worth ******

** ********* ***** **** ** ***** trying. * - ** ***** ***, many ******* ****** ** ************ ** cameras *** * *** **** *** now ** ** *********** ************ ****** all *************. ***** ** * *********** that **** *** ****** ****.

Test ***********

***** ** ****** ********* ******** *** concerns, ** ** **** ** ********* how *********** **** *** ***** ** test. ** **** ** ** ** when **** *** ********.

Vote / ****

Comments (18)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jun 22, 2018

* ***** *** ********** **** * significant ******** ** ************.  * ** not ***** *** ******* ***** ***** well.  *** ***** **** ********* ** was * *** ****** *** **** to ******* *** ***** *** ****.  White ***** ***** **** **** * garage **** ********* ***** ** ***** of *********... *** ** **** *** some ******** ********* ******.

(1)
MM
Michael Miller
Jun 22, 2018

**** *** ***** ****** ** ***** ****** camera.

(2)
JH
John Honovich
Jun 22, 2018
IPVM

*******,

**** *** **** *****, ***** * quote / **** ********:

Other ***** ***** *******

*** **** ******* *********** ***** ***** illuminator ****** ** ****'* ***-******, * ***** ****** **** *****-** white ***** *** ** ************. *******, the *****'* ***** ***** **** *** intended *** ***** ***, *** **** time, *.*., ********* ** ********* **** a ******* **********. ************, *** ****** sells *** ~$*,*** ***, ***** *** ColorVu **** **** ** *** **** expensive.

MM
Michael Miller
Jun 22, 2018

* *** **** ***... ***** ****** on ** *****. 

Avatar
Vincent Tong
Jun 22, 2018

** **** ** **** ********* **** that **** ** *** ****** ****** days.  *** ******* ****** **** *** we **** * *** ** *** beginning *** ****** *** ******* **** the ****** ***** **** ***** * while *** ** *** ****** *** product ** ****.

******* **** ** **** *** ******* changes (******) **** *** ** **** on ********* ****** **** *** ***** LED ***** ** **/*** ********** ******* it ***** ********** ** *** *** 

 

U
Undisclosed #2
Jun 22, 2018
IPVMU Certified

**** ***** *** ** *** ****** be *******/**********?

**** **** *** ***/***** ********** ****** upon?

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jun 22, 2018

* *** **** ** *** ****, there *** * ***** * ***'* recall **** *** ******* **** ** add'on ** *******....

* ******* **** ** ** *** ** to **** ****** ********* ***** **** *** ******* "**********."

* ***** **** ***** ****** **** prevalent ** **** ******* ************* * know ******* *** ******** ****.

*** *********** * ***** *** **** as ****** ********.  ***** *** ** much *** *** ****.  

******* ***** *** ********** ******* **** and ****** ******?  **** **********?

UE
Undisclosed End User #4
Jun 22, 2018

**'* ** ********** ** * ****** ** European *********** ***** ***** ******.

Avatar
Vlad Craciunescu
Jun 24, 2018
RST

* **** *** **** ... ** ONE *** ** **** **** **** cameras ********** ** ********* ***** **** ALSO ***** ***** ********* **** ***** be ****** *** * ****** ** scenarios.

*** *** ***** ** **** *** camera ** ** **** **** ** only ** **** *** *** *** that *** ** **** ** *. automatically ****** ** ***** ****** *** 2. ****** ********** ** * **** VMS *** ****** **** ********* ( I **** *** **** ** ***** cameras ** ********* ****** ) . I ** **** *** *** ******* on * ********** *** * ***** 2 ** ***** **** *******.

* ******** **** *** ********* * super ******* **** **** *** ***** light **** ?

 

JH
John Honovich
Jun 24, 2018
IPVM

* ******** **** *** ********* * super ******* **** **** *** ***** light **** ?

****, ***,****'* ***** (*** *** ****). ** *** ******* *** (*** analytics) ** ** ** ********** ** the **** *** ** *** ****** while ********* ******* ** ********** ** the *** *** / **** *****.

Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
Jun 24, 2018
Pro Focus LLC

*’* *** **** *’** *** ***** of **** ***. * ***** ** you **** ***** *****, **** **** keep *** **** **** ** ****** external **. *** *’** ***** ******* this *** ****** ******. * ***** modestly.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Jun 25, 2018

*'* ******** **** **** ** **** syndrome. ****** ******* ***** *** * use *** ** ***** ** *** available...

**** *** *** ******** ***** ** - *****'* **** **** * ******* of ****. *'* **** ** *** if *** ****** *** ****** ** the ********* *** ********* ***** ******** that *** ** ***. ** **** can ** ***** ********* - **** really ***** **** **** **** ****.

*** ********* ** ***** **** *** lights ***** ** ******** ******** **** the **** *** ****, ** ***** - **** ** ******** * ****** handy *******.

(2)
(1)
Avatar
Vlad Craciunescu
Jun 25, 2018
RST

**** :

- ** ********* ***** **** ****** enough ** ***** ** ** **** to **** ** *** ****** ******* being * ******** , ** ***** turn *** ****** ** * **** sensor ***** ******* *** ********

- *** ***** **** ** ***** them ** * **** ** ************* lighting ** ***** , *********** *** easily ********* **** * *** *****

- *****, ** ********* ***** ** decent ** *** ****** **** *** could *** ** ***** ** ***** is * *** ** **** ***** porch ** ***** ** **** ** the ***** , ****** ***&****** *** it ** *** **** *** ** a ***** ********* 

- ** ****** ************ * ***** the ********* **** ***** ** ******. In * ****** **** ** ***** is ** ***** ( ********* ? ) **** **-** ****** ** *** area *** ******* ** *** ******** the **** .... ****** **** 

**** * **** ** *** ** there *** **** *** ** *** but ****** ******** **** *** **** a *** ***-******** **** **** . All ***** , ** ******* ********** well, ***** *** ** ** ***** welcomed ** ** ******* *** ** most ***** ** *** * **** Security **** ** ******* . 

 

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #6
Jun 25, 2018

***** ******* ** ***** ** *** future ** ************. ***** ** ** much ******** **** ** ** ********** that *** *** *** * ******* on ****** ******* **** **'* ******* all *****, **** ** **** **'* wearing *** ***** *** *** ******** is ********** *** **. ******** ** is **** **** ********* **** *** and ******* ****-********** * **** ** unable ** **** ****** ** ******** an ******** *********** ** **** *** perp ** *******, ** ***** *** give **** ***** *********** *** *** police **** ** *** ******* ******* the ******** *********** *****'* *****.

* ******** ** ************ ** ** house ************ *** **** *******. * once ****** **** ****** **** ****** to ***** **** ** ******* *** the ** **** *** ****** **** white. ** *** **** * *** dressed *** *** *** ** *** house ** *** **** ****** *** corner *** * **** ***** ** him. * *** ***** ** **** an ********** *** ******* *** *********** except ** *** ******* *** *****. So ** **** *** **** ***?

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Jun 25, 2018
IPVM

***** ******* ** ***** ** *** future ** ************.

****'* * **** *****. *** ****, people ***** ****** **. **'* **** a ******** ** **** *** ********* of ********** ***** ** *****. ** some *****, ** **** ** ******.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #6
Jun 25, 2018

**********, *** **** *** ********** ** 10-20 ***** ** **** ** ******** at *** ****** ** ** ******* of ***** ********* *** ** **** got **.

Avatar
Clint Hays
Jul 02, 2018
Genetec

*'** *** ******** *********** ***** ******** on ******** ** * ********* ******* either ******* ******* **** */* *** relay ******** ** *** ***** ** an *********** **** **** * ****** to ***** *******. ***** **** ** add ****** ******** **** ***** ** a **** ********** ** *** ********** what *** ** **** **** **.

 

*** *******, **** **** **, ** hot ******** *** ******* **** ***** LEDs. *** **** ******* *** ***** to ****** *** **** *******, *** hopefully **** ****** ***** ****** ***** light ** ********.

JH
John Honovich
Jul 08, 2018
IPVM