Hikvision ColorVu Integrated Visible Light Cameras Examined

Author: IPVM Team, Published on Jun 22, 2018

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.

**** ** ***** ** *** *****, ******** ***** *** ****** the ******* ******** ** ************. *** ** ** ******* ** monochrome ******, ****** ****** ********** ** ***********.

********* *** *************** (*** **** **** *******), * **** ****** ****** ***** ** ********** ***-***** ***** images *** ***** ***** *** ********** *********.

***, ********* ** ****** * ***-**** ******, *********** ******* ***** LEDs **** ***** ******* ** *** *** ******* ******, ******** 'round-the-clock ***** ***** ******'.

Hikvision ColorVu Camera

** **** ***** ** *******? ***** ** *** ********* ***** meeting, ** ******* *** ******* ****, *** ********* *******, **** and **** ******.

[***************]

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

******* **** ***** ***** ************ (**** **) ** * *********** model, ***** ***** ******* ***** **** *****.

********* ***** **** *** ******* ***** ************ *** ** ******** controlled (**/***, ** ******, ********* ********* ***** - **%, **%, etc.)

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

********* *** **** ********* *** ***** ********* ** ***** ******:

  • **.* ******:******* **** ** ******** **** ****** **** ********* ** *** as **.*. ******* ***-**** ****** *** ********* **.*, *.*, ** 2.0, ******** **** **** *****.
  • ******** *****:********* ****** **** ****** **** *** ****-********** ******** *** *****-*** dispersion ******* ***** ** ***** ** *** **** ** ***** and ***** *****.

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

******* ******* *** **** ** *********'* ***-******** ** *.* ************** *.* *** ****, **** ******** ** ***** ******** ** ** ****.

*******

********* **** ******* **** ** ****** ** * ****** ******* to ******** *********** ******* (** *** **% *****). ** ****, we ***** ****** ***** ***** ***** ** ****** ** *** $300 *****.

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

**** ******* ******** ** ****** ** **** ***** ************ ************. This ******** ******* ******** **** *** *** ****** *** *** people ** *** ******'* ****.

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

*** ***** ********* *** ******* ** *** **** *** ******* light ******** ** ** ** ***. ** ********** **** ** IR ************, ********** ***** **** ******, ************ *** ***** ****** in *** ******, ************ ********, *** **** ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** ****, ****** ********* ********* ** ***.

**** ** *********'* *** ***** **** *****, *** ***** ** the ***** ** **** ****** ****** *** *** ******* ****** out:

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

*** ****** ******* ** *** ********** ** ******** ** *** be ** ***** ***/** ********* ** **** ***** ************ ** all *****. ******* *********** **** * *********** ******** ** ********* frowned ** ** ** **** ******* *** ********* ** **** municipalities.

**** *** ** ********** **** ** ******* ************ *** ******** focused, ********* ******* ************ ********. *******, ** ************ *** **** diffuse *** *** ***** * ******* ******* ** ******* ******* lights, ***** *** ** **** ****** ** ****** ***** *******.

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

******, **** ***** *** **** **** ********** ******* ******** ** a ******** *******, ********* ** ********* ***-**** *** ** *** lighting ** * ********* ** ***** *** * *** ** make ****** **** **** *********** ******* ** ** **** ** night.

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

*** **** ******* *********** ***** ***** *********** ****** ******'* ***-******, * ***** ****** **** *****-** ***** ***** *** ** illuminators. *******, *** *****'* ***** ***** **** *** ******** *** event ***, *** **** ****, *.*., ********* ** ********* **** a ******* **********. ************, *** ****** ***** *** ~$*,*** ***, while *** ******* **** **** ** *** **** *********.

Worth ******

** ********* ***** **** ** ***** ******. * - ** years ***, **** ******* ****** ** ************ ** ******* *** a *** **** *** *** ** ** *********** ************ ****** all *************. ***** ** * *********** **** **** *** ****** here.

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

***** ** ****** ********* ******** *** ********, ** ** **** to ********* *** *********** **** *** ***** ** ****. ** plan ** ** ** **** **** *** ********.

Vote / ****

Comments (18)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

06/22/18 02:29pm

* ***** *** ********** **** * *********** ******** ** ************. I ** *** ***** *** ******* ***** ***** ****. *** cheap **** ********* ** *** * *** ****** *** **** to ******* *** ***** *** ****. ***** ***** ***** **** like * ****** **** ********* ***** ** ***** ** *********... but ** **** *** **** ******** ********* ******.

Michael Miller

06/22/18 03:11pm

**** *** ***** ****** ** ***** ****** ******.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Michael Miller | 06/22/18 03:15pm

*******,

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

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

*** **** ******* *********** ***** ***** *********** ****** ******'* ***-******, * ***** ****** **** *****-** ***** ***** *** ** illuminators. *******, *** *****'* ***** ***** **** *** ******** *** event ***, *** **** ****, *.*., ********* ** ********* **** a ******* **********. ************, *** ****** ***** *** ~$*,*** ***, while *** ******* **** **** ** *** **** *********.

Michael Miller

In reply to John Honovich | 06/22/18 03:23pm

* *** **** ***... ***** ****** ** ** *****.

Thumbnail photo

Vincent Tong

In reply to Michael Miller | 06/22/18 04:54pm

** **** ** **** ********* **** **** **** ** *** 420tvl ****** ****. *** ******* ****** **** *** ** **** a *** ** *** ********* *** ****** *** ******* **** the ****** ***** **** ***** * ***** *** ** *** bought *** ******* ** ****.

******* **** ** **** *** ******* ******* (******) **** *** IR **** ** ********* ****** **** *** ***** *** ***** go **/*** ********** ******* ** ***** ********** ** *** ***

Undisclosed #2

06/22/18 04:51pm

**** ***** *** ** *** ****** ** *******/**********?

**** **** *** ***/***** ********** ****** ****?

Undisclosed Integrator #3

06/22/18 10:01pm

* *** **** ** *** ****, ***** *** * ***** I ***'* ****** **** *** ******* **** ** ***'** ** cameras....

* ******* **** ** ** *** ** ** **** ****** ********* ***** **** *** ******* "**********."

* ***** **** ***** ****** **** ********* ** **** ******* manufacturers * **** ******* *** ******** ****.

*** *********** * ***** *** **** ** ****** ********. ***** not ** **** *** *** ****.

******* ***** *** ********** ******* **** *** ****** ******? **** deterrence?

Undisclosed End User #4

06/22/18 10:52pm

**'* ** ********** ** * ****** ** ******** *********** ***** white ******.

Thumbnail vlad

Vlad Craciunescu

06/24/18 09:45am

* **** *** **** ... ** *** *** ** **** have **** ******* ********** ** ********* ***** **** **** ***** light ********* **** ***** ** ****** *** * ****** ** scenarios.

*** *** ***** ** **** *** ****** ** ** **** with ** **** ** **** *** *** *** **** *** WL **** ** *. ************* ****** ** ***** ****** *** 2. ****** ********** ** * **** *** *** ****** **** scenarios ( * **** *** **** ** ***** ******* ** Milestone ****** ) . * ** **** *** *** ******* on * ********** *** * ***** * ** ***** **** already.

* ******** **** *** ********* * ***** ******* **** **** had ***** ***** **** ?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Vlad Craciunescu | 06/24/18 10:57am

* ******** **** *** ********* * ***** ******* **** **** had ***** ***** **** ?

****, ***,****'* ***** (*** *** ****). ** *** ******* *** (*** *********) ** ** ** positioned ** *** **** *** ** *** ****** ***** ********* ColorVu ** ********** ** *** *** *** / **** *****.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 06/24/18 11:27pm

*’* *** **** *’** *** ***** ** **** ***. * guess ** *** **** ***** *****, **** **** **** *** cost **** ** ****** ******** **. *** *’** ***** ******* this *** ****** ******. * ***** ********.

Undisclosed Integrator #5

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 06/25/18 02:06pm

*'* ******** **** **** ** **** ********. ****** ******* ***** was * *** *** ** ***** ** *** *********...

**** *** *** ******** ***** ** - *****'* **** **** a ******* ** ****. *'* **** ** *** ** *** lights *** ****** ** *** ********* *** ********* ***** ******** that *** ** ***. ** **** *** ** ***** ********* - **** ****** ***** **** **** **** ****.

*** ********* ** ***** **** *** ****** ***** ** ******** operated **** *** **** *** ****, ** ***** - **** is ******** * ****** ***** *******.

Thumbnail vlad

Vlad Craciunescu

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 06/25/18 05:56pm

**** :

- ** ********* ***** **** ****** ****** ** ***** ** to **** ** **** ** *** ****** ******* ***** * nuisance , ** ***** **** *** ****** ** * **** sensor ***** ******* *** ********

- *** ***** **** ** ***** **** ** * **** of ************* ******** ** ***** , *********** *** ****** ********* from * *** *****

- *****, ** ********* ***** ** ****** ** *** ****** than *** ***** *** ** ***** ** ***** ** * guy ** **** ***** ***** ** ***** ** **** ** the ***** , ****** ***&****** *** ** ** *** **** use ** * ***** *********

- ** ****** ************ * ***** *** ********* **** ***** be ******. ** * ****** **** ** ***** ** ** alarm ( ********* ? ) **** **-** ****** ** *** area *** ******* ** *** ******** *** **** .... ****** nice

**** * **** ** *** ** ***** *** **** *** so *** *** ****** ******** **** *** **** * *** non-security **** **** . *** ***** , ** ******* ********** well, ***** *** ** ** ***** ******** ** ** ******* who ** **** ***** ** *** * **** ******** **** of ******* .

Undisclosed Integrator #6

06/25/18 08:30pm

***** ******* ** ***** ** *** ****** ** ************. ***** is ** **** ******** **** ** ** ********** **** *** can *** * ******* ** ****** ******* **** **'* ******* all *****, **** ** **** **'* ******* *** ***** *** the ******** ** ********** *** **. ******** ** ** **** more ********* **** *** *** ******* ****-********** * **** ** unable ** **** ****** ** ******** ** ******** *********** ** what *** **** ** *******, ** ***** *** **** **** wrong *********** *** *** ****** **** ** *** ******* ******* the ******** *********** *****'* *****.

* ******** ** ************ ** ** ***** ************ *** **** purpose. * **** ****** **** ****** **** ****** ** ***** into ** ******* *** *** ** **** *** ****** **** white. ** *** **** * *** ******* *** *** *** of *** ***** ** *** **** ****** *** ****** *** I **** ***** ** ***. * *** ***** ** **** an ********** *** ******* *** *********** ****** ** *** ******* all *****. ** ** **** *** **** ***?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #6 | 06/25/18 09:25pm

***** ******* ** ***** ** *** ****** ** ************.

****'* * **** *****. *** ****, ****** ***** ****** **. It's **** * ******** ** **** *** ********* ** ********** color ** *****. ** **** *****, ** **** ** ******.

Undisclosed Integrator #6

In reply to John Honovich | 06/25/18 10:02pm

**********, *** **** *** ********** ** **-** ***** ** **** be ******** ** *** ****** ** ** ******* ** ***** wondering *** ** **** *** **.

Thumbnail headshot

Clint Hays

Intelligent Security Systems - ISS | 07/02/18 01:57pm

*'** *** ******** *********** ***** ******** ** ******** ** * deterrent ******* ****** ******* ******* **** */* *** ***** ******** to *** ***** ** ** *********** **** **** * ****** to ***** *******. ***** **** ** *** ****** ******** **** logic ** * **** ********** ** *** ********** **** *** be **** **** **.

*** *******, **** **** **, ** *** ******** *** ******* with ***** ****. *** **** ******* *** ***** ** ****** low **** *******, *** ********* **** ****** ***** ****** ***** light ** ********.

John Honovich

IPVM | 07/08/18 01:17pm

*** **** * ******** ***** ******* ********* *** ***** ***** and *******:

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