Hikvision DS-2CE72KF3T ColorVu Turret Camera 5MP 2.8mm

Model: DS-2CE72KF3T-LS

Who This Is For

When full-colour night imaging on a tight budget is the priority, the Hikvision DS-2CE72KF3T ColorVu Turret Camera is a practical answer for residential and small commercial installs alike. The 2.8mm fixed lens gives a wide field of view suited to driveways, front entries, carports, and side gates - positions where you need to capture faces and vehicle plates approaching a property rather than reaching across long distances. The 5MP 1/1.8" 3K CMOS sensor delivers sharp detail during the day, while the white light illuminator pushes usable colour imagery to 40 metres after dark without the greenish monochrome of a standard IR camera. The IP67 housing handles direct weather exposure on eaves and soffits without issue. Installers fitting out a detached home, duplex, or small retail shopfront who want colour footage around the clock - not just during daylight - will find this a straightforward, well-specified option at its price point.

What This Camera Actually Does

Who Buys This Model

• Residential installers: Fitting cameras to detached homes or duplexes where the owner wants colour night footage at driveways and front entries, not just greyscale IR images.
• Small retail and cafe operators: Covering a shopfront or outdoor seating area where identifying clothing colour or vehicle type in after-hours incidents is a practical requirement.
• Body corporate managers: Specifying shared entry points, car parks, and bin areas in low-rise apartment complexes where a compact weatherproof turret profile is preferred over a visible bullet camera.
• Childcare and education facilities: Installing at outdoor play area exits and building perimeters where IP67 durability and full-colour footage support both incident documentation and duty-of-care requirements.

Honest Assessment

The DS-2CE72KF3T does what most outdoor residential and small commercial installs actually need - 5MP colour imaging around the clock, a wide field of view from the 2.8mm lens, and a weatherproof housing that holds up to Australian outdoor conditions. The 40-metre white light range is a genuine advantage over standard IR-only units at this price, and the 3K sensor gives enough detail for useful post-incident review. WDR handles the high-contrast lighting that catches cheaper cameras out at entry points. Available through Security Australia, this model suits installs where the primary goal is colour identification rather than long-range or specialist detection. It will not perform the AI-based object classification (person vs vehicle filtering) found on IPC network camera lines, so expect standard motion-based alerts rather than smart event filtering. If your site has long perimeter approaches exceeding 40 metres, a bullet camera with extended IR reach would serve the distance requirement better.

Before You Buy

Quick Fit Check

• Good match if: You are running a coaxial DVR system and need full-colour night footage at a driveway, front entry, or car park where subjects will be within 40 metres of the camera.
• Good match if: Your install requires a compact outdoor turret profile - on an eave soffit or wall bracket - with IP67 weatherproofing and adjustable pan, tilt, and rotation for precise aiming during commissioning.
• You may need a different model if: You are building an IP network camera system using PoE - this is an analogue HD camera and requires a DVR with analogue inputs, not an NVR. A Hikvision IP turret from the network camera range would be the correct product type for that infrastructure.

Key Features & Technical Specifications

Real-World Scenarios

How It Compares

• Choose this if: You are running an analogue HD DVR system and need full-colour night footage from a compact outdoor turret with 5MP resolution and a wide 2.8mm field of view.
• You may need a different model if: Your site uses a PoE IP network infrastructure - this camera outputs analogue HD signal over coax and cannot connect to an NVR. An IP turret camera with PoE would be the appropriate product type for that setup.
• Pairs well with: A Hikvision-compatible analogue HD DVR with 5MP channel support and a hard drive sized to your desired retention period.

Common Questions

1. Does this camera record in colour at night or does it switch to black and white?

   It records in colour at night. The DS-2CE72KF3T uses Hikvision's ColorVu white light illuminator rather than a traditional infrared emitter, so the camera never switches to greyscale. The white light projects up to 40 metres and the 1/1.8" 3K CMOS sensor captures full-colour footage in very low ambient light conditions.

2. Will this camera work with my existing DVR?

   It depends on your DVR's supported input formats and resolution. This camera outputs HDTVI, HDCVI, AHD, and CVBS signals. Your DVR must support at least one of these formats at 5MP resolution to use the full image quality. Check your DVR's specification sheet for the maximum supported resolution per channel before purchasing.

3. Can I connect this camera to an NVR using a PoE switch?

   No. This is an analogue HD camera that connects via coaxial cable to a DVR - it does not have a network interface and cannot connect to a PoE switch or NVR. If your install uses Cat5e/Cat6 cabling and an IP NVR, you would need a network IP camera instead.

4. Does this camera support AI detection - person vs vehicle filtering?

   No. The DS-2CE72KF3T uses standard motion detection, not AI-based object classification. It will trigger on motion events but cannot distinguish between a person, a vehicle, or a branch moving in the wind. AI-based smart event detection (person and vehicle classification) is a feature of Hikvision's IP camera range with AcuSense technology, not this analogue model. The team at Security Australia can help identify the right IP camera if smart detection is a requirement.

5. How far away can this camera realistically identify a face or read a number plate?

   For face identification, expect a reliable range of 6-10 metres with the 2.8mm lens. Number plate readability depends on approach angle and vehicle speed, but the 2.8mm wide-angle view is better suited to capturing the presence and colour of a vehicle than achieving ANPR-grade plate reads at distance. If plate reading at 10+ metres is the primary goal, a longer focal length lens (6mm or 8mm) on a higher-resolution camera would be more effective.

6. Will the white light illuminator disturb neighbours or people near the camera?

   Yes, it is visible. Unlike infrared illuminators which are invisible to the naked eye, the ColorVu white light emits a visible warm glow when active. In most outdoor security installs this is acceptable - the visible light can also act as a deterrent. If a discreet or non-intrusive night setup is a priority, an IR-only camera would be more appropriate for that environment.

7. Does the IP67 rating mean this camera can be installed in direct rain exposure?

   Yes. IP67 covers full protection against dust ingress and resistance to water immersion up to 1 metre for 30 minutes, which exceeds what a typical outdoor eave or wall mount position would encounter. Direct rain, garden hose splash, and coastal humidity are all within the rated tolerance of this housing.

Downloads & Resources

No downloads available for this product.