Over the last couple of weeks, you may have seen a couple of threads here at the forum discussing new Hybrid Light cameras from Hikvision. The information we had on these cameras initially was quite vague but with the help of Hikvision Support we now have a bit of a better understanding of this new range, below is an explanation of the features supported by these new cameras.
The main unique feature of this new range of cameras is the Smart Hybrid Light Technology, previously with the AcuSense & ColorVu range you had the choice of either IR LEDs for Black & White images at night or White Light LEDs for Colour images at night. This new technology allows these new models to use both IR & White Light LEDs to achieve 3 different night modes:
IR Mode - In this mode, the camera simply operates like a standard AcuSense camera with the IR LEDs coming on when it is dark enough and staying on all night to capture a black & white image.
Smart Mode - This is the special mode, when configured in smart mode the camera uses both IR & White Light LEDs. This mode works in conjunction with having a smart event set so that when there is no activity in the event area the camera will stay in IR/B&W mode, then when something does trigger the event the camera will switch to White Light/Colour mode, and finally when the event is over the camera switches back to IR mode.
White Light Mode (default mode) - In this mode, the camera works like a standard ColorVu model with the White Light LED coming on when it is dark enough (we don't currently know whether this mode on these new models will support the "white light on event" feature that is available from some of the current ColorVu models).
The technical advantage of the Smart Mode is that it should reduce bandwidth & storage usage because capturing all the colour detail in the Colour Mode uses much more data/storage than the grey scale of the IR mode, so by using this mode you should get the detail & clarity of the colour mode without it using as much bandwidth & storage.
The other practical advantage of the Smart Mode is that it should allow users with very dark scenes (e.g. no ambient street or security lights) to utilise the ColorVu Technology. previously, we had not recommended using ColorVu cameras in very dark scenes because even with the camera's advanced sensor & lens the image will still be very dark without using the camera's white light all the time. Also, for some residential/small business users having the white light on all the time is going to be impractical.
With the Smart Mode, you can pick up details in the scene that don't trigger the smart event because the camera stays in the very clear B&W IR mode, whilst also still being able to pick up good colour detail when the smart event is triggered (and the white light only stays on as long as the event is triggered).
Alongside the Hybrid Light feature, there is another hardware improvement to these new cameras that helps maintain the image quality & focus when switching between IR & Colour modes, this improvement is called Super Confocal Technology. Super Confocal means the cameras are upgraded with a Low Dispersion Lens which reduces the separation that happens when different light wavelengths pass through the camera's lens, see the below diagram:
What this means is that when the camera's infrared light passes through the lens it can disperse/refract at a different angle to the visible light and this can cause the IR/B&W image at night to look out of focus. By introducing the Low Dispersion Lens Hikvision has reduced this issue and so the focus shouldn't change as much when switching between colour & IR modes.
Smart Hybrid Light
The main unique feature of this new range of cameras is the Smart Hybrid Light Technology, previously with the AcuSense & ColorVu range you had the choice of either IR LEDs for Black & White images at night or White Light LEDs for Colour images at night. This new technology allows these new models to use both IR & White Light LEDs to achieve 3 different night modes:
IR Mode - In this mode, the camera simply operates like a standard AcuSense camera with the IR LEDs coming on when it is dark enough and staying on all night to capture a black & white image.
Smart Mode - This is the special mode, when configured in smart mode the camera uses both IR & White Light LEDs. This mode works in conjunction with having a smart event set so that when there is no activity in the event area the camera will stay in IR/B&W mode, then when something does trigger the event the camera will switch to White Light/Colour mode, and finally when the event is over the camera switches back to IR mode.
White Light Mode (default mode) - In this mode, the camera works like a standard ColorVu model with the White Light LED coming on when it is dark enough (we don't currently know whether this mode on these new models will support the "white light on event" feature that is available from some of the current ColorVu models).
What is the advantage of using Hybrid Light?
The technical advantage of the Smart Mode is that it should reduce bandwidth & storage usage because capturing all the colour detail in the Colour Mode uses much more data/storage than the grey scale of the IR mode, so by using this mode you should get the detail & clarity of the colour mode without it using as much bandwidth & storage.
The other practical advantage of the Smart Mode is that it should allow users with very dark scenes (e.g. no ambient street or security lights) to utilise the ColorVu Technology. previously, we had not recommended using ColorVu cameras in very dark scenes because even with the camera's advanced sensor & lens the image will still be very dark without using the camera's white light all the time. Also, for some residential/small business users having the white light on all the time is going to be impractical.
With the Smart Mode, you can pick up details in the scene that don't trigger the smart event because the camera stays in the very clear B&W IR mode, whilst also still being able to pick up good colour detail when the smart event is triggered (and the white light only stays on as long as the event is triggered).
Super Confocal Technology
Alongside the Hybrid Light feature, there is another hardware improvement to these new cameras that helps maintain the image quality & focus when switching between IR & Colour modes, this improvement is called Super Confocal Technology. Super Confocal means the cameras are upgraded with a Low Dispersion Lens which reduces the separation that happens when different light wavelengths pass through the camera's lens, see the below diagram:
Available Models
Below are the first wave of ColorVu Hybrid Light models that Hikvision has announced (we will add product page hyperlinks when pages are created & stock is available)
H = Hybrid Light
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DS-2CD23x7G2H-LIUaaaaaaaaaDS-2CD27x7G2HT-LIZS
DS-2CD26x7G2HT-LIZS
FYI - we have ordered a small initial stock order of the above 2087G2 & 2387G2 models in both focal lengths, this stock should hopefully be arriving at the end of May. We expect Hikvision's European and UK warehouses to build their stocks from June onwards (05/05/23)
Below are the first wave of ColorVu Hybrid Light models that Hikvision has announced (we will add product page hyperlinks when pages are created & stock is available)
H = Hybrid Light
DS-2CD20x7G2H-LIUaaaaaaaaaaDS-2CD2Tx7G2H-LI
DS-2CD23x7G2H-LIUaaaaaaaaaDS-2CD27x7G2HT-LIZS
DS-2CD26x7G2HT-LIZS
FYI - we have ordered a small initial stock order of the above 2087G2 & 2387G2 models in both focal lengths, this stock should hopefully be arriving at the end of May. We expect Hikvision's European and UK warehouses to build their stocks from June onwards (05/05/23)
