Motorized Vari-focal Lens

This camera has a Motorized Varifocal Lens.

Surveillance cameras have two types of lenses, fixed and varifocal. A fixed lens is just that - fixed at a specific viewing angle / level of zoom. A motorized vari-focal lens gives you the ability to zoom in or out and adjust the viewing angle to exactly what you want. Just like a pair of binoculars, the wider your angle of view the more of the scene that you can see, and the more narrow the angle of view, the more magnified and clear everything appears.

For a visual on what a Varifocal Lenses can do, please consult our Knowledge Base Article on Varifocal Security Cameras For additional reading, you may also consult our Knowledge Base Article on Digital and Optical Zoom

You can adjusted the level of optical zoom from the NVR or camera interface and any our apps.

*Motorized Vari-focal do not pan or tilt, they can only zoom and focus. Specialty security cameras that allow you to adjust the angle of view and level of zoom remotely are known as PTZ cameras.

IK10 - The Highest Rating for Physical Damage Protection

This camera has achieved a rating of IK10.

IK10 is the highest measurement rating for protection from physical damage for security camera products using the international standard IEC 62262 scale. IK10 is the highest rating possible, and this camera should be protect against many human-based forms of destructive vandalism.

Most security camera manufacturer and retailers use an image of a hammer hitting a camera as a way to explain vandal proof ratings. This can be misleading.

Please don't misunderstand the scale and think that IK10 cameras are indestructible. We're happy to have gotten the highest rating possible, but want to make sure that we're not creating unrealistic expectations.

There's no ability to make a product that can never be damaged, and hitting any security camera with a hammer will almost always damage it. Technically, IK10 means that it is has survived a 20 joules impact repeated 5 times with no damage to function, in a lab and under normal environmental settings. As a point of reference, a baseball bat swing from a professional MLB player, in a normal horizontal stance, with a wooden bat, causes about a 200 joules impact on the ball. A metal bat or metal hammer has the ability to transfer even more energy if the contact area is smaller.

Although our camera has the highest rating possible, the IK10 standard isn't really as high as these "IK10 hammer" images make them appear. IK10 camera are not bomb proof, or bullet-proof, or hammer proof. No matter what other companies put on their images, if you hit their products or ours (or really anything made of glass) with a hammer or baseball bat, you probably are going to break the glass and get hurt.

Wide Dynamic Range (WDR)

This IP camera has Wide Dynamic Range.

Wide Dynamic Range splits each frame/image into many boxes and it scans for in inaccuracies and adds the right amount exposure to create a balanced and high resolution video shot. Very useful when recording in situations where there can be a large difference in light levels.

Seeing in shadows: Understanding WDR

MicroSD Card Slot

This camera supports MicroSD for onboard storage.

MicroSD cards allow for storage on a standalone camera or for backup. Backup footage is a good idea for cameras that are on the network, not plugged in directly to an NVR, especially any cameras operated over wireless links.

SCW recommends high endurance MicroSD cards. MicroSD card is not included. For maximum supported size card, check the specs tab.

MicroSD cards are a less reliable form of storage than NVRs and we do not recommend they be used as a substitute for an NVR.

Bitrate 4K, 20 FPS

At 4K (8MP) and 20 FPS, while recording at H.265, this camera should use 4Mbps of the NVR's bitrate budget. (With H.264, it should use 8Mbps).

Did you know: The processor in an NVR has both an incoming and outgoing bitrate. Incoming is for recording video and outgoing is for watching it remotely. All of our NVRs have at least 5Mbps per channel in incoming bitrate, and many models can have extra bitrate. Your NVR's spare incoming bitrate is what determines if it can record channels at higher-than-1080P resolution, use specialty panoramic cameras, or many other things (see individual NVR models).

Larger Image Sensor for Superior Low Light Performance

This camera has a 0.37 inch image sensor, which is larger than most competing products. (The industry typically uses 0.33 inch image sensors.)

A larger image sensor allows more light to be absorbed, allowing the camera to take color photos as it gets darker, (a lower lux rating). Lux is the measurement of light in an atmosphere. Twilight is about 3.4 lux. A full moon is somewhere between 0.05 and 0.36 lux, depending on cloud cover. A moonless night is somewhere around 0.001 to 0.002 depending on cloud cover. Adding lighting like flood lights, night lights, or streetlights will increase lux in your area.

This camera can take a color photo all the way down to 0.02 lux (much of the industry can only take a color photo at 1 lux), but that may require some adjustments to your shutter settings...

Lux is a complicated subjective measurement, so please read our knowledge base article on why why lux ratings are useless for brand A to Brand B comparisons, but great for comparisons within a brand..

Audio In / Outs

This camera has both an input and output for a microphone and speaker.

To connect an external speaker and microphone, just twist the speaker wire / microphone wire together in the same way that you connect speaker wire for a stereo. There are four wires in total; two for each connection, a sound channel and a grounding wire. The wires are labeled.

Audio and Alarm Inputs FAQ and Sample Wiring Guide

Weatherproof Housing

This camera has a Weatherproof Housing.

It has been rated at IP67 which means that International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) international standard 60529 has rated this camera housing as having full protection from dust and safe from water damage up to powerful jets of water and immersion up to 1 meter up to 30 minutes.

This camera can be safely used outdoors.

Attention: The IP67 rating covers the camera's housing not the cable. Don't ever submerge cables. Please follow our RJ45 Waterproofing Guide for weatherizing your cable connections.