Buying guide · 9 min read
The complete guide
to Hikvision CCTV.
Hikvision is the most widely installed professional CCTV platform in the UK. That means a huge range, confusing model numbers and a lot of half-right advice online. This is the version from people who survey, fit and support it.
What Hikvision actually is
Hikvision makes cameras, recorders (NVRs and DVRs), the Hik-Connect app, and the analytics that run on them. In the UK it's sold through distributors to installers; the same cameras appear under several ranges at different price points, which is where the confusion starts.
The ranges, in plain English
| Range | Who it's for | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| HiLook | Budget homes, small shops | Hikvision's value brand. Same app, simpler cameras. See Hikvision vs HiLook. |
| Value / Turbo HD | Coax upgrades | Analogue-over-coax HD for reusing existing cable. Cheaper cameras, fewer analytics. |
| Pro / EasyIP (IP) | Most homes and SMEs | Where ColorVu and AcuSense live. This is what we specify for most jobs. |
| Ultra / DeepinView | Commercial, ANPR, people counting | Higher-end analytics and specialist cameras — plate capture, PTZ, thermal. |
The two technologies that matter
ColorVu keeps footage in full colour at night using a wide-aperture lens, a large sensor and a soft white light. Instead of a grey infrared silhouette you get clothing colour, vehicle colour and detail — see what ColorVu is.
AcuSense is Hikvision's on-camera AI. It classifies a moving object as a person or a vehicle and only alerts on those, so you stop being notified about cats, rain and headlights — see what AcuSense is. Many current cameras have both; the choice is usually about where colour matters most — ColorVu vs AcuSense.
Resolution: 4MP or 8MP?
8MP (4K) is the difference between a shape and a face at typical driveway distances; 4MP is fine for secondary positions. It also roughly doubles storage. We cover it properly in 4MP vs 8MP.
The recorder
Every IP system needs an NVR: it powers the cameras over PoE, records locally and serves the app. Channel count, PoE budget, drive bays and whether it supports AcuSense are what matter — NVR buying guide and storage guide.
The app
Hik-Connect gives you live view, playback, alerts with snapshots and sharing to family or staff. Set up properly it's excellent; set up badly it's the reason people turn notifications off within a week — how Hik-Connect works.
What to avoid
- Grey-import cameras from marketplaces: no UK warranty, sometimes region-locked firmware.
- 1080p 'kits' sold as professional systems.
- Infrared everywhere. Put colour where identification matters.
- Wireless IP cameras on a house with decent walls — PoE is more reliable and only slightly more to install.
4K ColorVu turrets on the drive and front approach, 4MP AcuSense on side and rear, an AcuSense NVR with 30-day storage, Hik-Connect on every phone with per-camera detection zones drawn. Fixed price after a free survey.
Your property decides. Not the logo.
Questions
Good to know.
Is Hikvision a good brand?
For most UK homes and businesses, yes — widest range, strong night performance, mature app. Where another platform suits the site better, we say so.
Is Hikvision banned in the UK?
There are restrictions on use at certain sensitive government sites. There is no restriction on private homes or businesses installing it.
Can I buy Hikvision and install it myself?
You can. Getting camera height, angles, PoE budgets, detection zones and app set-up right is what you're paying an installer for — and what determines whether the footage is usable.