Hikvision Varifocal Cameras: The UK Installer's Motorised Lens Guide
Hikvision varifocal cameras let you set the field of view after the camera is on the wall — from the recorder, from a laptop or from your phone — instead of committing to a 2.8 mm or 4 mm fixed lens before you have seen the picture. This guide is for UK installers deciding when a motorised varifocal lens earns its premium over a fixed lens, which current Hikvision models carry one, how to read the DORI distances at each end of the zoom, and how to power and pair them on a K-series NVR or a Turbo HD DVR.
At a glance
Hikvision’s current motorised varifocal line-up splits into four groups. The compact G3 “point varifocal” turret DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY switches between 2.8 mm and 4 mm in one lens. The G2 AcuSense turrets DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS and DS-2CD2H86G2-IZS give a full 2.8–12 mm range with 40 m IR. The G3 Smart Hybrid Light bullets DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL (4 MP) and DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL (8 MP) add ColorVu, 60 m illumination, strobe and speaker. And the Turbo HD motorised range, led by the 4K DS-2CE19U1T-AIT3ZF, does the same job over existing coax. All are stocked in Leicester for same-day dispatch via netviewcctv.co.uk.
What is a Hikvision varifocal camera, and how is it different from a fixed lens?
A varifocal camera has a lens whose focal length can be changed after installation, so one camera covers the jobs of several fixed-lens models; on current Hikvision IP cameras that adjustment is motorised and made remotely, with the lens refocusing itself as you zoom. A fixed-lens camera — the 2.8 mm or 4 mm turret you fit by the hundred — gives you one angle of view and nothing else. If the doorway ends up too small in frame, your only fix is to move the camera or swap it.
Hikvision uses the letter Z in the model suffix to mark a motorised varifocal lens: -IZS on the G2 turrets and bullets, -LIZS on the Smart Hybrid Light G3 bullets, -IZ2UY on the G3 turret with dual microphones, and -ZF (auto-focus) on the Turbo HD analogue range. Older manual varifocal lenses, where you loosened a screw and twisted the barrel on the ladder, have effectively disappeared from the range — every varifocal Hikvision model we stock today is motor-driven.
The practical difference on site is time and revisits. With a fixed lens you survey, pick a focal length, fit it, then live with the result. With a motorised varifocal you fit the camera in the best physical position, then frame the scene from the NVR or the iVMS-4200 client in the van. When the customer later asks for a tighter view of the till or a wider view of the yard, it is a two-minute remote change rather than a chargeable visit.
Focal length, field of view and DORI: what does 2.8–12 mm actually buy you?
Zooming from 2.8 mm to 12 mm roughly triples the distance at which the same camera can identify a person, at the cost of narrowing the view from around 108° to around 30° horizontally. On the 4 MP DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS, Hikvision’s own datasheet puts the detection distance at 64 m wide and 190 m tele, and the identification distance at 6.4 m wide and 19 m tele (Hikvision DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS datasheet).
Those DORI figures come from IEC/EN 62676-4, which anchors the four tasks to pixel densities on the target: Detect at 25 px/m, Observe at 62.5 px/m, Recognise at 125 px/m and Identify at 250 px/m (JVSG, IEC/EN 62676-4). The important installer point is that DORI is a pixel-density figure, not a “how far can it see” figure. A 12 mm setting puts more pixels on a face at 15 m; it does not make the camera see further in the dark, because the IR or white-light range is fixed by the illuminator, not the lens.
| Model | Lens | Horizontal FOV | Detect (wide / tele) | Identify (wide / tele) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY (4 MP) | 2.8 / 4 mm two-position | 99.3° / 80.0° | 66.6 m / 79.2 m | 6.7 m / 7.9 m |
| DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS (4 MP) | 2.8–12 mm | 108° to 30° | 64.0 m / 190 m | 6.4 m / 19.0 m |
| DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL (4 MP) | 2.8–12 mm | 114.6° to 41.8° | 61.5 m / 151.7 m | 6.2 m / 15.1 m |
| DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL (8 MP) | 2.8–12 mm | 112.3° to 41.2° | 89.2 m / 220 m | 8.9 m / 22.0 m |
Figures are taken from the Hikvision datasheets for each model: the DS-2CD2346G3-IZ(2U)Y, the DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS linked above, the DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/S(L) and the DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/S(L). Note how the 8 MP bullet identifies at 22 m on tele where the 4 MP manages 15 m from the same lens — that is the resolution doing the work, and it is the single best argument for stepping up to 8 MP on a long driveway or car park.
DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY: the 2.8/4 mm “point varifocal” turret
The DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY is the answer to the question every installer asks on a domestic or small-commercial job: “2.8 or 4?” It puts both in one lens, motor-switched, so you can stock one turret instead of two. It is a 4 MP AcuSense turret with DarkFighter low-light performance, a 1/3” sensor at F1.6, 30 m IR, 130 dB WDR, a built-in dual-microphone array and a gigabit Ethernet port, and it draws a maximum of 9.5 W on 802.3af PoE (Hikvision datasheet).
| Specification | DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY(2.8/4mm) |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 4 MP, 2688 × 1520 at 25 fps |
| Lens | Motorised two-position, 2.8 mm (99.3°) or 4 mm (80.0°), F1.6 |
| Low light | 0.001 lux colour; 30 m smart IR |
| Analytics | AcuSense person/vehicle classification, line crossing, intrusion, region entry/exit, face capture |
| Audio | Two built-in microphones (the “2U” in the suffix) |
| Power | 802.3af PoE max 9.5 W, or 12 V DC max 8 W |
| Build | Metal, IP67, Ø138.3 × 115.4 mm, approx. 550 g |
It comes in white and in black (DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY/B), and if the site wants active deterrence there is the DS-2CD2346G3-IZS2UY/SL with strobe light, siren and speaker on the same two-position lens, plus the DS-2CD2346G3D-IZ2UY/SL variant. Because it only steps between two focal lengths rather than sweeping a full range, it is the lightest and cheapest motorised lens in the range — think of it as a fixed-lens turret with a second chance built in, not as a long-throw camera.
DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS and DS-2CD2H86G2-IZS: the G2 AcuSense 2.8–12 mm turrets
The G2 “H” turrets are the workhorse motorised varifocal cameras for commercial jobs where you need a full 2.8–12 mm sweep in a turret body rather than a bullet. The 4 MP DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS(2.8-12mm)(C) carries a 1/3” sensor at F1.4, 40 m IR, 120 dB WDR, an alarm input and output, line-in and line-out audio, and IP66/IK10 protection, drawing a maximum of 12.5 W on 802.3af PoE (Hikvision datasheet). It is a heavier camera than the fixed-lens G2 turrets at around 1,075 g, so use the proper wall mount rather than screwing straight to soffit board.
Above it in the same body sit the 6 MP DS-2CD2H66G2-IZS and the 8 MP (4K) DS-2CD2H86G2-IZS, both on the same 2.8–12 mm motorised lens. The 4 MP and 8 MP are also available in black (DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS black, DS-2CD2H86G2-IZS black) for dark-clad and heritage buildings. If you want the same G2 optics in a bullet, the black-bodied DS-2CD2646G2-IZS (4 MP) and DS-2CD2686G2-IZS (8 MP) are in stock; we now carry those two G2 bullets in black only, so for a white motorised bullet go straight to the G3 hybrid models below.
Where these earn their keep: a reception desk you want tight enough to identify faces at 8–10 m, a loading bay where the camera has to sit high and look down a long apron, or any job where the customer has not decided what they actually want to see yet. Set the lens wide on day one, then tighten it after a week of footage.
DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL and DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL: the G3 Smart Hybrid Light bullets
The G3 hybrid bullets are the premium motorised varifocal option, pairing a 2.8–12 mm lens with ColorVu 24/7 colour, a Smart Hybrid Light illuminator that switches between IR and white light, and built-in strobe, siren and two-way audio. The 4 MP DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL uses a large 1/1.8” sensor at F1.2, is rated to 0.0005 lux in colour, lights up to 60 m, delivers 130 dB WDR, carries two alarm inputs and two outputs, and is IP67, IK10 and NEMA 4X anti-corrosion rated (Hikvision datasheet). The 8 MP DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL keeps the same lens, sensor size and illuminator, records 3840 × 2160 at 25 fps, adds electronic image stabilisation and distortion correction, and pushes detection to 220 m on tele (Hikvision datasheet).
| Specification | DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL | DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 4 MP, 2688 × 1520 | 8 MP, 3840 × 2160 |
| Sensor / aperture | 1/1.8”, F1.2 | 1/1.8”, F1.2 |
| Min. illumination (colour) | 0.0005 lux | 0.001 lux |
| Illumination | IR + white light, up to 60 m | IR + white light, up to 60 m |
| Deterrence / audio | Strobe, 120 dB speaker, dual mic, 2 in / 2 out alarm | Strobe, 120 dB speaker, dual mic, 2 in / 2 out alarm |
| Power | 802.3at PoE+, max 18 W | 802.3at PoE+, max 18 W |
| Protection | IP67, IK10, NEMA 4X | IP67, IK10, NEMA 4X |
Both come in black as well as white (DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL black, DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL black), and if the site does not want the speaker and microphones there are the quieter DS-2CD2647G3-LIZSY and DS-2CD2687G3-LIZSY versions with alarm I/O only. For the wider ColorVu and Smart Hybrid Light background, see our Hikvision ColorVu complete guide.
Which Hikvision varifocal camera for which job?
Pick the lens family by throw distance and lighting first, then the body style and resolution. The table below is how we spec them across the trade counter.
| Site | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic front, side return, small shop | DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY | 2.8 or 4 mm chosen remotely, dual mic, 9.5 W, one SKU on the van |
| Reception, loading bay, high-mounted turret | DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS / DS-2CD2H86G2-IZS | Full 2.8–12 mm sweep, 40 m IR, alarm I/O, IK10 turret body |
| Car park, driveway, yard needing colour at night | DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL / DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL | ColorVu, 60 m hybrid light, strobe and speaker, 220 m detection on 8 MP tele |
| Existing coax, no rewire budget | DS-2CE19U1T-AIT3ZF / DS-2CE79U1T-IT3ZF | 4K motorised 2.7–13.5 mm over Turbo HD, zoom from the DVR |
| Indoor dome, retail or corridor | DS-2CD2747G2HT-LIZS | 4 MP Smart Hybrid ColorVu motorised dome, discreet low-profile housing |
| Entrance face capture | iDS-2CD7546G0-IZHS | DeepinView motorised 2.8–12 mm with on-camera face capture |
If you are still choosing between fixed and varifocal, or between AcuSense and ColorVu families more broadly, start with the Hikvision camera buyer’s guide and the AcuSense vs ColorVu comparison.
Dome and DeepinView varifocal options
Two further motorised varifocal cameras cover the indoor and analytics-led jobs. The DS-2CD2747G2HT-LIZS(eF) is a 4 MP Smart Hybrid Light ColorVu dome with a motorised 2.8–12 mm lens, the natural pick where a bullet or turret is too visually intrusive — retail floors, corridors, receptions with a design-conscious client. The iDS-2CD7546G0-IZHS is a 4 MP DeepinView camera with the same motorised lens range and on-camera face capture; the motorised lens matters here because face capture depends on getting the pixel density right at the choke point, and being able to tighten the framing remotely after watching real footfall is worth more than any spec-sheet number. Our DeepinView guide covers what those analytics need from the NVR.
Turbo HD motorised varifocal: 4K zoom over existing coax
You do not need IP to get a motorised varifocal lens. Hikvision’s Turbo HD range includes motorised auto-focus models that are zoomed and focused from the DVR over the coax itself, which makes them the obvious upgrade for a site with sound RG59 in the walls and a customer who will not pay for a rewire. The DS-2CE19U1T-AIT3ZF is the 4K (3840 × 2160) bullet in that family, with a 2.7–13.5 mm motorised lens covering 108.1° to 45.6° horizontally, 80 m EXIR illumination, IP67 protection and a maximum draw of 8.6 W; the lens refocuses automatically whenever you zoom, and the output is switchable between TVI, AHD, CVI and CVBS (Hikvision DS-2CE19U1T-IT3ZF datasheet). Remember that 8 MP over TVI runs at 12.5 or 15 fps, not 25 — a limit of the analogue format rather than the camera.
Alongside it we stock the 4K turret DS-2CE79U1T-IT3ZF, the 5 MP ultra-low-light DS-2CE79H8T-AIT3ZF turret and DS-2CE59H8T-AVPIT3ZF vandal dome, and the 5 MP power-over-coax DS-2CE5AH0T-VPIT3ZE(C) dome for jobs where even the 12 V feed is a problem. Pair them with an AcuSense DVR such as the 8-channel iDS-7208HUHI-M1/XT, and use the DVR’s PTZ control menu to drive the zoom over coax (Hikvision-C protocol). Our AcuSense DVR guide covers which recorder supports which resolution.
Power budget: why the G3 hybrid bullets need PoE+
A motorised varifocal camera draws more than its fixed-lens sibling, and the hybrid-light G3 bullets cross from 802.3af into 802.3at territory: the DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY tops out at 9.5 W and the DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS at 12.5 W on standard 802.3af PoE, but both the DS-2CD2647G3-LIZS2UY/SL and DS-2CD2687G3-LIZS2UY/SL are Class 4 devices rated at a maximum of 18 W and require an 802.3at (PoE+) port, per the datasheets cited above. That figure includes the white light and speaker running together, which is exactly when you need the camera not to brown out.
In practice this means checking two things before you order. First, that every port you plan to use on the switch or the NVR’s built-in PoE is 802.3at-capable — check the recorder’s own datasheet for both the per-port standard and the total PoE budget, because that budget is shared and four 18 W bullets on a small NVR eats most of it. Second, that the total across all cameras fits the switch budget with headroom. A Hi-PoE switch such as the 8-port DS-3E0310HP-E gives you the per-port headroom and long-reach ports for the bullets at the far end of a car park. Our Hikvision PoE switch guide walks through budget arithmetic in full.
How to set up a motorised varifocal lens on site
Fit the camera wide, activate it, then zoom and focus from the recorder or client once the scene is in front of you — never on the ladder. The steps below are the order we use.
- Mount for the widest likely view. Position the camera so that at 2.8 mm it covers everything the customer could ever ask for. You can always tighten; you can never widen past the lens.
- Use the right bracket. The G2 turret is around 1 kg and the G3 bullets over 1.5 kg with a long body. A DS-1280ZJ-S junction box under a bullet keeps the cable joint dry and gives the motor drive a rigid platform, which matters for repeatable focus.
- Activate and add to the NVR. Set the admin password, add the camera to the recorder or through the iVMS-4200 client, and confirm firmware is current before touching the lens.
- Zoom in the PTZ panel. On the NVR live view or in the web interface, the motorised lens appears under PTZ control: zoom in and out, then use the one-touch focus button. Let the auto-focus settle before judging sharpness.
- Check the frame against the DORI target. Stand a colleague at the identification point — the till, the gate, the door — and confirm a face is genuinely identifiable at that zoom setting on playback, not just live.
- Re-focus after dark. Motorised lenses can shift focus slightly when the IR or white light switches in. Revisit the focus in night mode once, then leave it. On Turbo HD models do the same from the DVR’s PTZ menu.
Hand the customer the Hik-Connect app at the end, but leave the PTZ control disabled for their account: a customer casually zooming the camera into the wrong corner is the most common reason we see a varifocal camera “stop working”.
Pairing varifocal cameras with a Hikvision NVR
Any current AcuSense K-series NVR will drive the motorised lens on these cameras natively, so pick the recorder by channel count and PoE budget rather than by lens support. For a domestic or small-shop job on the DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY, the 4-channel DS-7604NXI-K1/4P(D) is enough. For a mixed commercial site with a couple of G3 hybrid bullets, step up to the 8-channel DS-7608NXI-K1/8P(D)/Alarm or the 16-channel DS-7616NXI-K2/16P(D), and check the recorder’s published PoE budget against the 18 W per bullet worked out above. The Hikvision NVR buyer’s guide and the CCTV storage guide cover channel counts and hard-drive sizing; the only varifocal-specific point on storage is that a tighter zoom on a busy scene generally produces a higher bitrate than a wide, static one, so size the drive on the tele setting, not the wide one.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Hikvision varifocal camera worth the extra cost over a fixed lens?
On any job where you are not certain of the framing, yes. The premium is usually less than the cost of one return visit to swap a 2.8 mm for a 4 mm, and the ability to tighten the view later is a genuine selling point to the customer.
Can I zoom a Hikvision varifocal camera from my phone?
Yes. On Hik-Connect the motorised lens appears under the PTZ control on the live view, provided the account has PTZ permission. We recommend leaving that permission off for customer accounts and keeping it for the installer login.
Does zooming to 12 mm make the IR reach further?
No. The IR or white-light range is fixed by the illuminator — 40 m on the DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS, 60 m on the G3 hybrid bullets. Zooming puts more pixels on the subject inside that lit range; it does not extend the range.
What is the difference between DS-2CD2346G3-IZ2UY and DS-2CD2H46G2-IZS?
The 2346G3 is a compact turret that steps between two fixed positions, 2.8 mm and 4 mm, with dual microphones and a 30 m IR range. The 2H46G2 sweeps continuously from 2.8 to 12 mm with 40 m IR and alarm I/O. Choose the first for domestic and small-commercial, the second where you need real reach.
Do the G3 hybrid bullets work on a standard PoE switch?
They need an 802.3at (PoE+) port; the datasheet maximum is 18 W. On an older 802.3af-only switch they may boot but drop out when the white light and speaker fire together.
Can I get a motorised varifocal lens on an analogue system?
Yes. The Turbo HD DS-2CE19U1T-AIT3ZF (4K bullet), DS-2CE79U1T-IT3ZF (4K turret) and the 5 MP DS-2CE79H8T-AIT3ZF and DS-2CE59H8T-AVPIT3ZF are all motorised 2.7–13.5 mm and are zoomed from a Hikvision DVR over the coax.
Speccing a varifocal job?
Netview is an authorised Hikvision UK wholesaler based in Leicester, holding the G2 and G3 motorised varifocal turrets, bullets and Turbo HD models for same-day dispatch. Browse the range or send us the site details and we will put the bill of materials together — at netviewcctv.co.uk.
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