Description
A security camera earns its place on one question: can you identify what happened, or only that something happened? Most budget cameras answer the second question and stop there. The Nightwatch AC500 answers the first, with a 3K sensor running a 16:9 frame at 3072 by 1728 pixels, which is enough resolution to read a face at a gate and a plate on a driveway rather than merely proving that a shape moved through the frame.
The imaging chain is built for the hours when crime actually happens. A 1/3-inch progressive scan CMOS sensor pairs with a 2.8mm lens for a wide, natural field of view, and 3D digital noise reduction with 120dB wide dynamic range keeps a backlit doorway readable instead of turning the visitor into a silhouette. Smart dual-light switching means the camera runs in infrared until it detects a subject, then brings up white light for a colour image. H.265+ compression is what makes all of this affordable to store: the same retention window takes roughly half the disk space of H.264.
Detection is where the unit separates itself from a motion-only camera. Motion detection 2.0 classifies people and vehicles rather than reacting to every passing cat or shifting branch, so a week of footage contains events instead of thousands of clips of a hedge. A built-in microphone captures audio at the camera rather than at the recorder. On the storage side there is an on-board slot for up to 256GB, so the camera records without a network video recorder, and PoE means a single cable carries both power and data if your switch supports it.
The housing is rated IP67, which is the rating that covers driving rain and dust rather than a decorative splash claim. Mounting is a side, wall or normal fit, and the turret body can be aimed without dismantling the base. For a small site, four of these on PoE cover a whole perimeter from one switch.
Footage that cannot identify anyone is a recording of an event you already knew about.
Key Features
- 3K resolution at 16:9 3072 by 1728 pixels, framed for modern displays so nothing is cropped away at the edges.
- Smart dual-light Infrared for surveillance, white light for colour identification when a subject is detected.
- Human and vehicle detection Motion detection 2.0 filters out foliage, pets and rain so the alert list stays usable.
- H.265+ compression Roughly halves storage and bandwidth against H.264 at the same quality.
- 120dB WDR with 3D DNR Handles a bright doorway against a dark interior without washing out either side.
- Built-in microphone Audio captured at the camera, useful when the recorder sits indoors.
- IP67 turret housing Rated for driving rain and dust, with a body that can be aimed after mounting.
- PoE or 12V DC One cable for power and data on a PoE switch, or a conventional 12V feed.
Technical Specifications
- Sensor: 1/3-inch progressive scan CMOS
- Maximum resolution: 3K, 3072 by 1728, 16:9 aspect ratio
- Lens: 2.8mm fixed, single lens
- Frame rate: 20fps at 3072 by 1728, 25fps at 1080p
- Compression: H.265+ and H.265
- Night vision: Smart dual-light, IR plus white light
- Image enhancement: 3D DNR, 120dB WDR
- Audio: Built-in microphone
- Storage: On-board slot up to 256GB, NVR optional
- Power: PoE or DC 12V
- Weather rating: IP67
- Connectivity: RJ45 Ethernet
Where It Belongs
This is the camera for a front gate, a side alley, a shop entrance or a small warehouse perimeter where the point of the footage is identification. It suits a homeowner replacing a 2MP camera that could only prove someone walked past, and a small business running four to eight cameras on a PoE switch without wanting to buy a proprietary recorder. It also suits retrofit work, since the 12V option lets it drop onto existing cabling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can it record without an NVR?
A: Yes. There is an on-board slot for a card up to 256GB, so the camera records locally and you review footage through the app. An NVR or PoE recorder adds centralised storage and longer retention.
Q: What cable do I need for PoE?
A: Standard Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet to a PoE switch or injector. The camera draws well within 802.3af budgets, so a basic PoE switch is enough.
Q: Does the white light stay on all night?
A: No. It comes up when a subject is detected, which keeps the image in colour at the moment that matters without lighting the yard permanently. The behaviour is configurable.
Q: How much storage does H.265+ save?
A: Expect roughly half the space of H.264 at equivalent quality. On a 256GB card that usually means several weeks of event-based recording for a typical domestic scene.
Q: Will it work with a third-party NVR?
A: Yes, over standard RTSP and ONVIF, which is what most recorders expect. Check that your recorder supports H.265 before enabling the higher compression profile.
Q: What is the field of view with a 2.8mm lens?
A: Roughly 100 degrees horizontally, which covers a driveway or shopfront from a single corner mount. A narrower lens would identify further but leave blind spots.
Q: Is audio recording legal where I live?
A: Rules differ by country and by whether the camera covers a public area. Check local regulation before enabling audio, since video-only operation is a single setting change.
The EastSupplier Promise
Every unit ships from inspected stock held by our own team, not from a blind dropship queue. Orders placed before 3pm warehouse time leave the same working day, and each parcel carries a tracking number you can follow from dispatch to doorstep. If a unit arrives damaged or does not match this listing, we replace or refund it inside 30 days.
- Stock checked daily: the inventory figure on this page is live, not a placeholder.
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