Product Overview
Mounted under an eave, on a soffit, or along a building perimeter, the Axis M3138-LVE brings 4K resolution and a wide 126-degree horizontal field of view to outdoor turret installations where detailed coverage over a broad scene is a priority. This outdoor-rated turret camera captures video at 3840×2160 using a 1/1.8-inch progressive scan sensor with a fixed 3.7 mm, F2.0 IR-corrected lens, making it well suited to entrances, car parks, loading areas, and courtyard surveillance where a single camera position needs to cover a wide arc without introducing visual blind spots. Featuring Axis Lightfinder 2.0 and Forensic WDR, it handles challenging lighting conditions including backlit scenes and low-light environments with 0 lux IR performance up to approximately 20 metres. It also integrates Axis Edge Vault hardware-rooted cybersecurity rated to FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and CC EAL6+, a built-in heater for cold-climate operation down to minus 30 degrees Celsius, and an IP66, IK08, NEMA 4X-rated enclosure built for year-round outdoor exposure.
Key Capabilities
4K Ultra HD Resolution
The M3138-LVE records at 3840×2160 from a 1/1.8-inch CMOS sensor, delivering the image detail needed to identify faces, licence plates, or incidents across a wide outdoor scene from a single camera installation point.
126-Degree Wide Field of View
The fixed 3.7 mm lens delivers a 126-degree horizontal field of view, allowing the camera to cover car park bays, building entrances, or outdoor walkways from a single mounting position that would otherwise require 2 narrow-angle cameras.
Lightfinder 2.0 and Forensic WDR
Lightfinder 2.0 preserves colour and detail in near-darkness, while Forensic WDR manages backlit scenes at doorways and covered entrances. Together they reduce the footage quality loss that is common at dawn, dusk, and mixed indoor-outdoor transitions.
Axis Edge Vault Cybersecurity
Hardware-rooted security rated to FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and CC EAL6+ protects the device against firmware tampering and man-in-the-middle attacks. Signed video, secure boot, and an encrypted filesystem ensure footage integrity for high-compliance environments.
Preinstalled AI Analytics
Axis Object Analytics, Video Motion Detection, Image Health Analytics, and Audio Analytics come preinstalled on the CV75 SoC with a dedicated deep learning processing unit, allowing on-camera scene classification without requiring a separate analytics server.
Built-in Heater and Cold-Climate Rating
An integrated heater maintains reliable operation from minus 30 to 50 degrees Celsius, making the M3138-LVE suitable for exposed rooftop mounts, cold-store entries, alpine environments, and outdoor sites that experience sub-zero winters.
Best For
- Wide Outdoor Scene Coverage: The 126-degree horizontal field of view makes this camera well suited to car parks, building entrances, and outdoor courtyards where a single camera needs to cover a broad arc without pan or tilt adjustment.
- Compliance-Sensitive Installations: Axis Edge Vault with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and CC EAL6+ certification meets stringent cybersecurity requirements for government, education, and critical infrastructure projects.
- Cold-Climate and Exposed Outdoor Sites: The built-in heater and minus 30 degree Celsius operating rating allow permanent outdoor mounting in locations where standard cameras would fail in winter conditions.
- Long-Term Managed Deployments: Guaranteed AXIS OS feature development until 2030 and long-term support until December 2035 suits multi-site or enterprise deployments where camera firmware longevity reduces replacement cycles.
Why Choose the Axis M3138-LVE
The Axis M3138-LVE stands apart from standard 4K outdoor cameras through the combination of a genuinely wide 126-degree field of view, hardware-level cybersecurity, and cold-climate readiness in a single turret housing. Where most outdoor fixed cameras use narrower lenses requiring careful aiming, the 3.7 mm lens on this model reduces installation time on wide frontages and reduces camera count on open outdoor areas. The CV75 SoC runs preinstalled Axis Object Analytics and Audio Analytics locally, without dependence on a central analytics engine. The Edge Vault platform adds firmware signing, encrypted storage, and secure boot that simpler cameras at this resolution do not offer. ONVIF Profile G, M, S, and T compliance means it integrates with most third-party VMS platforms without proprietary lock-in. Available at Security Wholesalers, the M3138-LVE is a strong choice for integrators specifying outdoor turret cameras where cybersecurity compliance and long-term firmware support are part of the project brief.
Buyer Decision Tips
Fixed Lens Coverage Planning: The 3.7 mm fixed lens on the M3138-LVE cannot be zoomed or adjusted after installation. The 126-degree horizontal field of view suits wide scenes and open areas, but if your site requires detailed coverage at distance beyond 15-20 metres, or a narrower focused field of view on a specific approach or access point, a camera with a longer fixed focal length or a motorised varifocal lens would give you more control over framing.
Frame Rate at Full 4K: Maximum frame rate at 3840×2160 is 12.5 fps (50 Hz regions) or 15 fps (60 Hz regions). For most outdoor surveillance scenarios this is entirely acceptable, but if you need smooth slow-motion review of fast-moving scenes such as busy loading docks or vehicle entries, factor this into your specification. Reducing resolution to 1080p allows higher frame rates if that trade-off suits your use case.
Key Features & Technical Specifications
| Model |
Axis M3138-LVE |
| Part Number |
03462-001 |
| Resolution |
8 MP, 3840×2160 (4K UHD) |
| Image Sensor |
1/1.8-inch progressive scan RGB CMOS |
| Lens |
Fixed focal length 3.7 mm, F2.0, IR-corrected, fixed iris |
| Horizontal Field of View |
126 degrees |
| Vertical Field of View |
67 degrees |
| Minimum Illumination |
0.18 lux (colour), 0.04 lux (B/W), 0 lux with IR active |
| IR Range |
Up to 20 m (approx. 66 ft), OptimizedIR 850 nm LEDs |
| Max Frame Rate |
12.5 fps at 4K (50 Hz) / 15 fps at 4K (60 Hz) |
| Video Compression |
H.264 and H.265 with Axis Zipstream |
| AI Analytics |
Axis Object Analytics, Video Motion Detection, Image Health Analytics, Audio Analytics, Scene Metadata |
| Cybersecurity |
Axis Edge Vault, FIPS 140-3 Level 3, CC EAL6+, signed video, secure boot, encrypted filesystem |
| Weatherproofing |
IP66, IK08, NEMA 4X |
| Operating Temperature |
-30 degrees C to 50 degrees C (built-in heater) |
| Power |
PoE IEEE 802.3af/at, 44-57 VDC, max 12.95 W |
| Network |
Gigabit Ethernet |
| Storage |
microSD/SDHC/SDXC (edge), NVR, NAS |
| ONVIF Compliance |
Profile G, M, S, T |
| Dimensions / Weight |
123 x 110 x 110 mm / 503 g |
| Software Support |
AXIS OS feature development until 2030; LTS support until 31 December 2035 |
Ideal Use Cases
Building Entrances and Foyers
The 126-degree horizontal field of view captures the full width of a building entrance from a single ceiling or soffit mount, while Forensic WDR handles the backlight that is typical at glass-fronted doorways and covered entry canopies.
Car Parks and Open Outdoor Areas
4K resolution combined with the wide fixed lens allows one camera to cover multiple bays or a broad driveway approach. The IK08 rating protects against accidental or deliberate physical impact in accessible outdoor locations.
Government and Critical Infrastructure Sites
Axis Edge Vault with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and CC EAL6+ certification meets cybersecurity mandates common in government, defence-adjacent, utilities, and critical infrastructure projects where firmware integrity and encrypted storage are non-negotiable requirements.
Cold-Climate and Exposed Rooftop Installations
The built-in heater maintains operation from minus 30 degrees Celsius, making the M3138-LVE a practical choice for alpine facilities, cold-store entry points, southern Australian winters, and rooftop mounts exposed to overnight temperature extremes.
Education and Healthcare Campuses
Preinstalled Axis Object Analytics and long-term OS support until 2035 suit campus environments where cameras are installed in bulk and expected to remain functional and software-supported across budget cycles without premature hardware refresh.
Choosing the Right Model
- Choose this model if: You need 4K outdoor turret coverage across a wide scene from a fixed mount, require hardware-level cybersecurity certification for a compliance-sensitive project, or are installing in a cold-climate environment where the built-in heater and minus 30 degree operating rating are operationally necessary.
- Choose a different model if: Your installation requires detailed long-distance coverage beyond 20 metres at night, in which case a bullet-style camera with longer IR range would serve better. If you need to frame a specific narrow approach or entry lane precisely, a varifocal turret or dome with an adjustable focal length gives you more post-installation flexibility than this fixed 3.7 mm lens allows.
FAQs
- What does the fixed 3.7 mm lens mean for aiming and framing during installation?
Because the M3138-LVE uses a fixed focal length lens, the field of view is set at 126 degrees horizontal and cannot be adjusted by zooming or refocusing after installation. Positioning the camera correctly during mounting is critical. The wide angle suits open scenes and entranceways well, but if your scene requires a tighter view of a specific point, this lens will not give you that narrower framing.
- What is Axis Edge Vault and why does it matter for this camera?
Axis Edge Vault is a hardware-based security platform built into the camera’s chipset. On the M3138-LVE it is certified to FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and CC EAL6+. It provides secure boot, an encrypted filesystem, and signed video, which allows administrators to verify that footage has not been altered since it was captured. This level of certification is relevant for government, critical infrastructure, and any project where footage admissibility or chain-of-custody is a consideration.
- How does the built-in heater work and when is it relevant?
The M3138-LVE includes an integrated heater that activates automatically in cold conditions to keep the camera’s optics and electronics within operating range. The rated operating window is minus 30 to 50 degrees Celsius. For most of Australia this will not be a primary factor, but for alpine sites, cool-room or cold-store entry points, or exposed southern Australian locations with significant overnight winter lows, it eliminates the condensation and startup failure issues that affect cameras without thermal management.
- What AI analytics are preinstalled and do they require a subscription?
Axis Object Analytics, Video Motion Detection, Image Health Analytics, Audio Analytics, and Scene Metadata come preinstalled on the camera’s CV75 SoC. These run on a dedicated deep learning processing unit within the camera itself. The camera also supports third-party ACAP applications. Licensing terms for specific analytics applications should be confirmed with the supplier, as some Axis analytics applications operate on a per-device licence model.
- What is the night vision range and what happens when IR is off?
The OptimizedIR system uses 850 nm long-life LEDs to provide illumination up to approximately 20 metres in complete darkness. Minimum illumination with IR active is 0 lux. Without IR, the camera can operate in colour down to 0.18 lux and monochrome down to 0.04 lux, which suits locations with ambient streetlighting or spill light. For scenes beyond 20 metres in total darkness, supplemental external IR or white-light illumination would be required.
- Is the M3138-LVE compatible with third-party VMS platforms?
Yes. The M3138-LVE is ONVIF Profile G, M, S, and T compliant, which covers recording, media streaming, event handling, and metadata. This means it integrates with most commercially available video management systems without requiring proprietary Axis software, though native Axis VMS integration provides access to additional features such as Axis Scene Metadata and deep analytics functions. Available through Security Wholesalers, the camera is a standard network IP device that connects over Gigabit Ethernet with PoE.
- How long will this camera receive firmware and software updates?
Axis has committed to new feature development on AXIS OS until 2030 and long-term support on the AXIS OS LTS track until 31 December 2035. For integrators and end users specifying cameras in bulk or for multi-year contracts, this lifecycle guarantee reduces the risk of cameras becoming unsupported mid-deployment and can simplify total cost of ownership calculations over a 5 to 10 year project horizon.
Additional Information
AXIS 03462-001 Datasheet
