Product Overview
Wide-area monitoring across a single camera position is where the Hikvision DS-2CD6986F-H sets itself apart. This multi-sensor panoramic dome camera uses 4 fixed 5mm lenses to produce a continuous 180-degree horizontal field of view at up to 4096 x 1800 resolution, eliminating the blind spots that come with single-sensor wide-angle alternatives. Featuring Hikvision’s DarkFighter technology with a 1/1.8-inch progressive scan CMOS sensor and a minimum illumination of 0.002 lux, it captures colour detail in conditions where most cameras switch to grainy monochrome. Built with an IP66 weather rating and IK10 impact resistance, it is suited to outdoor wall or pendant-mount installations across commercial forecourts, open retail floors, transport hubs, and large indoor concourses. It also includes on-board micro SD storage up to 128GB and NAS support with ANR, giving installers flexible recording options independent of NVR availability. Lens angle adjustment across pan and tilt allows precise framing at commissioning without repositioning the housing.
Key Capabilities
4-Sensor 180-Degree Panoramic View
Four independent 5mm lenses stitch together a seamless 180-degree horizontal panorama at up to 4096 x 1800. This eliminates the need for multiple cameras to cover a wide frontage, loading bay, or open floor, reducing cabling, installation time, and licensing costs.
DarkFighter Ultra-Low Light Imaging
A 1/1.8-inch progressive scan CMOS sensor combined with DarkFighter processing achieves a minimum illumination of 0.002 lux at F1.2. In dimly lit car parks, covered walkways, or after-hours retail environments, this delivers usable colour footage without supplementary lighting.
IP66 and IK10 Outdoor Durability
An IP66 ingress protection rating blocks wind-driven rain and dust, while IK10 impact resistance protects the housing against deliberate knock damage. This makes the DS-2CD6986F-H suitable for exposed outdoor wall-mount positions at building entrances, transit platforms, or commercial forecourts.
On-Board Edge Storage with ANR
A built-in micro SD/SDHC/SDXC slot supports cards up to 128GB, and NAS recording via NFS or SMB/CIFS is also supported. The ANR (Automatic Network Replenishment) function fills any recording gap caused by a network interruption, protecting footage continuity at remote or unstaffed sites.
Flexible Lens Angle Adjustment
Each lens module can be adjusted at installation, with pan covering 0 to 360 degrees and tilt from 45 to 90 degrees. This means the panoramic sweep can be precisely aimed at the coverage zone during commissioning rather than relying solely on camera positioning, which is particularly useful on wall mounts where approach angles vary.
Best For
- Commercial Forecourts and Entrances: The 180-degree horizontal panorama covers an entire building frontage from a single mounting point, reducing the camera count needed to monitor pedestrian flow and vehicle approach across wide open faces.
- Dimly Lit Covered Areas: DarkFighter’s 0.002 lux sensitivity makes this camera well suited to covered car parks, undercover walkways, and after-hours retail environments where lighting is minimal or inconsistent.
- Transport and Transit Hubs: Wide concourse areas, platform ends, and interchange zones benefit from the multi-sensor stitched image, providing broad situational awareness without camera clusters at each viewing angle.
- Sites Requiring Recording Redundancy: On-board micro SD storage combined with ANR suits remote or semi-staffed sites where NVR connectivity may be intermittent and local backup footage is required as a safety net.
Why Choose the DS-2CD6986F-H
Where a single standard camera cannot cover a wide frontage without distortion or blind spots, the DS-2CD6986F-H provides a genuine multi-sensor alternative. The combination of 4 independent 5mm lenses stitched into a 4096 x 1800 panoramic output means image quality across the full 180-degree sweep is maintained at each sensor’s native resolution, unlike fisheye cameras that apply heavy dewarping to a single wide-angle lens. The DarkFighter sensor operates down to 0.002 lux, delivering colour imaging in lighting conditions that would reduce a standard camera to washed-out or monochrome output. IK10 and IP66 ratings confirm the housing is built for outdoor wall and pendant installations in exposed positions. The on-board ANR function ensures no footage gap occurs during brief network outages. Available through Security Wholesalers, the DS-2CD6986F-H suits commercial and institutional projects where coverage consolidation and low-light performance are the primary requirements.
Buyer Decision Tips
Tip – PoE Power Budget: The DS-2CD6986F-H draws up to 22W in operation, which requires an 802.3at (PoE+) compliant switch port or injector. Standard 802.3af PoE ports are limited to 15.4W and will not power this camera reliably. Check your switch specifications before installation and confirm each port carrying this camera is rated for PoE+ delivery.
Tip – Mounting Accessory Selection: This camera is not designed for standard ceiling junction boxes. Hikvision supplies 3 dedicated mounting accessories: the DS-1273ZJ-DM30 wall mount, the DS-1273ZJ-DM30-B wall mount with integrated junction box, and the DS-1271ZJ-DM30 pendant mount. Selecting the correct bracket at the time of purchase avoids delays on site, particularly for wall-mounted outdoor installations where the junction box model simplifies cable entry management.
Key Features & Technical Specifications
| Image Sensor |
1/1.8-inch Progressive Scan CMOS |
| Max Resolution |
4096 x 1800 |
| Lens Configuration |
4 x 5mm lenses, Pan: 180 degrees, Tilt: 78.4 degrees |
| Lens Mount |
CS |
| Minimum Illumination |
0.002 Lux at F1.2 (AGC ON) |
| Shutter Speed |
1/25 s to 1/100,000 s |
| Day/Night |
IR Cut Filter, Auto/Schedule/Triggered by Alarm In |
| WDR |
Digital WDR |
| Image Enhancement |
BLC, 3D DNR, ROI, Defog |
| Angle Adjustment |
Pan: 0 to 360 degrees, Tilt: 45 to 90 degrees |
| Video Compression |
H.264 (Baseline/Main/High Profile), MJPEG |
| Video Bit Rate |
32 Kbps to 16 Mbps |
| On-Board Storage |
Micro SD/SDHC/SDXC, up to 128GB |
| Network Storage |
NAS (NFS, SMB/CIFS), ANR |
| Network Interface |
1 x RJ45 10M/100M/1000M Ethernet |
| Audio Interface |
1-ch 3.5mm audio in (Mic in/Line in) and out |
| Alarm I/O |
1 input, 1 output (up to DC24V 1A or AC110V 500mA) |
| Power Supply |
12V DC +/-10%, PoE (802.3at) |
| Power Consumption |
22W max |
| Weather/Impact Rating |
IP66, IK10 |
| Operating Temperature |
-30 degrees C to 60 degrees C (standard); -40 degrees C to 60 degrees C (-H variant) |
| Dimensions |
Diameter 195mm x 159mm |
| Weight |
2850g |
| Protocols |
TCP/IP, UDP, ICMP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, DHCP, DNS, DDNS, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, PPPoE, NTP, UPnP, SMTP, SNMP, IGMP, QoS, IPv6, Bonjour |
| Standards |
ONVIF Profile S, Profile G, ISAPI |
Ideal Use Cases
Retail Shopfronts and Concourses
A single DS-2CD6986F-H mounted above a shopfront or at the end of a retail concourse produces a 180-degree image of the entire frontage at 4096 x 1800 resolution, reducing the camera count and associated cabling compared to fitting multiple fixed cameras across the same span.
Covered Car Parks and Undercroft Areas
DarkFighter’s 0.002 lux minimum illumination is suited to covered car parks and undercroft areas where ambient light is low and supplementary lighting is either impractical or cost-prohibitive. Colour imaging is maintained without infrared illuminators.
Transit Platforms and Public Interchange Zones
The panoramic multi-sensor view is well matched to long platform ends, bus interchange aprons, and ferry terminal concourses where a single camera position needs to cover a broad lateral sweep for situational awareness and crowd monitoring.
Building Entrances and Lobby Overviews
Wall-mounted above a main entrance using the DS-1273ZJ-DM30 bracket, this camera monitors the full entry approach across a 180-degree arc. The IK10 impact-rated housing is appropriate for publicly accessible entry points where the camera is within reach.
Remote or Unstaffed Sites Requiring Recording Redundancy
On-board micro SD storage up to 128GB combined with ANR (Automatic Network Replenishment) makes this camera practical for remote installations where network connectivity to an NVR can be intermittent. Footage recorded locally during an outage is automatically synchronised when the connection restores.
Choosing the Right Model
- Choose this model if: Your site requires wide lateral coverage from a single mounting point, low-light colour imaging in environments below 0.01 lux, and outdoor durability with IK10 and IP66 ratings, and your switch infrastructure supports 802.3at PoE+.
- Choose a different model if: Your NVR or PoE switch only supports 802.3af (standard PoE at 15.4W maximum), as this camera requires up to 22W and will not operate reliably on standard PoE ports. Consider a single-sensor wide-angle camera if your coverage zone is narrow enough that one lens can frame it adequately, which will reduce bandwidth and storage demands.
- Choose a different model if: You need optical zoom or PTZ tracking capability across the covered area. This camera’s 5mm fixed lenses on each sensor cannot zoom in on detail after installation. A motorised or PTZ camera would be more appropriate for sites requiring variable focal length coverage from a single head.
FAQs
- How does the 4-sensor design produce a single 180-degree image?
The DS-2CD6986F-H uses 4 independent image sensors each fitted with a 5mm lens, physically arranged to overlap and cover a combined horizontal field of view of 180 degrees. The camera’s internal processing splices the 4 sensor outputs into a single continuous panoramic image at up to 4096 x 1800 pixels. Each sensor maintains its own native resolution across its portion of the frame, avoiding the centre-to-edge quality drop associated with single fisheye lenses.
- Does this camera require a PoE+ switch port?
Yes. The DS-2CD6986F-H draws up to 22W, which exceeds the 15.4W maximum of 802.3af standard PoE. It requires an 802.3at PoE+ switch port or a dedicated PoE+ injector. Using a standard PoE port will result in the camera failing to power on or operating erratically. Confirm your switch model’s per-port PoE budget before installation.
- Can the individual lenses be aimed independently after mounting?
Yes. Each lens module can be adjusted manually at installation. Pan adjustment covers 0 to 360 degrees and tilt covers 45 to 90 degrees per module. This allows the panoramic sweep to be aimed at the specific coverage zone required rather than relying entirely on camera housing placement, which is particularly useful on wall mounts where the approach geometry differs across the viewing arc.
- What mounting accessories are compatible with this camera?
Three Hikvision mounting accessories are confirmed for this model. The DS-1273ZJ-DM30 is a wall mount bracket. The DS-1273ZJ-DM30-B is a wall mount bracket with an integrated junction box for cleaner cable entry management. The DS-1271ZJ-DM30 is a pendant mount for ceiling or overhead structure installation. These are sold separately and should be ordered at the same time as the camera to avoid installation delays.
- What local recording options does the DS-2CD6986F-H support?
The camera has a built-in micro SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot supporting cards up to 128GB. It also supports NAS recording via NFS and SMB/CIFS network shares. The ANR function monitors the network connection to an NVR and automatically records locally to the SD card during any interruption, then replenishes the NVR recording when the connection restores. This provides a meaningful safety net on sites where network reliability cannot be guaranteed.
- Is this camera suitable for outdoor installation in Australian conditions?
The DS-2CD6986F-H carries an IP66 ingress protection rating, which covers exposure to wind-driven rain, dust, and high-pressure water spray. The IK10 impact rating confirms the housing withstands significant mechanical impact. The standard operating temperature range of -30 to 60 degrees C is appropriate for Australian outdoor environments, including locations with high ambient heat. The -H variant extends the lower operating limit to -40 degrees C for extremely cold installations. Available through Security Wholesalers, this model is stocked for Australian market use.
- What video compression formats does this camera support, and how does that affect storage?
The camera records in H.264 (Baseline, Main, and High Profile) and MJPEG. H.264 High Profile delivers the most efficient compression and is the recommended setting for continuous recording, as it significantly reduces storage requirements compared to MJPEG at the same resolution. With a maximum resolution of 4096 x 1800 across a 4-sensor panoramic output, storage planning should account for the higher bitrate relative to a standard single-sensor camera at equivalent resolution. The configurable bit rate range of 32 Kbps to 16 Mbps allows the recording quality to be balanced against available storage capacity.
Product Video Samples
Additional Information
