The Dahua IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE-S3 is a 4MP network camera designed for reliable 24/7 surveillance in various environments. It excels at accurately detecting and classifying objects and people, reducing false alarms, and providing detailed insights through advanced AI features. This camera is ideal for users seeking intelligent monitoring capabilities and robust performance for enhanced security.
Features
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Intelligent Perimeter Protection: Accurately identifies humans, vehicles, and animals crossing defined lines or entering specific areas, minimizing irrelevant alerts and focusing on genuine threats.
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Advanced Object Detection: Pinpoints abandoned or missing objects, useful for monitoring valuable assets or ensuring compliance in public spaces.
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Enhanced Smart Motion Detection (SMD 3.0): Significantly reduces false alarms by intelligently distinguishing between actual threats and environmental disturbances like rain or leaves.
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Effortless Target Search (AcuPick): Works with compatible backend devices to quickly locate specific targets like people or vehicles within recorded footage, saving valuable time during investigations.
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Superior Low-Light Performance: Captures clear images even in extremely dim conditions, providing detailed surveillance where traditional cameras struggle.
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Comprehensive Face Detection: Detects, tracks, and captures facial snapshots, extracting attributes like age and gender, which is valuable for access control or demographic analysis.
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Accurate People Counting: Monitors pedestrian flow with tripwire and area-based counting, offering valuable data for retail management or public safety.
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Robust Weather and Vandal Protection: Designed with IP67 and IK10 ratings, ensuring reliable operation in harsh weather conditions and against physical impact.
Perfect For:
- Commercial Building Entrances
- Warehouse Perimeters
- Parking Lots
- Retail Store Exits
- Public Walkways
- Residential Property Security
Installer Tips
- For wider coverage in open areas, consider the 2.8mm lens option, while the 6mm lens is better suited for longer, narrower corridors or specific points of interest.
- Utilize PoE (Power over Ethernet) for simplified installation, as it delivers both power and data through a single Ethernet cable, reducing cabling complexity.
- Mount the camera at a height that allows for optimal DORI (Detect, Observe, Recognize, Identify) distances for your specific surveillance needs, referring to the DORI table for guidance.
- Pair this camera with a compatible Smart NVR for enhanced intelligent search capabilities (Smart Search) and to fully leverage features like AcuPick and video metadata analysis.
- Ensure proper network configuration to maximize the camera's 4-stream capability and total encoding capacity, especially when integrating into existing surveillance systems.
- Take advantage of the "Privacy Masking" feature (up to 8 areas) to block out sensitive zones within the camera's field of view, adhering to privacy regulations.
Downloads
Quick-Read Specs
| Feature |
Specification |
| Resolution |
4MP (2688 × 1520) |
| Lens Options |
2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm |
| Night Vision |
IR up to 80 m (262.47 ft) |
| AI Features |
SMD 3.0, AcuPick, IVS, Face Detection, People Counting |
| Audio |
Built-in Mic, 1 In/1 Out |
| Storage |
Max. 1 TB Micro SD card |
| Power |
12 VDC/PoE/ePoE |
| Weather Rating |
IP67; IK10 |
Extra Info
Intelligent Video Surveillance (IVS) with Self-Learning
The IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE-S3 takes perimeter protection beyond basic motion detection. Its IVS capabilities include intrusion and tripwire detection, with the intelligence to classify and accurately identify vehicles, animals, and humans. This means you'll receive highly relevant alerts, significantly reducing false alarms from non-threatening movements. Furthermore, the camera supports "long-distance mode" for extended monitoring scenarios and features self-learning algorithms that adapt to its environment, continually improving the accuracy of its detection and filtering out nuisance triggers. This results in a more efficient and reliable security system, saving time and resources spent on reviewing irrelevant alerts.
SMD 3.0 for Precision Detection
SMD 3.0 (Smart Motion Detection 3.0) is a cornerstone of this camera's intelligent capabilities. It utilizes deep learning algorithms to analyze motion events with unprecedented accuracy. Unlike traditional motion detection that can be triggered by anything from shadows to rain, SMD 3.0 precisely distinguishes between humans, vehicles, and other non-threatening movements. This advanced filtering dramatically reduces the number of false alarms, allowing security personnel to focus on genuine security incidents. For end-users, this translates into fewer disruptions and a higher confidence in the system's ability to alert them only when it truly matters.
AcuPick: Accelerating Investigations
AcuPick is a revolutionary feature that works in conjunction with compatible back-end devices, such as certain Smart NVRs. When an event of interest occurs, AcuPick uses deep learning to accurately match targets—be it a person, animal, or motor vehicle—and enables rapid searching through live and recorded video. Instead of manually scrubbing through hours of footage, users can leverage AcuPick to quickly pinpoint and retrieve relevant video segments. This dramatically speeds up investigation times, making incident response far more efficient and effective. It's a game-changer for businesses and homeowners who need to quickly find specific events.
AI Scene Self-Adaptation (SSA): Dynamic Image Optimization
The AI Scene Self-Adaptation (SSA) feature allows the camera to intelligently analyze its environment and automatically adjust image settings for optimal clarity. This means the camera can dynamically adapt to changing lighting conditions, such as bright sunny days, overcast skies, or scenes with significant glare or backlighting (thanks to its 140 dB WDR). SSA ensures that the image remains consistently clear and detailed, without requiring manual adjustments. For users, this translates to consistently high-quality video footage regardless of the environmental conditions, providing reliable evidence and a clearer picture of events.
Video Metadata for Granular Insights
Beyond simple recording, this camera captures rich video metadata, providing highly granular information about detected objects. For motor vehicles, it records attributes like type, color, logo, and even seatbelt usage, smoking, or calling. For non-motor vehicles, it captures type, color, number of people, and top/hat details. Human body attributes include gender, clothing type and color, and accessories like bags, hats, and umbrellas. Face attributes go even further, noting gender, age, expressions, glasses, face masks, and beards. This level of detail transforms raw video into actionable data, enabling sophisticated search queries and analysis for security, marketing, or operational intelligence. This deep data can be invaluable for forensic analysis and understanding patterns of activity.
Q&A
Q1: Can this camera record in color at night?
A1: This camera primarily uses its IR illuminators for night vision, providing clear black and white images in complete darkness up to 80 meters. While it has excellent low-light performance (0.0007 lux), it does not offer full-color night vision like cameras equipped with white light illuminators.
Q2: Does this camera support two-way audio?
A2: Yes, the camera features a built-in microphone for audio input and also has an audio output port (RCA), allowing for two-way audio communication when connected to an external speaker.
Q3: What makes SMD 3.0 different from standard motion detection?
A3: SMD 3.0 is a significant upgrade as it uses deep learning algorithms to accurately differentiate between human and vehicle motion and other environmental factors like animals, swaying trees, or rain. This dramatically reduces false alarms, ensuring you're only notified of relevant events.
Q4: Can I access the camera feed and manage settings from my smartphone?
A4: Yes, you can use the DSS or DMSS mobile client applications, available for both iOS and Android, to view live feeds, review recordings, and manage certain camera settings remotely.
Q5: How much recording time can I expect with a 1TB Micro SD card?
A5: The recording time on a 1TB Micro SD card will vary significantly depending on factors like resolution, frame rate, compression (H.265 vs. H.264), motion activity, and the amount of smart recording. However, 1TB provides substantial local storage, often enough for weeks or even months of event-triggered recordings.
Q6: Is this camera compatible with network video recorders (NVRs) from other brands?
A6: Yes, the camera supports ONVIF (Profile S/G/T/M) and CGI interoperability, which means it can generally work with NVRs from other manufacturers that also adhere to these standards. For advanced AI features like AcuPick and Smart Search, it's best paired with a compatible Smart NVR from the same brand.
Q7: Can I set up specific rules for people counting, like alerts for too many people in an area?
A7: Absolutely. The people counting feature allows you to set up to four rules for tripwire counting, people counting in an area, and queue management. You can generate reports (day/week/month/year) and configure alarms based on the number of people in a defined area or the time people spend in a queue.
Q8: What kind of network connection does this camera require?
A8: The camera connects via an RJ-45 (10/100 Enhancement Base-T) network port. It supports various network protocols including IPv4, IPv6, HTTP, TCP, UDP, and more, making it flexible for integration into existing network infrastructures.
Camera Model Comparison
Dahua IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE-S3 vs. IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE (S2)
| Category |
Newer Model (IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE-S3) |
Older Model (IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE / S2) |
| Model Name |
IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE-S3 |
IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE (often referred to as S2) |
| Image Sensor |
1/1.8" CMOS |
1/1.8" 4Megapixel progressive scan CMOS |
| Max. Resolution |
4 MP (2688 × 1520) @25/30fps |
4 MP (2688 × 1520) @25/30fps |
| ROM |
4 GB |
128 MB |
| RAM |
1 GB |
512 MB |
| Min. Illumination (Color, 30 IRE) |
0.0007 lux@F1.6 |
0.002 lux@F1.6 |
| Min. Illumination (B/W, 30 IRE) |
0.0004 lux@F1.6 |
0.0002 lux@F1.6 |
| IR Illumination Distance |
Up to 80 m (262.47 ft) |
Up to 50 m (164.04 ft) |
| Illuminator Number |
4 (IR LED) |
4 (IR LED) |
| Video Compression (AI Coding) |
AI H.265; AI H.264 |
AI H.265; AI H.264 (implicitly available with WizMind series) |
| Stream Capability |
4 streams |
3 streams |
| WDR |
140 dB |
140 dB |
| AI Features (Deep Learning) |
Video metadata, smart sound detection, IVS, face detection, smart object detection, people counting, AcuPick, AI SSA. |
Face Detection, Perimeter Protection (Intrusion, Tripwire, Fast Moving, Loitering, People Gathering, Parking), People Counting, Smart Sound Detection, Heat Map, Smart Object Detection (Abandoned/Missing). |
| SMD Version |
SMD 3.0 |
SMD 3.0 |
| Max. Micro SD Card Storage |
Max. 1 TB |
Max. 256 GB |
| Built-in MIC |
Yes |
Yes |
| DORI Distance (2.8mm Lens) - Detect |
61.5 m (201.77 ft) |
61.5 m (201.77 ft) |
| Power Supply |
12 VDC/PoE (802.3af)/ePoE |
12 VDC/PoE (802.3af)/ePoE |
| Protection |
IP67; IK10 |
IP67; IK10 |
Summary Recommendation
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Choose the Newer Model (IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE-S3) when:
- You require significantly **better low-light performance** in color and black & white.
- Longer IR illumination distance is crucial (80m vs 50m).
- You need more processing power and memory for advanced AI features (4GB ROM / 1GB RAM).
- You plan to utilize the expanded AI capabilities like AcuPick and AI SSA, or if these features are important for future-proofing.
- Higher on-board storage capacity (1 TB Micro SD) is desired.
- You need the flexibility of 4 video streams for different recording or viewing purposes.
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The Older Model (IPC-HFW5442TP-ASE / S2) might still be suitable if:
- Your budget is a primary concern, and the enhanced low-light performance, extended IR range, and additional AI features of the S3 are not strictly necessary for your application.
- The existing AI features (Perimeter Protection, Face Detection, People Counting, SMD 3.0) meet your current requirements.
- A maximum IR illumination of 50m is sufficient for your surveillance area.
- On-board storage up to 256 GB is adequate.
