Comparison · 5 min read
ColorVu vs
AcuSense.
They're not rivals — they solve different problems. ColorVu is about what you can see. AcuSense is about what you get told. The right system usually has both, placed deliberately.
| ColorVu | AcuSense | |
|---|---|---|
| Solves | Grey, unidentifiable night footage | Constant false alerts |
| How | F1.0 lens, big sensor, white light | On-camera person/vehicle classification |
| Best position | Driveway, entrances, shop front | Everywhere you want alerts — gardens, sides, yards |
| Night look | Full colour | Infrared (unless also ColorVu) |
| Deterrent | Visible white light | Optional strobe/audio on Live Guard models |
| Cost | Premium over IR | Small premium over non-AI |
How we choose, per position
- Driveway / front approach: ColorVu + AcuSense. Identification and useful alerts.
- Side access / rear garden: AcuSense, infrared or Smart Hybrid Light. Alerts matter more than colour.
- Shop till / office interior: good daytime resolution; night colour irrelevant.
- Yard / car park: ColorVu on entrances, AcuSense across the apron, ANPR at the gate.
The cameras that do both
Most current Hikvision Pro-series turrets and bullets are 'ColorVu AcuSense' — one camera, both technologies. The decision then isn't which camera, it's whether you want white light at that position and whether the budget stretches to colour on the secondary cameras.
If you can only afford one, put ColorVu AcuSense on the drive and plain AcuSense everywhere else. Colour where you identify; intelligence everywhere.
Your property decides. Not the logo.
Questions
Good to know.
Can I get ColorVu without AcuSense?
Some older or entry models, yes. Current Pro-series cameras usually bundle both.
Which gives better alerts?
AcuSense — that's its job. ColorVu improves what the alert snapshot shows.