Hikvision DS-2CE72UF3T-E vs DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F 2026

Both cost roughly the same, carry the same 8MP/4K sensor spec, and share an IP67 turret housing — yet they're built to solve opposite problems after dark. The DS-2CE72UF3T-E stays in full colour all night using white-light ColorVu tech, while the DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F switches to monochrome and pushes EXIR out to 60 m. Get this choice wrong and you'll either hand police unusable grey footage or find your "colour" camera can't see past the car park.

What actually matters when choosing hikvision ds-2ce72uf3t-e vs ds-2ce78u1t-it3f

The decision comes down to how you need the camera to see at night: full colour or infrared, and whether the site already runs standard coax power. Both are 8MP 4K turret cameras rated IP67, but they solve different problems.

Colour-at-night vs monochrome IR range. The DS-2CE72UF3T-E is a ColorVu model, holding colour imaging 24/7 with a white-light range up to 40m for identifying clothing, vehicle colour or faces at an entrance. The DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F instead uses EXIR 2.0 infrared out to 60m, giving greater detection distance but only black-and-white detail once light drops. If evidential colour detail at the gate matters more than reach down a long driveway, that's the deciding factor.

Power delivery. The DS-2CE72UF3T-E supports PoC (Power over Coax), pushing power down the same coaxial cable as the video signal via a 2-pin supply — useful on retrofits where running a separate mains cable is impractical. The DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F is a standard 4-in-1 camera (TVI/AHD/CVI/CVBS) without that PoC feature, so it needs conventional local power.

Dynamic range and glare. The ColorVu unit's 130dB true WDR handles strong backlight — doorways, car park entrances — better than a standard turret, which matters more than raw resolution once you're past 8MP on either model.

Format flexibility. The DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F's switchable 4-in-1 output suits mixed-brand hybrid DVR estates; the ColorVu model is Turbo HD-focused.

Both sit on the DS-2CE72UF3T-E product page and the DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F product page at CCTV Master — check current stock and trade pricing before specifying either for a job.

Hikvision DS-2CE72UF3T-E 8MP 4K ColorVu Turret Camera — best for round-the-clock colour footage

The DS-2CE72UF3T-E is the ColorVu pick of this pair: an 8MP 4K HD-TVI turret camera built to hold full colour images after dark, best suited to entrances, car parks and shopfronts where identifying a face or vehicle colour matters more than raw infrared throw. Rather than switching to grainy black-and-white IR at night like the 78U1T-IT3F, it leans on a wider aperture and image processing to keep colour live 24/7.

• 24/7 colour imaging at 8MP/3840×2160, versus the 78U1T-IT3F's EXIR 2.0 mono night vision to 60m per the datasheet
• 130 dB true WDR for coping with strong backlight — doorways facing glazing or headlights
• White light range up to 40m and max consumption of 5.1W, IP67-rated body for outdoor use
• Metal main body with plastic enclosure; 2-pin power option supports longer cable runs

The trade-off: 40m of white-light illumination is shorter than the 78U1T-IT3F's 60m IR reach, so for unlit boundary fencing or long driveways the 78U1T-IT3F often does the job better. For entrances and areas needing evidential colour detail, this is the stronger buy — shop it at Hikvision DS-2CE72UF3T-E 8MP 4K ColorVu Turret Camera or ask CCTV Master about trade pricing.

Hikvision 8MP 4K Turret Camera DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F — best for standard IR coverage after dark

This is the traditional 8MP HD-TVI turret camera in the pairing: no colour-at-night gimmick, just strong EXIR infrared reach for straightforward monochrome night imaging. It suits buyers who want reliable, no-fuss night coverage over a wide area rather than colour footage in darkness.

• 60m EXIR 2.0 infrared range — Hikvision's second-generation IR array gives genuinely usable detail at distance after dark, per the Hikvision datasheet, useful for larger yards, car parks and perimeters.
• 8MP 4K resolution over coax, with 4-in-1 switchable output (TVI/AHD/CVI/CVBS) — a straightforward drop-in for existing analogue and Turbo HD DVR estates without recabling.
• IP67-rated housing, rated for outdoor exposure in UK weather, with a wide operating range suited to unheated external mounting positions.

The trade-off against its ColorVu stablemate, the DS-2CE72UF3T-E, is simple: this camera reverts to black-and-white once light drops, whereas ColorVu holds colour. If identifying clothing or vehicle colour at night matters more than raw IR distance, look at the ColorVu model instead — otherwise this is the more budget-friendly, dependable choice for pure night-range coverage.

Shop the Hikvision 8MP 4K Turret Camera DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F at CCTV Master.

Which one should you buy?

If low-light footage of faces and vehicle colour matters most, buy the DS-2CE72UF3T-E; if you need reliable infrared coverage over a longer, darker driveway or yard, buy the DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F.

For a front door, reception area, or retail counter where you need to describe someone's clothing or a car's colour to police after dark, the Hikvision DS-2CE72UF3T-E 8MP 4K ColorVu Turret Camera is the better buy: its 24/7 colour imaging and white-light illumination to 40m mean footage stays usable in colour rather than dropping to grainy monochrome. It draws up to 5.1 W, so PoE budgeting needs a little more headroom than the average turret, but the trade-off pays for itself in evidential quality.

For longer perimeters, warehouse yards, or car parks where covert, unlit coverage over a bigger area matters more than colour, the Hikvision 8MP 4K Turret Camera DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F is the more sensible choice, thanks to its EXIR 2.0 infrared reaching 60m in the dark. Both cameras share the same 8MP 4K sensor and IP67 weatherproof rating, and both support the 4-in-1 switchable TVI/AHD/CVI/CVBS signal format, so image resolution isn't the deciding factor — illumination strategy is.

Budget-conscious buyers upgrading an existing analogue Turbo HD DVR without ColorVu ambitions will find the DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F the safer default; anyone prioritising a genuine full colour CCTV camera for identification purposes should pick the DS-2CE72UF3T-E. Either way, check stock and trade pricing at cctvmaster.co.uk.