Dahua Full-color cameras are built to record in colour around the clock, including at night. Dahua released the Full-color concept in 2020, building on its earlier Starlight low-light technology, with the aim of 24/7 colour monitoring. In 2021 Dahua followed it with Full-color 2.0, which added dual-lens, 4K, zoom and AI models.
This guide explains how Full-color works, what Full-color 2.0 added and which Dahua Full-colour cameras we stock. Models with "LED" in the part number are usually the warm-light Full-colour versions.
Watch: a Full-color 2.0 dual-lens camera
Dahua's own Full-color 2.0 dual-lens camera video, from Dahua Technology's YouTube channel.
What is Dahua Full-color?
A standard CCTV camera turns to black and white at night and lights the scene with infrared. A Full-color camera is designed to stay in colour, so you can still see the colour of clothing, cars and vans after dark. Dahua says Full-color cameras give clear, vivid images of the scene 24/7, which helps when you need to find or trace a target after an incident.
How Full-color works
F1.0 large aperture
Full-color cameras use an F1.0 lens. Dahua says this collects 2.5 times the light of a typical F1.6 lens, giving a brighter picture.
High-sensitivity sensor and AI ISP
Dahua pairs the lens with a high-performance image sensor (Dahua lists a 1/1.8" sensor for most Full-color 2.0 cameras and a 1/1.2" sensor for its Full-color 4K network cameras) and AI-based image signal processing to improve noise, colour and sharpness.
Warm light instead of white light
When it is too dark, Full-color cameras switch on a built-in supplementary light. Instead of conventional white light, Dahua uses warm light, which it says has blue-light weighted radiance 40% below European Union standards. Dahua says this helps reduce light pollution in the monitored area.
What Full-color 2.0 added
Dual-lens cameras with Dual Light Fusion: two lenses and two sensors, one capturing colour detail and the other brightness, mapped pixel by pixel. Dahua says these give colour images even when the supplementary white light is off, reducing light pollution.
4K Full-color: 4K models with a 1/1.2" sensor.
Motorised vari-focal lens: about 5x optical zoom with autofocus, so one model can cover narrow indoor spaces or wide outdoor scenes.
AI features: with Dahua 5-series NVRs you can search recordings by colour attributes, such as top and bottom clothing colour or vehicle colour, and AI Schedule lets you run different AI functions at different times of day.
180° panoramic: dual-sensor 180° cameras that join two images into one seamless 180° view.
Dahua's newer colour night technology is WizColor, which adds AI-ISP image processing. See our Dahua WizColor guide.
Where Full-color helps
Dahua gives homes, retail shops and car parks as examples:
Homes: 24/7 colour monitoring of drives, gardens and doors.
Shops: colour detail of people and events, day and night.
Car parks: search recordings by clothing and vehicle colour to speed up an investigation.
Warm-light Full-colour models have a built-in supplementary light that switches on when it is too dark, so they can keep recording in colour. Dahua's Full-color 2.0 dual-lens models are designed to give colour images even with the supplementary white light off.
Will the warm light bother my neighbours?
Dahua uses warm light rather than conventional white light, and says it helps reduce light pollution. Think about where the camera points, and ask us if you need a model with a different light setup, such as Smart Dual Light.
What is the difference between Full-color and Starlight?
Starlight (2018) is Dahua's earlier low-light technology for colour in low light. Full-color (2020) aims for colour 24/7, using an F1.0 lens and supplementary warm light. Read our Starlight guide.
What is the difference between Full-color and WizColor?
Both are designed for colour at night. WizColor is Dahua's newer technology and adds AI-ISP image processing to the large aperture and large-pixel sensor. See our WizColor guide.
Can I add Full-colour cameras to my existing HDCVI system?
Yes, our Full-colour HDCVI cameras connect over coax to a Dahua XVR. Check the camera's resolution is supported by your recorder, or call us to check.
Need help choosing a Full-colour camera? Zenith Security Co has supplied trade and the public since 2012, from our Wolverhampton showroom, trade counter and warehouse, delivering to England, Scotland and Wales. Call us on 01902 902251.
Feature details are taken from Dahua's published Full-color and Full-color 2.0 information. Availability can depend on model and firmware version.
