Dahua TPC-DF1241-S2 | 256x192 Thermal + 4MP Hybrid Cam

Two Cameras in One Housing: Thermal Plus 4MP Visible

The Dahua TPC-DF1241-S2 pairs an uncooled vanadium oxide (VOx) 256 × 192 thermal imager with a 1/2.7" 4MP visible-light sensor in a single IP67 eyeball housing. The thermal channel sees heat, not light, so it works in total darkness and cuts through smoke, fog, rain and blowing snow — conditions that blind a conventional camera. The visible channel, with 30 m of IR illumination, supplies the detail needed to identify who or what the thermal channel found. Dual image fusion overlays both streams so operators get one picture instead of two.

Detect a Person at Up to 292 m

Thermal detection range depends on the lens you choose. With the 7 mm thermal lens the camera detects a human at 292 m and a vehicle at 897 m; the 2 mm lens trades range for a wide 87.8° field of view. The athermalized, focus-free lens means no focus drift across temperature swings and nothing to adjust after commissioning.

Perimeter Protection That Ignores Headlights and Shadows

Because thermal detection keys on heat signature rather than pixel contrast, tripwire and intrusion rules stop being triggered by headlight sweep, moving shadows, rain streaks or reflections off wet pavement — the four causes behind most nuisance alarms on visible-light perimeter installs. Human and vehicle classification filters the rest. For an unlit fence line, a yard, or a rural site with no lighting budget, this is the difference between a system operators trust and one they mute.

Heat Detection and Hot Spot Tracking

The camera continuously monitors the scene for abnormal heat and raises an alarm before there is visible flame or smoke: up to 25 m with the 2 mm lens, 45 m with 3.5 mm and 86 m with 7 mm. Cold and hot spot trace marks the extreme points in the field of view automatically. This makes the TPC-DF1241-S2 a practical early-warning layer over electrical rooms, transformer yards, battery and EV charging areas, waste and recycling piles, sawmills, and material storage — anywhere a thermal event starts long before a smoke detector would see it. Smoking detection and call detection round out the AI set for restricted zones.

Note: this is a surveillance and early-warning device. It is not a listed fire detection product and does not replace a certified fire alarm system.

Built for Canadian Sites

An IP67 metal housing with an integrated heater keeps the camera running from −30 °C to +60 °C (−22 °F to +140 °F), and the ±20% input voltage tolerance handles the unstable supply common on remote and temporary sites. Power over 12 VDC or PoE. Stocked in Canada and shipped from our Laval and Toronto warehouses.

Integration and Wiring

Thermal and visible streams are delivered separately over one RJ-45 connection, with H.265, H.264, H.264H and MJPEG compression. One audio input and one audio output, one alarm input and one alarm output, and an RS-485 pair let the camera tie directly into local logic without an extra I/O module. ONVIF, CGI and the Dahua SDK cover VMS integration; a microSD slot supports up to 256 GB of edge recording. HTTPS, IEEE 802.1x, MAC binding and controlled network access handle the cybersecurity requirements.

Key Features

• Uncooled VOx thermal detector, 256 × 192, 12 µm pixel pitch, 8–14 µm
• Thermal sensitivity (NETD) < 40 mK — F1.0 athermalized focus-free lens
• 4MP 1/2.7" visible CMOS, 2336 × 1752, IR to 30 m
• Dual image fusion: 3 fusion modes, 18 thermal colour palettes
• Thermal lens options: 2 mm, 3.5 mm or 7 mm
• Visible lens options: 2 mm, 4 mm or 8 mm
• AI: tripwire, intrusion, heat detection & alarm, cold/hot spot trace, human & vehicle classification, smoking detection, call detection
• 1 audio in / 1 audio out, 1 alarm in / 1 alarm out, 1 RS-485 pair
• 12 VDC (±20%) or PoE — 4.8 W typical, 12.3 W max with heater
• IP67, −30 °C to +60 °C, microSD up to 256 GB, ONVIF

Choosing Your Lens Configuration

Detection means the object is seen as present; recognition (human vs. vehicle) and identification require proportionally shorter distances. Matching visible lenses are 2 mm (94° × 72°), 4 mm (71.2° × 52°) and 8 mm (33.4° × 25°).

Typical Applications

Unlit perimeters and fence lines, substations and transformer yards, solar farms, waste transfer and recycling facilities, lumber and pellet storage, marinas and waterfronts, quarries and pits, construction sites, EV charging and battery rooms, and any rural or remote site where installing perimeter lighting is not practical.

Specifications

Recommended Accessories

• PFA130-E — waterproof junction box
• PFB203W — wall mount bracket
• PFB220C — ceiling mount bracket
• PFA106 — mount adapter
• PFM320D — 12 V 2 A power adapter

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a thermal camera work in complete darkness?

Yes. The thermal channel detects emitted heat, not reflected light, so it produces a usable image with zero ambient illumination and no IR required.

Can this camera measure temperature?

The standard TPC-DF1241-S2 detects abnormal heat and raises alarms, but radiometric temperature measurement is offered on the -T configuration. Confirm the suffix when ordering if you need measured values rather than heat alarms.

Which lens should I order?

Pick by the distance at which you need perimeter rules to fire, not by detection range. A 7 mm thermal lens runs tripwire and intrusion rules reliably on people out to about 49 m; the 2 mm covers a wide near-field area instead.

How many channels does it use on my NVR?

Two — the thermal and visible streams are separate video channels. Budget recorder capacity and licensing accordingly.

Will it run through a Canadian winter?

Yes. An integrated heater supports continuous operation down to −30 °C.