TP-Link VIGI C485 (4mm) 4K Full-Color Turret IP Camera, PoE/12V DC, True WDR 120dB, IR 30m + White Light 30m, Human & Vehicle Classification, Active Defense, Two-Way Audio, microSD 512GB, H.265+, IP67, Metal Housing

The TP-Link VIGI C485 (4mm) is a professional 4K turret network camera designed for businesses that need high-detail video, intelligent event detection, and practical on-site deterrence in a durable, outdoor-ready form factor. Built for 24/7 surveillance, it fits common commercial use cases such as storefronts, entrances, corridors, warehouses, parking lanes, loading bays, building perimeters, and access-control zones. The camera combines 4K recording, full-color-ready illumination, smart detection with human and vehicle classification, active defense options, and flexible installation for real-world security deployments.

At the heart of the VIGI C485 is a 1/2.7-inch progressive scan CMOS image sensor designed for clear detail and reliable low-light performance. Minimum illumination is rated at 0.005 lux, and the camera supports 0 lux operation when infrared or white-light illumination is enabled. This gives the camera a strong foundation for both daytime clarity and nighttime monitoring. The VIGI C485 supports an IR cut filter day/night mechanism, and day/night switching can be configured as Unified, Scheduled, or Auto to match site lighting patterns and operating hours.

This specific version uses a fixed 4mm focal length lens with an F1.6 aperture, intended for more focused coverage compared with wide-angle 2.8mm options. The 4mm lens provides a field of view of 91.5° horizontal, 46.1° vertical, and 109.6° diagonal, making it well-suited for monitoring mid-range priority zones such as entry paths, gates, cashier approaches, corridor lines, or loading door areas where you want a balance of scene coverage and usable subject detail. For planning and expectation setting, the datasheet includes DORI guidance for the 4mm lens: Detect up to 107m, Observe 44m, Recognize 21m, and Identify 11m. These values are planning references that can vary based on mounting height, angle, scene complexity, and lighting conditions.

Video performance is built around 4K capture. The VIGI C485 supports a maximum resolution of 3840 × 2160, providing a high level of detail for evidence-grade recording and improved post-event review. This can be especially useful in outdoor scenes where subjects may be farther from the camera, or where you need additional detail for verification. In addition to 4K, the camera supports multiple resolutions including 2560 × 1440, 2304 × 1296, 2048 × 1280, 1920 × 1080, and 1280 × 720, enabling installers to tune the recording profile to storage capacity and network bandwidth. The supported frame rate options go up to 25 fps (both 50Hz and 60Hz lists). Two important operational notes apply: if image rotation is set to 90° or 270°, the frame rate supports up to 20 fps; and if 120dB WDR is turned on, the frame rate also supports up to 20 fps. These notes help ensure correct configuration decisions for environments that require rotation or maximum WDR processing.

For storage and bandwidth efficiency, the camera supports modern compression formats. The main stream supports H.265, H.265+, H.264, and H.264+, while the sub-stream supports H.265 and H.264. H.265+ is designed to reduce storage and bandwidth usage compared to older compression methods, helping businesses maintain longer retention times or scale multi-camera deployments more efficiently. Bit rate control supports both CBR and VBR. Video bit rate ranges are configurable: the main stream supports 256 Kbps to 8 Mbps, and the sub-stream supports 64 Kbps to 512 Kbps, allowing careful tuning for different network environments and recording objectives.

The VIGI C485 is designed for strong image usability in difficult lighting. It includes wide dynamic range capability rated at 120dB (WDR), helping manage high-contrast scenes such as bright sunlight with shaded entrances, indoor/outdoor transitions, and reflective surfaces or headlights at night. It also supports common image enhancement tools such as BLC (backlight compensation), 3D DNR (noise reduction), HLC (highlight compensation), and SmartIR. Image settings include brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, exposure, WDR, white balance, preventing overexposure to infrared light, and HLC adjustable by client software. For compliance and privacy requirements, it supports privacy masking (up to 4 masks) and one ROI region, enabling focus on key zones while restricting sensitive areas.

Night monitoring is supported through a dual-illuminator system designed for both visibility and deterrence. The camera includes 4 infrared LEDs with a range up to 30 meters (850nm wavelength) and 4 white LEDs with a range up to 30 meters. Illuminator behavior can be configured as Auto, Scheduled, Always on, or Always off, enabling a site policy that matches operating hours and security posture. IR is useful for discreet black-and-white night monitoring, while white illumination can help provide a more visible deterrent and support color-friendly visibility where policy allows.

Beyond recording, the VIGI C485 includes intelligent monitoring functions to reduce false alerts and focus attention on meaningful activity. It supports Human & Vehicle Classification, helping distinguish people and vehicles from other moving objects so notifications are more relevant. It also supports a wide smart detection set including intrusion detection, line-crossing detection, region entering detection, region exiting detection, abandoned object detection, object removal detection, loitering detection, abnormal sound detection, and scene change detection. For everyday security operations, it also supports basic events including motion detection, video tampering detection, and exception alerts such as illegal login.

A major productivity feature is People & Vehicle Analytics. This function supports searching and filtering to people or vehicles of interest based on multiple attributes, making post-event search faster and easier. This is particularly useful for businesses that need to review frequent foot traffic, vehicle movement, or after-hours activity without spending excessive time scrubbing through footage.

The VIGI C485 also includes active defense functions that can support deterrence and faster response. Alarm linkage options include memory card video recording, message push notifications, audible warning, and white light flashing. These actions allow the camera to serve not only as a recorder but also as an active part of site security—for example, triggering an audible warning and white light flashing when intrusion or line-crossing occurs after hours, while simultaneously saving footage and pushing alerts.

Audio is built in for monitoring and interaction. The camera supports two-way audio, with both audio input and audio output supported. It includes a built-in microphone (recording within a 15-foot radius) and a built-in speaker. Audio compression is supported with an 8 kHz sampling rate, environmental noise filtering, and a G.711 alaw audio bit rate of 64 Kbps. This can be useful for remote speaking, warnings, operational monitoring, or adding audio context to incidents in access-control and entry areas.

For integration and installation, the camera supports ONVIF and uses a 10/100 Mbps RJ45 Ethernet port with PoE support. It supports simultaneous live view of up to 3 main streams and 3 sub-streams, supporting control-room viewing and remote access configurations. It can be managed through VIGI App, VIGI Security Manager, VIGI NVR, web access, and VMS environments. Cloud support is listed as available. Local storage is supported via a built-in microSD card slot supporting up to 512 GB (microSD card not included). This enables edge recording without an NVR for smaller installations or adds redundancy to NVR-based setups.

The VIGI C485 is built for outdoor durability and stable long-term operation. It is rated IP67 for protection against dust and water ingress and uses a metal housing. Operating temperature is rated from -30°C to 60°C, with operating humidity up to 95% non-condensing. Manual angle adjustment supports pan 0° to 360°, tilt 0° to 85°, and rotation 0° to 360°, supporting flexible aiming during installation. Product dimensions are 111 × 111 × 83.7 mm, and net weight is listed as 0.48 kg.

In the box, the listed package contents include the VIGI Network Camera, Quick Start Guide, Waterproof Cable Attachments, and Mounting Accessories. With 4K recording, full-color-ready illumination, intelligent detection, active deterrence, two-way audio, microSD edge storage, and a rugged IP67 metal build, the TP-Link VIGI C485 (4mm) is a strong professional choice for businesses that want high-detail video and more actionable security monitoring in a compact turret design.