Best Number Plate (LPR) Cameras in Australia: Jovision, UniFi, Hikvision

Number plate cameras at a glance

What a number plate recognition camera actually does

A normal security camera records a vehicle and, if the angle and light are right, you may be able to read the plate when you replay the footage (our guide to the resolution you need to read number plates explains why). A number plate recognition camera goes further. It reads the characters itself and turns them into text you can search.

• A searchable log of each plate it reads, so you can find a vehicle in seconds instead of scrolling through hours of video.
• Allowlists and blocklists, so a known plate can trigger an action (open a gate, send an alert) and an unknown one can be flagged.
• Gate and boom control through the camera's alarm output, on models that have one.
• Plate-tuned imaging: fast shutters, zoom lenses and night modes that stop headlights and reflective plates washing out.

In Australia the terms LPR (licence plate recognition) and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) mean the same thing. Hikvision markets these cameras as ANPR; Ubiquiti, Jovision and Synology use LPR.

Full specifications compared

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Specifications are from each maker's published datasheet. "Not published" means the maker does not state a figure.

Jovision JVS-N819-LPR: plate recognition at a home or small business price

The JVS-N819-LPR is an 8MP 4K bullet with a 2.7–13.5 mm motorised zoom. Jovision builds the recognition algorithm into the camera, so it reads plates without a separate server. Jovision lists support for vehicle and standard plates from more than 50 countries, recognition accuracy above 95%, detection of fake plates (a photocopy or a screenshot), a custom allowlist and blocklist, and vehicle access control when the camera is connected to a barrier.

At night it has 4 warm-light LEDs for colour video up to 60 m and 4 IR LEDs for black-and-white video up to 80 m. It is IP67 rated, has a built-in microphone and speaker, records to a microSD card of up to 512 GB and runs on PoE or 12 V DC. You can view it in the CloudSEE app or record it on a Jovision NVR such as the JVS-ND7008-PD01 8-channel PoE NVR, and it supports ONVIF for other recorders.

If you want the whole driveway covered, the Jovision 4-camera driveway kit pairs the JVS-N819-LPR with three JVS-N837-VDL 8MP turrets and an 8-channel PoE NVR. ARC IP Networks is the national distributor of Jovision in Australia, so the camera comes from Australian stock with a 3-year warranty handled by our Melbourne team.

UniFi AI LPR: the choice for UniFi Protect sites

The UniFi AI LPR (UVC-AI-LPR) is a 4K camera with a 1/1.8″ sensor and 3x optical zoom. Ubiquiti says it is optimised to recognise licence plates on vehicles moving up to 90 km/h, and it has an LPR night mode with an optimisation filter. It also detects people, vehicles and animals. IR reaches 15 m, it is IP66 and IK04 rated, and it needs PoE+ (up to 25.5 W). At night Ubiquiti says it is tuned to capture the plate only, so add another camera if you also need to see the vehicle after dark.

It works inside UniFi Protect, so you need a UniFi console that runs Protect, for example a UniFi NVR or a Cloud Gateway model with Protect support. To open a gate by plate, Ubiquiti's License Plate Unlock uses a UniFi Access Gate Hub paired with a supported UniFi Protect AI camera, with UniFi Access and Protect on the same console. Plates are then searchable alongside every other Protect camera. If you run UniFi already, this is the simplest way to add plate recognition. Browse the full range on our UniFi Protect cameras page.

Synology BC800Z: plate recognition for Synology NAS sites

The BC800Z is a 4K bullet with a 1/1.8″ starlight sensor and a 4.38–9.33 mm motorised lens. Synology says it identifies vehicles and licence plate details at a capture distance of 3 to 10 m, and it does this on the camera without needing a Synology DVA recorder. One trade-off: plate recognition and smoke detection cannot run at the same time on the BC800Z, so you choose one.

For full functionality Synology says the BC800Z should be managed by Surveillance Station, which runs on a Synology NAS and needs a surveillance device licence per camera. It suits offices and small businesses that already store their files on a Synology NAS.

Hikvision DeepinView ANPR: built for car parks, depots and boom gates

Hikvision's DeepinView ANPR cameras are made for commercial vehicle entry points. The iDS-2CD7A46G2 (2.8–12 mm) and iDS-2CD7A46G2 (8–32 mm) list licence plate recognition of 98% or better, a capture rate of 99% or better, plates from 124+ countries and regions, and vehicle capture at up to 120 km/h when mounted in front of the lane (80 km/h from the side). The iDS-2CD7A46G2 (both lenses) and the iDS-2CD7347G0 hold allowlists and blocklists of up to 10,000 plates, and the iDS-2CD7A45G2 up to 50,000. The iDS-2CD7A46G2 also reports vehicle type, colour and brand, has 2 alarm outputs for gates, Wiegand output on -Y models and an IP67, IK10 housing.

For long approaches, the iDS-2CD7A45G2 (4.7–118 mm) adds a super-long motorised lens and IR up to 200 m. For a short driveway or entry lane, the iDS-2CD7347G0-P-XS turret puts ANPR into a 4 mm turret with DarkFighterS low-light imaging (colour down to 0.0003 lux) and hybrid IR and white light up to 40 m.

Hikvision ANPR cameras work on their own or with a Hikvision NVR, and the iDS-2CD7A46G2 and iDS-2CD7A45G2 support ONVIF Profiles S, G, T and M. See more on our Hikvision DeepinView cameras page or read our Hikvision ANPR guide.

Price: what the extra money buys

The cost gap is large. The Jovision JVS-N819-LPR is the lowest-cost camera here, UniFi and Synology sit in the middle, and the Hikvision DeepinView ANPR range is the premium option. Live prices are on each product page.

• Hikvision buys published accuracy and speed figures, very long lenses, large plate lists, Wiegand, and vehicle type, colour and brand detection.
• UniFi buys tight integration with the rest of UniFi Protect, with no separate software to learn.
• Synology buys integration with Surveillance Station on a Synology NAS.
• Jovision gives you on-camera recognition, lists and barrier control at a fraction of the cost, which is usually all a home, farm or small business gate needs.

Placement matters more than megapixels

Most poor plate reads come from where the camera is, not which camera it is. Whatever brand you choose:

• Aim at a point where vehicles slow down or stop, such as a gate, boom or driveway entry, not a stretch where they are moving fast.
• Keep the camera as straight-on to the plate as you can. Steep side or downward angles distort the characters.
• Use the zoom to fill the frame with the lane, not the whole street. A wide view makes plates too small to read.
• Check the reading distance on site at night as well as during the day. Headlights and reflective plates behave very differently after dark.
• If the camera will open a gate, test the allowlist and the alarm output with your gate or boom installer before you rely on it.

Number plates can identify people. If you are a business, treat plate logs as personal information under the Privacy Act 1988 where it applies, put up CCTV signage and check your state's surveillance devices law.

Which LPR camera for which Australian site?

ARC IP Networks suggestions. Call 1300 100 440 if your site does not fit a row.

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