I can personally attest that the Chinese 5.3 to English 5.2.5 downgrade firmware works flawlessly. I naively purchased a DS-2CD2032 camera from an Amazon seller to supplement two 2032s I own that were acquired from Anixter via an acquaintance that installs security systems and networks for a living. I naively believed that U.S. fulfillment meant that I was receiving a U.S. market camera. The camera came with 5.2.5 English firmware installed even though the box and the sticker that was affixed to the camera stated that it was a 5.3 camera, which I thought was strange, but not out of the realm of possibility. I am hardware and software engineer by training and profession (hence, the moniker "bit-twiddler"). There have been times in my career where I had to ship a new hardware rev with an older firmware rev in order to meet a marketing-driven release date; therefore, I assumed that I received an early camera from a new hardware rev, that is, until I attempted to upgrade the firmware because I was experiencing timeouts when night vision was activated. The only firmware that would upload and work correctly was Chinese 5.3.
With that said, the modded 5.2.5 firmware that shipped with the camera is clearly not the same binary that is included in Chinese 5.3 to English 5.2.5 downgrade package. The camera with the 5.2.5 downgrade firmware does not experience the timeout problems that it did when I received it from the vendor. Anyone who has received a 5/2015 camera from a non-Hikvision USA authorized vendor should check to see if the rev that is reported by the firmware matches the firmware rev that is printed on the sticker. If the rev that is reported by the firmware is 5.2.5, then you have a re-flashed Chinese market camera, and care should be taken when attempting to load new firmware onto it. I pulled an all-nighter attempting figure out why I could not back rev the camera when English 5.3 resulted in a boot loop.
