Regular SIW columnist Fredrik Nilsson, who serves as general manager of Axis Communications, will be contributing a number of "Eye on Video" segments examining current technology and technological transitions affecting the business of network (IP) video surveillance. His columns appear monthly on SecurityInfoWatch.com.
IMAGE 1: Megapixel video surveillance technology really comes into the spotlight when you need to identify persons/things, and can be applicable at locations like a facility entrance.
IMAGE 2: Aspect ratios affect surveillance camera choices. A wide aspect ratio would be sufficient for this library, where it would be unnecessary to have the ceiling in this 4:3 frame recorded. Using megapixel camera technology gives security users the choice of setting up different aspect ratios for the recorded video, for example a traditional 4:3 (common with older monitors) vs. a 16:9 (wide-screen format, and favored by horizontal scenes like this library).
IMAGE 3: Megapixel technology can really shine in the retail environment. In this scene, a megapixel camera could either be used to provide an overview of the cashier register station, or could be used to see fine details that might on occasion be part of the scene (such as cashier fraud, an armed robber, etc.).
IMAGE 4: In this image from a shoe store, a single megapixel camera could be used by loss prevention and security staff to digitally zoom in on areas of interest, without having to install numerous non-megapixel cameras to cover those areas.
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Eye on Video: Megapixel technology and adoption
Seeing the difference: When and how to use megapixel surveillance
SecurityInfoWatch.com
Megapixel technology has realized significant improvements over the years so much so that it is now one of the dominant forces behind buying decisions of many digital devices. Think about it. Snapshot digital cameras purchasing decisions - both by professional and amateur photographers - are driven largely by how many megapixels a camera offers. Buying a better camera for many consumers means buying one with more megapixels. The same is true for cell phones. Megapixel technology has influenced the development of cell phones, which has profoundly changed social behavior. Thanks to advances in megapixel technology, cell phones are increasingly being used as viewing devices, taking on more important roles in crime prevention, journalism, business applications and for personal use. The crisp images shared today are a far cry from the fuzzy, unreadable images which cell phones captured just a few, short years ago. Network cameras are also seeing and experiencing the megapixel revolution, a major benefit that cannot be achieved by their analog counterparts. Network cameras are today estimated to be around 10 percent of the video surveillance market and are growing very quickly at a pace of +40 percent a year. Megapixel is one of the technologies further accelerating this growth. See What You Have Been Missing Megapixel technology provides higher resolution, which enables organizations with security installations to see more detail. In fact, megapixel cameras offer several times better resolution than analog cameras. Why does this matter? Organizations will have a much easier time identifying people and objects, making their security system more effective (see Image 1, at right). Megapixel network cameras can also cover larger scenes than non-megapixel network cameras at a given number of pixels per area. For example, one 2.0 megapixel network camera will cover an even larger area than four non-megapixel network cameras combined without loss of image resolution. The result equals better coverage, less cameras and cost savings. Another benefit to megapixel technology is that it helps define objects when viewed in different aspect ratios. In a conventional TV monitor, for instance, an aspect ratio of 4:3 is provided. Network video can offer the same ratio, in addition to others, such as 16:9. The advantage of a 16:9 aspect ratio is that unimportant details usually located in the upper and lower part of a conventional-sized image are not present and do not take up bandwidth and storage space (see Image 2, at right). When to Use Megapixel Cameras Megapixel cameras are a great compliment to non-megapixel cameras optimized for other needs such as powerful optical zoom, extreme light sensitivity or low cost. Together, these cameras provide a lot of punch behind a complete, reliable and cost-effective security system. |
