Sony Introduces New Hemispheric-view Security Camera

The new SNC-HMX70 security camera maintains an all-round 360-degree hemispheric view with no blind spots – ensuring full situational awareness in a wide range of indoor surveillance applications. The camera's fixed lens and high-resolution 12-megapixel CMOS sensor stream crisply detailed, high-resolution video at a smooth 30 fps. This assures that people and objects are seen clearly, even in challenging lighting conditions.

Harshly backlit windows, lobbies and entrances are no problem for the SNC-HMX70. Intelligent Auto Exposure analyzes front and backlighting in the scene, fine-tuning exposure for perfect footage in any lighting conditions. The camera’s wide 92dB dynamic range captures crucial image detail, even in high-contrast scenes with extremes of light and shade.

Its slim, low-profile styling makes the SNC-HMX70 ideal for discreet round-the-clock monitoring in environments ranging from retail stores, banks, casinos and commercial buildings to schools and offices. Mounting is quick and easy with supplied twist/click mounting ring, while Power-over-Ethernet connection simplifies cabling.

24/7 situational awareness

Unlike conventional PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) cameras, the SNC-HMX70 main-tains total situational awareness of the entire coverage area. This means that a full-resolution 360-degree image can always be recorded, even if only a por-tion of the scene is being scrutinized in close-up.

To provide an undistorted rectangular view, this hemispheric image can be ‘dewarped’ – using Video Management System software or the camera’s own edge dewarping function that provides three simultaneous views. In addition to full image circle and dewarped views, remote E-PTZ (Electronic Pan, Tilt and Zoom) allows high-resolution monitoring of specific Regions of Interest (ROI). Even greater monitoring flexibility is provided by a choice of Panoramic, Quad and Corridor viewing modes.

Smart Coding intelligently distinguishes between noise and crucial picture information, as well as between moving and static parts of the scene. This reduces video bitrate by up to 50 percent, cutting network data demands without compromising picture quality.

Through Sony’s technology partnership with Bosch, the new SNC-HMX70 uses powerful on-board video analytics that can accurately track movement through the camera’s entire coverage area. This makes the SNC-HMX70 ideal for applications such as people counting or detection of suspicious activity. In addition, metadata is streamed from the camera to client software for further use in business analysis or search. For greater peace of mind, the SNC-HMX70 hemispheric camera is backed by a three-year warranty.

“The new SNC-HMX70 is compact, discreet and unobtrusive – but it’s remarkably powerful for its size” notes Yoshikazu Hirano, General Manager of the B2B Segment Business Division at Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc. “Hemispheric monitoring offers a really big advantage over conventional PTZ cameras that sacrifice wide-area situational awareness when they’re zoomed in to see unusual activity in close-up. With the SNC-HMX70, security users can be confident that no detail gets missed when it really matters.”