Three Questions for Five Experts: High Resolution Cameras

1. What applications are best suited for high resolution cameras?
 

2. What measures do you take to handle the high data volume produced by high-resolution cameras?
 

3. Please describe one highlight of your product offering with the best performance for high resolution video surveillance?

 

Robert Köhler, Regional Sales Director DACH for Video Solutions, Motorola Solutions

 

1. Avigilon high resolution cameras are built with large spaces in mind. Typical applications include: monitor a full stadium and capture fan disruptions to help comply with mandatory government regulations, cover a full parking lot and simultaneously see license plates or cover the entire tarmac of an airport while still being able to distinguish plane numbers. High resolution cameras provide clear, sharp HD images to maximize situational awareness over a larger area while at the same time enabling detailed image capture to zoom in on critical items such as faces or license plates.

2. Unlike other systems, our patented High Definition Stream Management (HDSM) sends you only the portion of the image you need. That means you get incredible image quality and resolution with only a tiny amount of bandwidth and storage. Because HDSM manages the storage of data so intelligently, you can search through vast amounts of HD footage in just seconds. Using less data and less bandwidth means you can scale up while keeping costs down, with minimal impact on network resources.

3. The new Avigilon H5 Pro camera captures the best-in-class image details over vast areas, providing maximum coverage options through our most powerful and innovative high resolution camera yet. Up to 10K HD, it delivers stunning image detail, simultaneously providing maximum scene coverage, while minimizing bandwidth and storage consumption through our patented HDSM 2.0 technology. Built with large spaces in mind, its improved frame rate and low light performance allows for sites to be equipped with fewer cameras, while still having the ability to capture high quality live and recorded footage.

 

Olof Leidecker, Global Product Manager at Axis Communications

 

1. With the evolution in processing power and image sensors, panoramic cameras and other high-resolution cameras are now similar in performance compared to its lower resolution counterparts and now used in the vast majority of surveillance applications. The key factor is achieving broad coverage while maintaining high forensic value using as few cameras as possible, with the end result of a lower total cost for the surveillance system. High resolution cameras, and especially panoramic cameras, can in many situations provide the same coverage as multiple lower resolution cameras while reducing the overall camera count.

2. High data volumes impact both storage and the network infrastructure. A combination of the introduction of Axis Zipstream in 2015, decreasing price per terabyte for storage, and increasing performance in networks, issues with high bandwidth and storage needs are decreasing. Over time, both H.264 and H.265 have seen significant efficiency improvements from both a hardware and software perspective, and smart codecs like Axis Zipstream, also continue to evolve and reduce bandwidth further as resolution will increase over time.

3. Panoramic cameras – both single- and multisensor cameras. With the technology available today we are able to provide extreme resolution into a single compact camera that provides high forensic value and amazing coverage for a wide range of applications. The Axis Multidirectional P37-series is a camera line offered from Axis, which features a combined resolution of up to 15 MP in full frame rate across two or four individual cameras heads. These are cameras which have become very popular in many segments across the world because of the reduced number of cameras needed to cover the same area in comparison to comparable multiple single-sensor models.

 

Uri Guterman, Head of Product & Marketing at Hanwha Techwin Europe

 

1. There was a time when most security budgets were not sufficiently large for Full HD high definition cameras to be specified for anything other than high security, mission-critical video surveillance projects. Advances in technology, improved production processes and economies of scale, have enabled manufacturers such as Hanwha Techwin to offer a wide range of high-performance multi-pixel cameras, including 4K models, which are affordable for virtually any applications. This includes small offices, shops, schools, hospitals or any environment where there is a need to capture evidence grade images. Our 8K camera is most suited to airports, sports stadiums and other wide-open environments as it has sufficient pixel density to enable operators to digitally zoom in to see a sharp image of just a small part of the scene.

2. Wisenet cameras offer a choice of H.265, H.264 and MJPEG compression formats to minimise the bandwidth and storage requirements of high definition cameras.  Our cameras also feature WiseStream II. Unique to Hanwha Techwin, this is a complementary compression technology which dynamically controls encoding, balancing quality and compression, according to movement in the image. Bandwidth efficiency is improved by up to 75% compared to current H.264 technology when WiseStream II is combined with H.265 compression. Many Wisenet cameras also support multi-streaming, which enables images to be simultaneously transmitted at different resolutions, e.g. high resolution for recording purposes and low resolution for live viewing.

3. We are proud to have recently introduced the industry’s first 8K camera. The super high-resolution capabilities of the Wisenet TNB-9000 means that large areas can be covered with sufficient pixel density and at 15 frames per second, to enable operators to digitally zoom in to see a sharp image of just a small part of the scene. It is ideal therefore for airports, sports stadiums and other wide-open environments where there is a high risk of terrorist activity, and there is a need to detect and forensically analyse any suspicious activity. The TNB-9000 is also equipped with Deep Learning AI video analytics. This simultaneously detects and classifies various object types, including people, vehicles, faces and license plates, and is able to ignore video noise, waving trees, moving clouds and animals, all of which might normally be the cause of false alarms.

 

Dieter Dallmeier, Founder & CEO, Dallmeier electronic

 

1. The classic applications are large areas and long distances. However, from a customer or solution view, the decisive factor is not the highest possible resolution, but a constant minimum resolution quality over the entire area or distance. A high-resolution single-sensor camera will never solve the optical core problem: In order to achieve the minimum resolution (according to DIN 62676-4) necessary for the application in the rear area, you have to waste unnecessarily much resolution in the front area. If this issue is addressed, even the largest areas can be covered with a minimum amount of camera systems.

2. We achieve this by combining up to 8 optics with different focal lengths in one system. This improves the “effective” resolution and camera efficiency many times over. In terms of data volume, this means that in normal operation – overview image and zoom observation by an operator – we only need to transfer 25% of the data volume to the client system. In addition to this, of course, H.265 and other technologies such as our Eco-Mode for integration in third-party systems and the intelligent iFrame Management are also included.

2. We take a critical view of the topic “high-resolution camera” with more and more megapixels on one sensor. Looking at the “minimum resolution” according to DIN is the better solution. A matching optical system guarantees the efficient handling of resolution, bandwidth and costs. Our Panomera-family offers a high-resolution camera here, which enables the achievement of objectives with considerably fewer systems by combining different focal lengths. With significant advantages in terms of function and total costs.

 

Max Fang, Director of CCTV Products at Hikvision

 

1. High resolution cameras provide larger coverage and richer details at the same time. For traditional standard resolution cameras, if details are to be obtained, configuration to zoom in is needed, while this greatly sacrifices the field of view (FoV). For high res cameras, by simply executing digital zoom, there can be more details while the complete broad coverage is not changed or reduced. Therefore, high resolution cameras vastly improve applications in various scenarios such as stadiums, scenic zones, plazas and parking lots, to name just a few, where clear, detailed images and wider coverage are needed.

2. For Hikvision high resolution cameras, we have taken a multitude of technologies to ensure high quality viewing with low latency, so as to enhance user experience. For example, our optimised H.265+ smart encoding technology allows to effectively compress the high data volume resulted by high resolution, greatly reducing the transmission bandwidth and storage capacity required. So video streams can be transmitted efficiently with minimum latency for preview. Another thing is about high-performance chipset which supports to process the encoding technology, at Hikvision we have the powerful DSP (digital signal processing) chip to support up-to 32MP@25fps image codecs, which ensures the processing efficiency of a large volume of data. Besides, we also incorporate the ePTZ function in the camera for smooth preview of clear images with limited bandwidth. Our Smooth Streaming technology automatically adjusts the bit rate and resolution under low-data-rate network conditions to ensure fluid viewing of live video.

3. We would like to present an Ultra-HD 32 MP Panoramic Camera, DS-2CD6984G0-IH. The camera offers impressive HD, with a maximum resolution of 8160 × 3616 pixels. Its 32 MP image resolution at 25 fps ensures smooth video image preview and playback. The camera uses four 1/2” Progressive Scan CMOS sensors to deliver a true 180 degree horizontal panorama, as well as a vertical field of view of 95 degrees. The four video images are stitched together by the camera itself, which intelligently outputs a single, seamless panoramic image. Embedded with infra-red LEDs, its low-light performance is also outstanding even in 0 lux conditions, HD panoramic video is delivered with up to a distance of 20 metres.