CCTV | Camera Resolution

 

Common Camera Resolutions

 

The resolution of an image indicates the level of detail that can be observed in it. It is a term typical of digital photography and video, but it would be the technical equivalent to the grain of analog photography. It was formerly said that the higher the number of grain an image had, the less sharp it was.

CCTV resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up an image's width and height, and it determines the quality of the image. The more megapixels a CCTV camera has, the better its zooming and surveillance capabilities.

Factors to consider on CCTV resolution.

Frame rate
The human eye can perceive about 15 frames per second (fps) as separate images, so anything higher than that is perceived as smooth motion.

Focal length
A longer focal length lens will give a wider viewing angle, but it may result in fewer details at longer distances.

Human eye sensitivity
The human eye is more sensitive to horizontal resolution than vertical resolution. 

Although the standard for a good quality CCTV camera has been 1080 pixels, some people are opting for 2k or even 4k resolution. Generally, the higher the security camera resolution, the better the image quality and the details will be clearer.

Recommendation on resolution
♦ HD1080P or 2 MP is high enough resolution to get great images if the cameras are zoomed till the right level. It is the right balance between price and image quality.

♦ 2MP CCTV camera is enough for general purpose monitoring of the front door, backyard, or indoors.

♦ 4MP halves your storage space but only gives you a 40% “improvement” in the image.

♦ 4MP or 5MP cameras have more advantages in capturing the details at a distance.

♦ 4K in theory doubles the quality of the image but needs 8x more hard drive space. 21 days video footage at HD 1080P suddenly becomes a mere 2.6 days in 4K.

♦ In 4k, if you use wide angle cameras (aspect ratio) you will rapidly get lower resolution images as you move away from the camera.

♦ When the cameras are exposed to direct light, both 2 MP and 4K cameras perform the same.

♦ 4K cameras are good for license plates from parked cars, clearer facial recognition, the ability to observe small details on clothing and objects that may help identify people when an event occurs.

Wide Dynamic Range
A special software that allows cameras to balance their lighting to get a clear image. Cameras with features have advanced sensors that can produce a wider range of lighting, allowing them to record in a higher light depth. 

• Lobbies and showrooms with many windows where the contrast between natural light and indoor light causes bright and dark areas.

• Indoor recording, where the light when a door opens may make the person and their clothing unrecognizable.

• Nighttime recording, where non-IR lighting may overexpose some areas while leaving other areas dark.

Digital Noise Reduction
An image processing technique which aims is to eliminate the visible noise from an image.

This feature is great when you want to improve image quality when in low light settings and lower bandwidth, saving you storage. The two main types are 2D and 3D. With 2D – the technology processes each individual frame individually, whereas 3D processes across a series of frames over time.

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