Megapixel IP Cameras: The New PTZs By Scott Schafer, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing for Arecont Vision
Mechanical pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) devices evolved in the security industry as a tool to compensate for the resolution and field-of-view limitations of analog cameras.
Because analog cameras provided relatively poor quality images at distances of more than 20 or so feet, the ability to “zoom” was critical to provide any chance of recognizing an object. Because analog cameras could only cover small areas, the ability to “pan” and “tilt” were needed to expand coverage.
The alternative was adding more cameras, which was cost-prohibitive, especially taking into account both the cost of the cameras and the ancillary costs of installation, recording systems and the need for additional operations staff. Analog cameras at 640 x 480 pixels standard resolution (and IP-based network cameras providing similar resolution at 300,000 pixels) yielded a specific, limited resolution that was a constant. System designers had to “work around” that limitation using tools such as mechanical PTZ devices.
But PTZ solutions are far from perfect. For example, what is the likelihood that a PTZ camera will be viewing the exact right location within a large area at the exact right time to capture an event? It's much more likely the camera will be looking at the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Higher-resolution megapixel imaging completely transforms how systems are designed and used, and in the process, makes mechanical PTZ devices obsolete for almost all applications.
Today's wide variety of megapixel IP camera models can provide images at nearly any resolution, from one million pixels up to 10 million pixels or more. System designers can choose whatever resolution they need for a specific application, and can use fewer cameras, too.
More importantly, panning, tilting and zooming can be accomplished within the high-definition image provided by megapixel IP cameras. Forensic viewing is available in real time and in the recorded images.
Panoramic and high-megapixel IP cameras are a real game changer: They can replace up to 20 standard-definition cameras. Large, clear images can be viewed in real-time or stored and viewed later. Detail permeates the entire field of view and any specific areas can be viewed at any time, clearly and close up. Capturing the whole view negates the need for cameras to pan, tilt or zoom mechanically in order to view specific areas (while completely losing the views of other areas). The best part of the story is a huge reduction in security personnel needed to operate PTZ cameras is accomplished, too.
It is therefore inevitable that mechanical PTZ devices will become obsolete. Their demise is a simple and logical result of the superior performance of megapixel IP cameras.
Although the end is near, market forces suggest a lingering death for PTZ devices. The biggest impediment to progress is a lack of education, and the best tool for education is to demonstrate to security end-users the difference in image quality, reduced security operations staff, fewer cameras and cost improvements available using new IP megapixel solutions.
Fewer cameras, less labor costs and better results all contribute to a far superior return on investment (ROI). Megapixel IP cameras will make mechanical PTZs a thing of the past.
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