Selecting a new video surveillance system can be confusing among so many options.
Do all 1080P cameras look the same? Do megapixels tell us the image quality?
Now I had the opportunity to convince a friend to upgrade from a 1080P (2 Megapixel) system to a 1080P (Also 2 Megapixel) system.
My friend’s first question was, How does 1080P in another brand look better?
Here I replied “If this were so, The Lord of The Rings would have recorded it with a Galaxy S7! It also supports 1080P!”
Falling into the game of quantity of Megapixels = greater image quality can point us in the wrong direction and make a misinformed decision that will be a wrong decision.
The camera we used to update their system was a DS-2CD2123G0-IS (HIKVISION 2 Megapixel Series 2 PRO Dome, See HIKVISON Series 2).
This camera has the same resolution as the previous model (2 Megapixel), but being the HIKVISION Series 2 it delivers much better performance in low light, greater detail in backlight conditions or difficult lighting (reflection, shadows) and accurate colors. .
This line also has the advantage of having analytics, these allow to avoid false alarms (we will talk about that later …), and also a superior compression (H.265 + that allows dramatically greater detail and much less hard disk space and reduction bandwidth (seamless extreme video in Hik-Connect App)
Here are the results:
Greater performance in difficult lighting conditions
Camera HIKVISION 2 Series 1080P 2 Megapixel vs Camera “N” 1080P 2 Megapixel
Improved performance in low light environment
Camera HIKVISION 2 Series 1080P 2 Megapixel vs Camera “N” 1080P 2 Megapixel
This is a very interesting example… Well, many cameras “on paper” look comparable, the features may even appear similar, but at the time of an “event” is when one notices the difference.
Many manufacturers have focused on promoting “Megapixel”, leaving out features that are critical in real applications where you can have detail in any lighting situation.
Having evidence in high detail after a serious event is one of the greatest tools, it can help us to greatly reduce costs, avoid losses, help public safety and be certain of everything that happened.
SAY GOODBYE TO FALSE ALARMS, Analyze Evidence in Seconds
Motion detection on commercial equipment is a “headache” (on your old equipment), one simply cannot check every time a moving branch, a shift in illumination, or the slightest shadow trigger a motion detector.
Professional devices integrate analytics, these allow us to have real alerts: When detecting a person, someone entering an area, someone crossing from one point to another.
HIKVISION’s Professional line makes these analytical events simple to track, see the image below:
The equipment interface allows the professional installer to make a precise adjustment and only have alerts when required.
The HIKVISION Professional Line allows selecting or customizing alert events using advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence.
“Nobody likes to search for a person or event within days of recording, with Hikvision’s analytics, this search can be done in seconds.”
In the example above, a zone was selected for Intrusion events. This means we will only have an alert when an object enters this zone.
Installation, Wiring, and Professional Programming
A good product with the most advanced technology is only part of our project.
HIKVISION equipment is installed by professionals, ensuring that it has the highest image quality and longer useful life.
A professional installation allows you to have a system “ready for the future”, which can be expanded or upgraded to new technologies in the coming years.
Integrate an Intrusion Detection System (Alarm)
Now that we have the best video surveillance system, now that we understand that megapixels do not mean “image quality”, what’s next?
The HIKVISION alarms systems allow
The HIKVISION alarm systems can be managed in the same Hik-Connect App, this allows us to “Arm” the entire system from our smartphone.
What is the advantage? Intrusion sensors allow us to detect intruders in any area (wireless), without being activated by rain / wind / light and send an alert to a siren, smartphone, and professional alarm monitoring centers (Call Public Safety).
Remote programming with Hik-PROConnect
Hik-PROConnect is an application used by professionals that allow advanced equipment programming, monitoring health status, and administration.
The image below shows Hik-ProConnect running in Web Browser, accessing equipment programming remotely.
Additional Information
Comparison of Camera Series 2 DarkFighter vs Conventional Cameras
Comparison of Series 1 ColorVU vs Conventional Cameras
Image of Series 2 with Complicated Lighting Scenario
Comparison of Camera “X” 2 Megapixel vs Hikvision Series 2
Both images were taken in low light conditions
Do megapixels equal greater image quality?
Do the same megapixel values mean that camera image quality is the same?
Do greater megapixel values always mean better image quality?
The short answer is no, no, and no.
A camera can be of lower resolution and still provide greater detail, it is important to consider the following additional points.
The previous experiments were carried out with the lighting conditions and the camera indicated for such application (low light sensitivity, backlight performance…)
Backlight Performance
Currently, most cameras have WDR, however, this does not work the same in all.
The quality and effectiveness of WDR depend on the brand and model of equipment and the profit specified by the manufacturer (Of course, on paper, everything looks the same… it is always better to perform a test!)
WDR allows you to have detail in a scene with different types of lighting
The image below shows 2 WDR cameras but yields different results:
IR Performance
The IR illumination already featured in most cameras can allow us to capture in conditions with zero illumination.
However, the performance is not the same in all cameras:
Case: IR overexposure
IR causes overexposure on license plates, that is why it is recommended to use cameras without IR and high sensitivity at low light:
Low Light Sensitivity
The following example shows 2 cameras with IR, similar characteristics.
We can see how the low light performance is different in the following images:
The example below shows 2 cameras with IR, one with lower sensitivity in low light (same IR distance):
