1.3MP is an ideal resolution for night cameras today

[ando 0]

While some manufacturers put emphasis on high megapixel resolution (3MP, 5MP..) while having poor night time support, some others stick to lower resolutions with enhanced night time support.

 

What is more important to the customer? More pixels or clear and noise-free pixels? I believe both are important and there has to be a balance between these two requirements.

 

In my experience, 1.3 megapixel (1280x1024) cameras are perfect night cameras. The resolution is high enough to have important details, such as faces, license plate numbers recognized. At the same time, the pixel size on sensor board is big enough to have sufficient sensitivity for night mode, to avoid noise.

 

3-5MP cameras two main night mode issues are:

1) the physical area on sensor representing 1 pixel is too small, so the base for collecting light is too small. The only way is to slow down shutter speed (hurts frame-rate) and amplify the signal (generates noise).

2) with given computing power of existing IP-cameras, camera does not have enough time to process 3-5 million quality pixels within satisfactory frame-rate. At best, it becomes a noisy slide-show, and not a security video.

 

The best night cameras are those who offer perfect balance between every step of video processing inside the camera, starting with quality of lens and ending with codec that quick enough to process all the pixels within given frame-rate.

 

Speaking of future, I believe there will be great 3-5MP night cameras in about 2 years. Until then, I recommend to use the perfectly balanced 1.3MP cameras.

 

To understand it better, perhaps we could add videoclips here of the night views, to show the difference between 1.3MP and 3-5MP?

[rory 0]

I would like to see the night views side by side with True Day/Night IR Bullets (from reputable brand names, eg. CNB, etc, NOT Color IR bullets) and also side by side with Exview BW Bullet (KT&C 420TVL Exview Bullet as thats their lowest lux camera). In low light and near pitch dark applications.

 

(or send us some free cameras to test? )

[thewireguys 3]

You are correct about 1.3 MP at night with Areconts 3130/3135 and Mobotix's M12 the best.

 

But with technology that Panasonic is using in there Panasonic WV-NP502 things are going to change.

 

Arecont is releasing there 10MP camera which is using the same idea Panasonic has. 10MP day then 2MP night image and that is coming out the first of the year. Also I hear they are incorporating it into there 5MP camera.

 

Then you can have the best of both worlds 5MP day and 1.3MP night.