Megapixel CCTV Cameras
The primary benefit of using megapixel cameras is that the stored images are more revealing and provide stronger evidence than other formats. A 1.3M pixel camera will record from 2.7 times more detail than a standard PAL camera. One megapixel camera can replace several standard CCTV systems. Alternatively, it can provide acceptable views at far longer object distances, or with wider-angle lenses. An entire room can be monitored with one 90° wide-angle lens camera positioned in a corner of a room. The high-detail resolution not only means fewer cameras, but it also reduces the amount of cabling, backup-power requirement and storage systems, thus minimizing the overall costs of the system.
The emergence of digital image formats made it possible to use image sensors with higher resolutions than NTSC/PAL (approximately 0.4 megapixels) to their full potential. The CCTV market has traditionally relied upon PAL/NTSC TV technology, but with flexible networking and digital image formats, this is no longer necessary. Security applications can now dynamically select the optimal format for the task. Unlike analog CCTV cameras and DVR systems, network cameras can deliver digital video in any resolution, format and frame rate, and can thus play a pivotal role in the new wave of high resolution, more advanced network video solutions and applications. They can, for instance, increase or decrease image resolution as needed.
High-resolution sensors will open up new possibilities on several fronts in the megapixel future. In addition to the familiar advantage of depicting more detail with greater pixel density, a less obvious development stems from the inherent flexibility of digital image formats. Not only will new sensors support 16:9 and similar formats; they will also be used to digitally pan, tilt and zoom, and to create multiwindow video.