Understanding IP Camera

Specifications, Whats Important

By Bob Mesnik | Published on Jun. 2, 2015

IP Camera manufacturers provide

product specification sheets that help you select the right camera for your IP
security and surveillance system. But, which specifications are important? They
include such things as resolution, minimum light sensitivity, lens, WDR, signal to
noise, etc. This article reviews the important camera specs, and how to avoid
being fooled by specsmanship (from the marketing department).

The importance of each of the camera specifications depends on

your objective and application for your IP camera system. For example, if you
want to use the camera outdoors where it can get dark, then the low light
specification is important. If you are only using the IP camera indoors, you may be
more interested in the how wide a viewing angle you can achieve. Here is a review
of the important specifications.
Resolution
This is an important specification. In the old days it was measured in TV lines, and
they used a TV test pattern to analyze the resolution. Today resolution is usually
defined by the total number of pixels in the sensor or the horizontal and vertical
pixels. Marketing people also use the term HD and 720p or 1080p, and most
recently 4K. It can be very confusing. Heres what each of the terms mean:

Megapixel Camera: This is a general term used for any camera that has over 1
million pixels in the sensor. There are many cameras that have over 1 megapixel
resolution. For example, there are 2.0, 3.0, 5, 8, 10 and higher megapixel
cameras. The pixels are organized in a matrix of horizontal and vertical pixels. The
relationship between the horizontal and vertical pixels is called the aspect ratio.
The aspect ratio (vertical to horizontal ratio) is usually 4:3 or 9:16 (wide). For
example a 1.2 Megapixel sensor on the Sony SNC-EM600 camera has 1280
horizontal pixels and 1024 vertical pixels. The aspect ratio is 1280/1024 which is
1.24 or close to the 4/3 ratio (1.3). The 2 megapixel Samsung SND-6084 dome
camera has 1920 x 1080 pixels, and the aspect ratio is closer to 16:9. The latest
sensors (especially the ones that claim 4K resolution) have different aspect ratios
that are similar to the very wide formats used in the cinema market.
HD Camera: This is more of a marketing term and is defined as either a 720p or
1080p type HD camera. This specification comes from the video broadcast market
rather than the security market and can be totally confusing. Back in the old days,
TV had only 525 horizontal scan lines per frame. This is not the actual resolution,
but rather physical scans of an electron beam on a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). The
total number of horizontal lines in a frame was made up of two fields (262.5 lines
per field). The fields were interlaced, so we wouldnt see the flicker.
Today 720p refers to 720 horizontal lines. The p indicates that the lines are
progressive rather than interlaced. There is only one scan per frame that includes
720 lines rather than 525 lines. The 1080p HD camera has at least 1080 horizontal
lines.
720p cameras usually have a sensor with at least 1.0 megapixels. Pixel resolution
is 1280 x 1024 (like the Sony SNC-EM600 1.3 megapixel camera), or it can be
1280 x 800 (like the Axis M3004 1.0 megapixel camera).
1080p cameras have at least a 2 megapixel sensor, and it is considered to be the
higher resolution HD camera. To confuse us, some manufacturers call their 3
megapixel or 5 megapixel camera 1080P as well.
4K Camera: This usually refers to a camera with over 8 Megapixels of resolution.
It has approximately 4,000 horizontal pixels. There is some difference between the
definitions from the television industry and the security market. The number of
vertical and horizontal pixels and the aspect ratio are defined differently. For
example Sony announced that their new (coming soon) camera has a chip with
4096 H 2160 V pixels which runs at up to 60 fps and conforms to the Digital
Cinema Initiative. Axis announced a camera with 3840 x 2160 which runs at up to
30 fps (which is called Ultra HD). The marketing people call all these cameras
4K.

Other Things that Affect Resolution:

The resolution of a camera is defined not only by the sensor, but also the lens and
the electronic circuits. We sometimes see megapixel IP cameras selling for under
$200. Be careful. You do get what you pay for. The sensor may have the
megapixels, but the lens may be plastic, and the result is a very low quality image.
For more about IP Camera Resolution take a look at our blog article.

Minimum Illumination (or Low Light Sensitivity)

The minimum illumination is the lowest light level that provides a reasonable image
from the IP camera. It is measured in lux. This can be very subjective. It depends
on what you think is an acceptable image. The low light level image you see is not
only dark, but can also be very noisy.
At the low light level the amplifiers are working very hard and there can be circuit
noise that affects the video image. This is called the signal to noise (S/N) ratio.
The better manufacturers also include the relative level of the signal (IRE), which is
a measure of how hard the amplifier has to work. For example a camera that is
operating at 30 IRE is receiving 30 percent of the signal from the sensor circuits,
while one operating at 50 IRE is receiving 50 % of the signal. The lower the
number, the harder the amplifier has to work to boost the signal so it can be seen.
The noise level can be as high as 20% of the signal so the resulting video can look
very noisy when the signal level is very low.
The minimum light level is also affected by the shutter speed, which relates to the
frame rate. The longer the shutter is opened the more light can reach the sensor.
The longer the shutter stays open, the lower the frame rate. There are some
camera specs that indicate very low minimum illumination (0.0001 lux), but this is
measured at a shutter speed of 0.5 sec. This translates to a maximum frame rate
of 2 fps.
The minimum illumination level is also determined by the lens. The lower the f-
number of the lens the more light it will let through. For more details about this
take a look at IP Camera Low Light Sensitivity blog article.
For a more practical guide to how IP cameras perform at low light, take a look at
our IP Camera Low Light Test which compared a number of IP cameras at low
light levels.

Lens:

Many IP cameras comes with a lens. The

lens allows you to frame the area that you want to see. For example, a wide angle
lens could be used to view a small room, while a narrow angle lens (with more
magnification) can be used to see an area thats far away. The lens also can affect
some of the other specifications such as minimum illumination, frame rate, and
resolution. If the IP camera doesnt include a lens, it usually includes a standard
type CS (or C) mounting capability, so you can use various third party lenses.
Lens angle: The lens is measured in mm (millimeter). The lower the number the
wider the viewing angle. A 2 mm lens may have an angle of about 110 degrees,
while a 50 mm lens has an angle of about 5.5 degrees. The angle of the lens
depends on the size of the sensor and the distance from the sensor to the lens.
Many manufacturers make it easy and provide both the mm and the angle of the
lens in the specification. The right lens angle depends on your application.
Lens light capability: The f-number of the lens indicates how well the light is
transferred through the lens. A camera with an f-number of f1.2 can pass more
light than one that has f2.0 lens. The f-number will also appear as part of the
minimum illumination spec. The lens angle can affect the f-number, the wider the
angle the more light can get in, so the illumination spec is usually measured at the
widest lens angle (when a variable lens is included).
Types of Lenses: There are fixed lenses, variable, and zoom lenses.
Fixed lens, as the name implies, has only one mm or angle setting.
Variable lens, can be manually adjusted through a range of angles.
Zoom lens is similar to the variable lens, but it can be controlled remotely. This
allows you to adjust the setting of the camera lens from your computer making it
very easy to install.
Iris: Iris control adjusts how much light falls on the sensor. There are manual iris
controls, DC auto iris, and p-iris lenses. The iris affects the depth of field. The
smaller the iris opening the longer the depth of field. When the scene is very dark
the lens iris opens and the field of view is reduced. This means some areas that
are close or far away are not in focus.
Manual iris, is manually adjusted and depends on how much light is expected in
the scene. A manual iris lens is usually used with indoor cameras where there is a
small light variation.
DC auto Iris lens are usually used with outdoor cameras. The camera electronics
adjusts the iris opening depending on how much light it detects. At night it opens
the iris and when there is bright sunlight it closes the iris.
P-Iris lenses are similar to the DC auto iris lens, except they add additional
intelligence to the lens opening. When the iris is closed all the way, it can reduce
the clarity of the image (when used with megapixel cameras). It has to do with the
pixel size. A p-iris camera system works with the camera electronics to prevent the
iris from closing all the way. On the other hand, when the view is very dark, the
camera tries to open the iris to let in as much light as possible. As the iris
increases the depth of field is reduced. A p-iris lens prevents the lens from
opening all the way and compensates by increasing the camera amplification of the
video signal.
Focus: The focus of the IP camera can be adjusted either by adjusting the lens or
by remotely adjusting the distance between the lens and the sensor (back focus).
Lenses can have a fixed focus (that cant be changed) or manual focus. Back
focus is not part of the lens, but is usually listed with the lens specification. This is
a very nice feature that makes installation much easier. The focus can be adjusted
at the computer, instead of at the camera. Many of the new Sony and Samsung
cameras have this feature.
IR Corrected Lenses: Lenses bend the light to achieve the right focus and
magnification. IR light can bend at a different angle than visible light when the
wrong type of glass is used in the lens. IR corrected lens compensates for the
focal difference and provides a much clearer image. This is most apparent at
higher resolution. If you plan to use a megapixel IP camera system, then make
sure you get the IR type lens.
Special Applications that Require Specific Capability
Wide Dynamic Range
When you are trying to view an area with challenging lighting conditions its best to
select a camera that provides good wide dynamic range (WDR). For example,
when you view a lobby with a large window, you will need a camera that either
provides back light control or better yet WDR. Wide dynamic range has been
dramatically improved in the latest cameras. WDR is measured in dB. The older
cameras provided about 50 dB of WDR, and the new Sony and Samsung cameras
provide over 120 dB. In many cases you dont have to pay more for this capability,
you just have to select the right camera.
Frame Rate
I moved this specification to this section because these days frame rates are not
critical in most applications. Most megapixel cameras support reasonably good
frame rates. What is reasonable? Well, it depends on the application. In the old
days people said you needed at least 30 fps. That, of course is not true in most
applications.
The video is very smooth even at 10 fps. Take a look at our video How the Video
camera Works for more details about frame rates and how they have evolved from
the old days of TV. Yes, there are a few applications where you want higher frame
rate, such as in gambling casinos, or in special testing situations, where you need
to see very fast motion, but in most cases you can save bandwidth and storage by
reducing the frame rate.
In certain cases the frame rate has to be reduced. For example, frame rates tend
to be lower in very high resolution cameras (over 3 Megapixel). The Arecont 10
Megapixel cameras support frame rates up to 7 fps, which isnt too bad for most
applications. The frame rate can also be affected by very low light situations. By
increasing the time that the shutter stays opened, you can improve the low light
performance of most cameras. But, be careful. If you increase the shutter speed to
0.5 seconds, the maximum frame rate is only 2 fps.
Audio
Audio capability can be very important in some applications. For example, if you
would like to connect anintercom to the camera you will need two-way audio. You
also will require audio in applications like police interrogation rooms. In this case
you need a camera with audio input capability. You can also select a camera with
a built in microphone, but be careful because its always best to have the
microphone close to the person talking.
Input and Output (I/O)
If you plan to release a door lock, you need an output signal to control a relay that
can open an electric lock. If you want to detect that a door has been opened and
start recording video, then you will require an IO input connection to the camera.

Summary
Understanding the specifications, allows you to select the right camera for your IP
camera system. Before reviewing the specifications, make sure you know your
application and objectives. Sometimes the specs are confusing, so always check
with us if you have questions. Camera specifications such as resolution, low light
sensitivity and the lens are some of the important factors to consider when
selecting your camera.
If you need help understanding the IP camera specifications and selecting the right
camera, dont hesitate to give us a call or send a message. We have a lot of
experience with IP security systems, so Im sure we can be helpful. We can be
reached at 1-800-431-1658 (in the USA), or 914-944-3425, or use
our contact form.