16:9 vs 4:3 Video Aspect Ratio Statistics

By IPVM Team, Published Feb 16, 2018, 07:23am EST

What aspect ratio do security integrators prefer? The 'standard' 4:3 or the 'wide' 16:9 one?

100+ integrators told us what they preferred, with a dominating winner.

In this note, we examine why integrators so strongly prefer 16:9, why they do so and what the tradeoffs are of these aspect ratios?

16:9 ************ ********

*/**** ** *********** ********* that **:* *** *********, compared ** **** ~**% of *********** ********** *:*. Another **% ** *********** **** the ********* ****** ***** ******** on *** *****.

16:9 **** ******** ******

*** ******* ******* ** respondents **** **** ********* 16:9 ******* ** *** modern ******** ******, **** 16:9 ********** **** ****** and *:* ******** **** difficult ** **** *** limited ** *********.

  • "* ****** **:* ******* most ******** ***** **** are **:* ****** *****. 16:9 ******* ****** ****** on ***** ********. **** customers ** *** **** the "****** ***" ****."
  • "**:* ***** **** ******** on *** ****** **** are **** ** **** ratio, ** ***** *** cleaner ******** ****** ****** views"
  • "**:* - ****** ******* and ******* ******* ******* technology"
  • "**:*. ****** ******* ****** much *** ***** ******** (and **'*) *** ** this ****** *****."
  • "**:* ** ** *** format ** *** ******* and *** **** ** cameras."
  • "**:*. ***** ** ******* now, ** ******** ***** better. **** ***** * wider ***** ** ***** height ** ********* ********."
  • "**:* **** **** ** todays ********"

16:9 **** ****** ** **** ******

****, *********** **** **** 16:9 *** ****** ** view ******, *********** ****** vertical ***** ***** *********** a **** ***.

  • "* ****** **:* ******* It *** **** *** a ***** **** ******* the **** ** *** top ***** ** ** normally *** ** *******"
  • "* **** **:* ******* in **** ***** *** don't **** *** ********* vertical ****. **:* ******** more ******** *********** ** most *****, ***** ** more ******* ********* * panoramic ****. "
  • "**:* ***** ** **** efficient *** * ***** image. ***** *** ** more ********* **** ******** angle."
  • "* **** **:* *** like ** *** ******* shots. ** ***** ** keep *** *** *** of *** **** * like ** *** ******** mode ** ****."
  • "********* **:* ** ****** for *** *********, ** it ***** **** *** wide **** ***** ***** able ** ********* ******** in *** *****."
  • "* ***** **:* ** better *** ***** ************. It ***** *** * wider ***** **** **** horizontally ******* ** ******* space ** *** ******** axis. **** **** ** a ******* **** ** has **** ********** ******** you ** *** *** hallway **** ***********. ** rarely ** **** *** 4:3 ** *** *************." 

16:9 Expected ** *********

*******, ******* *********** ********* that ********* *** ****** 16:9 ****** ***** *** to ******** *** *** consider *:* ********.

  • "**** ** *** ******* like **:*. **** **** told ** **** **** think *:* ***** ********. As **** ** **'** capturing *** ***** ** view *** ****** ***** we **** *** **:*."
  • "**:*, ** ******, ******: the ******* **** ***** walls *** **** ****** this ***** ***********. *** us, *********** *:* ** a ******* *** ** very ****** *** ********* the *******. *** *** result ** **** *:* is ****** ** ********** (including *** ******** *********) but *** ******** ***** this ****** *****."
  • "**:*. *** *** **** aspect ***** ****** *** on ***** **'* ** it ** *** *** "normal", *** **** **** expect."
  • "**:* ** ********* ** it *** ***** ** be **** ********* ****** due ** ***** ******** to **, ***** *** CINEMA *****."

Depends ** ***********

**** *********** **** ****** ratio ******** ** *** application, **** **:* **** useful ** ***** ******* fields ** **** *** 4:3 **** ****** ******* being *** **** ****** response.

  • "**:* *** ******* ** warehouse ************ - **** is ****** ** ***** as **** ** ** can ** * ******* lot. *:* *******, **** few **** ***** **** need ** ** ********."
  • "******* ** **** ** are ****** ** *****. I **** *:* *** indoor ********, ********, *** door ******* ** **** are **** ****** **** rectangular. **:* ***** ****** outside ** ******** *** want ***** ******** **** less ***." 
  • "**:* *** ******** / wide *****... *:* *** indoors... ****** ** ** a ******** **** ******, then **:* ***** *****."
  • "** *** **:* ****** for ******* ************ *** 4:3 *** ******."
  • "******* **. *********, *** vs ****, ***-*** ** DVD-HD, *** ** **, this ****** ***** **** into **** ******** ** an ********* ******** **********. Both **** * ********* purpose, ********* ********* *** different **********. *********** ********, 4:3 ******* ***** **** vertical ******. ********* ** what ** ********* ** the ****** *** ******, this ***** ** ****** an ******* ** ***** in *** ***** ** view ** *** ***** is ****** "********" ** fit *** ******. **:* does **** ****** ** most ***** ****** ********, since ***** *** ******* ********** in * **:* ******. However, **** ************ ******** still ** *** *** a *:* ******, ******* prominent ***** **** ******** you *** ** **** the ****** **** * matrix ** **:* ******. It's **** ****** ** drive ** * ******* screw **** * ********* screwdriver; *** **** ** match *** ***** ** the **** ** **** them **** ******** ********."

4:3 **** ****** ** ***** *******

*** **** ****** ****** given *** *:* ********** was **** ** **** better ** ****** **** viewing ******** *******. ** shown *****, **** ** often **** *** ** VMS/NVR ** ******** ***** take ** ***** ** 16:9 ********, ******** *** effective ***** ** *** aspect ***** ** *** layout ****.

  • "*:* ********* ********* *** multi-camera *******."
  • "*:* ** ****** *** multi-image ***** *** ******** 16:9 *** ****** ** it **** **** ******** better."
  • "*:* ***** ****** *** video ****"
  • "*:* ***** ****** ** the ****** ** ****** tiles."

What **** ******** "****"? ** *******

***** ****** ***** **** a ******* ******* ** several *******, *********:

  • ****** ****** *****
  • ***/*** *** ********
  • ********** **. ********

*** *******, **** *************, a ****** **:* ****** fills * (******* ****-******) monitor **** **** ******, while * *:* ***** does ***, **** ***** space ** *** **** and *****.

*******, **** *** *** elements *** *********, *** aspect ***** ** *** layout **** (***** ***** tiles *** *********) ********* changes **** ********, ********* in ***** ***** *** below ** ** *** sides ** *****, ***** here *********** ** ***.

**** ***** ** ******** when ******* ******** ******* of ********* ****** ******, as **** ***** ********* around ****, *********** *****.

Comments (3)

Avatar

Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | 02/16/18 04:44pm

The security management sub-set of end users might have a difference of opinion than the majority of integrators.

My aspect ratio split is 75% 4:3 and 25% 16:9. I like the added details of below a camera. 

Avatar

Lasse Sørensen

In reply to Brandon Knutson | 02/16/18 07:25pm

me too.. a perfect indoor (retail/shop) camera would be 90º by 90º placed in a corner, then you won't miss a thing..

I'm really happy about Axis P1427-LE 5MP cameras delivering 2592x1944 (4:3) perfect for corner views og mounted on a pole, where you can watch the earth beneath the cam and the rest of the scene. Protecting the cam against vandalism or tampering..

But it is not the 4:3 ratio that is it important, the FOV is the important part. And i really like that most Axis camera is choosable in ratio. 

Undisclosed End User #1

In reply to Brandon Knutson | 02/21/18 11:01pm

YUP 4:3 provides most collateral video and displays best in tile view. 

I am curious if 16:9 was popular due to the resolution of cameras used versus the option of 16:9 v. 4:3?

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