16:9 vs 4:3 Video Aspect Ratio Statistics

By IPVM Team, Published Feb 16, 2018, 07:23am EST (Info+)

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 ************ ********

*/**** ** *********** ********* **** **:* was *********, ******** ** **** ~**% of *********** ********** *:*. ******* **% of *********** **** *** ********* ****** ***** ******** on *** *****.

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

*** ******* ******* ** *********** **** they ********* **:* ******* ** *** modern ******** ******, **** **:* ********** most ****** *** *:* ******** **** difficult ** **** *** ******* ** selection.

  • "* ****** **:* ******* **** ******** these **** *** **:* ****** *****. 16:9 ******* ****** ****** ** ***** monitors. **** ********* ** *** **** the "****** ***" ****."
  • "**:* ***** **** ******** ** *** market **** *** **** ** **** ratio, ** ***** *** ******* ******** camera ****** *****"
  • "**:* - ****** ******* *** ******* current ******* **********"
  • "**:*. ****** ******* ****** **** *** video ******** (*** **'*) *** ** this ****** *****."
  • "**:* ** ** *** ****** ** the ******* *** *** **** ** cameras."
  • "**:*. ***** ** ******* ***, ** visually ***** ******. **** ***** * wider ***** ** ***** ****** ** generally ********."
  • "**:* **** **** ** ****** ********"

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

****, *********** **** **** **:* *** fields ** **** ******, *********** ****** vertical ***** ***** *********** * **** FOV.

  • "* ****** **:* ******* ** *** give *** * ***** **** ******* the **** ** *** *** ***** it ** ******** *** ** *******"
  • "* **** **:* ******* ** **** cases *** ***'* **** *** ********* vertical ****. **:* ******** **** ******** information ** **** *****, ***** ** more ******* ********* * ********* ****. "
  • "**:* ***** ** **** ********* *** a ***** *****. ***** *** ** more ********* **** ******** *****."
  • "* **** **:* *** **** ** for ******* *****. ** ***** ** keep *** *** *** ** *** shot * **** ** *** ******** mode ** ****."
  • "********* **:* ** ****** *** *** customers, ** ** ***** **** *** wide **** ***** ***** **** ** eliminate ******** ** *** *****."
  • "* ***** **:* ** ****** *** video ************. ** ***** *** * wider ***** **** **** ************ ******* of ******* ***** ** *** ******** axis. **** **** ** * ******* mode ** *** **** ********** ******** you ** *** *** ******* **** efficiently. ** ****** ** **** *** 4:3 ** *** *************." 

16:9 Expected ** *********

*******, ******* *********** ********* **** ********* now ****** **:* ****** ***** *** to ******** *** *** ******** *:* outdated.

  • "**** ** *** ******* **** **:*. They **** **** ** **** **** think *:* ***** ********. ** **** as **'** ********* *** ***** ** view *** ****** ***** ** **** use **:*."
  • "**:*, ** ******, ******: *** ******* want ***** ***** *** **** ****** this ***** ***********. *** **, *********** 4:3 ** * ******* *** ** very ****** *** ********* *** *******. The *** ****** ** **** *:* is ****** ** ********** (********* *** displays *********) *** *** ******** ***** this ****** *****."
  • "**:*. *** *** **** ****** ***** people *** ** ***** **'* ** it ** *** *** "******", *** what **** ******."
  • "**:* ** ********* ** ** *** seems ** ** **** ********* ****** due ** ***** ******** ** **, MOVIE *** ****** *****."

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

**** *********** **** ****** ***** ******** on *** ***********, **** **:* **** useful ** ***** ******* ****** ** view *** *:* **** ****** ******* being *** **** ****** ********.

  • "**:* *** ******* ** ********* ************ - **** ** ****** ** ***** as **** ** ** *** ** a ******* ***. *:* *******, **** few **** ***** **** **** ** be ********."
  • "******* ** **** ** *** ****** to *****. * **** *:* *** indoor ********, ********, *** **** ******* as **** *** **** ****** **** rectangular. **:* ***** ****** ******* ** normally *** **** ***** ******** **** less ***." 
  • "**:* *** ******** / **** *****... 4:3 *** *******... ****** ** ** a ******** **** ******, **** **:* works *****."
  • "** *** **:* ****** *** ******* applications *** *:* *** ******."
  • "******* **. *********, *** ** ****, Blu-Ray ** ***-**, *** ** **, this ****** ***** **** **** **** category ** ** ********* ******** **********. Both **** * ********* *******, ********* strengths *** ********* **********. *********** ********, 4:3 ******* ***** **** ******** ******. Depending ** **** ** ********* ** the ****** *** ******, **** ***** at ****** ** ******* ** ***** in *** ***** ** **** ** the ***** ** ****** "********" ** fit *** ******. **:* **** **** better ** **** ***** ****** ********, since ***** *** ******* ********** ** * 16:9 ******. *******, **** ************ ******** still ** *** *** * *:* format, ******* ********* ***** **** ******** you *** ** **** *** ****** with * ****** ** **:* ******. It's **** ****** ** ***** ** a ******* ***** **** * ********* screwdriver; *** **** ** ***** *** tools ** *** **** ** **** them **** ******** ********."

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

*** **** ****** ****** ***** *** 4:3 ********** *** **** ** **** better ** ****** **** ******* ******** cameras. ** ***** *****, **** ** often **** *** ** ***/*** ** elements ***** **** ** ***** ** 16:9 ********, ******** *** ********* ***** of *** ****** ***** ** *** layout ****.

  • "*:* ********* ********* *** *****-****** *******."
  • "*:* ** ****** *** *****-***** ***** but ******** **:* *** ****** ** it **** **** ******** ******."
  • "*:* ***** ****** *** ***** ****"
  • "*:* ***** ****** ** *** ****** in ****** *****."

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

***** ****** ***** **** * ******* depends ** ******* *******, *********:

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

*** *******, **** *************, * ****** 16:9 ****** ***** * (******* ****-******) monitor **** **** ******, ***** * 4:3 ***** **** ***, **** ***** space ** *** **** *** *****.

*******, **** *** *** ******** *** displayed, *** ****** ***** ** *** layout **** (***** ***** ***** *** displayed) ********* ******* **** ********, ********* in ***** ***** *** ***** ** to *** ***** ** *****, ***** here *********** ** ***.

**** ***** ** ******** **** ******* multiple ******* ** ********* ****** ******, as **** ***** ********* ****** ****, highlighted *****.

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. 

Agree: 3
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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. 

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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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