Panoramic Camera Usage Rising 2017

By John Honovich, Published May 08, 2017, 09:59am EDT

Panoramic camera usage (including fisheye and multi-imagers) continue to rise rapidly. However, the race to the bottom is hindering even stronger panoramic uptake.

In this note, we compare to 2014 panoramic camera usage, sharing 140+ integrator responses, statistical breakdown and detailed commentary.

Trends ********

** *** **** * years, ********* ******'* ***** of *** ****** *********** deploy *** ******* **** ~4% ** **** ** ~8% ** ****.

Breakdown ****** ***********

***** ** ****, ~**% of *********** ****** ***** used **********, **** ****** dropped ******* ** ~**% in ****:

** *** ******** ****, many **** *********** *** using ********* *******. ** the ******** **** (** potential ********* ** ***'* view), * *** ** 3 *********** *** ***** not.

General ******** 

*** **** ****** ***** reason *** *********** ***** panoramics *** ** **** general, ***-******** ********:

  • "******* ***** ********* ** a ***** ** **** lobby."
  • "********** ***** *** ************ to *** ** ******** of *** ********* ** the ****."
  • "******** ******* *** ***** indoor ****** ** ********* warehouses."
  • "******** *** ** *** general **** ******** *** not *** **** ******."
  • "**** **** * ***** overview *** **** ****** nice ** * *******."
  • "**** **** ******** ** needed ** * ******** area."
  • "***** **** ******* *** normally ******** *** ******* overview."
  • "** **** **** *** general ***********."
  • "** *** ********* ******* mostly *** ******* ******** of ***** **** ***** cameras ******** ** ******* details ** ********* *********."
  • "*** *** *****-****** ******* are * ***** *** to ***** ***** *****."
  • "**** *** ******* *** server ** ***** *********** overviews *******."

Intersection ************

**** ************, * ******* number ** *********** ****** about *** ******** ** using ********** ** *************, including ******** *** ********, where ******* ******* **** covering ******** ********** **** a ****** ****:

  • "***** ***** ** **** for ********"
  • "**** **** **** ******* in ***** ******** ** see ** *** **********."
  • "*** ********* *** ******* several ***** *****, ********** in ******** ******* *** at *****-******** ** ********."
  • "*** ** **** *** suitable *** ******* ********** only - ******* ** the *******, ***."
  • "******* *************"
  • "*** ******** ************* ** hallways ** *****"
  • "**** **** **** **** in ******** ******* ******* it ****** *** ****** to ******* * **** arranged ***."

PTZ ************

**** *********** ***** *** benefits ** ********* **** with ********* *******:

  • "*** ************ ***** ***'* offer ** **** ********* over * *****-****** (**** a ************) *** ***** they ****. ****, ******* that *** ** ** a *** * ****** ago *** *** ****** with * ***** ****** for ***** *******."
  • "********* **** **** **** them."
  • "***** *** ******* ***** PTZs ***** ** ********."
  • "** **** ******* ********* multi-sensor ******* (*** *******) instead ** ***. ******* love ****** * ***** lenses ** ******* ** a ********** ****** *** with ***** *****."
  • "** *** ******* **** people **** ** **** away **** *** ******* because **** ****** **** to ** ******** ** the ***** *********. ********** will ***** ****** ***** and ** ****** *** deployed ******* ******** ******** evidence *** ***** ************ w/o ****** ************."

Race ** *** ****** ******

*******, *** **** ** the ****** ** ****** an ******. ** ****, replacing ******** ******* *** * common ****** *** ***** panoramics. ***, ** ****, this *** ******* ** the ********* **** *******, making ******** ************ ******* less *********:

  • "** * ******* **** I *** ***** *** in * ** * fixed ***** *** **** a **** ****** *******."
  • "*** **** **** ***** at ***** ** ***** of *** *******. ****** to *** *** ** more ******* ** **** site."
  • "****** **** **** * or * *******."
  • "** ****** *************** *** more ******* (***** *** can ** *** ***** cost ***** ****) **** less ******* **** ********* view. * **** **** you *** **** **** for **** ****."
  • "** **** *** ********** leaves * *** ** be ******* *** *** multi-imagers *** **** ***********."
  • "*** **** ** ***** cameras ** ********* *** high ** ******* *** using ******** *** ** cameras *******."
  • "**** ** ***********. ** 2-3 ******* *** ***** the **** **** *** less **** **** *** cost ** * *******/*********, it *****'* **** ***** to ******* ****."

************, *** **** ****** imager ***** ***** ******* can ********* ** ****** for $** - $*** and ********* ****** ******** to **** $*** - $1500 (***** *** ** that ***** *** *******, higher *** *** *****-*******), the **** ******* *** not ** ****** ** a *** ***** *** since ************ ****** ******* has ******* **** ******* than ********* *******.

No ******** ************

*** **** ****** ****** for ***** *** ***** panoramics ** *** *** that ********* *** *** demanding **:

  • "** ******** ************."
  • "*** ******* **** *** requested **."
  • "****, *** ***** ** all."
  • "*%. *** * ******* requirement."
  • "**** ***** *** *** requirement."

**** ********* **** **** manufacturer ********* ***** **** increase ***** / *******.

*******

** ****** ********* ****** usage ** ******** ** grow. ** *** ***** hand, ** *** ********** as ****** ************* * niche, ** **** ***** can ** ******* ************* with * ****** ****** with * ********** ******** (say ** - ***° FoV) *** ** ******* of ********* / ******. In *** **** * years, ** ****** ********* usage ** ****** *** eventually ** ***** *** as * ********** ** the ****** ** ** - **% ***** ** all ******* *********** ***.

Comments (10)

John Honovich

IPVM | 05/08/17 02:01pm

Note: one thing we did not do was track the breakdown between fisheye and multi-imager cameras. We plan to add that in an upcoming survey.

Shannon Davis

05/08/17 04:02pm

We have started installing the Axis four head P3707 quite a bit and work well on a corner of a building. Works fairly well but one issue is that these only have manual focus and are sometimes quite tricky to keep in focus after tightening the thumb screw. Other than that a good choice. We have also installed the fish eye cameras and they are good for a general view but not much else. Now some have higher megapixels which hopefully will be better.

Michael Miller

In reply to Shannon Davis | 05/09/17 12:18am

Arecont looks like they are addressing this issue. Remote positionable imagers with motorized lenses. 

Shannon Davis

In reply to Michael Miller | 05/09/17 01:00am

I'm sure they are but we quit selling this brand as we were always having to replace them. Actually I have never been a fan of Arecont. Avigilon has 3 and 4 head sensors that have remote focus and zoom. I have heard that Axis will have this feature at some point. 

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Shannon Davis | 05/09/17 11:47am

Agreed. Arecont may be a leader in innovation, but quality control is another matter. Would be interesting to see how much, if any, market share they have conceded to similar other brand products. But you'd need a pretty big sampling to get a good picture of that, I think. 

Undisclosed Integrator #1

05/08/17 06:51pm

I agree with panoramic use planing out. They are not a panacea. They don't work for every single situation and even with prices coming down they are still twice or more the cost of a fixed decent fixed cam.

Undisclosed #2

05/08/17 10:00pm

PTZ Replacements

Some integrators cited the benefits of replacing PTZs with panoramic cameras

 

I know the survey didn't break out panoramic fisheye versus single imagers so I feel this worth stating, lest anyone make this mistake:

There is a good case to replace PTZs with multi-imager cameras.  I would avoid at all costs using panoramic fisheye, single-imager cameras to replace PTZs unless in relatively confined areas or areas where detail is irrelevant.  The pixel density drop-off is severe, even with the 12MP units on the market.  Light sensitivity is also pretty atrocious.

Michael Miller

05/08/17 10:33pm

We have been selling alot of fisheyes recently as customers want complete coverage of rooms with no blind spots.    Also schools love the fisheyes for hallway intersection coverage and they are more then happy with the resolution of the 12MP fisheye cameras. 

Marco Garza

05/10/17 01:43pm

great read...i have been steering away from PTZ cams for last 5 years.  working with a number of law enforcement agencies over the years, I have seen the frustration when investigations are conducted and NOT to have PTZ camera actually looking at an occurrence.

Multi-imagers are better value in place of PTZ's.  But cost is definitely a factor.  On the other hand, what does it cost to have an installer run cabling, power, etc for multiple cameras, versus single camera?  

of course the flipside and trade off is image quality. 

Undisclosed End User #3

06/03/18 04:05pm

Panoramic camera will be very popular in years to come as technology improve.

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