Resolution Usage Statistics 2016

By John Honovich, Published Feb 02, 2016, 12:00am EST (Info+)

In the past few years, 4MP, 6MP, 4k (8.3MP) and 12MP cameras have become increasingly commonplace.

By contrast, our 2014 resolution usage statistics showed that the most common resolution used then was only 1MP / 720p. How much has this changed in the past 2 years?

This note shares those statistics plus detailed color commentary from 150 integrators who explained what and why they are using.

2016 **********

Compared ** **** - ***** **** **** ** *****

*** **** ******* ********* ****** *** *** *** **** ******* 720p *** *****. ** ****, *** ***** was ~** / ** *** ***** / **** ************, *** ** ** the ********. ************, ** ***** ***** almost ***********, **** *** - *** cameras ** *************, ****** ***** * niche. ******, ***+ ******* * **** small ********** ** ******* ******* ****.

1MP ******* - ********* / *******

*** **** ****** ****** *********** ****** 1MP *** ******* ** ******* / bandwidth **************:

  • "** ***'* **** ** *** *** high ** ********** **** ** ** sure ***** **** **** ******** ******* and ********* ***."
  • "*** ** *** ********* ****** **** high *********** *** **** ***** *****, until **** *** *** **** ** the ******* *** *******"
  • "******* **************... *** ********** ********* ******** *** the ****** ******."
  • "**** ******* ******** ***** ** **** on ******* **** * *-* ** hard *****."
  • "*********, *******, *** ***** ** ****"
  • "*********, ****, ****** ******** **** ***"
  • "**** ** **** ***** *****"

*************, *********** ********* *** **** **** the ***** ****** ** **** *** / ***** ******* ** ********* ** their ********** *********.

2MP ******* - ******* / *****

*** **** ******* *********** *** *********** choosing *** / ***** *** **** it *********** * **** ******* ******* quality, *****, *******, ***.

  • "**** ******* ****** **** **** ************* at * **** ***** ***** - 2MP ***** ** ** * ***** spot *** ****** ****** ***."
  • "***** **** ** ******** ******* ** 4 ***** ****, *** ******* *** too ***."
  • "** **** ****** ******* **** *** 1080p ** *** **** *********, ******** mostly ******* *** ***."
  • "*****/******* ** *** **** ******"
  • "*****, ** ** ********** **** *** NVR ********* ** ***** ****, *********/*******, quality ** ***** ********"
  • "**** ***** *** **** *********** ** a ******** ******** – ******* **********, normal *******, **** ** ********** ** most ******** *** ********** *** *****."
  • "******** ***** ***** ******* * ******* between *********** *** ****."
  • "** **** ** **** * ***** point **** ***** ******** ***** ***** quality."

***********, * ****** ** ***** *********** observed (*********) **** *** ************ ** price ******* **** *** ***** *** become ** ******* **** ** *** easy ** ******* *** ***** *******:

  • "***** *** **** **** ** ****, why **** *** ***?"
  • "**** ** ******* ** *** ********** for *** ***** ***** ****."
  • "******* *** ***** ********* ******* * 1.3 *** * ** **** ******* and *** *** **** ** **** out **** * ****** **** ******."
  • "* *** **** ******** ****** *** next *** ****** ******, ********** ***** the *** **** ** ******* ********* 4MP ******* *** *** **** **** storage ** ********** ** *** *******."

3MP *** ***

****** *********** ********* *** - *** are ***** * ******** ******** (**** 20% ** *********** **********), **** **** up ******* **** **** **% *** years ***.

*** **** ******* ****** *********** **** moving ** *** (*** ***) ** the ******* ****** **** *******:

  • "** ****** ** ** **** **** 3MP, ***** ** **** *****"
  • "**** *** **** ** ******* ****** down *** ********* *** **** ** purchase **** ** **** *** **** better ********* ********* ** ******* ** get * **** ******** ****."
  • "*** ***** ***'* ************* **** **** expensive **** ****** **."
  • "** *** *** ******* ** * very ********** *****, ** **** *** our '****' ***** ******"
  • "** *** *****-****** ***** (***, *****, etc.) ***** **** ** ** *** more *** (*:*) ******* ********* **** 1080p (**:*), *** *** *** ****** all **** * ***** **** ******."

************* *** ***********, **** ** ********* more ********** **** *********** ***** ******* products ** ***** ************* **** **** ******* to ***** *** **** *** ***** 3MP *** *** *** **** *********.

***********, ***** ******* *** - *** were **** ****** ** ********* *** importance ** ****** ** ****** / PPF:

  • "******** **************. ******** ** ****** ****** or ***** ** ****. ****** ** target"
  • "****** ******** *** *********** **** ** important **** *** ** ** ******* resolutions"
  • "** *** *** ** ** ** mp/sf *** ************** ***** ***** ** whatever *** ******** ******** **."
  • "** *** ******** ** **** **** we **** *** ********** ** **** in *** ***** ** **** **, and **** ********** **** ****** ****."

**** *** ********* *** ** ******* pixel ******* ****** (*.*., ***** ** 60ppf *** **** *******), *** **** for **** ****** **** **** ********** modest ****** ******* **** *****.

5MP+ ***** **** *****

**** * *** ** *** *********** said **** **** ***+ ******* ** the **** ****** **********. ** ****, ** is ***** **** ***+ ** ******* close ** ******** *** '********' ** 'benchmark' ********** *** ***** ************ ************. On *** *****, ** *** **** that ***** ** ***+ ** ** greatly ***** ****, *** **** ** still ******* * ******** ***** ******** to *** **** ****** ** ***-*** cameras ***** ********.

Outlook - ***** ** ** *** / ***

** *** **** * *****, ** expect ** *** *********** ******* ** the *** ** **** / *.*** cameras ** *** *** *** ******** expands. ** ****, *** *** *** will ****** ***** ** ******* ***** usage. **** ** ****** ****** ** the ********** ************ ** *******, *** cost *** *** *** *******. ** the ***** ****, ** ****** ** cameras ** ******** ** ** * niche, **** ******* ******** ** *******, wide ***** *** ***** ******* * distinct ******** *** ** *** ***** premium *** ***** *******, ********* / storage ********** *** **** ** ******** quality ************ *** ***** ** ****** size *****.

Comments (9)

Alexander Ryltsov

02/02/16 06:18pm

Is it possible to map statistics for 2016 / 2014 with historical data in the Camera Finder?

Right now there are 2666 samples, and filtering resolution by your criteria they are roughly 10 / 30 / 30 / 25 / 5 %. Unfortunately it is not possible to filter cameras by announcement date or something alike.

So, if it is possible to sort out outdated cameras, if it possible to predict figures from 2018? Just sort out old data and most recent, till you get your current figures (1 / 28 / 50 / 20 / 1), and calculate "adaptation period".

PS: thank you once more for that great tool

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Alexander Ryltsov | 02/02/16 07:33pm

It is not possible to do that with sufficient accuracy so I would not want to try.

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Luke Maslen

IPVMU Certified | 02/03/16 09:43am

Hi John,

Thank you for your New Year's Resolution article!

In Australia, I have found distributors have dropped many 720p camera models from their product lines so 1080p is the often the minimum resolution available. In cases where 1080p is overkill, I set the camera to 720p to conserve bandwidth.

This isn't too bad as the low light performance of newer 1080p cameras has improved and the prices are more affordable than ever.

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Luke Maslen | 02/03/16 10:51am

Luke,

I suspect the rollout of 4MP cameras is contributing that, effectively shifting 1080p into the position 720p used to hold.

Btw, as for setting your 1080p cameras to 720p, you might want to try this, from our Resolution vs Compression Test:

If you take a higher resolution camera (say 1080p), increase its compression level (say to ~40), it will look similar to a 720p camera at default compression levels, like so:

The big benefit we found was that the 1080p / high compression video was, on average, 50 to 75% lower bandwidth than the 720p / default compression one.

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Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 02/03/16 11:53am

..you take a higher resolution camera (say 1080p), increase its compression level (say to ~40), it will look similar to a 720p...

Cox cable seems to be a fan of this technique; they have been upgrading many of their 720p channels to 1080p. Though to do it without increasing total bandwidth, it would appear that they are compressing a good deal more (increased resolution but increased artifacting also).

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Luke Maslen

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 02/03/16 12:53pm

Thanks very much John, that's a great tip!

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Max Shumeyko

02/12/16 04:27pm

Should we expect that in the year 2018, the most popular resolution will be 3 to 5MP?

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Max Shumeyko | 02/12/16 04:30pm

Yes, 3MP and 4MP specifically will be, most likely, most common. This is being driven by our manufacturer product availability with 4MP already ramping up right now.

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Undisclosed Integrator #2

03/07/16 11:20pm

This might be Moore's Law of Surveillance tech progression in the making.

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