Surveillance Camera Imager Tutorial
Imagers are fundamental to video surveillance quality, but can be daunting for those new to the industry.
In this tutorial, we explain the fundamental issues and drivers in surveillance camera imagers, including:
- Terminology: "Imager" Vs. "Sensor"
- CCD vs CMOS
- Imager Manufacturers
- Camera Manufacturer Imager Disclosure
- Imager vs Resolution
- Imager Size
- Pixel Size
- Imager vs FoV Width
- Imager vs Low Light Performance
Plus, we provide a 7 question quiz at the end to test your knowledge.
Terminology: "******" **. "******"
** *** ************ ********, *** ***** "imager" *** "******" ** "***** ******" are **** ***************. ***********, ** ****** refers ** * ******** ****** ** sensors, ** ** ********* ***** ** "imagers" **** ******* ***** ************ *******.
CCD **. ****
*** *** **** ********** ***** ** imagers **** ******* (******-******* ******)******* (************* *****-*****-*************).
*******, ** ****, ********* *** ************ cameras *** ****, **** *** **** "best" ** *** "*****." **** *** not *** **** * ****** ***, when *** ******* **** *********** *** offered ****** ***********, **** **** ****** down **** ** * ***** ****, lower ******* ***********.
******* *** **** *** "******", * prejudice ******* ******* ****, **** **** still ** *** ******* **** *** should *** **** *** **** ***********. However, **** ** *****, ***, ** a ********* ******, **********. ** *** only ****** *** *******, *** ***** eliminate ****** *** ****** ************ *******, including *** '***' ****** *** ******.
***** *** ***** **** *** ******* rarely **** ** **** ********** ************, such ** *** ** ******* ******, but **** ***** ************ **** **** increased *** ** ****.
Few ****** *************
***** *** **** * *** *********** manufacturers ** ************ *******, **** *** most ********** ***** *******************,****** (*** **** ** ** *************)*******. **** ****** *************, ****** ************* offer * ***** ** ****** **** varying ****, *** **********, ***** ****, and *** ************, ** **** * few.
Imager ************ ********* *** *********
****** ************* ****************** ****** ************/****** **** ***, ** it ** *** **** ** ******* two ******* ****** ***** ** ***** imagers. **** **** **** *** ****** manufacturer *** *** *** ******** *****. However, **** ** *** **** ** was ************, *** ******* ******** ****** ** imagers **** ******* *****/*********** *********, ** simply ******* *** ************ ***** ** of ****** ***. ********, **** ** you **** *** ******* **** ***** the ***** **** ******, *********** ** tuning, ******** ***, *********** ***** ***** result ** ******* ******* ***********.
Imager ********** *** ****** ********** *** ****
******* **** ** *** ******* ********** they *******, *.*, *****, ***, **, etc. ******* ****** ****** ** *********** higher **** **** *** ****** ********. However, * ******'* *** ****** ********** may *** ** *** **** ** the ******'* **********.
*** *******, * ****** **** * 6MP ****** *** **** * ******* stream ********** ** ***, ** * 12MP ****** ****** *** ****** ** 4K. **** ** ***** *** ** limitations ** *** ******-**-**** (***), ***** may *** ** **** ** ****** at ******* ********** ***** ******** ******* features.
Typical ****** *****
******* *** ***** **** ********* ***** (e.g.,**** *******), ***** ******** ** ** '**** frame', ** ********* ***** (*.*., **** phones). ************ ****** ******* **** ** fall ** *** ******, ****** **, but ********* ****** ****, **** ***** imagers.
*** ***** ***** ***** *** **** range ** '*******' ************ *******, ***** are ******* */*" ('*******') *** */*" (considered '*****').
** ************, **% ** ******* **** imagers **** *** ******* */*" *** 1/3". *** **** ****** ****** ***** of *** ****** ** ************ */*.*", 1/2.7", *** */*". **********, *****-********** ****** (720p/1.3MP *** *****) ***** **** ******* 1/4" *******, *** **** ***** ****** predominantly *** ******* ****** ** */*" today, *** **** ************* ** ****** offer *********** ***** *****.
1/2"+ ******* **** ******
**********, ******* ***** */*" ** ****** imagers **** **** **** *** *********. However, ** *** **** *** *****, these ****** **** ****** ******, **** most ************* *** ******** *** "**** end" ***** ***** ***** * ~*/*" (or */*.*", */*.*", ***.) ******, ******** for***** *** *****.
************, ****** ********** *-*** ****** ***** 1/2" ** ******** ****** ******* *** now ********** ******, ********* ** *************' higher *********** ******, **** ******' ** ***** *** *** *****, **** */*.*" ********'* *** ***-*****(*/*.*"). *** ****** ****** ******* **** low ***** *********** ** ***** ****** resolution ****** ***** ********** ****** *** larger.
Larger *********** ******* ****** **** ** ************
************, **** ****** ************* **** ***** using **** ****** ******* ********* **** in ***********, ****** ***** ****** *** still ****. *** *******, *** ***** below ***** *** ** ***** ****** (center **** *** ***-*/**.*** *****), ******** to * ****** "*****", *** ****** to ******* */*.*" ******.
******* **** ****** **** */*" *** still **** **** ** ************, **** only * ******* ** *******.********'* ********* ** **** ***** *** ***** use ** ***** ******* (**.***/~*.**"), *** others **** **** ******** ** ****, such ****** *****(***-*, ~*"),************'* ***** */* ******, ********'* ** / **** *****.
Imager **** **********
****** ****** ************, ****** **** ** almost ****** ********* ** ****** ************* on ************* ******. **** ** ** example ** *** ***** ** ****** typically ********:
*******, **** ***** ******** *****, ** do *** ********* ****** ******** ****** is ******, ***** ** **** ***** factors ****** ******* ***********.
Pixel ****
******* **** ** *** **** ** their ******, ******** ** *******. ***** size ** **** ******** ********** ** imager **** *** *** ****** ** pixels (*.*., **********). *** ****** *** imager, ********** **** *****, *** ****** the ***** ****. *******, ** *** add **** ****** (*.*., ***** **** SD ** **) *** *** ****** size ***** *** ****, *** ***** size *********.
****'* ** ******* **** ** ****** manufacturer ******* ****** ****, ********** *** pixel **** **** ** ****:
**** ****** ****** ***** ***** *******, everything **** *****, * ****** ***** can ******* **** *****, *** ********* deliver ********/****** *** ***** ******. *******, many ***** ******* ****** *** ***** performance ** ** ** *** ******/**** to ******** *** ****** ** ****** than ******* ***** ** ***** ****.
****, ***** **** ** ****** ***** disclosed ** ****** *************, ** *** best *** *** ** ** ******** by ******* ** *** ********** *** imager **** ** **** *****.
4K ******* ********* ******* ***** ****
** ******* *** ************ ******. ******** they **** ~** *** ****** ** 1080p ******* *** ** ****** ******* are ********* ****** **** *****, ********* the ***** **** *** ** ******* is *******. **** *** **** *** light ***********.
**** **** **** ** *** ****** the ****, **** ** *****-***** ****** models ************'* ***-*,****'* **** ******,****' */*" *****, ***., ***** *** ****** ****** size ********* ***** **** ***************.
Imager **** ** *** *****
****** **** *** * ****** ****** on ***** ** **** ****** *****. *** ******* *********** ** *** is **** ****** (*.*., ***, ****, 30mm, ***.).
*******, *** ****** *** ******, ********** else *****, *** ***** *** ***** of ****.
** *** ***** ****, ****** ***** in ************ ** *** **** **** much, ** **** **** ******* ********* imager *****, *** *** **** ******* moderately. *** *******:
** ****, ** ********* ** *** a ***** ******* *** ** ***** being ***** **.
Imager ** ******
******* **** ******* ** ** **** compressing ***** (*.*., *.***,*****, ***.). ******* *** ********* ****** image ******* ** **** **** ******* but *** ****** ***** *** ***** uncompressed ** *** ** ******* / System ** **** (***) ** ******* this.
Imager ** *** ***** ***********
******* *** ** ****, *** *********, and **** ******, ****** ** ******* is **** ****** ******* ****** ******* better *** ***** ***********. ****** ****** imagers ****, ***** *** ***** *** drivers **** ********* *** **** *********, namely *** ***** ***** ********** **** is **** ** *** ******* / CPU ** *** ******.
*******, *** ***** */*"+ ****************** *** *** ******** ********* ****** **** *** *** 1/3" ***** *******, ** ***** ****** typically ***** *** **** (** ******) processing **** ** */*" ****** ** larger */*" ******* **** ****** ***********, resulting ** ******* ****** ***********. ***** models *** ************ ********** ** *** *********.
************, ***** *** * ****** ** 1/2" ****** ******* ********* ******* ***** processing **** *** ***** **** ** low *****. **** ** ******* **** 1/2" ******* ** ******, *** *** still *** ** *** ***** ******* the ***** **** ** ****** ***** and *** ******* **** ** **** the ********** ***** ** ******* **** large ***********, ****** **** ********** ** **** ******** ********* ** *******.
Quiz ********
**** *** * ******** **** *** see *** **** *** **** *******.
[[**** **** *** ********** ******** ** 2014 *** *** ******* ** ****-**** to ******* ************ ** */*" *** larger ******* ** **** ** *********** in ** *******.]]