Panoramic network camera: video surveillance 360º

Panoramic security camera is a new type of video surveillance camera that attracts consumer interest. Compared with conventional security cameras, a panoramic camera perhaps is the most best choice when a 360º monitoring is required. In such kind of monitoring place, instead of installing several security cameras, you only need to use one set of panoramic camera to have the entire area covered, which helps the user reduce the budget, installation and maintenance burden.

What is the best place to install the panoramic security camera? Except entrance & exit, lobby and reception areas, panoramic camera can also install at corridors to capture a clear overview of crossings. Furthermore, it's suitable to be adopted in the many open spaces for example commercial building, airport station, parking lot, shopping mall etc.

From the Hikvision retail solution, the panoramic camera are used for in-store monitoring,a discreet size fisheye camera or mini PTZ camera allows cover any in-store angle with only one camera. For large indoor area, Hikvision recommends panoramic (fisheye) + optically-PTZ combining solution permits both panorama and detailed precision requirements.

So, panoramic security cameras are so great products, many video surveillance equipment manufacturers launched a lot of panoramic network cameras, how can we choose right fisheye camera to fit our specific requirement? ASMAG magazine invited video surveillance experts from Sony, BOSCH, Vivotek to explain what technologies play important role that determine the performance of panoramic camera.

Fisheye lens quality

Typically, a panoramic camera has a fisheye lens, the lens quality is a decisive factor for remarkable panoramic recording result. “An advanced, high-quality lens is required to capture a true hemispherical view with no blind spots, with the video footage being crisp and clear right to the edge of the picture. Because image quality is typically degraded at the edge of the picture when ordinary fisheye lenses are used.”said Riki Nishimura, General Manager of Visual Security Solution, Sony.

Dewarping Technology

Dewarping technology, as known as lens correction technology, plays a crucial in panoramic cameras final recording result. Firstly, the users have to select the panoramic camera that supports either on-board dewarping or client dewarping function. According to Eric Ho Kai Kwong, Product Marketing Manager of Bosch Security Systems, Edge/On-board dewarping function allows the panoramic camera to stream a portion of the 360º view into a dewarping image while client dewarping function streams a full circle image that needs the video management system (VMS) to dewarp. For the users deploying client dewarping surveillance solution, it is important to make sure that the chosen VMS is able to dewarp panoramic recording image. “It will not be possible to review the recording footage and extract evidence if the VMS does not support dewarping in playback mode,” Kwong continued. Most of panoramic security cameras support 5 megapixel resolution, although it has a 5MP image sensor, do not expect that a dewarped section will be that same resolution. A single dewarped view can be, depending on what native resolution of the camera, VGA or less, based on how much the user digitally zooms.

WDR and 3DNR Image Enhance Technology

Since indoor lobby area is one of the most popular location to use panoramic camera, the camera has to be able to deliver high clarity image under any lighting environments. " When we consider to deploy panoramic security camera, one of the key factors to consider is that whether the camera comes with WDR enhancement and 3D noise reduction (3DNR) functions; even under high-contrast and low-light conditions, the camera can still capture polished video and maintain optimal image quality." said William Ku, VP of International Business Division at VIVOTEK.

When it comes to installation, according to Kevin Saldanha, Senior Product Manager of Pelco by Schneider Electric, in order to make the most of your panoramic camera and achieve the best of its coverage, it's important to bear in mind that the camera should be mounted at least 3 meters height and with no obstruction in front of it. Regularly, a panoramic view is designed to be an overview scene, so don't use the panoramic security camera as a replacement for PTZ camera for license plate capture.

Previously, we wrote some product test reports of panoramic network cameras: