Delivering heightened detail with Hikvision’s new Fisheye Camera

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German philosopher Nietzsche coined the phrase ‘The devil is in the detail’ back in the 1880s. It’s still relevant today, and often used to highlight the importance of noticing details to achieve a larger end goal. And this is literally true of security monitoring too. The small details in an image are often the important ones. The hair color and jacket logo of an intruder, for example, or the number on a license plate. To get this kind of detail requires a high image clarity – and a high megapixel count. Hikvision’s new DeepinView Fisheye camera has had a facelift, giving it a fresh appearance with better performance. It boasts a 12 MP resolution.. but that’s not the end of the story…

Effective pixels deliver higher clarity

Many Fisheye cameras have a pixel ratio of 4:3, which means that a quarter of the total pixel capacity is unused. In these cameras a ‘12MP’ resolution – for example 4000 x 3000 pixels - only actually uses 3000 x 3000 pixels. So, the ‘effective pixel’ count would be just 9MP. This ratio causes a greater image distortion, further impacting image quality. Often relevant details are very small in the image and need to be enlarged. This action also reduces resolution.

Hikvision’s DeepinView Fisheye camera (DS-2CD63C 5G1-IVS) uses an Immervision lens with an improved ratio of 1:1, This means that the effective pixel count is 100% (actually 12.27MP in the 12MP camera). This delivers an increase of 36% in effective pixels, making images clearer than ever, and providing much more usable detail. The lens also provides a wider angle of view to cover more of the monitored area.

“When it comes to details, the more pixels you can have on your side, the better”, says Nick.Wu, Project IP Product Marketing Director at Hikvision Europe. “We wanted to make sure that every pixel counted, so we developed a ratio of 1:1 for a true 12MP resolution.”

The image quality improves the camera’s performance at all stages: detecting, with an image detail of 33 pixels per meter; monitoring, with an image detail of 66 pixels per meter; recognizing, with an image detail of 148 pixels per meter; and identifying, with an image detail of 165 to 197 pixels per meter. This gives effective and usable images across the entire monitored area. The 360˚ coverage of the panoramic lens means there are no blind spots, so no need for other cameras there.

Effective pixels with no interference

One interesting use case of a fisheye camera is at a railway station. Cameras monitor public areas - like platforms and concourse and are also used in employee-only areas - like control centers and the tracks themselves. Station managers use the cameras to secure the spaces, manage crowds, and keep everyone safe. This is especially true of the tracks, where trespassers can be in real danger. However, traditional security cameras can cause electro-magnetic interference with various critical systems in a railways station.

For this reason, there’s a European standard (EN 50121-4) that regulates the amount of interference that is acceptable in signalling and telecommunication apparatus installed in a railway environment. The standard minimizes the risk of electromagnetic interference. Hikvision’s new DeepinMind Fisheye camera adheres to this standard, making it safe and effective in stations.

“We saw a need in the railway market for a camera that delivered high quality images with great detail, but that didn’t cause interference”, says Nick.Wu, Project IP Product Marketing Director at Hikvision Europe. “So our R&D department used their experience and knowledge to come up with technology that complied with the standard.”

Smart functions for multiple scenarios, like retail

But railway stations are not the only places to benefit from this kind of camera. It also uses AI technology to provide a variety of smart features. They are used in multiple scenarios, including schools, hospitals, parks, and road intersections.

A good example is the way the retail sector uses cameras for more than security. Heat mapping, intersection analysis, and queue management, for example, become useful business tools. They allow store managers to understand how people move through their stores.

Single-area heap maps can show the areas of high and low attention, and multi-area maps provides more information to identify the most visited shelves and displays, helping managers fine-tune their store layout.

Intersection analysis can analyze the movement of customers at intersections, like central entrance points, or escalators. This information can show the direction most people go, helping managers to form a promotion and display strategy.

Queue management can see when queues are building up to alert managers to provide cashiers. This is achieved using both people numbers and wait time, to give managers the information they need to streamline service.

Overall, the camera provides the data, so managers can use software like HikCentral to maximise customer flow and heighten the shopping experience by freeing up space around popular areas and sending extra staff to checkouts when queues form.

But actually, the sky is the limit when it comes to applications. The cameras support HEOP 2.0, which enables Hikvision’s technology partners to develop and run their own applications on them. This makes the cameras very flexible and future-proof. Third-party providers can develop a wide variety of applications - to solve existing challenges, or even the ones end users do not yet experience!

Easy installation and maximum flexibility

Another valuable feature is that the cameras are engineered to be as simple as possible to install, with a specifically designed one-step integrated design for efficient installation. There’s also a 180˚panorama display mode, which covers the key area in just one click, without needing installation alignment. It also supports Web 5.0, so it’s compatible with various browsers and local plug-ins.

Flexibility is also key to success, and 20 dewarping modes make it easier to fine tune a solution to the customer’s individual needs. There are 6 in the camera itself and 14 in the software.

The cameras come equipped with three independant lights for less IR reflection, and four built-in microphones to allow users to communicate with, and warn, potential intruders. There’s also a new drainage design to help keep the lenses dry and sharp in wet weather.

Greater detail means camera operators can cover large areas effectively, whether they are looking to secure a premises, or provide better visitor experiences. Hikvision’s new DeepinView Fisheye camera combines smart features and a 1:1 effective pixel ratio, pushing the boundaries of what a camera can do, and how well it can function. If the Devil is in the detail, viewing with high clarity can shine a light on anomalies and reduce the risk.

Find out more

There are a number of ways you can find out more about how the new Hikvision DeepinView Fisheye Camera can provide clarity in detail through maximizing effective pixels:

Find out more about Hikvision’s DeepinView Fisheye cameras

Check out the camera infographic