Choosing the Right Security Camera Resolution for Your Home or Business
Whether looking for security cameras for a residential or commercial application, Mountain Alarm can help you choose the correct configuration to best suit your needs. Most consumers understand features such as night-vision, wide-angle viewing, and two-way communication. But a common question is, with all the different options available, which resolution should I choose to best protect my property.
The Basics of Security Camera Resolution
Smartphones, tablets, computer monitors, and modern TVs reproduce images in pixels–millions of tiny squares that make up an image or video. Resolution refers to the image size–the amount of pixels captured by the camera. The two numbers that represent the pixels are conveyed in the pixel width by the pixel height. For example, a 1080p camera captures 1,920 pixels by 1,080 pixels for an image made up of 2,073,600 pixels. Some of the most popular modern security cameras include:
Resolution • Image Size • Pixels per Image
1080p • 1920 x 1080 • 2,073,600
4MP • 2560 x 1440 • 3,686,400
5MP • 2560 x 1920 • 5,017,600
4K • 3840 x 2160 • 8,294,200
Today’s IP cameras digitize the live and recorded footage they capture and transmit it via computer. Camera manufacturers are constantly improving technology to make the video clearer, sharper, and easier to transmit, while consumers have come to expect new products with higher resolution and better definition.
Keep in mind that the higher the resolution and number of cameras, the more bandwidth and storage space is required. (Our cloud-based solutions can help address the need for additional storage.) Depending on the size of your home or business, you may not need cameras with the highest resolution. Remember, too, how well the captured footage is reproduced depends on other factors including additional camera specifications, camera placement, and the device used for viewing the footage.
Another way to think about which resolution is right for your system is to consider what level of video quality is needed. Lower resolution is fine for simply recording activity. Medium resolution allows for better recognition of who and what is captured, while higher resolution is best if you want the footage to provide clear identification.
We can help determine the ideal set-up with a free, no-obligation assessment of your property. Video technology has advanced to the point that we have many options available to fit any budget while protecting homes and businesses of any size.
Call 1-888-349-3455 today to speak to one of our local security experts about camera options and the unmatched protection video surveillance provides.