Camera Types
SRS supply a range of high performance cameras to meet specific demanding operational needs applications requiring protection from physical attack, through to applications where it is important that cameras are hidden or “covert”.
Examples of cameras that we supply, along with other camera technnologies are listed under the following categories: Analog Cameras, IP Cameras, Megapixel Cameras, Intelligent Auto-tracking Cameras, Vandal-resistant Cameras, Explosion-proof Cameras, Thermal Cameras, and Covert Cameras.
Analogue Cameras
Analogue CCTV cameras are available in a wide variety of formats and performance specifications. Cameras are the starting point of the video signal and are therefore a critical component of a CCTV system.
A variety of analog camera types are available including monochrome, colour, colour/mono (day/night), cameras sensitive to infra-red light and thermal cameras. Cameras are available in different physical formats e.g. standard box camera, printed circuit board (pcb) camera. The camera itself may be mounted in different formats of housing to protect it from a variety of environments from dust, rain, heat, explosion and radiation.
IP CCTV Cameras
IP CCTV cameras range from low-cost, low quality home PC type cameras, to high performance devices offering similar or better features and performance to analog cameras. They offer remote configuration of their settings.
IP CCTV cameras incorporate built in web servers which allow the camera to be viewed live and configured across a computer network or the internet. We can advise on the best choice of camera – whether it be an analog camera connected to an IP encoder, or a camera with direct IP connectivity. Megapixel cameras are only available in IP format since analog video can not support resolution standards above PAL/NTSC.
Mega-pixel Cameras
The primary benefit of using megapixel cameras is that the stored images are more revealing and provide stronger evidence than other formats. A 1.3M pixel camera will record from 2.7 times more detail than a standard PAL camera. One megapixel camera can replace several standard CCTV systems.
Alternatively, it can provide acceptable views at far longer object distances, or with wider-angle lenses. An entire room can be monitored with one 90° wide-angle lens camera positioned in a corner of a room. The high-detail resolution not only means fewer cameras, but it also reduces the amount of cabling, backup-power requirement and storage systems, thus minimizing the overall costs of the system.
Intelligent Auto-tracking Cameras
Intelligent video technology has made intelligent auto-tracking cameras a reality. The intelligent camera knows where all objects are in its field of view, what the objects are, where they have been and then intelligently predicts what they are about to do. With this information, the system intelligently decides what to do and then acts under disciplined instructions from pre-programmed surveillance parameters.
The system can lock onto and homes in on a particular incident. The motion of that incident then controls the PTZ camera providing fully automated close-up surveillance. Close-up views meeting recognition or identification guidelines are recorded by the intelligent camera – all without the need of a human operator.
Thermal Imaging Cameras
Thermal imaging cameras are used where standard CCTV cameras fail to perform optimally. Humans need light, white light specifically, to be able to see. White light passed through a prism breaks up in to various colours that we can see with our eyes. The spectral range is between 3 and 6 microns (a very small portion) in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Infrared is between 6 and 13 microns - twice the range. In order to see that spectrum, specialised equipment is needed. The thermal camera takes the thermal energy emitted from a body and converts it into an image that is visible. The thermal image is portrayed as a picture of heat.
Thermal cameras require no illumination. Shadows, which intruders often use to hide or move in, are thus eliminated.
The thermal camera detects temperature differences and an image of the person or object is delivered. With sensitivity levels of 0.08°C, subtle differences in temperature will form the defined image of the object. With the technology provided by thermal imagers, the ability to see in pitch darkness and penetrate fog is possible. With the correct optics on a thermal camera human size figures can be detected from as far as 30 km away.
