Fisheye cameras: The most economical and viable solution for general surveillance

Advanced on-board functionality, such as efficient on-camera video recording and storage as well as intelligent video analytics technology, makes fisheye cameras the first preference of buyers

By Richa Chakravarty

Friday, October 31, 2014: Fisheye cameras can be termed ‘game changers’ in the security and surveillance industry. These new entrants in the Internet Protocol (IP) segment allow users to survey and record 360°views. This means that one camera can cover the entire area to be monitored. A 360°rotating camera is not new in the surveillance industry. So what’s the buzz about the fisheye camera? According to Sanjeev Gulati, country manager, India and SAARC international sales department, Vivotek Inc, “One camera mounted to a 3.05m high ceiling is capable of covering a room of 6.04sq m. That amounts to 390.19sq m of coverage with a single camera. Apart from the money saved in deploying fewer cameras and the minimal cabling, consider the lower cost of administrating just one camera.” This new surveillance camera is unique and very powerful. So let’s find out more about the various models available in the market today and also try and understand their capabilities.

How it works

The components for the fisheye camera include the camera to view and capture the image and the cable that is connected to a network switch supported by a UPS system. Video management software (VMS) or a network video recorder (NVR) is used to record, save and replay the footage. These are the components required for basic levels of monitoring. Unlike the normal pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, the fisheye camera provides digital PTZ effects, similar to today’s digital smartphones. The biggest limitation of a PTZ camera is that as the camera moves to say the left, the right side cannot be monitored as it falls outside the viewing angle of the camera’s lens. However, the fisheye camera offers a complete spherical view of the area to be monitored. So, once the camera is installed at the centre of the room/area, it can view and record a 360° area without any loss of data.

These cameras support VMS, which only requires a basic PC to run on. So there is no need to invest in additional VMS or expensive server infrastructure. Most of the manufacturers provide software updates free of charge. Vivotek’s fisheye cameras supports ST7501, which is VIVOTEK self-developed free standard video management software working seamlessly with all Vivotek network cameras and video servers. It supports 32-CH of live view camera monitoring, recording, playback, and event trigger management. Moreover, Vivotek has developed the iViewer app for the iOS and Android platforms, enabling users to monitor live video.

What’s unique about a fisheye camera?

Single 360° hemispheric camera: The biggest USP of this product is that a single camera can replace 5-6 analogue cameras. With the aid of software, the single spherical view of the video footage can be digitally de-warped so as to appear like individual ‘flat’ or non-spherical image feeds from multiple cameras. Hence, one camera does the work of many analogue cameras. “The advantage of using a fisheye lens compared to other 360° cameras in the market (which may use four separate lenses and sensors) is that not only do the latter cost more and are more susceptible to failure due to the added hardware, but if the stitching between each view is not seamless, blind spots can occur with possible loss of information,” informs Sanjeev Gulati.

The fisheye camera delivers high resolution 360° all-round views of small and large spaces (when ceiling-mounted) or wide 180°panoramic views (when wall-mounted). The cameras come with great light sensitivity and advanced on-board functionality, including efficient on-camera video recording and storage as well as intelligent video analytics technology for more reliable and accurate alarm detection.

De-centralised image processing: Another novelty of the product is that it works on the concept of de-centralised image processing and management, which is economical on bandwidth usage and does not require the deployment of an expensive recording or management server. “The fisheye cameras offer the facility of edge storing where the live footage can be recorded. So as the recording takes place at the camera level, there is no impact on the network. This is unlike the centralised the centralised camera approach where the stream is consistently pulled by the network cameras, regardless of recordings being carried out. While in the edge storing, no unnecesary recording is made as footage is not sent until motion is detected,” informs Sudhindra Holla, country manager, India, Axis Communications.

A fisheye camera’s digital PTZ function works very well within a wide area of coverage, allowing the user to zoom in on any specific area of the scene to observe real-time activity in detail, while the full scene is being recorded in the background at the same time. This ensures that no activity in the camera’s hemispheric field of view is missed, providing 100 per cent CCTV coverage at all times. The de-warping of the fish-eyed image can be viewed from all directions over 4, 8 or even 16 multiple zones. The digital PTZ can also be used when analysing recorded footage, enabling detailed scrutiny of evidence.

The ultra-compact, low profile Mobotix Q25M-SEC has PoE (Power over Ethernet) support for easy installation. This 5MP sensor-producing 3.1MP high quality fisheye camera offers clear and detailed video at 20 frames per second or 30 fps at 2MP resolution. Its proprietary MxActivitySensor offers intelligent video motion detection, which is built into the camera so that it can ‘learn’ a scene. This reduces false alarms, increasing the accuracy and reliability of alarm triggers.

Lowlight exposure optimisation technology: Designed for use in areas with challenging lighting conditions, the fisheye cameras available in the market offer a wide dynamic range (WDR) and dynamic contrast. WDR compensates for drastic differences in bright light and darkness in the same scene for improved image clarity and uniform brightness. Axis Communications’ 5MP M series of fisheye camera features a fully customisable viewing experience. For increased overall versatility and integration into existing systems, this camera is ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) compliant, enabling it to work with equipment from a wide range of manufacturers.

Integration with other devices: Fisheye cameras offer digital input and output ports as well as motion sensing that triggers alerts, and can be integrated with a range of devices. These cameras are suitable for any kind of surveillance system, ranging from a standalone camera to enterprise-level installations that incorporate tens or hundreds of cameras. From access control to perimeter control, all requirements can be integrated and monitored through one single camera.

Vivotek’s latest Panaromic PTZ fisheye camera allows the user to view the image in full zoom. Here, two cameras are installed at the hardware level. Incorporating with a megapixel fisheye camera and a speed dome camera, Vivotek’s Panoramic PTZ is able to monitor an area overview from the fisheye model while providing a detailed regional view from a speed dome. The fisheye camera’s global view is used as the command unit to detect events across an entire area, and the speed dome acts as the slave to track and zoom in on suspicious objects for detail at up to HD resolution with optical zoom.

Making a purchase decision

A fisheye camera may seem an expensive investment when compared to other IP cameras available in the market. But considering the complete solution it offers, it is a very viable monitoring product. Users will not have to install various cameras at different areas to monitor different locations. Hence, the costs involved in purchasing multiple cameras and in cabling are reduced. The channels occupied by various cameras, the storage/server space, the power supply, the bandwidth and above all, the cost involved in monitoring, apart from the sales and support cost for multiple cameras, can be done away with by using just one fisheye camera. However, before making the purchase decision, there are a few things to be kept in mind.

Fisheye cameras are not meant for point surveillance, but are more apt for general surveillance. So putting them on the ceiling to monitor entry and exit points would be completely wrong. Here, bullet cameras are more suitable as these will monitor the number of people in these zones. It is important to consider the application area of the fisheye camera. It is the right choice for monitoring large areas like malls, railway stations, airports, parking lots, lobbies, conference halls, etc, where users might otherwise have to install 5-6 cameras to monitor the vast spaces. So the requirement and application should be the first criterion when selecting a fisheye camera.

Another point to be kept in mind is the installation of the camera. These cameras should preferably be installed at a height of 50m, so that they can cover an area of 15-20m for surveillance. Also, the distance between the network switch and the fisheye camera should not be more than 80 metres. De-warping, a panoramic view and infrared (IR) sensors are the other features to look for when buying a fisheye camera.

In case you plan to opt for an outdoor camera, check whether it is IP 66 and IK 10 rated. These ratings certify that the camera is vibration and vandal-proof, and that fog, mist, moisture and bad weather conditions are being taken care of to give clarity in the image. But above all, buy a product from reputed solutions integrators as they will help you to make the optimum use of a fisheye camera, as well as provide a warranty and service support.

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