Comparison of integrated cameras and bullet cameras

With the development of IP high-definition technology, integrated cameras have become the mainstream of surveillance with uniqueness that traditional cameras cannot match. Integrated cameras are mostly used in government projects, sub-high-rise buildings, shopping malls, schools, hotels, guesthouse lobbies, etc. There are also dust-proof and low-temperature, non-sparking motor explosion-proof products that are specially suitable for places with high environmental requirements such as hospital operating rooms. So, what is the difference between integrated cameras and bullet cameras? Let’s look at the comparison between integrated cameras and bullet cameras.

The bullet camera is mainly composed of a body and a lens. The realization of its high performance depends on the combination of the body and the lens. In a monitoring project, if the user or construction personnel have insufficient professional skills and unreasonable matching of cameras and lenses, the performance of the cameras will be affected. In security applications, users mostly use manual focusing lenses. However, manual focusing relies on human visual detection and manual adjustment, which is inefficient and unsatisfactory in accuracy. In addition, gun-type cameras are susceptible to environmental factors such as moisture, vibration, thermal expansion and contraction. After a period of use, the camera focus point is easily shifted, causing image blur, instability, and rapid aging.

Due to the uneven target surface of the camera image sensor and the difference in back focus between different lenses, the back focus (back focus) adjustment technology of the gun has always been a technology that fixed gun camera manufacturers need to focus on research and development. The early back focus adjustment method mainly used a back focus adjustment ring + a back focus locking screw. The locking screw can easily damage the threads of the adjustment ring after multiple adjustments, affecting the stability of the back focus. The other method is a bevel self-locking adjustment mechanism, which is usually made of plastic materials. In extreme environments, the back focus may also be out of focus due to thermal expansion and contraction. In addition, some new methods use more precise and reliable threaded focusing mechanisms, but manufacturers will invest more in molds.

Users and manufacturers each have their own solutions to the problem of the gun running out of focus after being used for a period of time. Users (or engineering companies) usually only send technicians to the site for processing. As far as network monitoring is concerned, the front-end equipment is distributed far away, which will also greatly increase the cost of monitoring and maintenance. A few manufacturers have also added electronic back focus adjustment mechanisms to cameras, but this undoubtedly also increases the cost of the camera.

Many of the gun lenses used on the market today are automatic aperture and manual zoom types, with focal lengths ranging from a few millimeters to tens of millimeters. The focal length needs to be adjusted and locked during installation. Therefore, the gun can usually only be used in situations with a limited monitoring range, such as indoors, corridors, parking lot entrances and exits, and other places where the monitoring position is relatively fixed. Of course, gun-type cameras can also use electric zoom lenses, but electric lenses have complicated processes and high production costs, so electric lenses currently on the market are relatively expensive. The lens manufacturer strictly selects the materials of the lens, using alloy materials commonly used in aerospace technology, and uses high-precision CNC machine tools to process them in one go. The connection between the lens and the lens mount is fastened with a locking ring to improve camera stability. This kind of zoom lens is usually used in forest environments, fire monitoring, border defense and other special occasions, and it is difficult for ordinary users to popularize it. In addition to network delay issues, the problem of manual control of secondary focusing after electric zoom is undoubtedly a big problem.

There is a technology gap in the market. It is precisely because of the many shortcomings of gun cameras in the high-definition era that the advantages of integrated cameras are more obvious. Hikvision Tong Zhenhua said in an interview that compared with gun-type cameras, integrated cameras have the characteristics of zooming and automatic focusing, which is very useful for monitoring a long and narrow channel, allowing both overall monitoring and local details to be seen clearly. The gun-type camera requires an optional lens and needs to be installed and debugged on site. All-in-one machines do not require these tedious tasks. The all-in-one machine only needs to be installed and no debugging is required at all.

In addition, the all-in-one camera is smaller than ordinary gun cameras, is easy to install, and can be installed in many places. The network all-in-one machine is even more convenient to use. It only needs one network cable to realize power supply, video output and control. Bao Qianli Chen Yanghui’s point of view on this topic is that compared with the integrated camera and the gun or ordinary model, it is mainly reflected in the automatic focus, and the image can be kept clear at any time.

Autofocus detects the position of the main object surface of the image through the camera's autofocus algorithm, and automatically adjusts the focus motor of the lens according to its focus on the camera image sensor. In this way, multiple flashes can achieve automatic focus throughout the zoom control process, and the image will remain clear at all times during the zoom process. The main technical difficulty of autofocus is to improve the speed and accuracy of focusing. The accuracy will affect the results of post-processing image. The distance between the subject and the shooting object in the scene changes all the time, so rapid focusing is particularly important. Automatic day and night switching technology makes security monitoring more intelligent, with continuous monitoring 24 hours a day. The integrated camera integrates a dual filter switching mechanism. Since the lens is fixed, there is no need to consider an adjustable back focus mechanism. It is highly integrated, stable and reliable. In addition, the Baoqianli integrated camera features ultra-wide white balance, ultra-wide dynamic range, digital noise reduction, and low illumination. Even at night, the surveillance image is still good.

In addition, the high-definition network integrated camera integrates video, PTZ control, alarm and power supply into the network, and has SD card local video storage, motion video image detection, PoE power supply, WiFi and other functions, truly realizing one-line communication; Gosuncn Luo Zhongliang believes that compared with ordinary gun cameras, gun cameras are generally fixed-focus lenses, and the focal length must be adjusted during installation. However, the all-in-one machine can achieve zoom, autofocus, self-dialogue balance, etc., and also has wide dynamic capabilities and automatic infrared filter switching functions. After installing a pan/tilt, mobile observation can be effectively carried out, and the monitoring range is greatly expanded. Compared with ball machines, it has certain cost advantages under the condition that it can meet technical and environmental requirements.

Kim Sanli Kangwei also holds the same view as above. He said that the integrated camera is more convenient to install than the traditional gun camera. Its power, video, and control signals all have direct sockets, unlike traditional cameras that have troublesome connections.

Both users and manufacturers hope that cameras can bring the same excellent image quality during the day and night. In order to achieve all-weather monitoring, in addition to looking forward to high-sensitivity and high-sensitivity image sensors, manufacturers have to use a variety of means to improve the image effect in low-light environments. For example, it adopts day and night infrared cut-off dual filter automatic switching mechanism, color to black, 3D digital noise reduction, digital wide dynamic image enhancement and other technologies.

However, no matter how low the illumination value of the product is marked, there is still a certain gap between the nighttime surveillance effect and the daytime surveillance effect. To obtain a clear picture, the scene needs to be supplemented with light (white light, ordinary infrared or laser night vision). As far as gun-type cameras are concerned, the lens also plays an important role in the low illumination of the camera. In addition to selecting the corresponding megapixel lens for a megapixel high-definition network camera, the lens coating and curvature design should also meet corresponding standards. Of course, an image sensor with excellent performance in low-light environments, a stable and reliable filter mechanism, a good external lens, and excellent image enhancement algorithms are all elements that a good gun camera product needs to have, but these are not what low-priced products can bear.

In addition, good waterproof function is also one of the characteristics of integrated cameras. Integrated cameras are waterproof for outdoor use. In terms of production process and service life, integrated camera lenses are well-sealed and are less affected by the external environment than traditional cameras and have a longer service life. However, there are various types of all-in-one machines with different functional characteristics. Compared with other ordinary "lens-embedded all-in-one machines", the Jinsanli integrated pan-tilt camera has better environmental adaptability, image performance capabilities, function expansion capabilities, etc.

The above is the comparison between integrated cameras and bullet cameras.