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A revolution in resolution

There has been much talk about 4K as the new ultra high-definition video format. Hi-Tech Security Solutions asked Sony for some more insight into 4K.

4K has become a popular and widely known video format, but while the need and benefits of 4K resolution for commercial broadcasting seems straightforward, what can it offer to the security industry?

HD versus 4K.

We hear questions and concerns about 4K from users. Most frequently asked are the increase of cost – camera and storage – as well as the lack of infrastructure to support 4K. Also, many question whether security cameras need that level of resolution. As a leading 4K company, Sony has a different opinion. So what are the benefits of 4K for security?

Needless to say, the biggest advantage is higher resolution. Resolution-wise, one 4K camera can capture 4-times what a Full HD (1080p) camera can. For example, in a parking lot of 100 cars, there are often around five or six HD security cameras in use. They can simply be replaced by one 4K security camera. Higher resolution also means more accuracy in data. Combined with motion detection, the camera can capture only necessary scenes, which would ease the impact on storage. As a whole system, 4K can even contribute to cost reduction.

4K can provide more than just higher resolution; it offers new styles of usage in security. In the normal security application, there are usually two types of demands. One is to have a situational awareness and other is detailed monitoring of specific areas of an image, especially for post-incident analysis. With 4K, it will be possible to achieve both at the same time. For instance, the camera can capture a wide area in a city or transport terminal as well as detailed visibility of a specific person within the frame.

Image of 4K camera usage to monitor both overall image and specific object.

Therefore, Sony believes that 4K will be the next resolution standard in the security industry, and recently demonstrated the benefits of 4K in security applications at ISCW and IFSEC. Sony considers it as crucial not to chase only resolution, but define how to optimise its digital imaging technology such as sensors, lens and the image processing engine into the security business and products. As a leading image sensor manufacturer, Sony will be using its own image sensors, and is researching and developing the best option for 4K security cameras to achieve high resolution and sensitivity together.

With the company due to release their 4K security offerings in the first half of 2015, Sony expects that 4K will become much more common in the future, and its applications will be widely accepted across markets as the next resolution standard.

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