In contrast sales of megapixel cameras were “significantly up” since the recession.
Speaking at IFSEC 2009, Iain Cameron, UK area manager of Arecont Vision, which supplies a range of panoramic cameras, said:
“People think of the cost of a single panoramic camera without appreciating that it replaces multiple cameras”.
Arecont supplies a range of panoramic megapixel cameras, the AV8180 and AV8360.
The cameras give a quad view instead of a fisheye image that has to be de-warped.
“This means that there is no distortion of image and makes it easier for the end user to interpret the images,” said Cameron.
He said the advantages of panoramic cameras had been appreciated in Italy where sales had been “solid” but the UK generally did not yet appreciate the cost savings involved.
This included one-cable installation and “a smaller footprint aesthetically from an architect’s point of view”.
“Panoramic cameras make it difficult for thieves to find a blind spot,” said Cameron. “You get that general overview that you can see what’s going on in two different directions at the same time.”
“We know the disadvantages of a PTZ camera. They could be pointing the wrong way. And at no point is a 360 camera pointing the wrong way.”
Cameron suspected one of the reasons for the slow uptake of panoramics was the fact that a PTZ will give a 24x optical zoom.
“With a panoramic, if you want to do a zoom into that level you can’t do it, so people think they still need a PTZ.”
He added that Arecont was seeing a “significant increase” in megapixel camera sales in the last few months, helped largely by their greatly improved quality of video and H.264 storage.
“The recession has had no downward effect on sales of megapixel cameras. In fact they are significantly up since the recession,” he said.