Security Camera Trends: High Dynamic Range, Night-Vision, Thermal Imaging, More

Take a look at video surveillance trends, such as panoramic, night-vision, cellular and thermal imaging to be showcased at ISC West 2015.

Brinno, best known for its peephole camera viewer, is launching at ISC West 2015 what it calls the world’s first high dynamic range (HDR) time lapse camera, the TLC 200 Pro.

The 1.3 megapixel camera is programmed features a 4.2-micrometer pixel size, which the company claims allows for great low-light recording and super-sharp images, beyond the sharpness generated by the HDR technology.

Time-lapse and other settings are programmed via a screen on the back of the unit, which also can be used to play back images. An onboard SD Card (up to 32 GB) records the video.

The camera is quite flexible: Brinno offers a number of interchangeable lenses for the product, as well as a waterproof case and a motion sensor.

Other Camera Trends Expected at ISC 2015

In addition to the novel HDR time-lapse capabilities of the Brinno camera, we should see other newer innovations in the category at the forthcoming ISC, all of which will be discussed in the free April 1 Webinar, ISC Preview: Latest Trends in Security-Centric Home Automation.

Cellular
Although we don’t know if Panasonic will be showing it at ISC, the company’s new Nobu camera features a 4G radio for direct M2M communications, not matter how far away from the house you plant it.

We’ve seen other cell-based cameras in the past, most notably from the stop-copper-theft people at Videofied, but we expect to see more at ISC and elsewhere in 2015.

360 Degrees and Then Some
IC Real Tech (formerly IC Realtime) is one company that plans to enable cellular communications in its forthcoming Allie Pro camera … and that’s in addition to its panoramic coverage, known as either 360×360 or 720 degrees: up, down, left and right.

360-degree cameras are a hot trend in 2015, as noted in this post-CES report by SSI‘s sister publication CE Pro.

Night Vision
Night vision cameras have been around for ages, but Icontrol’s Piper claims to have the best of them all … at least for a product priced for the consumer market. The Piper NV gives you a full 180 degrees of night vision. Consumer-oriented competitors can’t quite seem to eke out night vision in the periphery.

Thermal Imaging
FLIR is one of the best-known companies making IR thermal-imaging cameras that capture and display subtle thermal patterns and small temperature differences useful in building applications. The technology enables users to find hotspots, energy waste, structural defects, plumbing clogs, HVAC issues, and other problems – handy tools indeed for integrators.

In the past, the products have been out of reach for anyone but the CIA and university researchers.

Now, however, FLIR products are in the reach of consumers and integrators alike. The FLIR C2 pocket-sized camera retails for $699. The FLIR One, introduced at ISC 2014, is an iPhone case that retails for $250.

 

 

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About the Author

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Julie Jacobson, recipient of the 2014 CEA TechHome Leadership Award, is co-founder of EH Publishing, producer of CE Pro, Electronic House, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales and other leading technology publications. She currently spends most of her time writing for CE Pro in the areas of home automation, security, networked A/V and the business of home systems integration.

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