Which should you buy: 2K 4MP IP Cameras or 4K 8MP IP Cameras?

Have you ever wondered what camera resolution really means to you?

Have you ever experienced no difference between the footage of a shop and your house’s although your camera is the latest model with the highest megapixel in the market?

So today, Trantech’s experts will provide you with the fundamental concept about the 2 famous surveillance cameras on the market, which is 4MP camera and 8MP camera. We will give you advice about how to select the best CCTV system solution for your area.

What is a camera solution? And how many of them?

If you have ever searched around for a security camera or cared for your security, you probably have noticed the term “2MP”, “4MP” or maybe “4K”, which is 8MP camera. But are you sure that your eyes can differentiate their real images?

So, MP represents a megapixel, which is used to measure a camera’s resolution. Accordingly, we have:

Megapixel	Resolution	Popular name
1MP	1280 x 720	720
2MP	1920 x 1080	1080
3MP	2048 x 1536
4MP	2688 x 1520	2K
6MP	3072 x 2048
8MP	3840 x 2160	4K or UHD

Table 1. Specific megapixel chart

Hence, you may find them familiar. We give you a hint, the quality of the image you see in the footage is just like watching Youtube videos. However, is that always correct?

The importance of monitor for your CCTV system solution

Now we talk about the difference between monitor line and megapixels and comparing monitor line measurements with pixel measurements in CCTV system. Simply said, we can say the monitor line is used to “represent” the image resolution that the camera can capture. The image resolution mainly depends on the CCD/CMOS image sensor of the camera. Thus, the higher the monitor line, the higher the resolution. 0.3 pixel, 1 pixel, 1.3 pixels, 2 pixels, 3 pixels, 5 pixels or even 8-pixel Ultra HD (as the table above).

Higher pixels means better image quality and higher resolution. The monitor line is a clear vertical line that alternates between black and white, and can theoretically appear in the video on a camera or screen. Therefore, 400 monitor lines mean that 200 alternating dark lines and 200 bright vertical lines can be recorded. However, since the horizontal resolution is expressed relative to the vertical resolution, which shows that if the monitor is square, it is actually horizontal, so this interpretation is complicated. But you must remember monitors are not square like camera images, but usually have a 4:3 ratio. Like video recording and storage devices, video recorders also have different resolutions to determine their capacity. Video compression such as H.265 or smart H.265, etc. A typical CCTV system is mainly composed of various cameras and video recorders. In order to achieve the required video surveillance quality, the camera and the video recorders must have the same resolution, otherwise, the video recorders can support higher resolution recordings. Many elements are confused between pixels and monitor lines.

So, do you have a monitor that big to enjoy the 4K quality? Should you pay more to have similar quality footage as a 4MP camera around your area? It really depends on various reasons for an 8MP camera to be able to give you full 4K resolution image quality. That raises a controversion question:

WHAT TYPE OF CAMERA RESOLUTION SHOULD I GET?

Well, it depends on what you need the camera for. As a general rule, if you have a big pocket and enjoy the latest technology as advertised, a higher resolution is better, but that also means you have to account for more storage and stronger recorder processor power/bandwidth on big screen. And also, in situations where you want a clearer picture on your big screen, a higher resolution camera is preferable. But in situations where you don’t have equivalent accessories for UltraHD resolution, then 4MP camera is the best choice. If you are going to show it on a large monitor the higher resolutions will make a difference. We start off most people with 4MP Cameras now and then we can discuss if they have a need for 8MP.

And of course, pricing must be considered. The higher the resolution, the more expensive the camera will definitely be. Therefore, it also depends on how much you are willing to pay and your camera budget.

Please note that if you don’t have equivalent accessories to enjoy the full quality of an UltraHD (4K / 8MP) CCTV system, then choosing 8MP is a waste of money.

Where to buy the best CCTV solution at a good price?

We are an Australian professional security wholesaler for more than 20 years with many projects nationwide, which make us understand your concerns and give you the best CCTV solution at a compatible price.

CHECK OUT OUR EOFY SUPER SALE TODAY: https://trantechsecurity.com.au/best/Amazing-EOFY-Super-Sale.html

---

We feel these are a great addition to complete any security system and one of the best proactive solutions you can invest in. Trantech Security Wholesaler is proud of being the top wholesaler that provides useful knowledge to all readers, which bring benefits for both customers and the security community.

If you enjoyed the article or found it useful, give us a like, don’t forget to register to our website for more content. For more information on products, compatibility, availability, or tech support for already purchased products, please give us a call at (02) 8722 0348 (Sydney showroom) or (03) 9079 5566 (Melbourne HQ), and until next time Stay Safe!