Canon launches series of network security cameras

The new ultra-compact S series has been designed for indoor environments that require sensitive monitoring of specific areas or items, such as the retail, education, commercial and hospitality sectors. System integrators can install the four new full HD cameras as part of an existing or new security set-up.

With high-sensitivity CMOS sensors, fast wide-angle lenses and dual DIGIC processors, the S series offers a combination of full HD resolution, detailed image quality, wide angle of view and excellent low-light performance. Rather than just depending on one imaging processor to do everything, the new S series features two processors: Digic DV III and Digic Net II - enabling all capturing, processing, encoding and transmitting to be performed seamlessly. The S series offers low-light performance, even in difficult lighting conditions, offering a true day/night operation.

While the processing architecture (Digic DV III and Digic Net II) remains the same between the new series and Canon's 2012 network security cameras, the internal programming has been re-engineered to deliver multiple H.264 and/or MJPEG streams in HD or lower resolutions. In addition to multi-streaming, the cameras can also do simultaneous streaming. The full range supports edge recording on microSD cards (up to 64GB) and features a new utility that can playback directly from the microSD card without the content being downloaded to a PC first.

Julian Rutland, product strategy and planning director, projector/network security cameras of Canon Europe said: "Our new ultra-compact series of network security cameras demonstrates Canon's expertise and heritage in producing high-quality image processing technology. Our security partners and system integrators are asking us for smarter network camera technology; systems that help their customers tighten security and minimise risk. Based on this feedback, we decided to offer the same comprehensive set of in-built analytics on the new compact series as already available on our high-end security cameras."

In-built analytics

A set of in-built analytics that sense movement, abandoned and removed objects, camera tampering as well as detecting changes in volume, makes the S series an ideal choice for a range of applications. Normally, change in light conditions would interrupt the analytics, but the new range automatically resets within 20 seconds of detecting a significant increase or decrease in brightness. This ensures minimal interruption to any running analytics.

All of the new cameras include improved Auto Smart Shade Control, which automatically selects the optimum exposure level. It helps the lenses to compensate dark areas at the same time as maintaining the bright areas. This makes the cameras easier to use and improves the quality of highlights with corrected dark areas in backlit scenes or in difficult lighting conditions.

Compatible with major third-party solutions and ONVIF v2.2 and Profile S compliant, the new cameras will be available from January 2014.