Cameras - IP, Megapixel, Analog, Night Vision: 41 Companies

Overview: Surveillance cameras may be categorized into 4 main segments: analog, standard definition IP, megapixel and night-vision. Analog cameras are the most traditional and commonly deployed cameras today. Analog cameras are commonly connected to DVRs or encoders so operators can view over PCs. Standard definition IP cameras offer similar resolution to analog cameras but do not require a DVR or encoder as the video as has been digitized for PC viewing inside the camera. Megapixel cameras are IP cameras that offer higher resolution than either analog or standard definition cameras. Megapixel cameras offer up to 16 MP resolution while traditional analog cameras only offer about .3 MP. Finally, night vision cameras are specialized cameras that are used to see when natural or artificial light is missing. The four major types of night vision cameras are infrared (e.g., Extreme CCTV), SWIR (e.g.,NoblePeak), thermal (e.g., Flir) and laser-based (e.g., Vumii).

4XEM

4XEM is a manufacturer of budget priced IP cameras. Compare to Vivotek.
4XEM's latest news

ACTi

ACTi offers a full line of solid quality, inexpensive IP cameras plus NVR software. ACTi is supported by over two dozen NVR manufacturers. Their cameras are often selected as an inexpensive alternative to Axis. For cameras even less inexpensive than ACTi, customers often choose Vivotek. Read a review of ACTi's products and a comparison to Axis.
ACTi's latest news

American Dynamics

American Dynamics offers a full line of video surveillance products. Their flagship product is the Intellex DVR line but they also have respected line of analog cameras and matrix switchers. Though their products are sold into a variety of markets, their strongest market has always been retail. In 2008, they acquired encoders and NVRs from Trident Tek and video analytics from Intellivid. American Dynamic is building an end to end IP video solution. Read more about the impact of American Dynamic integrating Intellivid.
American Dynamics's latest news

Arecont Vision

Arecont Vision offers a full line of megapixel cameras. Arecont's cameras are often selected because of lower price relative to competitors IQinvisionand Lumenera. At the beginning of 2008, Arecont Vision announced H.264 support. This would have a major impact on the industry. As of September 2008, these cameras have been publicly released though in limited quantities.
Arecont Vision's latest news

ATEME

ATEME is a manufacturer of video surveillance encoders and recorders. ATEME is best known for its leadership in developing advanced CODECs including leading efforts in H.264.
ATEME's latest news

Avigilon

Avigilon offers IP cameras, encoders and video management software. Avigilon specializes in megapixel cameras (up to 16 MPs) and optimizing video surveillance for high definition surveillance. They offer lower costs and enhanced usability for megapixel cameras. Avigilion does not yet support other IP camera manufacturers and a limited number of 3rd party systems. Avigilion is an especially strong fit for outdoor environments where monitoring of large areas is key. Read a review on Avigilon's product and positioning.
Avigilon's latest news

Axis

Axis is the market leader in IP cameras, offering a complete line of standard definition cameras and a growing lines of megapixel ones. Additionally, Axis offers an IP video surveillance software application (Cam Station) that is evolving into a full fledged competitive offering. Axis is widely regarded as the highest quality and most reliable product in the marketplace. The main concern with Axis is their high pricing. Axis competitor's include the major analog camera manufacturers (who are slowly but surely entering into IP) and ACTi. Read a review of Cam Station, contrast between Axis and competitor ACTi and an examination of the future of Axis.
Axis's latest news

Axsys

Axsys
Axsys's latest news

BiKal

BiKal offers a complete line of IP video surveillance products including IP cameras, surveillance software and bundled analytics. BiKal focuses on making IP video inexpensive and easy for the broader market to use. Watch demonstration videos of Bikal's products. Though Bikal manufacturers their own IP cameras, their surveillance software supports a wide variety of third party cameras.
BiKal's latest news

Bosch Security

Bosch Security
Bosch Security's latest news

Cantronic

Cantronic
Cantronic's latest news

Cieffe

Cieffe develops IP video management software and a line of encoders/cameras. Acquired by March Networks in 2008, the Cieffe line looks to be the centerpiece of March Network's emerging IP video strategy. The March/Cieffe offering will compete with a similar offering from Verint as well as IP video solutions from Milestone and Genetec among others.
Cieffe's latest news

Cisco

Cisco offers an end to end video surveillance solution that tightly integrates with Cisco's networking equipment. Cisco's offering includes encoders (acquired through SyPixx) and video management software (acquired through Broadware). Cisco has released two IP cameras and has ported the Broadware software to run as modules in Cisco routers. Cisco's main competitors include Milestone, Genetec and other large DVR/NVR manufactures. Read a critique of Cisco's general positioning and a review of their video surveillance in a router offering.
Cisco's latest news

Dallmeier

Dallmeier
Dallmeier's latest news

DVTel

DVTel offers a full line of video surveillance products as well as an IP based access control system. DvTel's products center around their own line of IP cameras, encoders and IP video surveillance software. Until recently, DvTel OEMed software from Genetec. A key differentiator is their Scene Tracker technology that stitches cameras view into a single image to improve viewing of large areas. Verint and ONSSI are key competitors and alternatives to DvTel.
DVTel's latest news

EverFocus

EverFocus
EverFocus's latest news

Extreme CCTV

Extreme CCTV offers an extensive line of infrared cameras for nighttime applications. While many camera manufacturers offer infrared cameras, ExtremeCCTV's cameras are generally viewed as the highest quality and reliability. The main constraint is that the cost of ExtremeCCTV's products can be significantly higher. ExtremeCCTV's main direct competitor is Cantronics. In February 2008, Bosch Security purchased ExtremeCCTV.
Extreme CCTV's latest news

Flir

Flir is the global market leaders in thermal cameras.
Flir's latest news

Geutebrueck

Geutebrueck is a manufacturer of a broad variety of video surveillance products including DVRs, cameras and analytics. Strongest presence is in Europe.
Geutebrueck's latest news

Grandeye

Grandeye offers 360 degree panoramic cameras. Grandeye offers both analog and IP versions. The analog version is 3MP and requires its own dedicated record. The IP version offers 5MP resolution, uses MJPEG and integrates with a variety of leading video management systems. The closest competitive camera is the Mobotix Q22. Another alternative is Immervision that provides 360 degree lenses for up to 1.3 MP cameras. Read a review of Grandeye's products and positioning. Note: Grandeye recently had a significant company restructuring.
Grandeye's latest news

Hikvision

Hikvision is one of the largest Chinese security manufacturers, offering encoder cards, cameras and DVRs.
Hikvision's latest news

Honeywell Video

Honeywell Video
Honeywell Video's latest news

Immervision

Immervision manufactures lenses that work with existing IP or analog security cameras to provide 360 degree, panoramic lenses. Additional software (provided free) is required for the video management system displaying cameras with Immervision's lenses. Relative to its main competitor, Grandeye, Immervision's advantage is that it can work with any camera rather than requiring a specialized camera. Pricing for the Immervision lens is under $800 MSRP and currently supports up to 1.3 Megapixel cameras.
Immervision's latest news

IndigoVision

IndigoVision offers an end to end IP video solution. IndigoVision's product line consists of IP cameras, encoders, NVR appliances and IP video surveillance software. IndigoVision does not support third party cameras. Key differentiator for IndigoVision is their in-house designed video CODECs that IndigoVision claims provides higher quality at lower bandwidth.
IndigoVision's latest news

IQinVision

IQinVision provides a full line of megapixel cameras. IQinvision is highly regarded for the sophistication of the software features offered and for the wide variety of housing and body types offered. In April 2008, they released a vandal-resistant megapixel dome system. In September 2008, they added a basic megapixel camera line. Primary megapixel competitors to IQinvision are Arecont Vision,Mobotix and Lumenera.
IQinVision's latest news

Lumenera

Lumenera offers a line of megapixel cameras. Key differentiators for Lumenera include (1) megapixel cameras with low light sensitivity (using a CCD imager rather than CMOS), (2) supporting video analytics (in their li series), and (3) 11 MP camera. Comparable products include Arecont Vision who generally offers lower prices and IQinvision who offers a broader line of housing and body types.
Lumenera's latest news

Mango DSP

Mango DSP
Mango DSP's latest news

Mobotix

Mobotix Mobotix manufactures megapixel cameras and video management systems. Key differentiators for Mobotix are: (1) provide the video management system for no charge and (2) do not require video management servers (video can be transmitted directly to storage). Mobotix generated over $50M annual revenue in 2008. Mobotix's product approach is most similar to Avigilon. Read a review of Mobotix's products.
Mobotix's latest news

NoblePeak

NoblePeak offers night vision imagers that requires neither visible nor artificial light. NoblePeak uses the Earth's natural light glow to produce images (from the short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrum). Unlike infrared cameras, NoblePeak does not require illuminators, reducing cost and power consumption significantly. Unlike thermal cameras, NoblePeak provides far crisper images that show detail of people, faces and objects. NoblePeak plans to OEM its imagers to camera companies.
NoblePeak's latest news

Panasonic

Panasonic is one of the top analog camera providers. Panasonic also carries a line of DVRs and is expanding their IP camera product offering. They are regarded for their high quality cameras (especially their SDIII line). For analog cameras, their main competitor is Pelco. For IP cameras, it is Axis. In July 2008, Panasonic announced a new President and a strategic shift to sell solutions rather than products.
Panasonic's latest news

Pelco

Pelco is one of the largest companies in video surveillance. Pelco is the market leader in analog cameras and offers 3 lines of video management systems - their classic DVRs, the Integral product line and the Endura hybrid DVR/NVR system. At ASIS 2008, Pelco announced an upcoming release of the Sarix megapixel camera line. Many questions remain about the strategy of Pelco given IT convergence and the 2007 acquisition by Schneider Electronics.
Pelco's latest news

Pixim

Pixim offers specialized WDR imaging systems used by dozens of camera manufacturers. Pixim's key competitive advantage is the ability to overcome harsh lighting conditions that are common in video surveillance applications, allowing people and objects to be seen more clearly than in traditional CCTV cameras. Watch a demo of Pixim's abilities. Pixim also claims an advantage in reducing storage consumption. Pixim sells its systems to camera manufacturers, enabling hundreds of cameras, but does not sell directly to integrators or end users. The closest competitive offering to Pixim is the Panasonic SDIII.
Pixim's latest news

Raytec

Raytec
Raytec's latest news

Smartvue

Smartvue may offer the best solution on the market for small box retailers looking to benefit from the higher quality of IP video. SmartVue offers a package of wireless megapixel IP cameras (MSRP - $695) and an NVR (MSRP - $2300) that is very inexpensive and easy to set up. Indeed, SmartVue's package is very cost competitive against traditional analog camera and DVR solutions that offer low quality and less deployment flexibility. Also, 'open' IP video software systems can be significantly more expensive and complex to set up and deploy - a critical consideration for chain retailers and a key problem in expanding IP video surveillance to the broader marketplace.

Note: since SmartVue offers a package, you cannot buy the cameras and use them with other manufacturer's NVRs. It also does not offer sophisticated PoS monitoring or exception based reporting. These elements should be factored into your purchasing decision.

Learn more background information on SmartVue, its funding, revenues and plans.
Smartvue's latest news

Sony

Sony
Sony's latest news

StarDot

StarDot
StarDot's latest news

Theia

Theia offers super wide angle lenses for megapixel cameras that allow a single camera to cover significantly greater area than traditional lenses. At an MSRP under $450 USD, these lenses can reduce camera count for covering mid to large size areas.
Theia's latest news

Verint

Verint is a leading IP video provider offering a broad line of cameras, encoders, wireless, analytics and IP video management software. Over the last 5 years, Verint has evolved from a high end DVR manufacturer to an end to end video provider. Verint's offering centers around their Nextiva platform which provides tight integration with analytics and advanced command and control functionality. Verint's main competitors include March Networks, Genetec and DvTel. Read a review of Verint's strategy.
Verint's latest news

VideoIQ

VideoIQ offers a smart camera with built in storage and video analytics. The company was acquired and then spun out of GE Security. In July 2008, they received an $10 M investment. Though the company originally started with providing video analytics, they have now migrated to providing an all in one camera. The camera eliminates the need for NVRs and is targeted at small camera count deployments where such elimination can provide cost savings. Since the product is new, its features and fit will take time to develop and discern.
VideoIQ's latest news

Vivotek

Vivotek offers a basic line of inexpensive IP cameras. Vivotek serves the lower end of the market from the consumer to the small/medium sized business. Vivotek competes mainly on price and is widely viewed as inferior in image quality and features to other IP camera providers. ACTi is viewed as the next level up while Axis is viewed as being far superior.
Vivotek's latest news

Vumii

Vumii offers long-range night vision systems using lasers to illuminate targets at long distances. Key differentiators for Vumii include the ability to identify details of targets (clothing, facial features, writing, vehicle type) and to do so at ranges over 1500 meters. Vumii competes with thermal imaging cameras, primarily from Flir by claiming lower cost and far high image quality than the blurred image generally produced on thermal cameras.
Vumii's latest news