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

4XEM is a manufacturer of budget priced IP cameras. Compare to Vivotek.

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.

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.

Arecont Vision offers a full line of megapixel cameras. Arecont Vision offers the broadest range of H.264 multi-megapixel cameras up to 5MP (8MP if you count their panoramic cameras). The combination of lower prices and H.264 support are key advantages relative to competitors IQinvisionand Lumenera. On the other hand, Arecont cameras have less software and hardware features than their main competitors. Read test results of Arecont's 3MP H.264 camera.

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.

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's VMS software supports a limited number of 3rd party IP camera manufacturers and 3rd party security systems. Avigilon's cameras are only supported by Avigilon's VMS software. Avigilion is a good fit for outdoor environments where monitoring of large areas is key. Read a review on Avigilon's product and positioning.

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.

Axsys

Basler manufacturers megapixel cameras. A long term developer of machine vision products, Basler entered the video surveillance market in 2007. Basler offers a line of H.264 CCD cameras up to 3 MP resolution. Basler's cameras are physically much smaller than most or all other megapixel cameras.

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.

Bosch Security

Cantronic

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.

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.

Dallmeier

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. A key differentiator is their Scene Tracker technology that stitches cameras view into a single image to improve viewing of large areas. Genetec, Verint and ONSSI are key competitors and alternatives to DvTel.

EverFocus manufacturers a broad range of DVRs, analog and IP cameras primarily for the budget / SMB markets. Everfocus is one of the founding members of the HDcctv alliance - a group that plans to deliver non-IP megapixel cameras that work with existing coax. Read our analysis of Everfocus' potential to make HD affordable and simple for the budget/SMB market.

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.

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

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.

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

Honeywell Video

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 IP cameras though plans to release 3rd party support in 2010. Key differentiator for IndigoVision is their in-house designed video CODECs that IndigoVision claims provides higher quality at lower bandwidth.

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.

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.

Mango DSP

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.

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.

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.

Pelco is one of the largest companies in video surveillance. A market share leader in analog cameras, Pelco offers a broad series of surveillance cameras as well as 3 lines of video management systems - classic DVRs, the Integral product line and the Endura hybrid DVR/NVR system.

In the last year, Pelco has increased their product offering and market focus for IP camera, launching Sarix, their platform for IP/megapixel cameras. Read our examination of the Pelco Sarix offering.

Given Pelco's large size, they compete against a broad variety of companies. In the IP camera market, Pelco's two largest competitors are Axis and Sony. Pelco's historically been well regarded for their customer service. However, their video management technology is widely viewed as average and their IP camera offerings are still limited.

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.

Raytec

Smartvue offers a solution for small box retailers looking for higher resolution IP video. SmartVue offers a package of wireless megapixel IP cameras (MSRP - $695) and an NVR (MSRP - $2300) that is 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 nor exception based reporting. These elements should be factored into your purchasing decision.

Learn more background information on SmartVue, its funding, revenues and plans.

Sony

StarDot is a megapixel camera manufacturer, providing a range of cameras from VGA to 5MP. StarDot has an extensive history of manufacturing megapixel cameras for non-security applications. In the past few years, StarDot entered in the surveillance market and has gained VMS support from a number of leading providers such as Milestone and Exacq. Compare StarDot to IQinVision.

Veracity manufacturers products for transmitting IP video. Highwire is Veracity's flagship product. Highwire consists of adapters that allow IP cameras to reutilize existing analog cabling, eliminating the need to pull new cabling. Highwire is available in 1 and 4 channel versions and is viewed as a key enabler to quickly and cost effectively migrate from analog CCTV to IP video. A single channel Highwire adapter pair costs approximately $400 USD. For this price point, Highwire is ideal for longer cable runs (more than a few hundred feet) or for areas where access or installation is difficult or problematic. For short, easy cable runs, the alternative is to simply replace the coax cabling.

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.

Vicon manufacturers a wide range of video surveillance products. One of the older companies in the industry, Vicon is widely considered to be a leader in analog CCTV. Over the last few years, Vicon has expanded their product portfolio to include both IP cameras and IP video surveillance software. Vicon provides free VMS licenses for use with Vicon cameras and OEMs integrated analytics through Agent Vi and access control from S2. Vicon is a publicly traded company, reporting 2008 annual revenues of $66.9 M USD. Compare Vicon to Verint, Pelco and American Dynamics.

VideoIQ integrates video analytics, cameras and storage to create all-in-one surveillance appliances. While traditionally, all 3 elements were run in separate devices (a camera, a recorder and a server for analysis), VideoIQ bundles all of them inside their camera (which they call iCVRs). Read our test results of VideoIQ's video analytics.

The company was acquired and then spun out of GE Security. In July 2008, they received a $10 M USD series B investment led by Lehman Brothers Venture Partners.

Their product approach is daring and is likely to completely fail or revolutionize the industry. Currently, the product's strongest competitive strengths are in niche markets like small 1 to 3 camera deployments or for use in wireless networks where unreliable or low bandwidth benefits from storage inside the camera. While there are no direct comparables, VideoIQ competes with numerous traditional product offerings that tend to be less expensive and scale better.

VIVOTEK offers a broad line of inexpensive IP cameras. VIVOTEK serves the lower end of the market from the consumer to the small/medium sized business. It is one of, if not the largest provider, in this segment, with almost $40 M USD 2008 revenue. VIVOTEK ranks 8th overall in network cameras. Read test results of their 2MP camera. Compare to ACTi.

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.