What is Camera Advisor

System Surveyor Camera Advisor™ is a built-in tool designed to help you select the right security camera for your project. By factoring in distance to the target, field of view, and camera resolution, it estimates the Pixels Per Foot (PPF) or Pixels Per Meter (PPM) needed to achieve your desired image quality.  Read more on how to use Camera Advisor.

Whether you need to identify a person, read a license plate, or monitor a wide area, the Camera Advisor simplifies the process by showing you:

• How many pixels will be on your target for a given camera resolution

• The minimum camera resolution needed to meet your image clarity goals

Why Image Resolution Matters

Image resolution determines how clear and detailed your video footage will be. The higher the PPF or PPM, the sharper the image.

• Pixels per Foot (PPF): The number of horizontal pixels covering one foot of a scene

• Pixels per Meter (PPM): The number of horizontal pixels covering one meter of a scene

For example:

• Low PPF → Suitable for monitoring wide areas where detail isn’t critical

• High PPF → Needed for clear facial recognition or reading small text, like license plates

IEC Standards for Resolution Levels

The Camera Advisor uses IEC international standards to recommend appropriate resolution levels. Here's a simplified reference table:

Examples:

• To read a vehicle license plate, you typically need Recognition level at 38 PPF.

• To identify a person’s face, you usually need Identification level at 76 PPF.

• Advanced video analytics may require even higher resolution levels.