Exclusive interview: How Dallmeier designs cameras for real-life performance beyond megapixel counts

The conversation around video security often revolves around performance specs, but numbers alone hardly ever reveal the true capability of a product or solution, be it an edge device or an integrated platform.
 
While the performance specs of Dallmeier cameras are impressive by themselves we took the chance at Security Essen this year to sit for an interview with Sebastian Ahnert, Sales Manager at Dallmeier, and talk about what makes Dallmeier’s Panomera and Domera cameras stand out.
 
asmag: Dallmeier is a highly specialized brand that is well established in some parts of the industry, but probably lesser know in others, for example in APAC, where your devices can mostly be found in casinos. How would you introduce your company to those who are less familiar with you? Where do you come from, what do you stand for technologically, and where do you see yourselves in the market today?
 

Sebastian Ahnert: Dallmeier is a German manufacturer of video security technology headquartered in Regensburg. The company was founded in 1984, and we develop and manufacture our technologies in Germany. Our portfolio covers cameras, recording systems, video management, and video analytics.
 
Casinos are certainly one of the markets in which Dallmeier has built a particularly strong reputation over many years, not least because of the exceptionally high requirements for image quality, reliability, and system availability. At the same time, we have an established presence in a much broader range of sectors worldwide, including airports, cities, stadiums, logistics, critical infrastructure, and industrial environments.
 
Technologically, our focus is on delivering the image and data quality required for each application while keeping the overall system as efficient as possible. Our "Made in Germany" strategy combines technological innovation with high standards of quality, data protection, and cybersecurity.
 
Rather than focusing on individual camera specifications, we consider the entire system – from camera coverage and infrastructure to recording, AI-based analytics, and long-term operating costs. This approach allows us to deliver solutions that combine technological excellence with economic efficiency.
 
 
asmag: In terms of video security products, you are probably best known for the Panomera. What is the idea behind it and how does it differ from other solutions that cover a large area?
 
Sebastian Ahnert:The basic idea behind Panomera® is to provide a defined image quality across very large areas with as few camera systems as possible.
 
A conventional camera has a physical limitation: the larger the area it covers, the fewer pixels are available for a given object as the distance from the camera increases. Simply increasing the megapixel count does not eliminate that relationship. Panomera® takes a different approach. Its multifocal sensor technology combines several sensors with different focal lengths in one optical system. The individual image areas are combined to provide the required resolution across both near and distant areas.
 
The important point is not simply that Panomera® produces a large panoramic image. The system can be planned according to the pixel density required for the application. This makes image quality predictable across the defined area and is particularly relevant for applications such as stadiums, airports, city surveillance, logistics facilities, and perimeter security.
 
There is also an operational difference compared with PTZ cameras. With a PTZ camera, the operator determines what the camera is looking at at any given moment. Events outside that field of view may therefore not be captured at the required level of detail. Panomera® continuously records the entire defined area. Operators can subsequently navigate within recorded footage and examine different parts of the scene without losing the overall recording.
 
The same principle benefits video analytics: consistent, plannable image quality across large areas provides a reliable basis for accurate analysis.
 
asmag: You recently showcased the Panomera along with other camera models at Security Essen, such as the Domera 6900, now with up to 12MP resolution. In how far do the models in your portfolio complement each other to offer users end points for a comprehensive solution?
 
Sebastian Ahnert: The different camera families address different spatial and operational requirements.
 
Panomera® is designed primarily for large areas where operators need both overview and sufficient detail over long distances. Domera® cameras address more conventional surveillance scenarios in which individual areas, entrances, rooms, corridors, or specific points of interest need to be covered.
 
The new Domera® 6900 series extends those options with resolutions of up to 12 MP and improved light sensitivity. The series includes the RDF6900DN Remote Positioning Dome and the SDF6900DN fisheye camera with a 360° panoramic view. Both also support AI-based video analytics directly on the camera.
 
The practical advantage of combining these camera types is that the appropriate technology can be selected for each part of a site. A large open area may be better served by one or a small number of Panomera® systems, while entrances, indoor areas, or individual critical points may be better addressed with Domera® cameras. The objective is not to use the same camera everywhere, but to achieve the required image and analysis quality with an efficient overall system.
 
asmag: While many brands mostly talk about platforms and AI, your focus is mostly on hardware performance. What role does hardware play in the performance of security systems in general? What role do edge devices play in enabling the advanced analytics that end users require from their systems?
 
Sebastian Ahnert: We don't see hardware and AI as competing priorities. Both are essential to the performance of a modern video security system, and their full potential can only be realized when they work together. AI-based video analytics depends on reliable, high-quality image data.
 
That's why we focus on the entire technology chain – from optics, sensors, and image processing to AI-based analytics and video management. We develop our own AI applications and train and validate our neural networks with real-world data from our dedicated test site in Germany. This allows us to optimize the interaction between hardware and AI for reliable and accurate results.
 
Edge processing plays an important role here. Our AI applications run directly on the camera, enabling real-time video analytics without relying on external servers.
 
Ultimately, we see AI as a key driver of value beyond traditional security. By transforming video data into actionable insights, our solutions help customers automate processes, improve operational efficiency, and make better-informed decisions.
 
 
asmag: Tell us a little bit about how you work with partners, from integrators to cloud platforms and VMS providers, in ensuring that end users get the best possible result based on Dallmeier end points?
 
Sebastian Ahnert: Our approach is based on flexibility and interoperability. We offer a complete portfolio of video security technology, from cameras and recording systems to our own video management software and video analytics. This allows us to provide complete solutions from a single manufacturer.
 
At the same time, interoperability is a key part of our strategy. Many customers already have established security infrastructures and want to integrate new technology without replacing their existing systems. That's why we work closely with system integrators and technology partners to ensure that our cameras and analytics can be integrated into third-party video management and security platforms like Genetec, Milestone, Advancis and Octave. This enables customers to benefit from Dallmeier's technology while maintaining flexibility in their overall system architecture.
 
Ultimately, customers can choose between a complete Dallmeier solution and a best-of-breed approach that combines technologies from different manufacturers, depending on their specific requirements.
 
asmag: End users have many brands to chose from in the video security market today. How do you approach the conversation with potential customers who are weighing one high-end camera against several standard ones that may come at a lower price point?
 
Sebastian Ahnert: We try to move the discussion away from the purchase price of an individual camera and toward the cost and performance of the complete system – in other words, the total cost of ownership (TCO).
 
The relevant question is not whether one camera costs more than another. It is how many cameras are required to achieve the defined image quality across the area and what infrastructure those cameras require. Every additional camera can mean another mounting point, cable run, network port, software license, recording stream, maintenance point, etc.
 
This is particularly important for large-area applications. If one appropriately designed camera system can provide the required image quality over an area that would otherwise require several conventional cameras, the higher unit price can be offset by savings elsewhere in the system.
 
At the same time, we do not argue that a high-end camera is automatically the better choice. For a small or straightforward area, a conventional single-sensor camera may be the most economical solution.
 
The decision should be based on measurable requirements: What area needs to be covered? What level of detail is required at which distance? What analytics are expected to run? How much infrastructure is needed? And what will the system cost to operate and maintain over its lifetime? That comparison gives end users a much more meaningful basis for investment decisions than camera price or megapixel count alone.