Advantages of “Motorized Focus/Zoom” (MFZ)
Source: Aline P?tzold
Date: 2014/02/14
Advantages of “Motorized Focus/Zoom” (MFZ)
Setting the focus of a megapixel camera is a challenge: it is time consuming and it will hardly give you an ideal result. Lens quality, outdoor installations, weather condition, missing experience and the light situation might make it even worse.
The following explains the difficulties of focusing megapixel cameras:
Installation
During installation, two people are required to set the focus of a network camera. One person sitting in front of a computer giving instructions while the other one setting the focus. Thereby, the accurateness is not secured, especially if the camera is already installed on the ceiling or higher pole.
Professional installers, but also others who have experience in installing HD Megapixel CCTV cameras will agree on the comment that “Adjusting the focus is always challenging”. Therefore, most of the installers tend to finish the focus setting before finding the perfect position.
Image delay
The IP video stream is not real-time due to video process latency, meaning that an effective feedback for an accurate focus cannot be provided. Therefore, any focus correction is not an instant adjustment, but more a lucky hit.
Very high resolution
The image sharpness of megapixel cameras (resolution 192－1080) is 6 times clearer as of regular cameras. Even slightly inaccurate settings will have an impact on the image quality. Therefore, the focus has to be set even more precise.
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Temperature
The focus of megapixel cameras is sensitive to temperature. The following pictures illustrate how the focus varies when a temperature change occurs after installing.
Benefits of RIVA? IP megapixel cameras with remote focus control
RIVA? cameras with MFZ enable a remotely controlled focus adjustment. From a remote area, the focus can easily be adjusted with only a couple of mouse clicks.
A further benefit is the cost and time saving. The purchasing price of a RIVA? IP camera with MFZ is slightly higher compared to a regular CCTV camera, but considering the maintenance costs and time, RIVA? cameras with MFZ save a lot of expenses.
RIVA? cameras, equipped with an analog video-out terminal for installation purposes, do not require a 2nd person, but a person on-site. With MFZ the cameras can be focused remotely.
Not only the installation, but also re-adjusting the focus is much easier compared to a regular CCTV camera. According to the “Motorized Focus/Zoom” only several mouse clicks are needed to re-adjust the focus, e.g. in changing weather conditions. The costs and time of re-adjusting cameras without MFZ would be significantly higher than the purchasing price gap between a regular CCTV camera and a RIVA? camera with MFZ.
To summarize, considering time, effort and costs, RIVA? cameras with MFZ provide significant advantages compared to regular CCTV cameras. Thus, the MFZ control function in megapixel cameras is not “optional”, but “essential”.