Glossary: IP Camera Image Quality Settings

When you receive your new IP camera it will be setup in its factory default configuration. Usually, these settings are adequate for most uses, but with a little tweaking of the quality settings in particular, you can really make the most of your purchase.

Your first point of call will be the compression format. Choose the most appropriate compression format for your application. The choice is usually between MJPEG, MPEG-4 and H.264.

Then, you’ll need to adjust the compression level to achieve the optimum balance for your needs between quality and framerate. If you want higher quality, the framerate will drop. Conversely, higher framerate will cause the quality to suffer, but with persistence and a detailed assessment of your application’s needs, you will strike the right balance.

Other camera settings which can affect the image quality include color level or saturation, brightness, contrast, focus and resolution.

Published on August 1st, 2008 by Kevin Bowyer