difference between 380tvl and 520 tvl

[acableconnection 0]

Can you really tell the difference? You would have to have the same brand cams, and parts, etc. but can you really tell?

[Scruit 0]

Can you really tell the difference? You would have to have the same brand cams, and parts, etc. but can you really tell?

 

I'm not an expert - just a home user...

 

There's so many other factors that you can't go by just TVL. The better cameras have much better light handling and DSP post-processing. Also you can to consider the resolution you are recording in... If you record in CIF then the extra resolution isn't going to help you much.

 

I have a name-brand 480tvl camera and a non-name 480tvl and the difference is astounding when you start looking at changing light conditions etc.

 

 

Then again, my short experience tells me that camera placement and focus is more important than the resolution...

 

I tend to use cheaper cameras when precise detail is not important (ie an overview of the front garden), where the su bject of the camera is in a very predictable location with predictable lighting (indoor face-shot at a doorway) or when there is enough external light that the cheaper camera can still see.

 

I use more expensive cameras where the location of the action is not as predictable but detail is still important (I have one camera covering two adjacent doors that at 10' apart. or outdoors where lighting is unpredictable.

 

Finally, I have had a 330tvl camera produce images every bit as good as a the 520 tvl camera that replaced it. The 330tvl was set up just right, and the 520tvl was not.

 

All other things being equal, the better tvl may give you better resolution -but there's no substitute for expert camera placement and lens selection. For that I defer to the experts here at this site.

[rory 0]

Typically yes, but only if it is truly high resolution, compare the total image pixels as that is what counts.