While your statement is certainly true though as it relates to LPR - you are wrong as it relates to THIS thread LOL.
The entire purpose of this thread is to show how FOCAL length AKA OPTICAL zoom is more important than MP and DIGITAL zoom. And in some cases 2MP is the better option based on DISTANCE as the higher MP/sensor ratios are not available in the higher focal lengths.
The issue we see too many times is someone comes here with their fancy 4K 2.8 or 3.6mm camera and complains they cannot make out a face or plate at 60 feet away at night.
That is the problem. At 60 feet away, a larger focal length is needed and there isn't a 4K varifocal available (except in PTZ) on the proper MP/sensor ratio large enough for 60 feet, so a 5442-Z4E or 5241-Z12E will be the better choice for that distance.
But to clear up confusion some have, generally yes a higher MP camera on the ideal MP/sensor ratio for the
same focal length will generally beat the lower MP camera at that same focal length for an object the same distance away. But we have also seen several people that are dissatisfied with the 4K cameras on the ideal MP/sensor ratio and feel like the 4MP 5442 camera is a better camera overall. I suspect some of the dissatisfaction relates to you still cannot digital zoom it at night.
So yes, a 4MP 5442 of the same fixed focal length will beat a 2MP 2231 or 5241of the same focal length. It is when you have maxed out the focal length of the 5442 or try to apply too much digital zoom that the higher focal length 2MP optically zoomed to the area of interest becomes the better choice. And don't mistake a brighter static image at night as a better image if one is comparing a fixed lens 5442 over an optical zoomed larger 2MP camera. The whole point is to get a clean capture of the perp, not nice bright static images and once digital zoom is applied to the brighter static image, it will become pixelated real quick, especially at night, and that is where the 2MP that is optically zoomed to the distance will be the better choice, even if the static image is darker.
The issue is the when the focal lengths are different.
As I showed in
Post 16, here is a great example of two images taken at the same time (early AM while still dark out) of the same person 60 feet away from just slightly different angles - one from the 5442-ZE 4MP set to 3.6mm that I digitally zoomed to make the person about the same size as the person in the 2MP varifocal optically zoomed.
The digitally zoomed image of this 3.6mm focal length of a 4MP on the ideal MP/sensor ratio could not be used by police to IDENTIFY. This camera is added by white light AND infrared, so it is getting more total light than the 2MP.
Meanwhile this 2MP camera OPTICALLY zoomed with the higher focal length to capture IDENTIFY at this distance is better than the 4MP on the ideal MP/sensor ratio that was DIGITAL zoomed.
In case someone cannot figure it out, the 4MP that is
digitally zoomed in is the B&W picture and the 2MP varifocal
optically zoomed in is the color picture LOL.
I think most would agree that the
optically zoomed 2MP picture beats the
digitally zoomed 4MP picture - you can make out details and read some of the signage and make out bolts, etc. that are just a blur on the 4MP, which is being benefited by the same light the 2MP camera is getting plus the IR.
This is the point of this thread.
