Cameras Covering the Theatre
Megapixel cameras provide comprehensive coverage at Montalbán facility
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- May 01, 2013
Located in the heart of Hollywood, Calif.,
The Ricardo Montalbán Foundation Theatre,
named after the late actor and performing
arts patron, is a venue for diverse cultural
events. The security system for the wellequipped
1,000-seat facility includes several
1.3-megapixel IP security cameras that
are inside and outside the theatre.
"Security is a concern in any busy urban area, and when
you’re moving large groups of people in and out, it’s paramount
for maintaining the confidence of both patrons and staff,” said
Gil Smith, chairman of the Montalbán Foundation Theatre. “We
have an iconic 1926 Broadway-style theatre building, and graffiti
and vandalism are continuing challenges. We want to maintain a
positive environment here, and video surveillance provides documentation
after the fact. If there’s an indication of some incident,
you can go back and review the footage. This video information
provides for better communication with both the community and
the police.”
Veteran Los Angeles-area security equipment specialists Post
Alarm Systems handled installation and integration of the Canon
USA megapixel IP security cameras, including VB-M600VE
fixed vandal-resistant dome cameras for the exterior of the building,
VB-M600D indoor dome cameras, and VB-M700F “boxstyle”
cameras. Plans call for a VB-M40 PTZ camera to also be
mounted to the outside of the building for wide-angle street views
captured with its built-in Genuine Canon 20x zoom lens. All Canon
megapixel IP security cameras are ONVIF conformant to ensure network interoperability.
“My first concern in choosing security
cameras was picture quality, and I knew
of Canon’s reputation for digital technology
in its consumer and professional products,”
Smith recalled. “Canon is a world
leader in optics and image-making, so my
instinct was to look very seriously at their
IP security cameras. I think it was a very
good decision to go in that direction.”
From Dark to Bright
The cameras feature Canon optical zoom
lenses, a 1.3-megapixel high-sensitivity
CMOS image sensor, and a sophisticated
Canon DIGIC NET image processor for
excellent low-light performance. A Smart
Shade Control feature automatically adjusts
the contrast between bright and dark
areas of the image to enhance the detail
display. A special night mode provides increased
low-light sensitivity over the standard
recording mode.
“The theatre presents a lot of challenges
for maintaining good picture levels,”
Smith said. “Conditions range from
the dark on our theatre stage, to the bright
outdoor sunlight. Our entry court has
deep, dark corners that turn into bright
sunlit areas as the day progresses. The
dynamic range that I’m seeing from these
Canon IP cameras—from highlights to
shadows—is amazing. The edge control
from the sharpness of the Canon lens, and
the way the images are processed, is exactly
what we needed at this facility.”
Remote Adjustment
Function
In addition to their exceptional 1.3 megapixel
imaging, the networked Canon IP
security cameras at the Montalbán Theatre
feature Canon’s remote adjustment
function (RAF). This enables integrators
and installers to change the viewpoint,
zoom, and focus of these fixed cameras
after installation from any Internet-connected
PC, without removing the camera’s
dome cover. Viewpoint adjustments to the
image-capture area of these stationary
cameras include their pan, tilt, and rotation
angles. Access to the camera with a
ladder or bucket truck becomes unnecessary,
eliminating the time and expense of
on-site adjustments involving labor, transportation,
and equipment. This feature is
convenient for large installations of multiple
Canon IP security cameras.
“Using megapixel IP security cameras
with the remote adjustment feature saved
us a good several hours per camera,” said
Rich Buchanan, account executive at Post
Alarm Systems. “I can go down in front
of a Web page and make some tweaks in 5
seconds that would have taken me at least
an hour to do if I was already on-site.
“That’s a huge savings that adds up
over and over again. The RAF is definitely
going to equate to happier customers, and
having a happy customer is definitely going
to equate to more referrals and recommendations
of products that we used.”
Another built-in feature of all Canon
megapixel IP security cameras that the
Montalbán Foundation Theatre also is
taking full advantage of is video analytics,
which helps detect abandoned, moving
and removed objects. User-adjustable
in terms of detection area, sensitivity
and duration, these analytics can trigger
alarms. In addition, camera analytics can
alert for abnormal sound levels and tampering
that may indicate a camera is being
vandalized.
“The megapixel IP security cameras at
the Montalbán Foundation Theatre are
indispensable,” Smith said. “The image
quality detail, color accuracy, corner-tocorner
focus, and low-light performance
they deliver are amazing. The system gives
us the confidence that we can close the
doors, walk away and know that at any
moment we can access our servers and the
images that we are capturing 24/7. Canon
is at the center of the digital revolution,
and it has made high-quality imaging far
more accessible.”
This article originally appeared in the May 2013 issue of Security Today.