People tend to mix the resolution of a digital camera (an optical system, made of a lens and a sensor) with the number of pixels that form the array of the sensor of a camera (5, 10, 30Mpix). This video aims to clarify notions you need to know before to choose professional camera: number of pixel, resolution, global and rolling shutter, pixel pitch, raw images…

For example, the “resolution” (or better said, the resolving power) of a camera is understood here as the smallest detail in the real world that the camera system allows to see. On the other hand, the number of pixels of the camera is just a sampling power, i.e. the capacity of a digital system to convert analog, continuous, real world grandeurs in numbers. It can be illustrated quite simply with the notion of GSD (Ground Sampling Distance), well known in the UAV field. It is commonly referred as “the resolution” of the system. Unfortunately, this is wrong. As the name puts it quite clearly, GSD is only a sampling indicator.

In this video, you will better understand how to choose your professional camera and what are the differences between sensors.

This video is based on a Delair White Paper entitled DIGITAL CAMERA RESOLUTION FOR UAV – What really makes the difference? written by Bastien MANCINI, co-founder of Delair and Technical Director. This White Paper will be published on our website the 29th of June for the 2016 Toulouse Space Show