▶ Introduction

Lumens manufactures two kinds of auto-tracking PTZ cameras: dual-lens and single-lens cameras. What's the difference and how do you select the right model for your needs?

▶ How a single-lens tracking camera works.

The single-lens tracking camera mainly uses AI technology to identify an individual in a given shot. The camera head moves automatically to center the person on the screen. The lens then zooms to frame them appropriately. The tracking technology now predicts the direction the individual will move and starts real-time tracking. If the subject moves out of the shot (beyond the range of the camera), the camera will need to re-acquire its tracking target.

▶ How a dual-lens tracking camera works.

The dual-lens design includes a second ultra-wide-angle camera, housed in its base. This panoramic base camera is used to guide the main robotic camera head, tracking the subject across a very wide area.

▶ Single-lens tracking camera function

The single lens is limited by the field of view of the PTZ camera with camera tracking movements calculated by a process of intelligent prediction. If the prediction is wrong or the subject moves too quickly, tracking may struggle to keep up. The single-lens design is, therefore, best suited for use where there is a single protagonist in the frame and where the shooting space is constrained to a small area, such as a teacher teaching in a school classroom.

 

▶ Dual-lens tracking camera

Because of its panoramic lens, the dual-lens camera can analyze a scene globally in real-time. It can recognize multiple subjects, switch the individual being tracked, and detect the position of a person in relation to their environment. This allows for the creation of various tracking modes such as preset tracking, tracking zones, and hybrid tracking. Dual-lens design cameras are suitable for use in larger spaces, often with multiple people in the frame.

▶ Tracking feature comparison

	Single-lens tracking camera	Dual-lens tracking camera
The Number of People to Track	Suitable for a single person	Suitable for multiple subjects
Suitability	Best for small spaces and simple scenes	Ideal for larger and more complex scenes
Tracking Capability	Good, but can lose tracking under certain circumstances.	Very reliable
Tracking Modes	Global tracking mode Horizontal tracking mode	Global tracking mode Horizontal tracking mode Partition tracking mode Intelligent Tracking mode
Other Features	Automatic face detection Real-time motion detection	Automatic face detection Real-time motion detection People Counting Instantly switch the subject