A Full HD camera records at 1920 by 1080 pixels, the same frame size as a 1080p television. It is a resolution, not a quality rating: the lens, the sensor’s sensitivity, the bit rate and the compression all affect the detail that survives. Full HD is common for general surveillance work.
Resolution is the specification most often compared and least often decisive. A 1080p camera with a poor lens and a low bit rate produces worse evidence than a well-configured camera with fewer pixels.
Resolution and real detail
Detail depends on pixels per subject, so a 1080p camera framed on one doorway can show a clearer face than a 4K camera covering a car park. Work out how many pixels a face or a plate will occupy at the planned distance before choosing a resolution.
What to check beyond the number
Look at low-light performance, lens quality, bit rate and compression. Check that the recorder can store the resolution across every channel, because a per-channel specification can exceed the device’s total. Test a real scene, at night if the site needs it. A demonstration on the site’s own network tells you more than a datasheet.