When security footage matters, “we have video” isn’t enough.
Most jobsite security footage looks fine, until you actually need it. When an incident happens, the question isn’t “Did we get video?” It’s: Can we see enough detail to act?
- Is it a person or a shadow?
- Are they loitering or working?
- Is it the same individual from the week before?
That gap between having video and being able to use it is exactly why security professionals use DORI—a straightforward standard for defining the level of detail a camera must deliver at a given distance. It’s not a brand or a buzzword. It’s a practical framework for planning camera coverage with intention.
What is DORI?
DORI stands for:
- Detection
- Observation
- Recognition
- Identification
Think of DORI as a clarity ladder. Each step answers a different question:
- Detection: Is something there?
- Observation: What is it doing?
- Recognition: Is this someone we’ve seen before?
- Identification: Can we clearly prove who it is?
Why megapixels don’t solve clarity on their own
Megapixels are easy to compare, but they only tell part of the story. A higher resolution won’t automatically deliver usable detail if the camera is positioned incorrectly.
For example:
- A wide field of view shows more of the jobsite, but spreads pixels thin—great for awareness, weaker for fine detail.
- A tight, zoomed-in view concentrates pixels on a smaller area—great for identification, but it can create blind spots if it’s your only angle.
That’s why the most reliable way to plan a jobsite security layout isn’t “pick the highest megapixel.” It defines the clarity outcome first (DORI), then matches the camera and placement to meet it.
The missing link: pixel density (PPM)
Here’s the simplest way to connect megapixels to real-world results:
- Megapixels = pixel supply (how many pixels the camera captures)
- DORI = clarity demand (how much detail you need on the target)
- Pixel density (PPM) = the outcome (how many pixels land on what you care about)
Pixel density increases when:
- Resolution is higher, and/or
- The camera is closer to the target, and/or
- The field of view is narrower (pixels are concentrated on a smaller area)
A jobsite-friendly truth: a lower-megapixel camera placed correctly can capture more usable detail than a higher-megapixel camera placed too far away or aimed too wide.
PPM examples (made simple)
For DORI planning, pixel density is about this idea:
PPM (pixels per meter) ≈ horizontal pixels ÷ scene width (meters) at the target area
So you don’t just ask “How many megapixels?” You ask: How wide is the scene where it matters, and how many pixels do I have across it?
Example 1: Same camera, different distance
Assume a 4K/8MP camera is 3840 pixels wide.
- If the camera view covers 60 meters of width at the target area:
3840 ÷ 60 = 64 PPM → roughly Observation
- If the camera is moved/aimed so it covers 30 meters at the target area:
3840 ÷ 30 = 128 PPM → roughly Recognition
Same camera, same megapixels—better placement, doubled clarity.
Example 2: Same distance, wide view vs. tight view
Same 3840-pixel-wide camera, same mounting distance.
- Wide overview covering 50 meters across the gate:
3840 ÷ 50 = 77 PPM → Observation
- Tighter gate view covering 20 meters across the same area:
3840 ÷ 20 = 192 PPM → near Identification
Same camera, same distance—a tighter field of view dramatically improves usable detail.
DORI standards (PPM targets) for jobsites
Once you define the clarity requirement for each zone, camera selection and placement get much easier.
25 PPM – Detection
- Goal: Confirm a person or vehicle is present.
- Best for: Perimeter & fence line (early awareness)
62 PPM – Observation
- Goal: See what’s happening and pick up basic details (activity, clothing color, vehicle type).
- Best for: General site coverage, perimeter approaches
125 PPM – Recognition
- Goal: Recognize someone familiar (repeat individual, known vs. unknown).
- Best for: Gates & entry points, laydown yards, storage areas
250 PPM – Identification
- Goal: Clearly identify an individual with high confidence.
- Best for: Badge access points, trailer doors, critical choke points
This is why you start with DORI before you start comparing megapixels. DORI forces the right question upfront: What do we need this camera to accomplish in this zone?
DORI and pixel density give you a smart way to plan clarity—but real jobsites add variables that spreadsheets can’t fully capture: changing site layouts, shifting access points, lighting conditions, weather, elevation, and the day-to-day realities of where cameras can actually be mounted.
OxBlue takes a consultative approach to jobsite security. Our team reviews your site plans and security goals, maps key zones (perimeter, gates, trailers, laydown yards), and recommends camera placement that balances wide-area visibility with high-detail views where proof matters most.
We help you identify blind spots, overlapping coverage, and the right mix of camera views—so you aren’t relying on one camera to do everything. The result is a setup that’s designed intentionally: fewer gaps, clearer documentation, and camera views that match the level of detail your team needs to detect issues early, respond faster, and protect the site with confidence.
