What Is the DORI Standard?
DORI stands for Detect, Observe, Recognise, Identify — four escalating video-surveillance tasks defined by the international standard IEC/EN 62676-4 (published in Europe as EN 62676-4, and in Australia/New Zealand as AS/NZS 62676.4). Each level requires a specific minimum pixel density on the subject, measured in pixels per meter (px/m). It was developed for professional CCTV system design and is almost never referenced in consumer security-camera marketing.
The one thing to know: DORI stands for Detect, Observe, Recognise, Identify — four escalating tasks defined by the international video-surveillance standard IEC/EN 62676-4, each requiring a specific minimum pixel density on the target (measured in pixels per meter, px/m): Detection needs about 25 px/m (something is there), Observation about 62.5 px/m (general characteristics), Recognition about 125 px/m (probably a known person), and Identification about 250 px/m (identity beyond reasonable doubt). Most consumer camera marketing never mentions which DORI level its advertised range refers to.
The four DORI levels
- Detect (~25 px/m): Confirm a person or vehicle is present and distinguish it from the background — nothing more.
- Observe (~62.5 px/m): Discern characteristic details — rough shape, posture, general clothing color.
- Recognise (~125 px/m): Decide with reasonable confidence whether a person you already know is the one shown.
- Identify (~250 px/m): Establish the identity of an unknown subject to a level of detail suitable as evidence.
Why it matters for a home buyer
Almost every consumer camera spec sheet advertises resolution (megapixels) and a night-vision range in feet, but essentially none state which DORI level that range achieves. Two cameras can claim the same "night vision range" while one only reaches Detect at that distance and the other reaches Recognise — a meaningful difference if your goal is identifying a person, not just knowing something moved.
Where DORI comes from
IEC 62676-4 is part of a broader family of video-surveillance-system standards covering system requirements, video transmission protocols, and performance requirements for professional and public-safety CCTV installations. Consumer security cameras are not required to test or disclose against it, which is why the framework rarely appears outside professional system-design contexts.
Facts on this page describe a published international standard; we verified the pixel-density figures against the standard and professional CCTV-industry technical references before publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Detect, Observe, Recognise, Identify — four escalating surveillance tasks defined by the international video-surveillance standard IEC/EN 62676-4, each requiring progressively more resolved detail (pixel density) on the subject.
Per IEC/EN 62676-4: Detection needs roughly 25 pixels per meter (px/m) of the subject — confirming something is present. Observation needs roughly 62.5 px/m — general characteristics like posture or clothing color. Recognition needs roughly 125 px/m — deciding with reasonable confidence whether a known person is the one shown. Identification needs roughly 250 px/m — establishing identity with a level of detail suitable as evidence.
It's a real standard — IEC 62676-4, published in Europe as EN 62676-4 and in Australia/New Zealand as AS/NZS 62676.4. It predates most consumer smart-camera marketing and was developed for professional CCTV system design, which is why the pixel-density math is well-defined even though almost no consumer camera box mentions it.
Estimate the pixel density your camera actually delivers on a subject at your intended distance (horizontal resolution in pixels divided by the real-world scene width in meters at that distance), then compare it to the DORI thresholds. See our DORI Pixel-Density Decoder for the full worked calculation — treat it as a derived estimate, not a certified test of your exact hardware.