Choosing the Right Surveillance Camera
Installing surveillance cameras is one of the best ways to monitor your home or business premises and enhance security. With the wide variety of camera types and features available today, choosing the right system for your needs requires careful consideration. This guide will walk you through the key factors to consider when selecting security cameras.
Assess Your Surveillance Needs
Before selecting any cameras, think about your specific surveillance goals. Important considerations include:
- Indoor vs. outdoor. Will you be monitoring indoor spaces, exterior areas or both?
- Coverage area. What specific areas need to be covered like entryways, parking lots, etc.
- Level of detail. Do you need to identify faces and license plates or just detect motion?
- Day/night monitoring. Do the cameras need to capture color video or just infrared night vision?
Your needs assessment will point you towards the right camera resolutions, fields of view and night vision capabilities.
Wired vs. Wireless Cameras
The choice between wired and wireless surveillance cameras carries some trade-offs:
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Wired systems provide higher quality and reliability but wireless systems are much easier to install. Combining wired and wireless cameras can give you the best of both in some setups.
Camera Types
Fixed and PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom) cameras are two main types to consider:
- Fixed cameras - Have a fixed field of view and come as dome or bullet styles. Great for monitoring specific areas like doorways.
- PTZ cameras - Can pan, tilt and zoom in on areas. Ideal for getting a closer look over a wide area.
Consider the pros and cons of each for your application. You may want to use both fixed and PTZ cameras together for comprehensive monitoring.
Key Features
Regardless of the camera types selected, there are some key features to look for:
- High resolution - 1080p or higher provides sharp detail.
- Wide dynamic range - Helps ensure both bright and dark areas are visible.
- Infrared night vision - Allows low light or nighttime viewing.
- Motion detection alerts - Notifies you of activity in the camera's field of view.
- Remote access - Allows live viewing and control from smartphones and computers.
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Storage and Connectivity
Surveillance cameras connect to a recording device like a DVR or NVR to store and manage video. Wired cameras connect directly while wireless cameras usually require a receiver at the recording device location. When selecting components, keep these tips in mind:
- Make sure the recording device has enough ports for all planned cameras.
- Pick sufficient storage capacity for retaining video for your desired retention period.
- If using wireless cameras, ensure the receiver bandwidth matches the cameras.
- For remote access, select devices that can connect to your network and mobile apps.
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Getting Professional Assistance
While DIY camera installation is possible, getting help from a surveillance system pro has benefits. An experienced low voltage electrician can:
- Recommend the ideal cameras and components for your facility and budget.
- Install cabling neatly and inconspicuously.
- Connect and configure the system properly.
- Explain how to operate and maintain the system.
- Provide ongoing service and upgrades as needed.
The right security cameras provide peace of mind. By taking the time to carefully weigh your needs, options and features, you can build an effective surveillance system tailored to your specific requirements.
Assessing Your Security Needs
Taking stock of your home or business security vulnerabilities is the crucial first step in selecting the right surveillance and access control solutions. Conducting a thorough needs assessment will reveal what areas need monitoring, what risks exist, and what systems can address your unique security requirements.
Evaluate Your Property
Walk through your property to identify vulnerable entry points and high-value areas. For a business, this may include:
- Public entrances
- Shipping and receiving bays
- Warehouses with expensive inventory
- Cash handling locations
- Unattended lobbies or corridors
For a residence, look at:
- Front, side and back doors
- Garages and driveway access points
- Yards or patios containing valuables
- Pool areas
Note building attributes like alley access, fences, landscaping and lighting that impact security.
Identify Vulnerabilities
Analyze each area and entry point for weaknesses. For example:
- Blind spots invisible to existing cameras
- Doors or gates relying on basic locks
- Minimal lighting on building exteriors or parking lots
- Lack of alarm systems on critical entry points like loading docks
Develop solutions like additional camera coverage, improved locks, motion sensor lights or alarm systems to address each vulnerability.
Consider Crime Data
Review crime statistics for your area to reveal patterns. This can inform security priorities. For instance, high local rates of:
- Burglary - Indicates perimeter access control and outdoor surveillance needs.
- Theft - Shows need for locking/alarming of unattended high-value areas.
- Vandalism - Suggests camera coverage in exposed locations is wise.
Discuss security weaknesses with your local law enforcement and ask for their input on improvements as well.
Assess Operations
Consider how you use your property and where security gaps may exist in your workflows. For a small business examples include:
- Inventory or cash left unattended after hours
- Employees accessing areas outside their roles
- Contractors or visitors entering without oversight
Addressing these can require a combination of access control systems, camera oversight and security process adjustments.
Involve Key Stakeholders
Get input from other key people that use or manage your property. They may notice additional vulnerabilities. Facilities managers, security staff, IT professionals and operations personnel often have valuable insights.
A comprehensive security assessment examines a property's weaknesses from all angles. Understanding your true points of exposure lets you select robust solutions tailored to your building, location, valuables and workflows. Matching security capabilities to real needs provides protection without overspending.
Outdoor vs. Indoor Surveillance Cameras
Installing security cameras both outside and inside your home or business provides complete property monitoring. But selecting the right camera types for each environment is important for capturing usable footage day and night.
Outdoor Security Cameras
Outdoor security cameras must withstand the elements like rain, snow and sun. Key factors for outdoor cameras include:
- Weather resistance - Outdoor rated housings protect against moisture and temperature extremes.
- Night vision - Infrared (IR) illumination enables night viewing up to 150 feet or more.
- Wide operating temperature range - Can function in cold and hot weather (-4° to 140° F).
- Vandal resistance - Sturdy metal domes and housings resist tampering.
Popular outdoor camera types:
- Bullet cameras - Cylindrical shape ideal for mounting under eaves.
- Dome cameras - Compact discreet ceiling or wall fixtures.
- PTZ cameras - Robust outdoor housings allow pan/tilt/zoom movements.
Wired cameras provide the best image quality but wireless options using batteries or solar offer flexible placement.
Indoor Security Cameras
Indoor cameras don't require weatherproofing but should have features suited to interior conditions like:
- Low light capabilities - Quality images in dark or unevenly lit rooms.
- Wide angle lenses - Cover entire small rooms from a single vantage point.
- Small camera size - Compact dimensions help them fit into tight spaces and go unnoticed.
Helpful indoor camera types include:
- Dome cameras - Ceiling mounted fixtures with discreet appearance.
- Cube cameras - Small flexible cameras ideal for desktops or shelves.
- Hidden cameras - Tiny cameras disguised as other objects.
Both wired or wireless cameras work for indoor use. Battery operated options avoid wiring challenges.
Selecting Lenses
Camera lenses should be matched to the monitoring environment and space:
- Wide angle - Cover entire large indoor spaces from one position.
- Standard - General use for both indoor and outdoor locations.
- Telephoto - Capture detail like faces and license plates at a distance.
Consider lens focal length and field of view to ensure complete coverage without image distortion.
Image Quality Settings
Adjusting resolution and frames per second (fps) settings impacts storage needs and image quality:
- Outdoor cameras can utilize lower resolution and fps like 1080p at 10-15 fps to save storage space.
- Indoor cameras should typically use maximum settings like 4K resolution at 20-30 fps for crucial detail.
Optimizing these for each camera's location and purpose ensures helpful identification and recognition of people and activities.
The right indoor-outdoor camera combination with matched capabilities provides robust monitoring of any property's vulnerable areas.
Areas to Monitor with Security Cameras
A key aspect of designing an effective video surveillance system is carefully choosing which areas need monitoring. Mapping out camera placement during planning ensures complete coverage of critical indoor and outdoor zones.
Outdoor Areas
Key outdoor locations to cover with security cameras include:
- Building entrances/exits - Monitor all public doorways including main lobbies, back/side exits, garages.
- Parking areas - View vehicle access points like driveways, lot entrances, carports.
- Perimeter fences/walls - Catch fence climbers, cutters or wall scalers.
Also look at exposed spaces containing valuables like:
- Fuel/chemical storage - Avoid theft incidents.
- HVAC/generators - Stop copper theft attempts.
- Loading docks - Secure unattended deliveries.
Outdoor PTZ cameras allow panning over a wide area for flexible monitoring.
Indoor Areas
Key indoor zones to place security cameras include:
- Entryways/lobbies - Identify visitors and track access.
- Corridors - Monitor employee/guest movements.
- Cash handling areas - Watch checkouts, cash registers, vaults.
- Secure rooms - Server closets, R&D labs, executive offices.
Also cover any unoccupied areas with valuable inventory like:
- Stock rooms - Deter overnight theft.
- Warehouses - Protect goods from walkouts.
- Display rooms - Secure jewelry, art, electronics when closed.
Dome cameras provide discreet 24/7 monitoring of indoor spaces.
Areas with Limited Visibility
Ensure cameras fill in blindspots around your property where crimes could go unseen like:
- Stairwells
- Alleys/loading bays
- Underground garages
- Cubicle workspaces
- Behind structures and landscaping
Proper camera placement leaves no zones concealed from view.
Consulting Security Experts
Security system installers can survey your property and help identify:
- Vulnerable areas in need of monitoring
- Camera types and lenses for complete coverage
- Optimal mounting locations for visibility
- Infrastructure needs like cabling, power, switches
Letting experienced specialists conduct a site analysis ensures all critical indoor and outdoor areas end up covered by your video surveillance system.
Keep An Eye On Your Property With The Best Surveillance Cameras
If you're looking for the best surveillance cameras to keep an eye on your property, there are many options available. Here are some key features to consider when choosing a camera:
Some of the best outdoor home security cameras for 2023 include the Eufy Cam 3 S330, Wyze Cam, Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera, Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus, and Wyze Cam. When choosing a camera, consider your specific needs and preferences to find the perfect one for your space.
