Question: How do I choose the right CCTV camera?
Answer: Here's our quick guide of what to consider when picking a CCTV Camera out...
How to choose the right CCTV camera for your job
A) Angle of View
Getting the camera viewing angle right is essential to the success of your CCTV installations. Lenses can vary from a 2.8mm wide angle to a 141mm that really "zooms" into an area. With a few exceptions, most cameras aren't designed to do both so make sure you have clear requirements from your client as to what the purpose of the camera is in each area. Measure out the area required to be in shot and use our handy lens calculator to work out the perfect lens size.
P) Power
It’s important when carrying out your site survey that you estimate where and how you will be cabling and powering each CCTV camera as this will determine your choice.12V DC cameras are an easy choice but if certain cameras are on longer cables runs it may make sense to use 24V AC to combat possible volt drop. The VoltDevil voltage regulator provides 12V DC output from 18-24V AC input! Recommended product – VoltDevil Power Supply Regulator - (Code: POW061)
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P) Position
Obviously the easiest way to decide on a position for your camera is by working out the scene you wish to capture but don’t forget these important factors too. Cabling – is it even possible to get cable to that location? Will you need to factor in extra equipment such as a CCTVMule to make that possible? Privacy – according to the CCTV Code of Practice, your cameras shouldn’t infringe on a neighbour’s property so it’s important to direct the camera to cover the problem area and not elsewhere. Lighting – see the next point.
Certain cameras require correct positioning for good performance, and where-ever possible the camera should be positioned in front of a vehicle so that the vehicle ‘approaches’ the camera, it can be slightly above or to one side. |
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Recommended product – Roboplate Low Cost Compact and PowerZoom ANPR Cameras - (Code: ROBOPCZ22 - ROBOPMZ50)
L) Lighting
Lighting matters, in fact it is critical to good CCTV installation design. Too little and even too much can affect your camera’s performance and resulting image.
Common issues can be very low ambient lighting conditions, car headlights or security lights “blinding” a camera’s image and even a camera’s own IR LEDs “whiting out” a visitor’s face.
All these obstacles are easily overcome using the right camera for the job with of course the correct settings. Use our selection of tips here to get the best results from your CCTV camera.
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TIP161 - IR Lighting Explained TIP207 - Wide Dynamic Range - what is it & how does it work? TIP254 - DOs & DON'Ts of IR Lighting |
E) External or Internal
It may seem an obvious one but some cameras are intended for outdoor use and others aren’t or need an extra bracket.
Don’t get caught out and check the IP (Ingress Protection) rating in the camera’s spec sheet against our IP rating table here for guidance or simply call us for advice on 01246 200 000. Style & colour might also be a deciding factor too to blend in with the look of the property.
S) Standard HD or 4K
As HD technology prices fall, it makes sense to offer your customer the best technology around so HD is an obvious recommendation. Be careful to check existing legacy equipment for compatibility, the latest DVRs such as the Zip SUPA / XTRA will work with analogue, HD-TVI and IP so they are an easy option for recording. If your customer is insistent on hanging onto their old analogue cameras then consider the using one of the ZIP DVRs that have analogue, TVI, CVI and AHD video inputs as these will work with any future HD or Even 4K cameras.
Recommended product – The latest ZIP DVR models work with both HD-TVI, CVI AHD as well as existing analogue CCTV cameras too. (Code: XTRA204-216B)
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Top Tip - If you’re just getting into CCTV, a really easy way to remember this checklist is by using the word APPLES.