CCTV Cameras - What to Look For in Buying Quality Video Surveillance

CCTV Cameras - What to Look For in Buying Quality Video Surveillance

CCTV Cameras come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are several factors that determine the correct camera at a given location and for specific applications. One size does not fit all in security cameras, and the proper design takes into effect lighting conditions, location, and the view, or views required. Place a standard color camera in a low-light condition and you will find a poor video, "grainey and noisey" as the camera struggles to see.

Video security cameras are either standard color cameras, Day/Night cameras, or in infrared cameras. . They also come in fixed, meaning they view one specific location, or Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras that allow the operator to move the camera in a 360° area and optically zoom in on specific locations. A standard retail environment will have both indoor and outdoor cameras, fixed and PTZ, with exterior and interior doors entrys and exits covered.

Its A Resolution

Analog cameras are measure in the number of "TV Lines" meaning the horizontal lines that make up the camera video on the screen. The more the better. Typical cameras 5 years ago measured 380-420 TVL as the typical resolution. Today, 540 TVL is a standard resolution for analog CCTV Cameras. IP Megapixel cameras are breaking this barrier with horizontal lines measure in "Megapixels." A 3.1 megapixel camera has over 2000 lines! The price is the determining factor (surprise) as IP Megapixels are today, MegaBucks!

So, if you have a big budget, spring for a few Megapixel Cameras, for all of the other cameras focus on 540TVL and above resolution CCTV analog cameras.

Day/Night Modes

An important factor in cameras is the lighting at night. Are there parking lights? Is it pitch dark? If there is limited lighting, a Day/Night camera is your choice. Its color during good lighting, and switches to B/W for low-light views. The key technical spec on lighting is the LUX rating. The lower the better! Standard color indoor dome camera may have a LUX of 0.1 and a Day/Night will have a .001 or better. Go read/search for details.

Infrared Cameras

Infrared (IR Cameras) are all the rage in camera introductions. 2nd only to IP Megapixel cameras. Having the ability to see both day and night, IR Cameras have IR LEDs that are beyond what the human eye can see, but the camera picks up the IR light flashes the constant Flashlight allowing you to see in total darkness.

PTZ Cameras

Got to have one! A fixed camera is like having a one-eyed guard stand watch. He never blinks, never stops watching. A PTZ robotic camera is like having the same guard but he can move around and has a set of binoculars to get close-up shots.

There is a difference in a camera and a good quality 0 camera in many cases. IP megapixel cameras at 0 or so, will be a distant memory hopefully soon as volumes increase. Whether its an economical or professional purchase, choose the right camera for your application.