How to choose a CCTV surveillance camera

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are increasingly available for a variety of budgets and needs. If you haven't bought yourself a CCTV, now is the time to change your mind, since you'll be spoiled for choice online. However, this also creates its own problems. That is, many first-time buyers tend to choose the wrong type of security camera and then regret their purchase decision.

The reason is that there are so many specifications to understand and choose for CCTV cameras, which can be deployed in a variety of configurations. Among the many options, you'll have to decide whether to use a wired or WiFi camera, local or cloud storage, wide or narrow viewing angles, and a device with motion detection or night monitoring. .

If all this sounds confusing, don't worry because the following article will help simplify making this decision for you. Whether you want to install surveillance cameras in your home, shop or office, TipsMake.com 's following 3 easy steps will help you choose the right camera according to your needs.

Review your CCTV camera requirements

As a first step, you will have to evaluate your actual requirements before making a purchase. Get paper, pen and calculator to calculate approximate estimated budget. It is important to take this activity seriously, if you do not want to overlook something that will make you regret it later.

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The questions you need to ask are summarized in the table above. First, you need to check if you want to use the camera indoors or outdoors, because not all cameras can withstand all weather conditions. Also, please clarify the expected total budget and the number of cameras you are looking for.

You will need a minimum set height to prevent camera theft. If you often face power outages, use a camera with an adequate battery life (~ 12V DC is relatively sufficient). If you use an IP camera, use cloud storage for ease and cost savings often included in CCTV packages. If you want to ensure security during your absence at a location, opt for a night vision camera.

Once you have completely clarified your request, move on to the next step.

Choose the type of CCTV camera

Next, we will learn about the different types of CCTV surveillance cameras and what makes each camera unique, based on your needs.

Dome Camera

Dome Camera is the most common example of CCTV camera. The name of this type of camera comes from their unique dome form. The most basic example is the ceiling mounted CCTV camera that you often see in shops, malls and restaurants. These cameras typically cost more than $ 25 (VND 575,000) each.

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Nowadays, people often choose a turret dome camera with a slightly higher price. A focus-adjustable CCTV dome camera possesses the greatest degree of flexibility, as it can support wide-angle viewing by using a varifocal lens - the lens with the ability to change focus (2, 8mm - 12mm, etc.). Infrared dome camera allows night vision and is usually anti-theft.

Bullet Camera

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Bullet cameras (which have a long, slender bullet-like shape) are suitable for outdoor settings, where the view must cover a larger distance, such as a wide view of the parking lot. They are usually weather resistant, burglar resistant and equipped with night vision. Bullet cameras are usually not too expensive (only less than $ 13 - 300,000 VND). You just need to check if you are allowed to install this type of camera, because the wide field of view means you can see what is happening in your neighbor's house. In general, these CCTV cameras often appear in commercial locations.

PTZ camera

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PTZ cameras (Pan, Tilt and Zoom) are versatile devices because they allow you to review CCTV footage in many ways. You can zoom in on a detail (5x, etc.), rotate the entire screen to find hidden clues and tilt the camera in any direction. These cameras are usually not cheap.

Other considerations before buying

After knowing the type of camera you need and the settings required, you need to focus on the image quality of the camera. A high-definition (HD) or 4k cctv camera will allow for significant readability of objects such as license plates.

You should also monitor features like H.265 compression, motion detection alerts, and whether you can view footage on a smartphone, Windows or Mac system. Branded CCTV cameras will provide apps available at Google Play or the App Store.

Once you have a budget and are fully aware of the requirements, it's easy to choose to buy CCTV online.

Today, CCTV cameras have become the most popular devices of modern life. They reinforce a sense of security in 'sensitive' times. As long as you have valuable things to protect, these CCTV cameras will allow access at any time to see the activities taking place in your absence.

Do you have security cameras installed anywhere? What are your points of purchase? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Wish you find yourself a suitable choice!