Security Camera Styles, Where, When, Why and Which Ones To Use
Security cameras come in several different types and styles with functions and specs that can be overwhelming for a person who doesnt hold an electronics engineering degree. We will go via all of the main types of CCTV security cameras, where to use each style, as well as explain some of the basic specs so that you can choose what sort of CCTV equipment is right for your security program.
Bullet Cameras
Bullet Cameras are weatherproof and tend to be smaller than other types of security cameras. They come in sizes and shapes ranging from the size of a tube of lipstick to the size of a typical soda can. Bullet Cameras are also known as lipstick cameras, tube cameras or missile cameras. If you are looking for nightvision or infrared cameras, you will discover the largest selection among bullet cameras.
Dome Cameras
Dome type security cameras are the most well-liked style of security cameras. They typically have a base with a screw-on dome. The domes are tinted so that it is hard to tell where they are aiming, this makes them very well-known for retail applications.
Most domes cameras are plastic, although you can check the armor dome section for vandal-proof domes which tend to be weatherproof with metal bases and polycarbonate sealed domes.
Armor Domes
Armor dome security cameras, or vandal domes, tend to be a little bit larger than standard domes. They are far more rugged in their construction and usually have heavy duty seals which make them weatherproof for outside installation. Most of the greater good quality armor domes have a three axis gimbal, which enables them to be mounted on a wall as properly as a ceiling. Armor domes are obtainable with fixed lenses or adjustable lenses as properly as with or with out nightvision.
Box Cameras
Box cameras, or professional style security cameras, are the most versatile style of CCTV camera available. They do not generally include a lens or a mount, so you will want to purchase the lens and an indoor mount or outdoor housing separately. They are much more complex than domes or bullets, but box cameras enable for specialty lenses (i.e., for license plate recognition) and generally have much more video high quality controls than other styles of security cameras. If you are mounting a box camera outside it will call for an outdoor housing.
PTZ Cameras
PTZ cameras or Pan Tilt Zoom cameras are the most complicated style of security camera. These PTZ cameras are normally significant dome cameras with motorized and computerized internals permitting for the camera to be controlled from the DVR, remotely or by means of a PTZ controller. These cameras use RS485 to receive controls and programming, so your DVR might require an RS232 to 485adapter. PTZ security cameras can also be programmed to run patterns. Speeds vary from 10 degrees per second to speed domes which can move in excess of 300 degrees per second.
Hidden Cameras
Hidden security cameras, covert cameras or spy cameras are some of the most well-liked style of security cameras available. These cameras use pinhole lenses with very tiny lenses and are normally enclosed in some other device that does not look like a camera. Motion detectors, sprinkler heads, smoke detectors, wall clocks and custom configurations are common housings for covert security cameras. Some hidden cameras come with built-in microphones as properly. Consult your nearby laws concerning audio surveillance.
Infrared / Nightvision
Infrared cameras or nightvision cameras are very well-liked with our customers. These nightvision security cameras provide clear color images in the course of the day, and black and white images at night. At night, infrared security cameras glow red and offer the camera with artificial light that can only be seen by the camera. These IR cameras operate even in total darkness. The a lot more LED’s a camera has, the farther away it will see at night. Nightvision cameras are offered in weatherproof bullet, dome and armor dome styles.
Low Light Cameras
Low light cameras are usually not able to see in total darkness, but are excellent for areas where clear security video is needed 24 hours a day, and there is some lighting offered. These cameras, also known as Low Lux cameras or Day/Night cameras can use a feature called sense-up to give color images even in really low light conditions. Cameras with sense-up will at times require to be programmed in the course of installation as the light sensitivity and shutter controls are adjusted by means of On Screen Display (OSD). Low light security cameras are typically accessible as domes, high-end bullets and box cameras.
Lighting Needed
Cameras marked with the lighting needed tile need greater lighting. These cameras have a lux rating of .1 or higher and are typically greatest for installation in offices or homes where there will usually be much better lighting offered. (the lower the lux rating is, the greater the camera will be able to see in low lighting. Some vendors will call these Day/Night cameras simply because they have a fairly low lux rating of .1lux, nevertheless, in our knowledge, that may possibly be technically true, but far from the low light video quality most people anticipate.
Indoor
Indoor security cameras do not have any weather sealing. Water and moisture will kill a security camera faster than any other condition, as a result, these cameras should only be installed indoors where they will not see condensation or extreme temperatures. Indoor only security cameras come in dome styles as nicely as covert and PTZ styles.
Outdoor
Outdoor cameras come in various ratings. Weatherproof ratings begin with “IP” (international protection rating) and end with a number above 54. The greater the number the far more weather resistant the camera is. Generally, IP65 is the regular rating, meaning that a camera with an IP65 rating can withstand a blast of direct water. IP67 indicates a camera is submersible up to 1 meter. Use weatherproof cameras outdoors or where temperature and condensation are an issue, like inside a walk-in cooler or in a workshop with lots of dust.
Outdoor Housing Required
The outdoor housing necessary category is for our more advanced security camera styles such as box cameras which require a separate housing to be placed outdoors. Housings are obtainable separately in our accessories section and come with or without heaters and blowers for defrosting in the winter and camera cooling in the summer.
Fixed lens
Cameras that are marked with the fixed lens tile come with a fixed, non-adjustable lens. These cameras typically have 3.6mm semi-wide angle lenses offering an image that is 74 degrees wide. The greater the lens number in mm, the tighter the shot will be, and vice versa. Indoor domes with fixed lenses can be adjusted by buying separate mini-lenses in our accessories section.
Adjustable lenses
Security cameras with manually adjustable lenses, sometimes known as vari-focal or “zoom” lenses enable the user to manually adjust the viewing angle when installing the cameras. These cameras allow the installer to dial in the level of detail they want to see in their shot and are quite beneficial for front door shots or cash register views where detail is quite critical. The lower the lens number is, the wider the shot will be and vice-versa. Lenses with wider ranges are more versatile and can be adjusted over a wider viewing angle range. These lenses also control Iris openings giving the user the greatest light level adjustment without having to make any installation changes. Varifocal lenses are obtainable on domes, armor domes and bullet cameras.
Motorized lenses
Security cameras with motorized lenses are typically referred to as zoom cameras or ptz cameras. These cameras can be controlled electronically to zoom in and out in actual time. They need RS232 to 485 adapters to control and are nice to have when an individual is sitting in from of the DVR and is able to determine the finest viewing angle for the scenario. Motorized lenses are usually observed on ptz style dome cameras and as an alternative on box style security cameras.
What precisely is a TVL?
TVL is a resolution rating meaning television lines, the higher the number of TVL a camera has, the greater the picture good quality of that camera. Essentially the TVL is a count of the number of horizontal lines a camera can reproduce. This measurement started out as a way for the original television broadcaster to claim they had been broadcasting in greater resolution than they truly had been, but today, it is a useful measure when determining the comparative video top quality between two seperate cameras. These days, the industry standard resolution seems to be 420TVL. High resolutions begins around 480TVL, though many cameras are offered with resolutions properly above that. 540TVL, 600TVL, 650TVL and 700TVL cameras are not uncommon. This is a sliding scale of course. The difference between a 350TVL camera and a 420TVL camera will be more dramatic than that between a 420 and 480TVL rating. Still, as a general rule, when it comes to TVL, the greater the number, the clearer the picture.
What is Lux, and why is it important?
Lux is a measure of illuminance, or in other words, a measurement of the amount of light offered. The lux rating of a camera tells you how a lot light is necessary for that camera to supply a usable image. Maintain in mind that the term “usable” is very subjective, and that lux ratings can be “adjusted” by unscrupulous manufacturers and marketers to make it appear they have a greater CCTV camera. In general, the lower the lux rating of
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