Choosing your surveillance camera

What is your basic requirement?

When you are in the process of choosing surveillance cameras, the first question you need to ask yourself is, “What do I need the camera for?” This will tell you the image resolution level and the viewing angle that you require in your camera. For instance, you may choose a camera that offers 700 lines of resolution and 92° viewing angle. When you compare with another camera with lesser resolution and viewing angle, you will find that the picture quality of this camera is better and it can capture more scenes.

What level of security do you need?

Depending on the level of security you need, you need to choose your surveillance camera accordingly. For instance, if you want to cover an entire floor of your home or office, you may need to install more than one camera. The images from all these cameras can be transmitted to the same monitor and all the images can be seen in a grid formation on the monitor. These cameras ensure that no part of an identified space is left alone and not captured.

Do you need waterproofing and night vision?

If you want your surveillance camera to be installed outside your home or office, then waterproofing is one feature that you have to consider in your camera. And if you want day and night surveillance, you should opt for an infra-red camera that can capture images even on the darkest nights.

Surveillance cameras with in-built storage

If you don’t want your camera to relay images to a monitor and simply capture them, then you have the option of using various storage options that can be attached to the device. The most basic storage device is a micro-SD card that can be installed within the camera. You can also use an in-built or external hard drive with your camera. And if you want to go completely digital, you can also choose a camera that stores images in cloud.

Surveillance camera price

Surveillance cameras are available in different prices. Compare online and you should be able to choose one that fits your requirement AND your budget. Shopping online can save you a lot of money.

Which surveillance camera for which use?

If you want one of the standard security cameras, you can always opt for the bullet camera. These are the cylindrical shaped cameras that can be seen everywhere. These cameras are available in various sizes and are ideal when you know the specific area that needs to be focused on. These cameras are wall mounted and they can offer you the security you need in most cases. The D-Link DCS-7010L is a fine product in this category.

If you want to cover a larger area, you need to buy one of the dome security cameras. Think of an “eye in the sky” and these cameras fit the bill perfectly. These cameras are usually mounted on a ceiling and they are able to cover a wide area. You have the option of fixing this camera in one place and remotely control it so that it can pan, zoom and tilt. These can be used as outdoor as well as indoor cameras. The Sricam 720P PTZ Wireless P2P Dome Outdoor Waterproof IP Camera is one example of this type of camera.

There is another camera that is particularly useful when you don’t know about the distance or angle that needs to be covered. These are called vari-focal cameras and these cameras can capture moving images up to 100 feet in distance. These cameras can be used indoors as well as outdoors. The Edimax ND-233E Dome Network Camera is an example of one such camera.

If constant security is your requirement, then you need a camera that can stream images live to you. These security cameras are used where every moment needs to be captured and relayed to a distant output source, a LED monitor for instance. The live moving images can also be recorded and they can be browsed through later if required. These are usually tiny cameras that are hidden in a room and they are able to capture images without being seen. They look alike random objects (smoke detector or a cigarette packet and so on). You can choose the Lightinthebox Mini HD U8 Hidden Camera in this category.