CCTV Cameras: Choosing the Best Type for Your Needs

CCTV cameras are everywhere, but not all security cameras are the same. If you’re planning to buy a surveillance camera for your security system, you need to find one that matches your needs. Going out and grabbing the most expensive security camera system off the shelf doesn’t always work best. Before you spend money on your security system, you need to consider where you’re going to install the cameras and the lighting conditions in those areas.

Just like hand-held video camera equipment, there are several types of CCTV cameras. Each type of camera has its own features that make it useful in some situations, but completely useless in others. You need to know the different types of cameras and understand their strengths and limitations in order to find one that will work best for you. Once you know what type of camera you’re looking for, then you can begin comparing brands and special features. To help you understand what different camera types can do, here is a list of the common camera types out in the market and a short description of what 
they’re capable of:

·         Day CCTV Cameras – These cameras are best for outdoor surveillance, and most of them are at the very least, weather proof. As the name suggests, they work best during the daytime when there’s a lot of bright ambient lighting. They can be short or long range and can capture images in color. They won’t be able to capture anything in the dark, so if you need nighttime surveillance, you may need an artificial source of ambient lighting.

·         Indoor CCTV Cameras – Indoor CCTV cameras work just like day CCTV cameras, except that they can capture clearer images with less ambient lighting. Some of them come equipped with their own external light source for a better view at night or when the lights are out in the building.

·         Night Vision CCTV Cameras – Night vision CCTV cameras run on infrared technology. This is why most night vision camera footages are in black and white and show glowing spots when it captures a light source. A lot of night vision cameras come with an IR illuminator (a device that magnifies whatever available light there is) built-in with the camera, but there are some models that don’t have it pre-installed. You can buy the IR illuminator separately. This type of camera is best used indoors, storage rooms, and areas where there is almost always little to no ambient lighting.

·         Day/Night CCTV Cameras – These cameras have the capabilities to switch from day to night mode when needed. They capture images in color when there’s enough ambient light and as darkness falls it switches to infrared mode and records images in black and white. Like the night vision cameras, the IR illuminator doesn’t always come as part of the package. These cameras are best installed outdoors as it can be used to capture clear images 24/7.

·         Thermal Imaging CCTV Cameras (FLIR) – If you want to see what’s happening in total darkness, thermal imaging is the way to go. It uses heat energy to create images even through haze, light fog, and snow. The images you see on your monitor are created using heat signatures left by people or objects. The hotter the object, the brighter they appear on screen. This type of camera is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use as they can detect intruders even if they hide in the shadows.

 In order to protect your home, your business, or your private property, you need a security system that actually works for you. In order to make the most out of your surveillance equipment, you need to be sure that the camera you buy can meet your needs.