Outdoor surveillance cameras help to keep intruders, burglars and thieves at bay. When miscreants notice that they are under CCTV surveillance, they tend to avoid the area. Outdoor surveillance goes a long way in protecting your assets. In today’s society where crime rates have increased drastically in various forms, security cameras are a must. But what are the things that you should consider before buying a CCTV setup? This article is intended to answer your queries regarding the features of outdoor CCTV cameras that you should look for.
One of the primary things you should look for in an outdoor CCTV camera is whether it is weatherproof. The camera should have a protective housing that can safeguard the internal components of the camera from moisture and water.
Outdoor cameras should also be vandal proof. It should withstand attacks and impulsive forces up to a certain level as criminals may try to destroy the camera before committing the crime. Vandal proof cameras come in a special casing which requires special tools to open the housing.
The outdoor cameras should also work in low light. Low light viewing or night vision is an essential feature as much of the crime takes place in the dark. The cameras which have Infra Red LEDs work in the dark as well as daytime. The number and quality of LEDs determine how much distance the camera can capture during the dark.
The viewing angle is another important factor that needs to be considered while purchasing CCTV. The wider the field of view the lesser number of cameras you require to be installed. Cameras with wider angle offer more coverage and hence should be considered for buying. But again they become costlier as the field of view increases, so you get what you pay for.
Resolution of the camera decides how much clear image you get from the captured video. You should go for 1080p or higher resolution for clear images where you can identify people in the video. But remember that the higher the resolution more is the space required to store the captured video.
CCTV cameras are basically of three types. Dome, Bullet and PTZ. You should decide which type of camera you want for your specific purpose. Dome cameras are shaped in a way that it is easy to confuse which direction they are pointing. So it is a good option to ward off burglars and thieves. But dome cameras are difficult to mount. Bullet cameras are easier to mount and are weatherproof. Find out more about Bullet Camera vs. Dome Camera here. A PTZ camera allows a wider and larger space that can be monitored due to their pan, zoom and rotating abilities. They can be controlled from a distance as to where they should focus and can even be set to monitor and zoom in on detecting motion. But PTZ cameras are usually expensive and you might need them to monitor your business like the warehouse, etc.
Another important feature in a camera is whether you can monitor the captured video on mobile devices. Often you may want to monitor your home or workplace when you are away and cameras that offer mobile and internet viewing are desired in such a situation. These are the IP cameras and come in various specifications like the traditional analog cameras.