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What type of CCTV is best for surveillance?

Multiple uses for CCTV cameras

Whether you are looking into purchasing a camera for your residence or business, you might have to look at multiple brands to find your perfect camera. But what type of CCTV is best for surveillance?

what type of CCTV is best for surveillance

Truth be told, this question can be taken on a personal level. The best camera is the camera that fits your particular wants and needs. And it might not be what other people desire.

So let's take a look at what makes a good camera, and narrow your needs and wants. By the end of this article, you should have the answer to your dreadful question!

Type of cameras

Firstly, you need to know what you are looking for in your ideal camera. Now, more than ever, there are various types of CCTV cameras in the market. Here are a few:

  • Dome 
  • Bullet
  • Wired
  • Wireless
  • Outdoor
  • Indoor
  • C-Mount
  • PTZ
  • Panoramic
  • Analog
  • IP 
  • Thermal

They all have their purposes that might or might not fit into your needs. However, that is not all that can be considered in an ideal camera.

Taking the lead are the dome and bullet. These are the most commonly used cameras and are used worldwide by businesses to monitor their customers and staff.

These wired cameras are harder to temper with and are mostly installed in hard to reach areas where access is a bit harder. Businesses install these cameras to keep out thieves.

While the dome is known to be small and easily blend in, the bullet is known to stand out. Therefore, the dome can capture thieves in their act, and the bullet is likely to deter thieves from attempting to steal.

However, in households, wireless cameras have been cheaper and easier to install than wired CCTV cameras. Therefore, winning the public and even seniors who might have a hard time with technology.

From Nest to Ring. The wireless cameras are becoming increasingly popular due to the fact that they can be installed by the buyer and set up rather quickly.

Additionally, they are on the cheaper side of the CCTV camera scale and are available to the general public to access. They provide safety while allowing live viewing and reliably storing in the cloud.

Specialties and features

Keep in mind that the type of camera you are interested in can have various other features that can either benefit you or be a deal-breaker.

Infrared lighting is a big one! You might know them as the LED lights around a camera's lens. They are what allow the camera to record in poor or no light.

Therefore, you might want to choose a camera with infrared lighting if you're going to record at night. Though infrared light is just one of many features that can help decide what type of CCTV is best for surveillance.

Other features that can impact your decision are:

  • Alerts
  • Backup power
  • Motion sensing
  • Two-way audio
  • Facial recognition
  • Stranger alerts
  • Online access
  • Cloud storage
  • Live streaming
  • Weather resistance
  • Unusual sound alerting
  • Pan and tilting of the camera
  • Connection to smart assistants (such as Google and Alexa)

Amongst many more features that can aid in determining what type of CCTV is best for surveillance and fits your needs. Nevertheless, specifications also come into play.

When shopping for cameras, many of the boxes have various numbers. And you might not understand their purpose. In the camera's box you can usually find:

  • Resolution
  • Color
  • Lens sizing
  • Range
  • Shutter speed
  • Power
  • Minimum illumination
  • Image device
  • Additional features

Brands

When wondering what type of CCTV is best for surveillance, the company you choose to rely on can make a big difference in many aspects.

From reliability to customer service. What makes the best type of camera is what is right for you. Though the camera you invest in should come from a trustworthy brand.

Stay away from brands that look shady. Before purchasing, take a look at the reviews and comments. If there are none or are all negative, you might want to take a look at another brand.

Apart from that, know that there are different kinds of companies. Meaning that some simply do not sell wired cameras, and focus on wireless cameras, such as Nest.

While other companies expand to different kinds of cameras, features, and more. Here are some brands that might interest you:

  • Hikvision
  • Samsungc
  • Dahua
  • Bosch
  • Honeywell
  • Arlo
  • Wyze
  • Amcrest
  • Panasonic
  • Nest
  • Sony
  • Hi-Focus
  • Canary
  • Shenzhen TVT
  • HeimVision
  • Zmodo
  • Swann
  • Hisseu
  • Reolink
  • ZOSI

Budget

Another critical part of figuring out what type of CCTV is best for surveillance is the total cost. However, the price of a camera is only part of your budget.

You should leave room in your budget for the installation costs, storage, and needed equipment. Keep in mind that wired cameras can end up having a higher budget.

Most of the time, wired cameras need a DVR or NVR, which can end up making your bill higher. As well as the cables and equipment required to install the camera itself.

Additionally, when installing wired cameras, hiring a professional is usually needed. This is because wires need to run in the walls and meet up where the DVR/NVR is located. As well as being connected to a router through an Ethernet cable.

Therefore, you will need to open up room in your budget for installing the wired cameras, which can set you back a couple of hundred dollars.

But when it comes to wireless cameras, they are easier on your budget and to install—therefore being more accessible to the public for installing in their residences.

==> Extra information

Security cameras are an integral part of a security system.

The bottom line

To answer the question, "What type of CCTV is best for surveillance?", you need to ask yourself what you want and need from a camera.

What resolution and features are you looking for in a camera? Which brand fits best with your budget? Recognize that the best camera is the one that can fulfill your demands.

But once you find the ideal camera for you, let us know down below and share it with other readers. And don't forget to share this article as well!

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