A Comprehensive Guide on How to Choose Surveillance Cameras

As security needs increase around the world, so does the need for installing of surveillance cameras. This growth in demand for CCTV systems has brought in countless manufacturers into the industry. This has in turn increased the number of different brands, designs and models of surveillance cameras in the market. Whether you are a highly skilled CCTV installer or an inexperienced homeowner searching for CCTV cameras, you should be prepared to research, check out user reviews and ratings and even test some surveillance systems if possible. However, with this guide on how to choose the best CCTV cameras for your home, office or preferred spaces, you will not have to go through all this hassle.

What Exactly Are Your Security Surveillance Needs?
There are numerous CCTV camera models in the market, each with diverse capabilities. Are you looking for a simple fixed CCTV camera that remains static, offering limited views? Alternatively, do you need one that can be panned, tilted and zoomed to scan and display more views? Well, the choice is totally up to you.

The wider a camera’s field of view, the more extensive the area it can surveil, thus you will need fewer cameras for a single area. In certain areas of Singapore, having a motion detection CCTV camera for your home or office will save you a lot of trouble especially if you are busy. You won’t have to keep your eyes fixed onto the monitor throughout. Rather, the camera will signal you with a light or sound whenever they detect motion within their field of view.

What is Your Budget?
Surveillance cameras range from entry-level models to high definition models, each of them priced depending on its features. Entry-level CCTV cameras are ideal for basic security surveillance such as in domestic residencies. They are simple, with basic features such as analogue technologies, and they are cheaper.

High definition cameras offer better surveillance and display of images within their field of view. They have a wider field of view and better security capabilities such as faster and more effective recording, transmission and storage of the videos. These are more expensive than the analogue entry-level CCTV systems.

There are also Internet Protocol (IP) cameras in the market and these are the most expensive. Not only do they give perfect picture quality, they also have capabilities to send their recordings via networks, and some of them can even be connected to Wi-Fi networks. The cost of your CCTV surveillance system also determines their durability. When shopping, always remember that most of the time, cheap is usually expensive. So, always look for the best quality within your budget.


Where Do You Plan to Install Your Surveillance Cameras?
Depending on the exact areas you plan to have your CCTV systems installed, you will be able to determine how many you will need, as well as how much you will spend on it. You will also get to pick the unique designs and sizes that fit perfectly. If you need a camera outdoors, then you need one that is weather resistant, with their cable entry points sealed to prevent moisture and water damage. Most homeowners in Singapore love to have their surveillance cameras installed discreetly. Hidden surveillance cameras are the best for this purpose. There are also difference colors and shapes that you can choose to camouflage or match your home décor. In fact, you can even be more creative with these cameras by installing them on inconspicuous items such as wall clocks.

What Are the Lighting Conditions of the Area?
Most CCTV cameras work best in standard lighting conditions. However, you should also consider the differences in lighting at different areas and different times of the day before choosing your surveillance camera. This is because in most cameras, video and image quality changes greatly in different lighting conditions. It does not matter whether your camera is very expensive or cheap, you should always test it on the areas you plan to install it before paying for it.

You should also test how it works in different places at different times of the day to ensure that you get the best picture and video quality at all times. It helps to find a camera with light filtering technologies such as artificial illuminators and IR filters to control the amount of light reaching its sensor, thus ensuring perfect surveillance during the day and night, and in different weather conditions.

What Video and Image Quality Do You Expect?
The video and image quality of a surveillance camera is determined by its zoom and resolution. A camera’s resolution refers to the amount of the visual information it is able to capture. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image or video captured and displayed. The camera’s zoom determines how much tiny detail it can bring closer to the screen and focus on. This ensures that every stone is turned during surveillance as it lets you view minute details like one’s face with less blurring of the images.
One thing to consider is the fact that analogue cameras have restrictions when it comes to camera resolution. On the other hand, digital cameras take their images and videos in digital format thus their resolution is not limited, and thus the videos and images can be displayed on a wide variety of screens without losing their visual quality.

Some of these high-resolution cameras usually have facial recognition features and capabilities to read a vehicle’s number plate, which is a feature that most people want for their office environment as well as a busy neighborhood. It is obvious that if you need a surveillance camera with high image and video quality, then you should be prepared to invest correspondingly.

Installing surveillance cameras in your working or living spaces is no longer a game of chance. It takes quite some skill and planning to know exactly what cameras are best suited for your needs. You may have to seek the services of professional CCTV installers especially if you live in Singapore. CCTV installation companies have highly qualified, skilled and experienced technicians that will ensure that you get the best services and products for your budget. It also helps to seek the opinion and advice of a security professional on the best CCTV systems to invest in, the best CCTV installation companies, the most suitable spots to install your cameras, as well as the ideal security features that should be included in your surveillance system. In this way, you and your property will be fully protected.