Four Factors to Consider While Choosing CCTV Cameras

CCTV Video Surveillance System
 
CCTV stands for 'closed circuit television'. It is essentially a video surveillance system primarily used for control and monitoring of a specific location.
 
Today’s CCTV video surveillance systems have become an almost indispensable service both for commercial and for residential use. Technological advancement has given many companies the opportunity to have new solutions and more affordable surveillance cameras to improve their security as well as competitiveness.

Four Factors to Consider while choosing CCTV Cameras:

Whether you are looking to install CCTV video surveillance system at your residential or business property, there are several factors to consider while choosing the suitable CCTV cameras. Here are some of the significant considerations you can make before deciding on the cameras that best suit your needs:

1. Lens:

CCTV Lens Field of View Comparison

Lens Sizes
Understanding lens sizes is quite straight forward: the smaller the size in mm, the wider the area you will be able to see. For example, with a 2.8mm lens, you will get a broad view of a large area like an outdoor car park and see all general activity including any suspicious behaviour. With a 8mm lens on the other hand, you will see a particular area like a cashier counter and spot any suspicious activity. Once you have a good idea of the best suitable size for your requirements, you can choose between fixed or vari-focal lenses.
 
Fixed and Vari-focal Lenses
Fixed lenses are often used indoors because they provide a general view of the area. However, they are also suitable for outdoor use provided you prefer having a broad view over focusing on particular details. Varifocal lenses in contrast, are often used outdoors because zoom and focus can be adjusted (within a range) to capture specific details.
 
In summary, if you install a fixed lens CCTV camera in a warehouse, you will only have choice of a fixed area of focus e.g. general activity or specific close-up, but if you install a vari-focal lens CCTV camera in the same warehouse, you will have the flexibility to adjust the field of focus to view either the general activity or get a clearer image of a specific area.
 
At VIN Services & Solutions, we offer both fixed and vari-focal lens in a wide range of sizes to tailor to your site requirements.

2. Sensor:

Different CCTV cameras come with sensors of different capabilities. The main types of sensors used in CCTV include CMOS and CCD. CMOS is more affordable and demands less power as compared to CCD. However, CCD is more sensitive and produces clearer images than CMOS, which can be very important for cameras used for identifications. In fact, CMOS-based requires more signal processing to achieve clear images. The size of the sensor is also another critical factor. The larger the sensor, the better quality of image it can produce. Most CCTV cameras come in two sizes; ¼ inch and 1/3 inch. ¼ inch measures 3.2 mm by 2.4 mm while 1/3 inch measures 4.8 mm by 3.6 mm. Larger sensors cover twice the surface area as smaller ones. Large sensors can gather more light and give DSP more date to process.
 
3. Output Resolution: 

Megapixel vs. HD
HD can be considered as a subset of megapixel. HD is defined by specific resolutions at specific frame rates with a specific aspect ratio. Any camera with a resolution of more than a million pixels is by definition a megapixel camera. The lowest resolution in the megapixel range in the security market is around 1.3 megapixels, which provides 1280 x 1024-pixel resolution (or 1.3 million pixels), and we are already seeing security cameras with resolutions as high as 10 megapixels (3,648 x 2,752 pixels). The range of megapixel cameras continues to expand to accommodate various application requirements. 
 
HD refers to cameras with a standardized resolution of 720p or 1080p. The numbers 720 and 1080 refer to the horizontal resolution. Therefore, 720p HD camera resolution provides images that are 1280 x 720 pixels (that adds up to 921,600 pixels, which means a 720p HD camera is not technically a megapixel camera), and 1080p HD cameras provide 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution, or 2.1 megapixels.
 
At VIN Services & Solutions, we have a wide range of cameras ranging from 720p to 8 megapixels. For residences, small offices, or retail premises, clients will usually opt for 2 megapixels cameras as the image quality is sufficient for its application. For high security and sensitive locations, clients may require higher resolution cameras. Feel free to contact us to get sample images of the image output quality.

4. Types of CCTV Cameras: 

There are various kinds of CCTV cameras in the security market today. Just to name the key types of CCTV cameras, you will have the Bullet Camera, Dome Camera, Turret Camera, PTZ Camera, and Discreet Camera. Each type of camera has differing capabilities and functions, as well as its pros and cons. The ideal type of camera to use in your security system will largely depend on the purpose and the environment of your application.

For professional advice on the suitable types of CCTV cameras for your requirements, feel free to send us an email at [email protected] or call +65 8727 7634 for a non-obligatory consultation.