The surveillance camera in the house is your eyes and ears. It will inform you at any time about the situation inside/outside the house and the general house condition, if necessary, it will activate an alarm or send a picture to your phone. How to choose the right home security camera system? Find out in my review below.
Analog or digital
One of the main criterions for such cameras is the format of data transmission. Analog transmission is carried out by wires, and the signal can be in PAL, NTSC, AHD, TVI or CVI.
Today analog cameras are considered obsolete and are no longer available, although they are still commercially available.
Digital CCTV cameras transmit images over a wireless channel - WiFi, 3G or 4G. This means that the camera can be connected to the receiving device via the Internet or a local network. This gives you several advantages at once:
No need for additional communication;
No risk of wire breakage;
Video can be recorded on a built-in memory card or directly to a cloud server;
Most models have a built-in microphone or remote connectivity;
The signal can be transmitted over a very long distance;
The camera can be easily connected to your smartphone, tablet or TV.
If we talk about the disadvantages of IP-cameras, you can notice a slight delay in transferring video to the monitor (about 2-3 seconds). Also, video cameras and receiving devices from different manufacturers may not be compatible. But in modern models, this disadvantage is less and less common, manufacturers are trying to make them as versatile as possible.
Camera selection criteria
Resolution and picture quality. These are related, though not directly, concepts. With a high-resolution camera, there's a better chance of getting a great picture, but the quality of the latter also depends on the quality of the optics, the light sensitivity of the sensor, and a number of other minor parameters. To date, the highest resolution for a digital camera is 12 megapixels or 4000 x 3000 pixels, but you can also get a clear image with a resolution of 1 megapixel or 1280 x 720 pixels.
Frames per second. The same important parameter that determines how much a video file will change in size when transmitted over the network and stored in the storage network. In modern video cameras, this parameter is set in the range from 10 to 30 frames per second. In practice, in budget cameras, there is a limit on the capture speed of 10-15 frames per second which is quite enough for a full-fledged video surveillance system. This is done primarily to reduce the load on the network and optimize the space on the server. Since it is logical that a video file with 30 frames per second frequency will be 3 times "heavier" the same file but with a speed of 10 FPS, of course, when using the same compression codec.
View angle. A very important criterion for a CCTV camera - the more it is, the more area a single device will capture. On the other hand, the angle of more than 90 degrees distances and distorts the image, i.e. it will be difficult to consider the small details and correctly calculate the distance to objects. An alternative option is to use models with a varifocal lens, i.e. with the ability to change the angle of view, but they are more expensive than conventional models.
Focus. The higher this indicator, the better the detail of the image. There are cameras with an adjustable focus that can be remotely focused on close and distant objects.
Power. The mains or batteries. Mains-powered cameras can be turned off in the event of voltage fluctuations, so the battery option is more reliable. If you choose it, remember to check the battery life regularly.
Housing. An important point for outdoor cameras. It should be protected from moisture and dust, and if there is a high risk of damage to the camera by vandals, buying a model in a vandal-proof housing is a good idea. Protection against moisture and dust is marked with "IP" and two digits - the first indicates dust protection, the second - water protection. The maximum level of dust protection is 6, the total protection against moisture is 8. The durability of the device is marked "IK" and digits from 1 to 10. IK10 type camera can withstand a fall from a high altitude.
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Lens material. Glass optics is much better than plastic lenses, but the price is higher.
Light sensitivity. This parameter is responsible for the quality of the picture in low light, so when choosing external cameras you should pay special attention to it. Lack of light sensitivity can compensate for the night vision function, but the image with it is more grainy.
Sensor resolution. As a rule, the higher the resolution, the clearer and more detailed the picture. But there are exceptions because the quality of the video is affected by many factors, including lens, sensitivity, and sensor size, software noise reduction, auto exposure correction, etc. Payback in pursuit of megapixels - a smaller volume of video archive on the hard disk.
Cost/brand. Typically, devices from a better-known manufacturer are more expensive. Prices for similar products may vary greatly. Buying a product from a major manufacturer, you get a good guarantee (e.g 5 years, instead of 1), you can be sure of constant product support/update. Periodically, the new firmware is released for IP cameras, patches are made and the product becomes better. As the experience shows, the quality/cost ratio is better in the mid-range segment cameras. Thus, I recommend that you opt for them.
Rotation. Rotating cameras' expediency is justified in case there is an operator and someone controls them. The price of the device is much higher. A good choice is a PTZ camera with a large optical zoom and mandatory autofocus. The rotating device allows the operator to rapidly move to a specified point and see the situation in good detail. If there is no such person, it would be more reasonable to install a few ordinary ones instead. In the event of an emergency, it will be possible to view the archive from different angles.
Wide Dynamic Range (WDR). Thanks to the WDR technology in CCTV cameras it is possible to get a "homogeneous" image in conditions of large differences in light levels of various objects in the frame. For example, a person stands facing the camera and is illuminated by bright sunlight (at dawn or dusk) from the back - a regular camera will adjust to the backlight level, thus dimming the person's face, or adjust the aperture, adapting to the illumination of the face, and in this case, the background will remain strongly lit up. WDR will allow receiving mainly identical level of light exposure of both a face and background, therefore, all details remain distinguishable, there will be no deep shadows and overlit areas.
Recently, WDR technology has been used much more frequently. Where once a wide dynamic range was used only in premium devices, now, thanks to the introduction of inexpensive sensors that support this function, it has begun to be implemented in inexpensive cameras. But do not be deceived by description of a camera supporting this parameter - a true WDR is still used only in expensive cameras, most of budget cameras only have its similarity in them, described by the manufacturer with confusing terms, and "wrapped in an attractive package."
Indoor and outdoor cameras
Obviously, the criteria for indoor and outdoor cameras differ slightly from each other.
These parameters should be applied to indoor cameras:
Compact size, light weight, ideally invisible at all;
Night and daytime shooting mode to control the area with the lights on and off;
Small resolution - up to 2 MP;
Remote camera position change possibility.
By the way, most of security cameras are color. But you can also choose monochrome. You just need to decide if you have the capacity of a monochrome camera in your particular case, or do you still need a color picture?
When choosing an outdoor option, the parameters should be as follows:
Maximum protection from adverse weather conditions (heat, cold, water, moisture, dust, direct sunlight;
Vandal protection;
The ability to transmit the signal over long distances without quality loss;
Large viewing angle;
Optical zoom function.
Ideally, both outdoor and indoor cameras should be connected to a single central control system and transmit the signal to one unit and in the same format.
Additional features
Smart can also boast other interesting features:
Infrared illumination. Makes it possible to shoot even in total darkness, however, the image loses its volume;
Motion sensors. A camera turns on only when it detects motion, saving energy and space on the storage device;
Two-way audio-video channel. Allows you not to be a passive observer, but to contact the object of observation;
Face recognition system. A camera with this feature can send a message or photo to the host if it does not "recognize" the person in the video;
Remote control. The ability to change the position of the device, angle of view, focus, and other parameters remotely, using a smartphone or tablet;
Integrated alarm system. A camera can switch on an audio siren or send a signal to a control point if necessary.
Each of these functions is a plus to the cost of the device, so it makes no sense to buy a model with the maximum number of features. Choose what you really need to protect your home.
Smart cameras for connecting to a smart home system are your guarantee of security and the ability to control your territory. Their connection and configuration will not take much time and effort, but you will save your nerves and property.
Jack Billington is a former officer. As an officer, he studied military history, and after service, history is still interesting for him. He devotes his free time to conducting shooting courses with firearms. Also, he and his wife Jessica write a blog - TheHomeDweller.com.
The surveillance camera in the house is your eyes and ears. It will inform you at any time about the situation inside/outside the house and the general house condition, if necessary, it will activate an alarm or send a picture to your phone. How to choose the right home security camera system? Find out in my review below.
