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Resolution, Lens Value, F-Stop, Lux, AC or DC, Mains or Low-voltage, BLC, Gain Control, Etc. These are some – but not all of the features of a standard CCTV camera and lens. These features are important, but not for you to worry about! Many companies will try to blind you with such features to justify the expense.

Firstly, try to forget flashy computer recorders and big monitors. Because the most important decision for you to consider is what you need to see.

We would all like to have a camera that can see a vast area and be able to identify the smallest of objects - unfortunately this simply does not exist! Anyone who says differently is either mis-informed or lying. The fact is a wide angled lens will give you a nice wide view but the picture will not have definition. A picture that is zoomed in to give identification will lose area coverage, a total “Catch 22” situation.

What you need to do is to try and define what you want to achieve from a camera?

Choosing the right model and lens does take experience and we need to take into account lighting and environmental issues. We cover some of the features in our FREE VIP Newsletter. If you have not already subscribed, use the right link above now! Alternatively, please use the contact page to request further information.
 

Now that you have defined the purpose of the camera (s), we will be able to choose a camera to meet your needs. We can now move on to some other questions that you need to consider. 

Are you going to watch these events whilst they happen or will you be reviewing them at a later date?
 

If it is to watch live event, for example security guards or control room operators, the ergonomics of the viewing area must be considered. Also you must think of how many cameras can be viewed and for how long. A survey carried out in the United States showed an average CCTV operator could only view a maximum of 4 cameras for no longer than 60-minutes.

Most of us use CCTV to review events at a later date. Petrol stations need to check number plates if someone drives off without paying. Retail outlets check recordings if stock is missing. Factories might even use CCTV for Health and Safety!

How long? Another way to look at this is what is the longest possible timescale between the incident in question occurring and your reviewing the recordings? We then recommend adding 50% to cover holiday periods and we have a value to calculate with. 

Lots of other subjects come in to CCTV design, but for CCTV users these are the most important points to consider. More information is available in our FREE VIP Newsletter. You will find a link at the top of this page to order dozens of tips at no cost!

If you would like free advice or even a site visit with no obligation to buy, please do contact me. We have cameras available for demonstration that will allow you to see what images can be produced to suit your situation! If you would like to discuss this or any other issue, please email me using the contact page. I must point out that I can only accept a limited number of clients in any one financial year as service to existing customers takes priority, but in all cases I will do my best to assist! 

Finally, anyone who is considering having or who already has a CCTV system must register for Data Protection. A link to the Data Protection Registrar is available on our Useful Links page.