Shopping for CCTV systems for your home or business can be confusing when you don’t know the lingo used by the salespeople. It’s even worse when you’re shopping for CCTV systems on the web, where it’s harder to stop a salesman and ask him to explain a term you don’t understand. These definitions of common CCTV system and security camera terms can help you understand the various features of security camera systems and make an informed choice.
Automatic Gain Control is a security camera feature that helps keep a video signal at a consistent level of brightness. If, for example, the video is dark, AGC will try to increase the “gain” to bring up the brightness.
Aperture is the diameter of the lens that controls the light that reaches the image sensor. The larger lenses have smaller f-numbers. For example, a lens with an f-number of 2.0 will allow less light to reach the image sensor, thus producing a dimmer image than one with a 1.2 f-number.
Auto Iris Control is a lens with a motorized iris that automatically adjusts to the light level in the area being surveyed. They’re ideally used in areas where the light levels vary and it’s difficult to adjust the security camera lens manually.
Back Light Compensation helps correct an image with more light behind the subject being viewed. A security camera with back light compensation is invaluable for outdoor cameras where facial recognition is important, for example.
C Mount Lenses and CS Mount Lenses are industry standards to describe the number of threads/inch and other specifications that allow a lens to be mounted onto a camera. It’s possible to mount a CS mount lens onto a C mount camera with an adapter, but you cannot put a CS mount lens on a C mount camera. If you’re purchasing lenses and cameras separately, ensure that you choose pieces that are compatible with each other.
EXview HAD CCD is a Sony Corporation technology that improves light efficiency by including light waves that are near the infrared spectrum. HAD CCD sensors are far more sensitive to light than those in traditional security cameras. Super HAD CCD is a non-trademarked version of Sony’s high performance technology.
Infrared refers to the colors of light below the visible spectrum. An infrared illuminator on a security camera can help enhance the images broadcast for poorly lit areas without letting anyone know that the area is “lighted” for security. Infrared security cameras are ideal for indoor and outdoor night security camera applications.
White Balance is a technology in color CCTV systems that helps correct the differences in color caused by different temperatures of lighting. Without white balance, colors would look different than they really are.
An understanding of these basic security camera terms can help you make an informed decision when you’re trying to decide which CCTV systems are the best fit for your home or business.
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