CCTV systems provide security and surveillance in a wide range of situations. Retail stores use them for surveillance to prevent shoplifting and to keep an eye on employees at point of sale and other locations in the store. Homeowners use them with home security systems and to keep an eye on their premises from a remote location. Various industries use CCTV systems in different ways to suit a wide variety of purposes. Choosing the right CCTV camera is essential to ensuring that you’ll get the best use out of your enter CCTV system. These buying tips and considerations can help you choose the best CCTV surveillance camera for your needs.

Location

The location where you’re going to place your CCTV camera will have a lot to do with the camera you choose. Your first consideration will be whether your camera will be indoors or outdoors. You can choose most types of cameras for indoor use, but if you’re planning to place your surveillance camera outdoors, you’ll need to choose one that has a weather-resistant case. In addition, you should consider the location of power outlets, since even wireless cameras will need a power source in order to operate and broadcast. Battery-operated cameras are an option, of course, but may not be your best choice unless you want to be climbing a ladder to replace the batteries in your wall-mounted outside surveillance camera.

Available Light

Will your CCTV camera be filming in low light conditions or will there always be plenty of light for recording? You may pay a little more for a camera with infrared capabilities or one that can record in low light, but it will be worth it if you want good quality recordings outdoors or in low-light areas.

Fixed or Moving View

A fixed CCTV camera may be fine if you want to be able to see who is ringing your front doorbell, but if you want to be able to survey a larger area, it may not provide the capability you want. If you want to be able to sweep the area or zoom in on specific subjects, you’ll want to look at PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras, that have the capability to pan horizontally, tilt vertically and zoom in for a closer look.

Budget

No matter what capabilities you need, you’ll find security camera choices that are appropriate for a wide range of CCTV systems, and at price points to fit any budget. While budget has to figure into your criteria for choosing a CCTV camera, don’t let it be your only deciding point.