CCTV Systems and Camera SelectionCamera

The choice of camera and lens are the most important factors when you’re designing CCTV systems for security. Choosing the right lens and camera will ensure that you get the most value from the CCTV camera that you choose. Let’s walk through the most important points in lens and security camera selection to help you design the best CCTV security system for your use.

CCTV Camera Lens Types

CCTV security cameras come in three basic lens types: fixed, varifocus and zoom.

A fixed lens can not be adjusted. It’s best for applications where you only want to survey from one angle and have no need to widen or narrow your viewing angle.

Varifocal lenses are adjusted manually. Generally, you’ll set it and leave it at that setting. The range of length is usually fairly narrow, and will vary widely depending on the security camera manufacturer. Generally, you’ll find lenses in ranges from about 2mm to 50mm.

Zoom lenses can be adjusted through the CCTV security system as you view the output on a monitor. You’ll generally find zoom lenses on Pan, Tilt and Zoom (PTZ) CCTV systems. To determine the size lens you need, you’ll need to know the width of the scene you want to observe and the distance from the camera to the scene. The basic calculation to decide the lens length is:

distance/width * 4.8 = focal length

In addition to focal length, your security camera will have any number of other adjustable settings, including back light compensation, auto iris, electronic shutter, automatic white balance and many others. Before you choose cameras for your CCTV systems, get to know what the settings do and decide which are important to you so that you can be sure to get a security camera that fits your needs.

CCTV System Information

Another one of the key differences among CCTV security system types is the way that the camera connects. Analog security camera CCTV systems are usually connected to the monitor by coax cable or another type of wire. For decades, analog systems were state of the art – and your only real choice. While they deliver high quality picture with no concerns about interruptions, they also require hard installation, generally by a professional who can run the wires. Once the cameras are installed, you ability to reposition them is very limited.

The more popular option today is an IP camera. An IP CCTV camera connects on a network, just as a PC or printer does. This provides a great deal of flexibility in positioning, because the cameras don’t have to be connected to the system by a wire.

Those are the absolute basic things you need to know when choosing among the many CCTV systems available. The more research you do, though, the better and more informed choice you can make and the better your choice will be for your needs.

CCTV Systems for Retail Security

Any retail business owner understands the problems of loss and shrinkage. Losses due to shoplifting, employee theft and employee mishandling can put a major dent in your bottom line.  Some retailers report losing up to 10 percent of their profits to shrinkage. While many retailers put the losses down to the cost of doing business, savvy business owners understand that CCTV systems and other security measures can shrink the shrinkage.

How CCTV Systems Improve Store Security

There are obvious benefits to using a CCTV system to help manage security in your store, as well as a few that are not as clear cut. If you’re deciding whether to install a surveillance camera in your retail space, these are a few of the considerations you should be taking into account.

In general, you have to count on your eyes and the eyes of your clerks to spot shoplifters, but there are often corners and out of the way spots that you can’t see at all times. A properly positioned CCTV camera puts eyes in places that you can’t generally see from behind the counter and allows you to serve your customers without compromising your store’s security.

While properly positioned mirrors can offer you part of the advantages of a surveillance camera, the mirror has one serious drawback. It can’t record what it sees. The recording can provide evidence in a court case if you choose to prosecute a shoplifter, but its usefulness extends further than that if you take the time to look over the surveillance tapes or files. Even with CCTV cameras, you might miss suspicious activity while you’re serving another customer. The retained tape, disk or file allows you to take a second look and alerts you to “customers” that need closer supervision.

No one likes to believe that his employees are stealing from him, but loss to employee theft is a major cause of shrinkage. In addition to theft, retail stores often lose profits to employees who aren’t paying attention, who make mistakes and who mishandle merchandise that later spoils. CCTV systems can be set up to allow you to observe your employees’ behavior when you’re out of sight or out of the store. Keep in mind that employee surveillance can also be used to exonerate your employees of wrong-doing, especially if a customer charges your store with misbehavior.

If you’re considering CCTV systems to enhance your store’s security, be sure to check out the newest advances in surveillance technology before you make your decision. You’ll be surprised how much security you can afford.