Most home owners struggle when choosing the right security cameras for their home.  This is mostly in part due to the lack of knowledge homeowners have and the complete confusion they go through because there are so many security camera options on the market.  The truth is there is a security camera available that is designed to support almost any application or requirement; it is just up to the home owner to understand the needs of a system and choose the best security camera option for the job!

One of the biggest mistakes home owners make is that they choose the same camera to secure their entire property.  They basically buy 10 of the same cameras and install them all over their property in hope that they get the best results possible.  At the end of the installation this strategy may work, but the odds that the system is going to secure the home at the highest level is very low.  The reason for this is not every camera is the right camera for every area.  Every area of a property is different.  Some areas may be larger or smaller, wider or longer, and some areas may have some light and some may not have any!  Also, some objects home owners are trying to monitor may be larger or smaller than others, or they may be close up or far away, which may call for a special lens with a special focal length.  Plus some camera locations may only allow certain mounting options that will only support a dome camera, bullet camera, or a camera with a special mount.  So every camera location is different, and they all may have different needs that must be supported.

The most popular security camera types used at the home are bullet and dome camera types.  Both cameras give the home owner flexibility when it comes to mounting.  A dome camera is designed to be mounted to a ceiling or under an eve.  Where a bullet camera just needs a flat surface which means it can be mounted almost anywhere.   Both bullet cameras and dome cameras are offered with both fixed and varifocal lenses to support different sizes of areas being secured.   A fixed lens means that once the camera is mounted what you see is what you get.  A varifocal lens offers a small and large focal length adjustment which allows you to use a small dial and adjust the lens to support a wider or more narrow point of view.  The varifocal lens gives you more flexibility to adjust the camera to best support the area that you are trying to secure.

Both bullet and dome cameras are offered with infrared LED’s to support areas where there is little or no light.  If the camera location is in an area where the lighting conditions are poor it will not be able to secure that area. The infrared LED’s will sense the current lighting conditions and turn on to create just enough ambient light for the camera to perform.  An infrared LED camera will offer high quality color video during the day and then clear crisp black and white video when it is dark.  Infrared LED’s are available on cameras designed for both indoor and outdoor applications, so it is important to always evaluate the lighting conditions in each camera location and use the camera that will perform best in that area.

Both bullet and dome cameras are designed to support indoor and outdoor applications.  Bullet cameras are vandal proof and weatherproof.  So they are designed to combat the weather elements and possible vandalism.  Dome cameras are offered with an indoor casing and outdoor casing depending on the requirements of an area.  The indoor dome cameras usually have a plastic housing which brings down the cost, where an outdoor dome camera will feature a metal shell to combat the weather and the ability of someone to tamper with it.  So it is important to choose the right camera for the right location.  For most home owners it really comes down to looks when choosing their outdoor cameras.  Some home owners like the dome camera look and some like the intimidating look of a bullet camera.  But it is also important to evaluate the camera location and see which one will mount best in a particular location.  For some exterior areas of a home a dome camera just may not be an option depending on the architecture of the home in that area.

Besides the dome and bullet camera there are other cameras available depending on the application and the look a home owner wants.   Other popular cameras include covert or hidden cameras, PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) cameras, box cameras in housings, IP cameras, and specialty cameras that offer special features and benefits.  So there is really a camera available to support any special situation or circumstance.

Choosing the right security camera types for your home requires special attention to each camera location.  Evaluate each camera location and identify any special requirements or characteristics that must be attended to each area. By doing this you are ensuring that you maximize the performance of the security camera system and that you are getting the most out of each individual area.  The goal is to get the most out of your system and ensure your entire home is secured in the best way possible.

Guest writer Erik Johnson is a security and surveillance professional with numerous years of installation, design, and engineering experience.  He writes to share knowledge to help business owners and home owners take their security measures into their own hands.