Simple Facts Everyone Should Know When Choosing Security Cameras
We
receive numerous calls every week from representatives of various
companies, Home Owner Associations (HOA's), condominium and apartment
communities regarding their desire to install security camera systems.
Since most of the representatives that call have the same questions I
have compiled this information to assist in the decision making process.
There
are many things to consider when contemplating security cameras for
your company, home or other entity and remember that the security camera
professionals of Benson Systems can answer all of your questions.
As
you start your search for security cameras you will see security
cameras that cost $100 and security cameras that cost $3500. In
addition, all camera manufacturers will state their cameras produce the
best picture quality under any circumstance. The truth is, just like
everything else in life, you get what you pay for.
Unfortunately,
many people look at price alone and do not consider all aspects of the
job at hand or the different technologies that are available.
If
you are considering price alone remember that the manufacturers of cheap
cameras build their cameras with inexpensive components and processors.
The imaging mechanisms inside the cameras are very poor quality and
with this in mind the pictures you capture will be poor. In addition,
low end cameras cannot perform well in harsh conditions like we have
here in Arizona.
We use cameras that are manufactured by well
known companies such as Pelco, Mobotix, Bosch, and Panasonic just to
name a few. We never suggest using low end cameras because we know our
customers will not be happy with the end result.
Camera
manufacturers may tout that they use Sony image processors to
manufacture their cameras and indeed they may. Sony makes most of the
image processors on the market today and most camera manufacturers use
the Sony processors.
However, in the manufacturing process, Sony
will have processors that come off the line that are not up to the Sony
standards. Like most manufacturers, Sony has several categories of their
imaging processors - ranging from a processor that is rated as
'excellent' all the way down to a processor that Sony knows will fail
within weeks.
It is the processors that are not up to Sony
standards that will be sold to the manufacturers of cheap cameras. So
remember, a Sony processor does not make a camera a Sony camera.
Lenses -
Less
expensive cameras will have fixed, or non-adjustable, lenses. With
fixed lens cameras there is no way to move your focal point in or out of
a particular area. A fixed lens camera provides a 'plug and play' type
of camera. Benson Systems suggests and installs cameras that have
variable focus lenses, so the right focal point can be obtained. There
are many variables to choose from for security camera lenses. Benson
Systems can help you choose the correct lens.
Lighting -
Adequate Lighting is perhaps the most important issue when you want good quality images.
Color
cameras need substantial light to be able to see. Once the sun goes
down and if you do not have a camera that can compensate very well for
inadequate lighting, your images will be dark, if not non-existent.
However, no matter how good the camera is all cameras need adequate
lighting to be able to see in dark situations.
Some cameras have
low light processors and can see in low light situations. Infrared
cameras can see in very dark conditions - but I encourage you to read
more information below on infrared cameras.
Cameras need to be
installed in protective housings. Remember, cameras are mini computers.
In fact, qood quality cameras are manufactured using many of the same
elements as our personal computers. Like our PCs, cameras must be
protected from dust, dirt, high temperatures, low temperatures and
water, vandalism and theft. Environmental housings help to protect the
cameras from all elements and offer the cameras an increased lifespan.
Infrared -
Infrared
cameras are heat-seeking cameras. If you are trying to see a person who
is sitting in a car you'll never make out their image. The reason? The
car engine emits more heat than the heat our bodies generate inside the
car, so your infrared camera will never see beyond the hood (engine) of a
car.
IR images are good to about 50' from the camera. In hot
weather (like we have in the night during Arizona summers), the ambient
air temperature is too hot for IR cameras to be of much use. As opposed
to considering IR cameras install additional lights in an area that is
dark and you'll be much happier with the results.
Facial Shots and License Plate Recognitions -
With facial shots and license plate recognition megapixel cameras are the only cameras to use.
There
are two ways we have found to provide our customers with facial and
license plate recognition. I'll discuss license plate recognition first:
If
you are trying to use one standard (non-megapixel) camera to obtain a
general view of the area and obtain the license plate of a car with that
same standard camera, you will never be able to read the license plate.
The reason? The image that the standard general view camera will place
on your recording device is very small. When you go back to the
recording device to review the saved video and then try to zoom in to
the image to get the detail you need, the saved image will 'pixelize'
(become very distorted and out of focus.)
Megapixel cameras take
and store large formatted pictures to your storage systems. The large
image size allows for you to digitally pan and zoom into the captured
image to obtain the information you desire. The larger the image size
recorded, the more information you will be able to obtain.
If you
want to capture license plates you should use megapixel cameras that
have special lenses that will allow the camera to focus solely on the
area of a driveway where a license plate could be captured (such as the
exit drive of a parking area.) The cameras should also be placed at an
angle that looks directly into and level with the license plate area of
the vehicle. If you are trying to capture a license plate when looking
at the license plate from an angle you'll be able to capture see the
license plate only about 50% of the time.
The same scenario works
with facial recognition cameras. If you want to capture the face of a
person who is coming into your building you should place the megapixel
cameras into an area where you know people will be walking closest to
the camera. If you'll follow these principals you'll capture the best
facial pictures available.
Recording Devices
The images
captured from your new security cameras are not worth anything if they
are not saved onto some type of media. The media storage devices that
are available today are Digital Video Recorders (DVR) Network Video
Recorders and video servers. Also, some of our new Mega-pixel cameras
have embedded imaging software, and use flash cards for on-camera
storage of the captured video.
Alternatively, you can send
captured images from the cameras to a remote computer location for
storage by using Internet Protocol (IP) cameras and a high-speed
Internet connection or, you can send information back to a remote
computer location by wireless technology. Either of these types of
transmission devices are considerably more expensive that the other
technologies mentioned.
DVRs and NVRs
If you are planning
on using a Digital Video Recorder or Network Video Recorder for IP based
systems, the DVR or NVR must be in a structure that is environmentally
protected and cooled. Remember, DVRs and NVRs are small computers and
cannot be out in the open or in an area that is not environmentally
protected and cooled.
I have heard some of our competitors
suggest to our customers that they put a DVR outside in a protective
enclosure, but not cooling the enclosure. To explain why this is not a
smart idea think of the following as an example: If you put your laptop
outside, but in an enclosure, and you left the laptop running how long
do you think your laptop would survive? Not long I assure you.
IP Cameras
IP(Internet
Protocol) cameras are the newest technology for cameras The IP cameras
use a digital converter on the camera to convert the images the camera
sees to a digital format. The digital format can be sent across the
Internet over a high-speed connection to a designated computer. This
computer must be left 'on' all the time to receive the images.
Wireless Transmission of Video
We
can send the images the cameras see to a remote location via wireless
technology. The wireless systems transmits the digital information over
an antenna to a wireless receiver at the location specified. We can
wirelessly transmit the signals from the point of transmission up to a
mile away. However, the camera must have line of sight, with no
obstruction between the camera transmission device and the receiving
device. Other devices allow for transmisson of video more than 20 miles
away, but understand that the further the distance you wish to send the
video the more your checking account will feel the pain.
As you
can see, there are many variables on any particular camera installation.
As with most constructions jobs, and depending upon the cameras you
select you'll need a considerable amount of capital to work with.
Remember, we have leasing companies available who can help you with the
financing if you want to use them.
canon eos rebel t3i 18 mp cmos digital slr camera and digic 4 imaging, nikon coolpix s6300 16 mp digital camera with 10x optical zoom nikkor glass lens and full hd 1080p video, canon powershot sx130is 12 1 mp digital camera with 12x wide angle optical image stabilized zoom with 3 0 inch lcd, canon powershot s95 10 mp digital camera with 3 8x wide angle optical image stabilized zoom and 3 0 inch lcd, canon powershot elph 300 hs 12 mp cmos digital camera with full 1080p hd video, canon eos 7d 18 mp cmos digital slr camera with 3 inch lcd, canon
powershot d20 12 1 mp cmos waterproof digital camera with 5x image
stabilized zoom 28mm wide angle lens a 3 0 inch lcd and gps tracking
blue, nikon d700 12 1mp fx format cmos digital slr camera with 3 0 inch lcd body only, canon eos 5d mark ii 21 1mp full frame cmos digital slr camera, canon powershot elph 100 hs digital camera with 4x optical zoom, panasonic lumix dmc lx5, ge 16mp digital camera with 15x optical zoom and 2 7 inch lcd with auto brightness, canon eos rebel t3i 18 mp cmos digital slr camera and digic 4 imaging, nikon d5100 16 2mp cmos digital slr camera, nikon coolpix aw100 16 mp cmos waterproof digital camera with gps and full hd 1080p video, canon eos 5d mark ii 21 1mp full frame cmos digital slr camera, nikon coolpix p510 16 1 mp cmos digital camera with 42x zoom nikkor ed glass lens and gps record location, nikon coolpix l26 16 1 mp digital camera with 5x zoom nikkor glass lens and 3 inch lcd, olympus tg 310 digital camera, canon powershot sx150 is 14 1mp digital camera, canon eos 60d 18 mp cmos digital slr camera with 3 0 inch lcd, canon eos 60d 18 mp cmos digital slr camera with 3 0 inch lcd
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