CCTV cameras come in a variety of different types including bullet CCTV cameras, dome CCTV cameras and PTZ CCTV cameras. Each has its own key features that will best suit different security and surveillance needs.
Bullet cameras
Bullet cameras are CCTV security cameras shaped like a bullet. Normally this type of security camera is installed outdoors on a wall or cladding and aimed like a gun pointing towards the monitored area and focus on a specific area of interest. The cameras can come with Infrared or LED light (Hikvision ColorVu) so that a 24-hour view of what is happening can be monitored even in complete darkness. This type of camera can vary in size, smaller bullet cameras are used for domestic installations, the larger bullet cameras are usually equipped with a more powerful LED or Infrared and have a vari-focal lens meaning they can capture an area in more detail. Larger bullet cameras are often used for Petrol Station CCTV and a wide variety of commercial CCTV.
- Smaller bullet cameras are ideal for narrow places like driveways, front doors, back doors, garage entrances and pathways. You can position and point these security cameras and focus them on specific areas.
- The bullet camera is very noticeable and will act as a deterrent to any intruders on commercial premises.
- Bullet cameras can have advanced features such as LED lights, optical zooming, built-in PIR, thermal sensors, micro-SD slots.
Dome cameras
Dome security cameras are CCTV cameras in dome-shaped housing. Primarily these types of camera are used indoors and are installed on the ceiling so they can have a view of the whole area. The dome camera shape makes it very difficult to tell which direction the camera is pointing in, this can make it difficult for thieves or intruders because they don’t know if they are currently being monitored. The dome cameras are often used for Retail CCTV, Warehouse CCTV and Factory CCTV.
- The sleek design of the dome CCTV camera makes it a good choice for when you don’t want the CCTV to be very visible and would prefer it to blend into the surroundings.
- The dome camera cannot easily be tampered with like a bullet camera, all the components are housed within the dome making it very hard to reposition the camera or try and damage any of the camera’s components.
PTZ camera
A PTZ camera is a camera with pan, tilt, and zoom functions. These movements can be manually controlled by using monitoring software or a joystick, they can be set up using camera management software to conduct a “tour” of an area with the ability for all functions to be controlled on your phone. These cameras are often used for Caravan and Holiday Park CCTV and large outdoor commercial areas.
- Panning allows the user to rotate 360 degrees and monitor all angles.
- The camera’s tilt function allows it to go up and down, giving it a wide vertical range of coverage, meaning it can go up to 180 degrees to cover a wide variety of angles.
- The zoom function allows the user to focus on certain areas in more detail. This allows users to zoom in on intruders faces to help identify them and zoom in on cars number plates to help clearly read the plates.
Free CCTV Camera advice
If you need help choosing the right CCTV Cameras for your commercial premises call our team directly on 01492 547997 or send us an email to [email protected] and we will be happy to offer free CCTV advice.
