Pan tilt zoom. A ptz camera is useful when a view needs to be changed frequently or if the system is constantly monitored. It is not able to provide the same complete coverage as several fixed cameras. These are excellent choices for manned security posts and security projects with constantly changing environments.

These came in a variety of styles but generally are of two general shapes, dome and box. The dome cameras are just as capable as the box cameras however they have a quality of understatement that “says” camera rather than “screaming” it. Great for lobbies and public spaces. Box cameras are the more traditional style and have the advantage of mating to a wide variety of lens types such as, wide or zoom. Infra red LEDs can be added for low light illumination.

These cameras also come in a wide variety. There are domes, vandal/weather resistant domes, and standard box cameras in outdoor housings. Also there are “bullet cameras which are a fully encased cameras that need no housing and have no dome. (see pic). Each has advantages. Domes are understated and tend to blend into their surroundings. Box cameras in housings tend to be more visible and therefore offer more of a “deterrent effect”. Lenses for box cameras can allow for views which are close and wide, like covering a loading dock, or long and zoomed, so as to view across a parking lot. Infra red LEDs can be added for low light illumination.

These cameras are network devices. They are connected to either hybrid DVRs, or NVRs (network video recorders). These cameras are extraordinary in their picture quality. They capture a wide scene in very dense detail which allows for digital zooming. Image looink at a wall painting of a city and examining it with a magnifying glass. Both wide and zoom operations are clear. It is like two cameras in one. this camera type is wired with Cat5E and powered with PoE, (power over Ethernet).

IP cameras are similar to standard indoor cameras and dome cameras except they are wired with Cat5E and powered with PoE. They also are recorded with hybrid DVRs or NVRs. The advantage of IP cameras is their wiring simplicity and their compression technology. They are all digital which allows for a lot of video storage in your recorder. These and megapixel cameras are the latest design trends in CCTV and will eventually dominate all CCTV installations.