Undoubtedly, choosing a commercial security camera your business can be a daunting task, given that not all businesses follow a one-size-fits all approach. Also, many of today’s security cameras offer business benefits that go beyond simple monitoring, which is why making the right investment is crucial in the long term.
In that case, answering the right questions prior to purchase can help you make a wiser investment. Here are some important questions to get you started.
Will The Cameras be placed Indoors or Outdoors?
While many camera systems are versatile enough to be positioned indoors and outdoors, knowing the exact housing placement for your system is crucial.
For instance, you may need security cameras to be placed outdoors if your business belongs to a heavy-duty industry or operates in harsh environments such as snow. Therefore, picking a system with robust design would be better.
On the other hand, if you own a restaurant and need a security camera system indoors such as in the kitchen, you need to ensure its efficient enough to capture footage while vision is protected from condensation, smoke and any other visual impairments.
Should The Cameras Stay Visible or Hidden?
This comes down to the purpose of your security monitoring.
Regular box-shaped cameras can stand out and notify people they’re being watched. This can reduce the chances of theft. However, depending on their accessibility, they can sometimes be easily vandalised.
As opposed to that, discreet dome-shaped IP commercial security cameras stay hidden and can be difficult to tamper with. Such cameras can also be ideal if you want to prove the happening of an activity or incident type rather than just preventing it. This proof can be valuable as part of your evidence collection for a specific case.
How Much Area Needs to be Captured?
Determining area coverage is important and will give you an idea of what camera and network system to invest in. It’s best to get an idea of the overall layout of your property beforehand.
If your business premises are small, a standard static CCTV camera with adequate footage resolution will be enough. However, if your premises are large or if you want to capture larger areas, Pan-Tilt Zoom cameras are the way to go. A single PTZ camera can capture a much wider field of view, which can help you monitor large spaces without needing additional cameras.
What is the Ideal Resolution and Image Quality?
Your resolution and image quality considerations will mostly depend on the area you want to capture.
Ideally, if you want to shoot crisp and identifiable video then you at least need a surveillance camera that shoots in 720p or 1080p resolution with a smoother frame rate. This can be crucial in large areas such as big retail stores where high-resolution is necessary.
For smaller commercial offices or stores, medium or low resolution cameras will suffice.
Is There a Need for Audio?
While some lack it, there are cameras that come with audio recording capabilities. Implementing a two-way audio setup in your system can also enable communication in real time between you and the subject visible in the camera.
Audio can also strengthen your surveillance capabilities, helping you detect any suspicious sounds or recordings on time and prevent danger.
With these important questions answered, you can now choose the right commercial surveillance camera system to match your exact needs. Make sure you get the one that serves you in the long term. For professional installation of commercial security cameras, you can always reach out to us. Get in touch today for a quick installation.