The CCTV cameras you choose for your business will impact how effectively you deter bad behaviour, improve business decision making and enhance productivity. But with so many different CCTV camera lens types, it can be difficult to know which one to choose. This blog post will dig into the technicalities about CCTV camera lens types to help you make the right choice.
CCTV Camera Lens Type: Fixed Lens 3.6mm
CCTV cameras are equipped with either a 3.6mm or 2.8mm lens. The lens you choose will depend on what function you need the camera to perform.
A fixed lens 3.6mm CCTV camera covers small to medium areas up to a 78° field of view. These cameras are well suited to corners and perform well in bright areas, as the smaller field of view results in less reflection. Images caught by 3.6mm lenses are capable of capturing high levels of detail, so they are well suited to situations requiring detection and recognition.
CCTV Camera Lens Type: Fixed Lens 2.8mm CCTV Camera
A fixed lens 2.8mm CCTV camera is a wide lens camera that is best suited to covering large areas and open spaces. These lenses offer up to 110° field of view, which means that one camera is (typically) able to cover a backyard, for instance. This makes them very cost-effective.
With a fixed lens, these cameras are not able to provide high levels of detail at a distance. This means you won’t be able to see number plates or recognise faces unless they’re quite close to the camera.
Motorised Varifocal CCTV Cameras
Motorised varifocal CCTV cameras rely on mechanical zoom to allow you to adjust the field of view to its particular setting when it is installed. They come with a ‘to’ and ‘from’ setting, typically between 2.8mm and 12mm. Within this range, you can tailor the field of view to suit your needs which makes these cameras ideal for long and narrow areas, like driveways, aisles, or rows of cash registers.
A significant benefit of the motorised varifocal CCTV cameras is that they utilise mechanical zooming. This offers high quality imagery, since the lens is physically adjusted to the field of vision when it is installed. Cameras which rely on digital zoom only enlarge the original image, which results in blurry, unfocused images and makes it more difficult to distinguish critical details.
PTZ Cameras: Pan, Tilt, Zoom Functionality
PTZ cameras are designed to manually pan, tilt and zoom. They can be controlled with a joystick that allows the viewer to swivel the camera. Alternatively, they can be set to ‘auto-cruise’, which means it moves in a specific pattern. Advanced PTZ cameras come with artificial intelligence that allow them to follow motion, so the viewer will see, for instance, where a truck goes after it arrives.
PTZ cameras are suited to large areas where you require exceptional image quality and high levels of detail. They are designed for situations where you need to be able to pick up details, like number plates or facial recognition, or movement tracking, at a distance.
The drawback to this type of camera is a risk that they might miss something when they are turned or zoomed in.
A Quick Note About WDR
Any camera you choose should come equipped with WDR, or wide dynamic range.WDR is a feature that adjusts the camera’s image to the changing lighting conditions your camera will be subject to. It adapts to the changing brightness as the sun travels, but more than this, it provides quality images despite shadows, artificial lighting conditions and darkness.
As you can see, selecting the right camera has a significant impact on how effectively it operates. Professional guidance and installation helps to ensure you have the correct camera in the right place. Get in touch for an obligation free quote on your tailored security system.
