CCTV Camera Buying Guide

CCTV security cameras have become an integral part of any good security system. These cameras are used at public and private places like banks, hotels, airports, shopping malls, ATMs, streets, apartments, homes, and even national borders. The security at these places is greatly enhanced by use of CCTV cameras and it also makes the people at these places feel safe.

At www.closeoutcctv.com, we have a range of advanced security systems and surveillance equipment that you can choose from. You can also choose from other related products like CCTV monitors,CCTV accessories, CCTV cables, CCTV lenses, and CCTV power supplies with FREE LIFETIME technical support services. We also sell clearance security cameras and clearance DVRs. Here are a few points you need to take care of while buying a CCTV camera.

Determine your security needs
There is a wide range of CCTV security cameras available in the market that is suitable for various surveillance needs. You should take in account your budget and the area of surveillance before buying a CCTV camera. You should also keep in mind the size of the surveillance area, duration of surveillance, whether the camera is for a commercial place or home, and the location of the camera whether it will be indoor or outdoor.

Do your research in the CCTV camera market
Once you have selected the kind of service you want from the camera you should check out the types of CCTV security cameras available in the market and which one best suits your needs. Go for high-quality professional security cameras for best output. Some types of cameras are as following:

• Outdoor cameras are used to surveillance of surrounding areas of a building.
• Hidden cameras are used for spying and secret surveillance purposes.
• Indoor cameras provide surveillance inside a building.
• IR Day/Night cameras are used for 24 hour surveillance.
• Dome cameras have a discreet appearance for use in public places.
• Bullet cameras are great for surveillance in all kinds of weather.
• Pan-tilt-zoom cameras offer 360 degree view of any location.

Color CCTV Cameras or Monochrome CCTV Cameras
You can choose a color or a monochrome CCTV camera depending on your surveillance requirement. While color CCTV security cameras are priced higher than monochrome CCTV cameras, they can provide brilliant picture quality while surveillance. On the other hand, monochrome CCTV cameras are ideal for low light conditions and outdoor surveillance. There are various high quality CCTV security cameras available in the market that can switch from black and white to color depending on the light conditions.

High-Resolution CCTV Cameras for Brilliant Surveillance
By using high resolution cameras you can capture crystal clear images with great accuracy. Resolution of the camera is indicated by pixel measurements of the camera and the measuring unit is horizontal TV lines (TVL). Usually CCTV cameras have 350 to 400 TVL and high resolution CCTV cameras go up to 480 or 500 TVL. High-resolution CCTV cameras are best suited for surveillance of crowded and crime prone areas especially areas needing high security checks like airports, railway stations, shopping malls, government, and large business organizations.

CCTV Camera Lenses for Better Image Capture 
A CCTV camera lens determines the clarity of image that can be captured under particular lighting conditions. You can buy a camera lens depending on your need for surveillance in low light conditions. Make sure the lens you are buying is compatible with the model of the CCTV camera you are using. You can chose from lenses of fixed or variable focal length. Fixed focal length lenses capture images from a fixed view, while the variable focal length lenses can be adjusted to capture a varied view.