Photography Blog

Cameras are just about everywhere in today’s day and age. There are few places you can go in public that you are not being recorded by a camera. From the streets to the local fast food restaurant you are likely being recorded. Surveillance systems have also been part of the security systems for the wealthy for many years and now they can be an affordable part of your homes.

There are several things you must consider when choosing your camera system. Just like most technology you can get more features for more money. Choosing a system will require you to consider budget along with wanted features and find a happy median of the two.

The first step is deciding how many cameras you plan to use. A system for just one camera can be set up for very little cost and be very effective. If you choose to have more cameras like 4, 8 or 16 then there are complete packages available that make cameras more cost effective. Once you know how many cameras you want, you will need to decide if you want to run wires or not. Most cameras are available in wired or wireless versions and normally the wired cameras are much more cost effective.

Surveillance cameras can come with many different functions including night vision, covert, color, black & white, weatherproof, high power wireless, pan tilt zoom cameras and many other options. If you need special application cameras they are likely available at a cost. Currently the most commonly used cameras for homes and businesses are dome cameras, bullet style cameras and hidden cameras. The type of camera will greatly depend on the application.

Next you will need to find a way to record your cameras. Recording is not necessary and it is possible to just view the cameras using a monitor, but you will find that having a recorded system has many advantages. The cost of recording can vary greatly depending on your choice of recorders. Below are the different recording options you have to choose from.

VCR -The cheapest may be an extra VCR you have lying around. Most cameras can be plugged directly into a VCR or TV’s video input. If the connection is not the same then there are adaptors available. You may be limited when using a VCR to just one camera. You can split the video of more cameras and use them with a VCR if you purchase a quad. A quad splits video inputs so they take up just a portion of the screen. Most quads are 4 channel, but more channel quads are available. VCRs can’t be viewed over the internet.

Surveillance Software and Hardware – This method of recording can also be a very cheap way to record. You must have a computer with some extra RAM and a USB port . This software will turn your computer into a feature rich DVR or digital video recorder (more on this later). To connect a camera to the computer you will need a analog to digital video converter. Just plug the camera into one end and the other end into the USB port on the computer. Most software will be able to see the camera as soon as it recognizes the video converter. If you have more cameras, you will need more converters and more free USB ports. You can also use a quad between the cameras and the video converter cord to increase the number of cameras you can view using this method. This is a great economic way to go if you only have a few cameras. These systems can be connected to the internet and viewed from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.

DVR Card – a DVR card will need to be installed into one of the PCI ports in a PC in order to work. If you can’t add a card to the inside of your PC, then this may not be the best solution for you unless you can get some help. There are many people that have the ability to install a PCI card so help should be easy to come by. These cards range from 4 to 16 cameras and some can be used in sets for systems up to 36 cameras. The exposed part of the card on the back of the computer will allow you to connect the number of cameras the card allows. Most DVR cards will also allow audio microphones to be connected along with the cameras. DVR cards can be full of features and can compared with a high end DVR. DVR cards usually can be connected to the internet and viewed from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.

DVR – is a digital video recorder. This device basically allows your cameras video to be recorded onto a hard drive or internal disk. There are 2 types of DVRs, windows based and embedded. Windows based DVRs are similar to a computer and use the Windows operating system to run surveillance software. Most people find Windows based DVRs much easier to use than embedded DVR. The embedded DVR does not use any software and all functions are embedded on software encoded computer chips. Embedded DVRs are cheaper than Windows based DVRs in most cases. DVRs are generally the most expensive way to record your cameras. Both types of DVRs allow you to connect the cameras directly to the back of the DVR. Some DVRs can be connected to the internet and viewed from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.

You may also want to hook a monitor up to your system. The monitor will allow you to review the recorded video and also watch it live. Depending on the system you are setting up, the monitor may be a TV or may be a computer monitor. Monitors are available in all different sizes and qualities. If you plan on building a surveillance system you may want to consider one of the many systems available that provide everything you need in one discounted package. For the beginner it is many times easier to purchase a complete surveillance system then to try to piece together each thing individually.

These basics should be enough to get you started on finding a home surveillance system to meet your budget. Many times if you speak to a surveillance expert you can simply tell them your needs and your budget and they will put together a system that will work well for you. There are a lot of options for you to protect your home and family, be sure the system purchase will meet your security needs.

Selecting either a home security camera system, or a camera to be used for a commercial reason, can be frustrating if you don\’t know what you are looking for in protection. For instance, do you want a real or fake home security camera system, meaning, do you need a system that will actually alert the police, or do you feel that the aesthetic of having a camera visible on the premises is good enough to ward off predators? Are you interested in the way that a monitor is going to look? Do you want something that is obvious or discrete? Regardless of what your needs are, there is something that can come close to what you want. Cameras will come in three basic forms, hopefully learning the basics will help to cut down on some future decisions.

The first kind of home security camera is known as a dome camera. Obviously, this camera comes in the shape of a dome and it fits conveniently on the ceiling of your home or business. You will find the dome cameras often times in casinos where they are used to monitor the tables. You will also find home security at its most fashionable with the dome lens. There are dome cameras that can be placed outside, however, you must use a special armor type in order to do this kind of mounting. Sony carries two different types of dome security cameras and they are a leader in the industry. You can choose from the Verifocal dome camera, which has the highest resolution (420 lines) and an adjustable lens. You can also purchase Sony\’s Infrared Armor dome camera, which acts as a hidden camera and is the most durable of all of the dome cameras. Dome cameras are the most popular security cameras because they are impossible to detect which angle they are viewing unless you are at close range. They come in black or white and they all have adjustable lenses.

The second type of home security camera is the bullet camera. The lens is long and resembles a rifle, which is where the camera finds its name. Bullet cameras are easily visible and can be mounted to a wall or a ceiling. They use a 12V DC voltage, and the power cable should be included when the camera is purchased. Most of these cameras will film in color and then change their resolutions to black and white when the light levels are lower. The resolution during the day is much better with the bullet security systems, but if you have an alternate form of lighting, like a streetlight, people can sometimes be seen from up to 70 feet away. The most popular brand of bullet security cameras is the SPECO CVC-6805SX, which is color and has a fixed lens of 4mm.

Many businesses rely on a home security camera at night. However, it can be hard to see the footage when there is no light. The infrared camera has built in lights around the lens so you are able to view your taped footage with ease. However, the infrared lighting can cause a problem when it is used at a home due to the glare that is created from the windows. Some people will think that an infrared camera is the same as a night vision camera, although the night vision camera does not have built in lighting around their lens. Prices can vary on the infrared cameras, but the most affordable home security model is the QSVC422 CCD color outdoor camera made by Digital Peripheral Solutions.

Security cameras can provide a cushion of comfort for a secure home, especially when you have an investment that you want to protect. A home security camera can scare an obvious thief, and also catch an unsuspecting one if it is a strategically hidden camera. Home security cameras have become more popular with people who own second and third homes, and feel like they need an insurance policy for their property, so to speak while the business owner has been protecting his own with security cameras since the advent of the entrepreneur. Just remember that it can never hurt to be proactive about your safety.

Building a Camera System

R. Dodge Woodson

World Photographers Organization

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to benefit from a component system. But, if you want to become a pro, you have to go this route. What is a component system? It is a group of photography equipment that makes up a viable tool for handling a variety of photographic situations. At the least, it is a camera body and some interchangeable lenses. It can include independent light meters, filters, flash units, and much more. When you get into component systems, you are stepping up in price, but you can build these systems over time without breaking your bank account. If you are truly serious about wanting fantastic photos, this is the only way to go.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When you shop for a camera system, you should approach your selection process in much the same was as you would buy clothes. The gear you get has to fit and feel right. Camera designs vary. Some are more comfortable than others. Finding just the right fit is an individual thing. What works great for one photographer may not work well at all for another. You have to handle different brands and types of equipment to find what is right for you.

Most serious photographers start with 35mm systems. A few jump right into large format cameras, but they are the exception, rather than the rule. When I say this, I’m talking about serious amateur photographers. A good number of professionals start off with large-format equipment because it provides them with definite advantages in some types of work.

Medium-Format

Medium-format cameras are used to take professional pictures at weddings and in studio settings. The big advantage is the size of the negative. It is considerably larger than its 35mm cousin. This makes retouching and cropping easier. If you plan to get into darkroom work and super high-quality portraits, a medium-format system is the way to go. Most photographers, however, are better served by the versatile 35mm system.

Pick A Brand You Can Stick With.

When you choose a particular brand of camera to build a component system around, you must be judicious. Once you start with a brand, you should stick with it. There are many brands of cameras available that will give you professional-quality photos. Some brands offer more lenses and accessories than others do. This is important to a person who is building an extensive system.

When I think of professional 35mm equipment, two brand names come to mind. Other manufacturers of 35mm equipment get some professional attention, but there are clearly two, or maybe three, leaders. In medium format equipment, one name is king, while others are also respected. You don’t have to buy into the best-known brands to get good service and quality, but it doesn’t hurt. The important thing is to pick a brand that you can grow with. Check the No-Bull Reviews at World Photographers Organization for any recent equipment reviews.

How will you know what brand of camera to work with? Many factors may play a role in your decision. The amount of money you are willing to spend for various types of equipment is one consideration. Top-notch names command big prices. You can go with a lesser-known name and get good quality for a lower price. But, make sure that your budget-minded camera has enough lenses and accessories available to keep life interesting as your skills and interests grow.

My first 35mm camera was a Minolta®. It was a good camera that gave me thousands of wonderful pictures. This brand is respected among professionals and it offers a wide variety of options for building a component system. When I grew into a new level of photography, I switched to Canon® equipment, which I still use today. I love it! Canon is a major contender in the professional market. Over the years, I’ve spent well over ,000 to develop my system. Nikon® is known for its reputation among professionals. The name is almost synonymous with professional. Any of these brands will provide you with more options than most people can afford to buy. And, there are other good brands, like Olympus®, to choose high-quality products from.

Before you buy a camera body, research your options. Look at a listing of what accessories are available within the brand. Check prices on the various brands. If you can see that there is a depth of support accessories and that you are comfortable with the price ranges, you’re well on your way to picking a brand. Handle various cameras and operate them in the camera store. Have someone at the store run through all of the controls with you. Once you buy your first camera body, you are setting the tone for your entire system. Don’t do this until you are sure that you like the brand.

Lens Quality

Generic lenses can be used on most camera bodies, but this is somewhat self-defeating. Why pay a small fortune for a professional camera body and then attach a dime-store lens to it? This doesn’t make sense. Your lenses have a tremendous impact on the quality of your photographs. Try to keep all of your purchases within the same brand. This will normally produce the best results.

A lot of people don’t know what type of camera they want even after buying a new camera. If you haven’t been shopping yet, I can tell you that cameras aren’t cheap. Maybe you know some people who have cameras. These individuals would probably be glad to share their experiences with you. Ask if you can go with them on their next photo excursion. Some photographers are very protective of their stuff, so don’t stand too close when you ask. Using the equipment of other people under real photography conditions is an excellent way to pinpoint your needs and desires.

Used Equipment

Cameras are like cars in that they are very expensive when new and lose a lot of value once they are used. Some types and brands of cameras hold their value very well, but most don’t. If you are willing to buy used equipment, you can save a ton of money. Well, maybe not a ton, but a lot. It’s likely that you will pay half-price, or less, when buying used equipment. There are some risks involved with the purchase of broken-in gear. Notice I said broken-in, not broken-down. Let’s talk about some of them.

There are three basic ways to acquire used photography equipment. You can consult one of the many mailorder advertisements, go to your local camera store, or watch classified ads where individuals are selling their old equipment. If you are dealing with a reputable company, you should gain some protection from cameras that are duds. Buying person-to-person doesn’t afford this protection.

If you know enough about the type of gear that you are buying, you can test it before purchasing it. Since you may not yet have this type of knowledge, a reputable dealer who sells used equipment is probably your best bet. Dealers charge more than most individual sellers do, but you should be getting some peace of mind for the higher price you pay.

Regardless of who you are buying from, get a full demonstration of the equipment before you hand over your cash. Ask for all manuals and documentation that should accompany the camera and accessories. If no documentation is available, you might want to pass on the sale and continue your search. It may be possible to order new manuals from the original manufacturer, but don’t count on this being the case. Used equipment provides an economical and sensible way to enter the field of photography, but make sure that what you are buying is in good working order.

Choice of Champions

The most versatile type of camera that you can buy is a 35mm format. You can do almost anything with this type of rig. Large- and medium-format cameras have certain advantages over 35mm units, but the handy 35mm is, by far, the more popular. This popularity is well founded.

What makes the 35mm system so desirable? It is light in weight and easy to use. The cost of 35mm equipment is much less than that of larger formats. You can equip a 35mm camera body with a wide-range zoom lens and meet most of your photo needs without ever changing lenses. Many zoom lenses incorporate a close-up feature in the lens so that you can shoot anything from insects to airplanes with the same lens.

If you want to get serious about photography and build a component system, the 35mm format will most likely be the best choice. As long as you buy into a major brand name, you will find a seemly endless supply of accessories to add to your collection. Gee, I wonder if manufacturers planned this?

Start with a camera body that accepts interchangeable lenses. Add a zoom lens, and get a protective filter to cover each lens you buy. It’s much better to have an inexpensive, replaceable filter take the knocks and scratches that are common with some types of photography than it is to damage an expensive lens. If your camera doesn’t have a built-in flash, buy a small electronic flash to compliment your system. This is all you need, in terms of hardware, to get started in taking serious photographs. You can add more to the system as you define your needs through experience.

Remember, the camera body is the foundation of your system. The body you buy will play an important role in the development of your overall system. Once you know what you want to do and which brand you prefer, buy the best body you can. Cutting corners on a camera body will hamper your growth as a photographer.

Buy well, shoot often, and enjoy the wonderful world of photography.

Life is best when seen through a Canon L® lens.

R. Dodge Woodson

While it is possible to continue sending alarm signals over a landline connection, you should understand that it can take 10-15 seconds for a signal to reach the monitoring server and valuable footage could be lost during that time. It is far more effective if you upgrade your alarm system to use a product like the popular Linksys Alarm Monitoring Solution to send signals over your Internet connection instead of over a telephone line.

Although most IP cameras come with some form of built-in motion detection, the unpredictability of this technology prevents it from being used in most applications. Using motion detection would also require that there be some way to arm and disarm the cameras so that they do not send images when people are legitimately moving around the protected premises. Due to the familiarity and simplicity of arming and disarming an alarm panel, by far the best option is to have the alarm panel trigger cameras only when it is armed. This way, images are only sent to the server in the event of an alarm activation.

The more expensive IP cameras support a full range of software commands that allow control of pan, tilt, zoom, pre and post alarm triggering and other common features. Whilst lower cost cameras do not generally offer these features, the majority of them do support jpeg snapshots at various resolutions which provides you with a good starting point for recording cameras from the Monitoring server.

The snapshot feature available in approximately 95% of IP cameras allows you to install a camera from manufacturer X alongside one from manufacturer Y and Z. This provides great flexibility as you are not tied to a specific camera manufacturer. A web based alarm and camera monitoring service like the popular Virtual Monitoring Platform, will allow you to enter basic camera parameters to determine what type of alarm events and which zone numbers should trigger the recording of individual cameras. You are also able to specify the total number of images to be recorded and the time interval between them. As IP cameras from different manufacturers require a slightly different software command to trigger them, the Monitoring platform allows you to store custom commands in order to support any brand of camera you choose.

As an example of how your alarm panel and cameras work together, we will say that Mr. Smith has an alarm system, a custom provisioned Linksys VoIP adapter and an IP camera installed at his home. The VoIP adapter and camera are plugged into his router and connected via the internet to the Virtual Monitoring platform.

His account number at the Virtual Monitoring platform is 1234 and he has setup his account so that 10 snapshot images should be recorded at 2 second intervals in the event of an alarm. When an alarm signal from account code 1234 is received, the server software checks the database to find that Mr. Smith has a camera and that images should be recorded on the server if the alarm was from zones 2,3 or 4 (zones 5,6,7 and 8 might be used to trigger a second camera). The monitoring platform sends the software commands at the appropriate intervals and the end result is that ten jpeg images are written onto the hard drive of the monitoring server and optionally attached to an email and sent out to Mr. Smith and his contacts.

Now let’s consider the prerequisites of your network and camera setup in order for you to achieve the same results. Firstly, unless you have a fixed IP address allocated to you by your internet service provider, you will need to register and setup something called a dynamic domain name. Put simply, this is a method of keeping a domain name linked to a changing IP address. Typically, when a user connects to the Internet, the user’s ISP assigns an unused IP address from a pool of IP addresses, and this address is used only for the duration of that specific connection. A dynamic DNS service provider uses a special program that runs on the user’s computer (some IP cameras also support this), contacting the DNS service each time the IP address provided by the ISP changes and subsequently updating the DNS database to reflect the change. In this way, even though a domain name’s IP address will change often, a monitoring server does not have to know the changed IP address in order to connect to your camera. There is a free service available from www.dyndns.com and there are lot’s of others to choose from.

And now for the trickiest part. Making an IP camera available for recording from a monitoring server by using port forwarding. Each of your cameras has a port number setting inside the camera and this needs to be set differently for each camera on your system. For example, if you put camera number 1 on port 8000, you will need to port forward port 8000 in your router to the internal IP address of camera 1. This is done differently for every router and not something we cover in this article.

Once you have setup your cameras and router so that each camera is accessible from the monitoring server you should then setup your account in the Virtual Monitoring platform. If you only have one camera, this could be as simple as setting up the server to record from the camera for every type of event. If you have two or more cameras, you may only want to record from a particular camera when a specific zone is activated. If you have numerous feature rich cameras, you will be able to do things like: if zone 4 is triggered, pan and tilt the camera to it’s default position. Take 5 snapshots with no interval between them and then zoom into preset position 2. Take 10 snapshots at 5 second intervals…. and so on.

I hope this article has shown how the addition of IP cameras to your existing alarm monitoring service, although technically very simple, is the most cost effective way to both reduce false alarms and increase your level of security.

If you have a car with a long body, poor rear visibility, or just struggle with getting in to tight parking spaces, a reversing camera can make a great add on that can save your vehicle from expensive damage. Many newer high end cars come with a factory fitted reversing camera system. The camera shows the driver an image from the rear of the car showing obstructions that may not be visible in the mirrors, and making gauging the distance to them easier. Aftermarket reversing camera kits are now available for vehicles that did not come with a reversing camera fitted as standard. This guide will help you to understand some of the options available, and how they can be fitted to your car, van or truck.

Reversing cameras come in all shapes and sizes, designed to be embedded into the bodywork, or attached at some suitable mounting point. Which type and size of rear view camera to choose depends on your vehicle and personal preferences, but ideally they should be as unobtrusive as possible, and provide a clear view behind you. There are even some kits that include both a reversing camera and parking sensors to make parking even easier.

Fitting the Reversing Camera

The best location for your camera is on the central point of the vehicle. It can be fitten low down (giving a better field of view) or high up looking downwards (restricting the field of view, but making distance easier to judge). The middle of the rear bumper is ideal, but on some vehicles (especially vans) above the rear doors can also be suitable. You may be lucky and find that there is an aftermarket camera designed specifically for your vehicle – these usually replace a number plate light fitting or rear light cluster, and give a great ‘factory fitted’ look.

Universal cameras are designed to be either to be mounted on a suitable fixing point, or embedded in plastic or metal bodywork. The embedded cameras give a better finished look, and are less prone to damage, but do entail cutting a rather large hole in the bodywork! The exterior mounted cameras are attached with screws or high strength adhesive pads, which in theory makes them removable.

As well as on the back of a vehicle, a reversing camera could be attached to a trailer or caravan to give better rear visibility – our wireless reversing cameras kits are ideal. For caravan or trailer users, a camera on the towing vehicle also makes hitching up much easier. Some cameras come with built in lights, normally LEDs as they are bright and don’t use much power. These are great if you park a lot in dark areas, or your built in reversing lights are poor.

Getting Power the Rear View Camera

Your reversing cameras will need a 12v power supply. The power will connect either to a separate control box wired to the camera, or a cable that feeds directly to the camera itself. In either case the best place to power these is from wiring connecting the reversing light. That way, when you engage reverse, the reversing light bulb comes on AND the camera gets power at the same time – easy!

If the camera is a vehicle specific one replaced a rear light unit, you may need to reconnect it to the power supply for that rear light as well, so the light is turned on appropriately. For example, if it replaced a number plate light it needs to have power when the dipped or main lights are on.

Reversing Camera Image Display

If you already have a built in Sat-Nav or in car entertainment screen, you may have a spare input that you can connect the camera to. Even if you don’t, it may be possible to use an additional wiring harness to allow multiple inputs – see our selection of Multimedia Video Interfaces.

If you do not have an existing display screen, most reversing camera kits are available with an add-on LCD display screen that can be attached to your dashboard. The display screen will generally require it’s own power which can be taken from any 12v power supply – the cables supplying 12v power to the radio are often in a good position for this.

Connecting the Reversing Camera to the Display Screen

To get the image from the rear view camera to the display screen, you can use either a wired or wireless camera system.

The wired systems are simple to understand – a cable is run from the camera to the display. The cables are best run inside the vehicle to protect them from the elements, and can usually be hidden under carpets or other fittings to hide them. All our complete kits come with a generous amount of cable. Wireless cameras will have a transmitter attached to the camera (usually a separate box), and a receiver for the display screen. If using a wireless system you will need to use a complete reversing camera kit to ensure compatibility.

Tips for Choosing a Reversing Camera/ Rear View Camera System

If your existing screen only accepts PAL or NTSC signals, ensure the camera outputs in a suitable format. Our rear view cameras output in either format for compatibility.
Wide angle cameras give a wider viewing angle, and are generally more useful. 120 degrees or more gives a decent view, but smaller angles are still useful if mounted centrally.
Depending on your needs, is can be useful if the camera has additional LED lighting, night vision mode or both to assist in parking at night. All our cameras are designed to operate well even in low light levels.
A mirrored imaging mode (where the image is displayed as a mirror image) is generally easier for reversing as it shows the same as you would see in a mirror.
Use a camera specifically designed for vehicles rather than a general purpose mini camera, as they will be waterproof and shock resistant.
Check http://www.hids4u.co.uk/reversing-camera-kits/ or http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/parking-sensors-and-reversing-cameras/ for a range of reversing camera kits for your vehicle.

1. Black/White or Color?

Color Cameras are more popular, due to their clearer identifications. But, in low light conditions, B/W cameras are more ideal, because they generally require less illumination. Newer models of Day/Night cameras work as color camera during daytime and B/W at night.

2. What basic equipments are necessary to start video surveillance?

Camera body, Lens, Mount, Cable, and Power Supply.

Some cameras (like dome and bullet type cameras) come with built-in lenses. You will also need CCTV monitor (or regular TV), quad splitter or switcher to combine more than one camera, recorder (like DVR), outdoor housing case and other accessories. Wireless systems are great way to avoid cabling. Network based Web Cameras and DVRs are for remote surveillance.

3. What if I need more than one camera?

A quad splitter, 4 channel or 8 channel switcher, or multiplexer can be used to combine multiple cameras into one monitor or recorder. DVRs usually come with a built-in multiplexer.

4. Hidden Cameras

If you want a hidden camera, you have two options; you can either build one with a mini or an ultra-mini camera, or buy one. Some ultra-mini cameras are only as big as a quarter to hide more easily. Hidden cameras built-in clocks, radios, or smoke detectors are also available but are generally more costly. Please note that, in most US states, using hidden cameras with audio in a covert way is prohibited.

5. Placing cameras outdoors

You may use an outdoor housing case, with or without heater and/or blower. The heater and/or blower built-in housing cases generally require a separate power source. Some cameras are made water resistant and do not need separate housing cases. Some of these also come with removable sunshields.

6. When are infrared cameras necessary?

Economically commercialized infrared cameras, some also water-resistant to be installed outdoor, can see up to 40 to 80ft distance in total darkness. You may also use infrared illuminators, which can illuminate up to 100ft (Color cameras, unless their IR filter is removed, do not work with infrared illuminators.) Infrared cameras work as ordinary video camera during daytime. Color infrared cameras work as B/W ones at night.

7. What is an ideal angle for a lens to cover?

Widely used and recommended angle of view of the lens for surveillance purpose is 72o to 78o. Narrower will give you clearer pictures. Wide angles like 92o can cover more area but it may show distorted pictures.

8. Vari-focal vs. Zoom Lens

Focal length and focusing for vari-focal lens should be adjusted respectively while zoom lens focuses automatically when the focal length is adjusted. Manual zoom lens needs to be manually adjusted while motorized zoom lens can be controlled with a remote controller.

9. Manual Iris vs. Auto Iris

If the lighting condition changes significantly and frequently, like the sun, an auto iris lens is required. If the lighting remains same, a manual iris or a fixed iris lens is recommended. Most CCTV cameras accept DC auto iris lens while some special cameras use video auto iris lens.

10. Do I need pinhole lens?

A pinhole lens with a tiny opening can be hidden in the wall, ceiling or other objects. Some mini cameras have a built-in pinhole lens. To mount a pinhole lens to a standard camera is very expensive.

11. CCTV Monitor vs. Standard TV

If you are use only one camera, a TV (which has a RCA video input) is definitely recommended. Even for more than 1 camera, if you use a processor like a quad splitter, a switcher, or a DVR (Digital Video Recorder), a TV would be fine. But, for special features like slave video outputs (to be connected to additional monitors), alarm systems, or for multiple inputs, professional CCTV monitors work best.

12. CRT vs. LCD Monitor

Conventional CRT monitors are bulky and heavy while they are cheaper than LCD monitors which has higher resolution. If you have enough budgets and want to use one monitor for both CCTV and computer, LCD monitor is recommended. 17″ & 19″ are popular sizes for LCD monitors.

13. Monitor Input Connectors

BNC is commonly used for connecting to both CRT and LCD monitors. These days, most LCD monitors have an S-Video input as well as a 15-pin Mini D-Sub for PC Signal input.

14. Wireless vs. Wired Transmission

A wireless system is convenient in avoid cabling works, but can sometimes be affected by high voltage power lines, unseen razor waves, large machines like lathes, and metal walls. Wired transmission guarantees stable video. Coaxial cable is most used for CCTV cameras.

15. 12VDC vs. 24VAC

24VAC system is more professional and most CCTV cameras work with a 24VAC power supply. Mini cameras, dome cameras, and bullet type cameras are usually 12VDC system. Recently developed cameras have both 12VDC and 24VAC inputs.

16. Battery operated cameras

Many small sized cameras work with 12VDC battery pack; however it requires correctly matched polarity. You may also use a “power cord” (easily found at any auto parts shop) that can draw 12VDC through the car cigarette lighter.

17. Motion detection

Most DVRs now come with built-in motion detection software to trigger recording. You can program the sensitivity and detection zone. It works with any change of the pixels within the picture frame. You can also install a hardware motion detector connected to the DVRs to trigger recording.

18. Pan, Tilt, and Zoom control

A dome type camera that already has built-in PTZ is easy to install, maintain, and control. You can also control it on the computer monitor with the mouse if the PTZ system is connected on the network via a video server.

19. Time Lapse VCR vs. DVR(Digital Video Recorder)

Conventional Time Lapse VCR, despite the inconvenience in reviewing the recorded pictures, is more economical than a DVR (Digital Video Recorder). DVRs are more popular for its convenience and picture quality.

20. Remote Surveillance over the Network

Network DVR or Web Camera, connected to the Internet or LAN and assigned with an IP address, can be monitored at a remote place. DSL or T-1 line is required to be connected to the Internet.

21. HD CCTV System

As the TV Broadcasting changed to HD (High Definition) System, it’s time for HD cameras to come to the market. Still, the traditional standard resolution system does not accept HD cameras and you have homework to prepare peripheral devices such as recorders to accept the HD cameras.

1-    Are security cameras easy to install? One of the most important misconceptions for security camera buyers is that how easy to set up and install. Well, the answer of this question depends on the kind of security camera‘s quality, resolution and other more important factors. For some security camera systems, such as, wireless cameras, they are easy to install. All what it requires you is to know and to memories a couple of numbers, and maintenance will be the responsibility of the company. While some other security cameras require a professional and deep knowledge in network system such as the plug-in or motion detector, configuration and other important things are very complex and need an expert to install, even if they are basic functions. Thus, it depends on the kind of security camera you are going to buy.

2-    How well does the security camera work at night? Another misconception you may face is that your capability of seeing very well in the night depends on the multiple existence of IRs. Well, that is half true; the capability of seeing well at night does depend on the variety of existing IRs, but it also depends on the intensity of each IR. This can be more clarified by this example, which is using a security camera with10 powerful IRs will be much better than using 24 low- powers IRs. Besides, it depends on your security camera’s kind; whether it supports the night vision or not.

3-    What is the possibility of hacking your camera system? With the existence of the built in IP, the probability of hacking the security camera is more likely to happen. This problem can be solved by installing program that protects your system from hacking.

4-    What about power loss? Some kinds of security cameras requires power, as the case in wireless camera, where one wonder about the capability and the quality of the battery. Usually, cameras are equipped with back up system and high technology battery, where they are activated in case of any danger of loosing the batteries’ power.

5-    What is the necessity of security camera system in you home, business, school or whatever the institution is? Some people think that they live in a peaceful environment, where the level of crime is equal to zero and wonder about the necessity of having any of cameras’ products. In fact, bad things show up suddenly, when you are not fully prepared for such situations. So all what you have done is waiting for the criminals to knock your door or your neighbors’ to install a security camera system.

6-    What is the necessity of having a security camera while you have the insurance? It is a good question, where one wonders about the unnecessary existence of the security camera system with the insurance availability. It can be true in one sense, but insurance will not compensate for your or other household lives.

7-    Size; it can be a big problem for security camera system process. For example, tiny security camera which can be put in any place that is the imperceptible to detection requires more advanced equipment in order to operate effectively. On the other side, small security cameras are more suitable for the sake of surveillance and monitoring.

8-    What about its cost? The good news is security camera system are nowadays more affordable. Customers may think that it will cost them a lot to make the frequent maintenance- which is usually monthly, but companies usually run special offers and warranties. Besides, some companies offer system installation for free.

9-    Maintenance; Some kinds of security cameras are powered by batteries. Thus they need continual maintenance. Beside, the recorded videos need a place to storage such as a hard driver which compels. And these hard drives need special care.

10-  Placement:  there is no perfect security camera which conveys videos for all places in your institution even if you install a rotating camera you will have a limit view. Placing your camera in a certain place requires you to know a bit of information about the security camera. Such issues are as lighting, waterproof and so on.  Thus there are a variety of security camera which serves depending on its place such as, infrared cameras, which works in a dim-lighted area- and hidden cameras where you can buy them with a good features and qualities to have an effective monitoring system as such a motion detector. 
As well as hidden cameras, some managers prefer to place the security camera in a noticeable place to keep in the employee’s minds that they are under watch. This option can also be dangerous for criminals can locate the camera and simply avoid it. Indeed, security camera can be used as a tool to Incriminate as well as to protect, that is, placing a security camera in a restaurant, for example, makes the customer uncomfortable and may leave. However, it is really important to consider the weather as one of the factors which affect your choice. It is better to make sure that the installed camera system will work all over the year.

11-  Internet access; accessing the camera will not be that easy if you do not have enough bandwidth, internet speed, besides you cannot browse your security camera from any internet browsers but the Internet explorer.

Resolution: resolution reflects the quality of the captured image and the accuracy of the details. The higher the resolution is the better image you will capture. Some security cameras can not handle high resolution, especially if it does not belong to the same manufacturer, In addition to high cost of buying new software to get higher resolution. The reason the image has less quality and accuracy

1. Not having enough cameras

Recently a donut shop in Massachusetts was robbed at gun point. They had good quality cameras – but unfortunately they did not have enough of them. They had one camera focused on the cash register and another camera focused on the clerk, among others. What they didn’t have however was a camera focused on the customer at the counter so they didn’t capture a good image of the criminal. Poor camera system design let that crook get away.

Solution: Make sure you have all your bases covered in your design. Some standard camera views to consider are entries and exits, cash registers, counters, hallways, stairways, driveways, garage doors, parking lots, loading docks, and each exterior side of the building. After you install the system, review the camera system design again to determine if there are any other blind spots that need to be covered.

2. Not using the correct cameras for the application

One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to security cameras. Each camera in your application should be specified individually. A camera that you use outdoors to cover your parking lot needs to be much different than the one that you use to cover your front door. Wide-angle cameras are great for covering broad areas but do not provide close-up detail. Conversely, cameras that provide good close-up detail do not cover a wide-angle of view. So for each camera position in your security camera system, you need to choose which requirement is more important. If you need close-up detail you may need more cameras to cover the area. Also consider if infrared (nighttime viewing) is going to be needed at that location and if so, how much infrared distance is necessary.

Solution: Make sure you specify each camera at your site individually. If the priority for wide-area vs. detail is not immediately obvious, then consider a varifocal camera which will allow you to adjust the focal distance after you install it.

3. Not having a DVR with enough camera inputs

It’s very common to put in a security camera system with a certain number of cameras and then later realize that there are other views that need to be covered with additional cameras. So when specifying a camera system make sure that your DVR has enough cameras inputs to not only handle the number of cameras that you initially intend to install but also some extra slots to allow for future growth. Most DVRs cannot be expanded to allow for additional camera inputs, and for those that do allow for expansion it can be quite expensive so your best bet is to specify extra camera inputs up front.

Solution: When specifying your DVR, allow for twice as many camera inputs as you think you need. The additional cost is minimal and it’s very likely that you will use this extra capacity in the future.

4. Not having enough storage space on the DVR

When the storage space on a DVR gets full, the DVR will start recording over the oldest video on the hard drive(s). The more cameras and microphones that you have hooked up to your DVR the quicker that storage space will be used up. So the general idea is to figure out how far back you might need to search for a particular incident. The problem is that you may not be immediately aware of when something happens. For example, if you are on vacation you may not be aware that something went missing or got damaged until you get back. These days surveillance video is used very often in liability cases which may not come to your attention for weeks or months. Some people turn down their recording frame rate or image quality to save on hard drive space but this is counter-productive. If you ever need to reference the video you will want the best quality possible.

Solution: For businesses we recommend planning for at least 60 days of recorded video on their DVR. For residential installations we recommend at least 30 days of recorded video, or higher if liability is a concern. A modern DVR (H.264 compression, real-time recording rate) will use approximately 5 to 7 gigabytes of hard drive space per camera, per day. Therefore, a 4 camera DVR with a 500 gig hard drive can store about 18 to 24 days of recorded video. A 16 camera DVR would require 4 times that amount (2 Terabytes) to store that much. You can set up record time scheduling and motion detection (if appropriate) to extend the recording capacity of the DVR – but don’t turn down the image quality or the recording frame rate.

5. Using cheap cable to wire your security camera system Some people try to save money by going with cheaper cable (like Cat5 or twisted pair) but what they save up front they will make up for later by needing to purchase amplifiers, ground loop isolators and video baluns. High quality cable is especially important for infrared cameras and for longer camera runs to the DVR. Poor quality cable can cause problems such as image interference, rolling lines, intermittent image loss, and damage to the camera. A camera might have a great picture during the day but look terrible at night (when infrared kicks in).

Solution: Use top quality 95% copper braid RG59 Siamese cable which combines the video coax cable with the power wires in the same jacket. Only use plug and play cable or other cheaper wiring solutions for short runs and with no long-distance infrared cameras.

What is the brand of security camera and camera security system fits people special needs, and which security camera they demand to install?

Most of the people actually ask yourself what is the variety of camera security system, and also the way do they really suggest which actually security camera fits their specific needs, and which often security camera they would like to install? Whether they aim for a whole camera security system to their houses, organization, or any obtainable area of their premises or they just want to buy a signal security camera. Users could be up to date together with security cameras, which have been divided into genres, and they also should choose the appropriate type that affords them the required and desirable results. What amount of the rooms would you like to safe when administering the video surveillance operation? Do you want to prepare a full-range monitoring? What is the point of setting up security cameras? And so what’s the needed high quality for your scenes? To answer these issues, lets realize in relation to these types of security devices, their important features and uses.

Criminal activity continues to rise not actually just in a real sense furthermore on the earth of white-collar industry. Security cameras are becoming a suitable ally a lot of within the prognosis and in addition elimination of crime. An uncomplicated observation of the city will say security cameras are pretty much everywhere these days. A home security camera also can be within position along with other security appliances that may possibly form a camera security system.

The attractiveness of a wireless camera security system lies in the convenience of its setting up and exercise. Wireless security camera is quite user-friendly. The use of wireless security camera has turn into gradually more popular over past few years. Video surveillance could possibly be around for many years. Video surveillance technology is now more inexpensive and these items realize their way into homes and small businesses.

If you want to partially cover up your cameras from view, wireless security cameras are the way to go. A wireless security camera does not use any wires between the camera and the receiver and is simple to install. Batteries or an AC adapter mostly powers them. With the effectively set-up the signal from a security cameras might be fed to your television for advantages you don’t should go to a special monitor to see the picture. Like most technology, the cost of camera security system has come down in the past several years as well as the outdoor security cameras are no exemption.

Security Camera Specific location: The best placement of security cameras coupled with a recorder, allows you to keep up a record of a lot of activity in your home, and you will be able to instantly find out anyone by the clothes they are putting on. To be certain of the greatest video surveillance of your home, the position of your security cameras is so very important.

Outdoor Security Cameras: For the most efficient camera security system possible, you’ll have outdoor security cameras established. Your outdoor security cameras can come with sunshades to defend the gear from too much sunlight all through daytime. A number of hi-tech security cameras can be purchased today which you’ll find unbelievably affordable. Some popularly used CCTV security cameras are indoor security cameras, outdoor security cameras, dome cameras, hidden cameras, pan tilt zoom cameras, bullet cameras, vandal proof cameras, etc.

These days, everything is very systematic and computerized. The introduction of computer system has made the lives of people very easy and comfortable. However, this digital technology is well known for its accuracy, speed and collection of information. Moreover, with the ease of internet technology, now it becomes quite easy to stay connected to each other. This is all about its internal functions but it is necessary to make the external appearance of computer screen well attractive. Isn’t it? That is why we see people downloading multiple wallpapers, themes or even screen savers for their PC to make it physically appealing. With the increasing craze for making the computer screen beautiful and attractive, everyone is trying to get more and more new innovative ways. The rapid growth of latest technologies allows user to fulfill their desire and need at any point of time with the ease of internet facility. In order to change the overall look of your laptop or computer, pictures play an important role. There is a wide variety of pictures available on internet through which the user can easily download photos of his choice. The photos can range from wildlife to nature, celebrities to history, cartoons to animated pictures. Well, it is quite easy to download images from internet but these days, the popularity of flash photos are increasing with the phase of time. Now people like to download flash images. This is the latest technology of photographs which can be downloaded from internet with the help of flash software. For instance, if the user wish to flash photoson his computer then he needs to download flash software. Only flash software is capable of downloading flash pictures. The best part is internet provides this software for free of cost. These days, more and more websites are offering flash images. The best part is that these pictures quality is excellent as compared to normal photograph. Moreover, many websites are offering the opportunity of free photo upload through which the user can upload multiple photos on his computer at free of cost. Flash photos have high resolution power which make it more attractive and different from the normal ones. Moreover, the user can also upload his photos on various social networking sites like Twittter, Facebook, Orkut using flash technology. Nowadays, the scope of flash photography is increasing very rapidly. As it is one of the time consuming method of uploading pictures, so people generally use flash technology to change the overall look of their system.