Types of security cameras

If you are planning to purchase a security camera for your apartment, chances are you are going to install it in a place that is protected from the weather.

Take a look at the image below, as you can see this is a wireless security camera with a lot of smart features and it’s suitable for indoor installation.

So, what I’m saying is that no matter what type of security camera you buy, they certainly have the minimum requirement to work in your room, kitchen or whatever place you want to install them (as long as you don’t put them on places such as bathrooms or saunas).

There’s an international standard named IP (Ingress Protection) that is used to classify the protection a device has against dust and water and for an indoor camera IP65 is enough.

Outdoor security cameras are weather-resistant since their enclosure is IP66  or IP67 classified, which means they are dust and water-resistant and can be installed in areas where they are hit by rain or sunlight without getting damaged.

Before purchasing an outdoor security camera just look at the specification to see what is the ingress protection and if it comes with a durable and weather-resistant enclosure. This is information is usually available at the product box or manual.

Unless you want to emerge the camera in water, the IP66 is enough for most installation and you don’t need to spend extra money buying an IP67 one.

As a practical example, you can go to the Amazon store and search for outdoor security cameras and you will see a bunch of results that shows different types of cameras offered with a variety of weather-resistant enclosures.

The image below shows an example of a kit listed on Amazon as a Wireless Home Security Camera. Note it is classified for Indoor/outdoor installation.

As you can see, it doesn’t matter if it’s an analog, IP or wireless camera, all of them can be classified as indoor or outdoor camera depending on their enclosure.

Sometimes you can’t get a model that is only indoor rated because you are interested in the features the security camera offers.

It’s up to you choose the model that suits your needs.

Box cameras are rarely used in homes or small projects, they are more commonly used on special projects that require more control over the lenses.

They have a box shape (that’s why they have such name) and their lenses come separated from the main CCTV camera body as shown in the picture.

You just need to choose which lens you want to use when buying a box camera

These types of cameras are not usually found in homes or small offices because the installation and adjustments are not practical.

A contractor is usually the best person to install and setup this type of camera since is necessary to have some expertise for some adjustments.

Next time you visit places such as a shopping mall or a bank, take a look at the security cameras around the place, usually, you can see some box cameras.

The lenses used in a box camera can be adjusted to guarantee a better angle of view, so a camera like this is very versatile.

This is the most popular CCTV camera model sold in stores, you can find this type of camera pretty much everywhere. Just look around and you will see them.

Security dome cameras have a dome body shape with a lens in the center and also can have some infrared LEDs to illuminate the environment.

Dome cameras are very popular because they are discreete and cheap.

These types of cameras are also very easy to install and setup.

You can buy dome cameras with fixed or varifocal lenses, which means you have an option to adjust the angle of view according to the place they are installed.

It doesn’t matter what’s the technology behind the camera (analog or IP), a dome camera looks exactly the same when you look at them.

There are some manufacturers that offer a smoked dome to hide the camera lens so people can’t see where the camera is pointing at.

Similar to the dome cameras, the turrets are also discrete models.

Look at the picture below to note how this type of camera has some similarities with the dome, however, it’s not quite the same model.

Contrary to the dome, the turret camera doesn’t require opening the camera enclose to move the direction the camera is pointing to.

There’s no acrylic dome in this case, but just a glass in front of the lens.

It’s also possible to buy a turret camera with infrared LEDs but it’s usually not possible to use a varifocal lens since there’s no way to adjust it.

This model is very popular because the installation process is super fast.

You only need to mount drill some holes on in the wall to mount the camera and adjust its position without even open it.

Just like the domes, a turret camera is available with analog or IP technology.

Bullet cameras are also very popular. They also have a discrete body shape similar to the lens and infrared LEDs in the center.

They are not as discrete as dome or turret cameras because of the long enclosure but still, they are found in a lot of different places.

Modern bullet cameras don’t require to be opened for lens adjustment (analog models) even when they are analog, since there are external screws for that.

Have you ever seen those CCTV cameras that can be remotely controlled by some security guards sitting in a surveillance room? I’m sure you already saw it in movies and that’s a real example of the PTZ cameras in operation.

PTZ stands for Pan Tilt and Zoom. Those are the movements the camera can do when somebody is remotely controlling it by using a computer or joystick.

This type of camera can be remotely controlled from the recorder, computer or even from a mobile phone. You can setup for all these types of applications.

You can have an analog or IP PTZ camera, either way, it’s possible to use different methods to send the command to the camera and control its movements.

The following video shows an example on how to control an analog PTZ camera using a standard protocol via traditional coaxial cables (RG59).

OK, you’ve installed your security camera and can monitor everything…

But, how about night time? Can you see what’s going on?

That’s the perfect case for day/night cameras that are designed to see in the dark by using infrared lights, Even you can’t see with naked eyes, the camera can!

Day/Night cameras have such a name because they can work during the day with natural illumination and during the night using the LEDs.

Please watch the following video to understand why this filter is important.

So, before purchasing some day/night camera take a look at the specification to make sure it comes with this type of filter.

As you can imagine at this stage you already know that a day/night camera can also be classified as analog, or IP camera with wired or wireless transmission.

A day/night camera can also be powered by a PoE switch (or an NVR) and meet the requirement for outdoor installation as long it’s at least IP66 rated.

If you are reading this entire article, now you understand that there are a lot of different types of security cameras combined in a single model.

I’m glad you are here and want to learn more, so let’s keep moving…

This is the type of camera you can’t hide from because it can generate images based on the heat irradiation, which means it can see everything based on the temperature. No matter if you are trying to hide behind a bush.

You usually don’t buy a thermal security camera because it’s an expensive model that is usually used only on special projects that requires some serious investment.

It’s also the type of camera that requires special permission in most of the countries, so you need a license to use it (usually approved by the army).

If you did, you have an overall idea of how a thermal camera “sees” the images, it’s exactly the way the predator does, with different colors according to the object temperature (there are some models that show only black and white images).

A Thermal camera is used for military operations on borders and to hunt fugitives in the dark. You can see them also on helicopters used for night missions.

I bet you are thinking about the thermal cameras you can even use on your mobile phone to check the plumbing behind the wall, aren’t you?

You might be wondering “these types of security cameras are not that expensive and don’t require a special license”. You are right, but those are not security cameras, they are still thermal cameras but for a different type of application.

FLIR is the company behind these thermal cameras, either for professional or consumer applications and boy, they are very good at design such products.

You can even have a drone flying with these types of security cameras…

Well, at least some military personnel has access to such technology!

These types of security cameras are awesome!

Just imagine a camera using a type of lens that can capture the images in an entire room. With 360º coverage, there’s no blind spot and you can see everything.

You can use a panoramic security camera to record footage the same way.

After recording the footage, the camera allows you to navigate into its memory and see everything in different ways, including flat videos.

This process is called dewarp. Watch the following video to see an example.

A panoramic camera is also known as a fisheye camera.

This name comes from the type of lens used by such cameras.

There are professional panoramic cameras (as shown in the video) and also some simple models for the consumer market.

I have a Zosi 3MP Panoramic camera myself and it’s pretty interesting.

The image below shows the camera in a desk with a 180º view.

Since the camera is close to a wall, the 180º view is the best option.

As you can see, it’s possible to monitor the entire room without any blind spot.

It’s important to understand what are the types of security cameras available in the market before purchasing the one you need.

Most security cameras use a combination of different technologies and just need to choose the models that have everything you are looking for.

You can have an analog or IP system, all depends on your needs and budget.

I hope this article can help you decide which security camera better for you.

What type of security camera you have ? Please leave your comments below.