How To Choose A CCTV Camera

High resolution lenses for machine vision — standard and custom lens design

How To Choose A CCTV Camera For Your Business Premises

High Resolution Lenses for machine vision, instrumentation, inspection and vibration-sensitive applications. Standard and custom hi-res lens assemblies.

Small business owners have much on their plate, from making sales to hiring and retaining employees to worrying about the safety and security not only of their premises but their goods and the safety of their employees. There are many ways to address security issues and they range from hiring on-site security personnel to patrol the premises 24/7 to running employee background checks to installing check point security systems to prevent customer theft. These measures are not only cost prohibitive, but may not address all of your security concerns.

Installing CCTV cameras along with fingerprint or password protected access to the controls and recording devices may be more cost effective and better able to ensure safety. Additionally, with CCTV cameras in place, if you need to call law enforcement or seek prosecution you have the video surveillance to take to court as your evidence.

Statistics show that businesses that install CCTV cameras can deter vandalism and theft at much higher rates than businesses that don’t. CCTV cameras, placed in strategic locations whether it’s higher priced good areas, parking lots, the warehouse or behind the cash registers, act as a continual deterrent.

Because violence and theft are seemingly more frequent at the workplace, the use of CCTV cameras may curb that behavior. Placing the CCTV at various locations and even moving the cameras to different locations could lead to increased security for employees and customers and decreased incidences of theft, vandalism or workplace violence.

Items to consider when shopping for CCTV cameras
There are myriad items to take into consideration when purchasing a CCTV camera system for your establishment including:

• Will you want a motion sensor activated system?
• Will you be looking into a wireless camera system? These are ideal if you want the ease of being able to move the cameras to different locations throughout the store.
• What type of resolution and video quality will you need? These are key features to consider because they will play a role in determining the cost of the system as well as the quality of the images captured.
• Will you need to upgrade your computer system to accommodate the camera technology and recording?
• How easy is it for you to access the footage that’s recorded? Will you want to have live streaming or the ability to go back at your leisure and review the footage? Be aware that you can have the video streamed to your smart phone as well as to a secure website.
• If you have motion activated cameras how will you receive an alert in the event the store is broken into during off hours?
• A CCTV system with real time viewing may also offer an option to sound an alarm or lock down the site if the need arises.
• Will you need surveillance out of doors? If so, you may need to look into waterproof technologies as well as those that operate in a low visible light spectrum. There are cameras on the market that can capture images in low or no-light situations (aka night vision cameras).
• What is the ease of installation with the CCTV system? Keep in mind that wireless systems, while they may cost more, are typically easier to install than wired-type devices.
• If you have a system in which you view pre-recorded footage, make certain you check the system frequently to make certain it is working and capturing the images you’d planned. If you are recording to a DVR, make certain the disc storage does not become maxed out or it will stop capturing footage.
• Because of privacy issues you cannot place “hidden” cameras and you will likely be required to place signs in prominent locations that warn customers and employees that there is CCTV surveillance in place.

CCTV cameras are one line of defense for business owners when it comes to the safety and security of employees as well as goods being sold. Remember though that they are only one in a line of many defense mechanisms you can put in place. Adding biometric (fingerprint) locks on doors or cash registers is an ideal way to do away with keyed entry points and this also allows the business owner to see who is entering and leaving the building and at what time. Digital locks that operate with keywords or personal identification codes are also another way to secure the building as well as keep track of who is entering and leaving.

Installing a CCTV system may be a job for a handyman or a do it yourselfer or in some cases you may simply rely on the services of a security company to offer advice on camera placement as well as installation.

Universe provides standard and custom CCTV lens assemblies for image capture, barcode scanning, night vision systems, medical systems, hi-speed imaging, machine vision and robotics vision.