There are lots of different CCTV cameras on the market each one making amazing claims so it’s easy to see why people get confused. Correct camera choice is the single most important thing when creating a good quality CCTV system. It is also the thing most people get wrong by fitting wide-angle cameras and then wondering why they can’t make out any detail when something happens. Retailers don’t make things easy, they make claims in their advertising material which is simply not true. In this buying guide, we’re going to look at some of the key things to consider when choosing a CCTV camera and help you avoid those common mistakes. We cover things like optical range, and how far away from the camera can you identify someone or read a number plate. 

We also discuss Infrared, the ability of a camera to see in the dark. TVL or television lines is something many retailers use to distinguish between cameras, we explain why this isn’t a very good metric by which to judge cameras. Finally, we talk about optical versus digital zoom and explain why varifocal cameras offer a much greater chance of capturing high detail. Choose a topic from the menu on the left or simply work your way through the list. There is a lot of information here, if you’d rather pick up the phone and have a chat with someone we are always happy to chat. We can have a look at your site using internet mapping whilst talking through what you were hoping to achieve. This will allow us to put together a package for you together with a plan showing where cameras should be fitted.