What Are the Specification of CCTV Cameras? A Complete Buying Guide

It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying a CCTV for personal or commercial use, you must consider the specification wisely while selecting the right CCTV system for you. So, what specifications of CCTV you should check for choosing the suitable one for you?

The basic key specifications to consider are resolution, build quality, performance, range, durability, etc. However, it depends on the purpose of buying the CCTV.

In this article, we have pointed out the key specifications that you should focus on while purchasing a CCTV system. We hope it will help you make an informed decision. So, let’s begin!

The Specification of CCTV Cameras You Should Consider While Buying

Modern CCTV cameras come with a variety of features that make one better than another. So, it is really hard to find out the best or most suitable CCTV camera for individuals. Here are the most important specifications that you should consider while buying a CCTV system:

1. Brand

When buying a CCTV, the first thing to consider is the “brand”. You should always go for the popular brands instead of going for locally made brands. Here are the top 10 CCTV brands you can consider:

1. Hikvision
2. Axis
3. Dahua
4. Hanwha Techwin
5. Bosch
6. Mobotix
7. Intelbras
8. Avigilon
9. Uniview
10. Vivotek

2. Type of Cameras

There are different types of CCTV cameras available on the market depending on different scenarios. You can choose wisely depending on for what purpose you’re purchasing the CCTV system:

• Dome CCTV: offers a discreet and aesthetic appeal with a 360-rotation feature. It is perfect for commercial use including shops, restaurants, hotels, and cash counters.
• Bullet CCTV: are more visible and deter potential intruders. It is suitable for using in industrial sectors, securing property, or outdoors.
• C-Mount CCTV: has detachable lenses with the ability to capture different distances. It is widely used in logistics and manufacturing industries.
• PTZ Pan-tilt CCTV: allows remote control for panning, tilting 360 degrees, and zooming, offering greater coverage. It is widely used in museums and entry/exit gates of a high-security zone.
• Day/Night CCTV: is commonly used for 24/7 video surveillance in different places. It can capture clear images at night. You can use it to monitor outdoors or any place.
• Infrared CCTV: can provide you with crystal clear images even in dark surroundings, fog, dust, or smoke. You can use it for monitoring your property at night.
• IP CCTV: also known as the network camera. It allows users to access the CCTV from anywhere in the world. This camera is suitable for those who are away from the site. You can use this CCTV for monitoring your home remotely from a long distance.
• Wireless CCTV: doesn’t require any wired connection and is easy to install. You can control and access the camera wirelessly.
• HD CCTV: is as it is named. It can capture images at high resolution and you can clearly see the details in the footage even if it is zoomed. These CCTVs are best for identifying people and protecting your property from thieves.

3. Resolution

Resolution is another critical factor to consider while buying a CCTV system. It determines the quality of the picture captured by the cameras. The resolution for CCTV can be found from 2 Megapixels to 12 Megapixels.

Here are the CCTV resolutions at a glance:

Resolution	Pixels (W x H)	Pixels per Frame
QCIF	176 x 120	21,120
CIF	352 x 240	84,480
2CIF	704 x 240	168,960
4CIF	704 x 480	337,920
D1	720 x 480	345,600
960	960 x 480	460,800
720p HD	1280 x 720	921,600
960p HD	1280 x 960	1,228,800
1080p AHD	1920 x 1080	2,073,600
1.3 MP	1280 x 1024	1,310,720
2 MP	1600 x 1200	1,920,000
1080p HD	1920 x 1080	2,073,600
3 MP	2048 x 1536	3,145,728
4 MP	2688 x 1520	3,686,400
5 MP	2592 x 1944	5,017,600
6 MP	3072 x 2048	6,291,456
8 MP / 4K (Coax)	3840 x 2160	8,294,400
12 MP / 4K (IP)	4000 x 3000	12,000,000

If you want to purchase a CCTV for your home, then 2 to 5 Megapixels will be sufficient for you. But if you want to get more clear footage, then you have to go for the 8 or 12-MP CCTV that is capable of capturing 4K resolution.

4. Storage & Recordings

There are two types of CCTV cameras you can find on the market – with internal storage and without internal storage. Again, some CCTV camera has micro-SD clip slot where you can use up to 128GB micro-SD card for recording.

If the camera doesn’t have any internal storage or an SD card slot, then you have to purchase a hard drive and connect it to the DVR to store recordings by the camera.

Here you have to calculate how long can the CCTV be able to capture video to determine the size of storage you’ll need for your CCTV. For example, recording with a single CCTV camera at 1080P resolution will take up 1GB of space on your hard disk in 1 hour.

However, it depends on several factors such as the resolution of CCTV, the frame rate of captured recordings, recording options such as continuous recording, scheduled recording, or motion-based recording, etc. It’d be best if you get a CCTV with a SATA 3.5 hard disk by WD Purple series or SEAGATE Skyhawk.

5. Field of View (FOV)

The field of view (FOV) of the CCTV camera determines the range or area covered by a CCTV camera. There are 3 types of FOV including 2.8mm, 4mm, and 6mm. 2.8mm will provide you with a wider view while the 6mm FOV will provide you with a zoomed view of the area. A CCTV with a wider FOV will allow you to cover a larger area and you don’t need multiple cameras to monitor a specific area.

6. Price

Price can be another specification of a CCTV camera that one must consider. Because when choosing a CCTV camera, it is important to set a budget and choose a camera that meets your needs and your budget. The price range for a CCTV camera can be from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Choose a suitable camera that meets your needs and your budget.

7. Other Special Features

You have to choose which feature would be more suitable for you or the field where you’re going to use the CCTV.

1. Capture at Low Light: Some CCTV features infrared (IR) illumination or low-light image sensors which allows users to capture images in the dark. You can choose CCTV with these features if you require 24/7 monitoring or planning to install cameras in areas with limited lighting.
2. Pan or Tilt: Some CCTV cameras can move only vertically; some can move horizontally only while some can capture all around 360 degrees. Which one you should go for depends on where you’re going to install the CCTV.
3. Connectivity and Integration: Some CCTV allows them to monitor remotely via smartphones, tablets, or computers. If you want to monitor your property remotely, you can go for the CCTV that has this feature.
4. Object and Motion Detection: Some CCTV provides exclusive features like facial recognition, license plate recognition, object detection, and people counting. These advanced features will help you monitor efficiently. Again, you can save a lot of your storage if your CCTV has the motion detection feature.
5. Audio Capture: Some CCTV allows users to capture audio along with the video. Again, some cameras have both microphone and speaker, allowing two-way communication through the CCTV. You can go for these features if you need the audio from the site you’re monitoring.
6. Electrical and Mechanical Specifications

You also have to consider the electrical and mechanical specifications of the CCTV camera:

• Wire: 3+1 coaxial wire (pure copper).
• Voltage range: 8 to 18 VDC.
• Composite Video Output: 1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohms.
• Horizontal Resolution: 480 TVL.
• Horizontal Adjust Angle: 0°~360°
• Vertical Adjust Angle: 0°~60°
• White balance: Automatic
• Connectors: BNC (Video Out) and DC Jack type for power.
• ERD (Power Supply): DC 12Vol; 5Amp (4 cameras), 10Amp (8 cameras), 20Amp (10-16 cameras).

Bonus Tip: Best Budget-Friendly CCTV Cameras You Can Buy

If you are looking for a budget-friendly CCTV camera that has night mode, motion sensors, and remote access features, then you can choose any of these CCTV cameras from below:

• Mi WiFi Smart Security Camera
• TP-Link Tapo C200 Smart Home WiFi Camera
• Qubo Smart Cam 360
• TP-Link Tapo C100 Indoor WiFi Security Camera
• Srihome SH025 camera
• Yi 87001 Home Camera

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions and Answers)

What Are The 7 Components Of CCTV?

Here are the 7 basic components of a CCTV system:

1. Camera.
2. Monitoring Solutions.
3. Video Recorders.
4. Supporting Accessories.
5. Storage Devices.
6. Power Supply.
7. Video Management Software.

What Is the CCTV Camera Brief Description?

A brief description of a CCTV camera refers to an overview or summary of the camera’s key features and characteristics so that the buyers can understand its capabilities at a glance. It includes information such as camera type, resolution, night vision capabilities, field of view, storage options, connectivity, and any unique features that set it apart from other cameras.

Which Quality Is Best for CCTV Cameras?

The best quality for a CCTV camera depends on your specific needs and requirements. However, key qualities like high resolution, good low-light performance, wide dynamic range, robust build quality, weather resistance, reliability, durability, and advanced features such as motion detection or facial recognition make the CCTV the best in quality.

Conclusion

Selecting the right CCTV system requires careful consideration of various specifications. All the key specifications that you need to consider while selecting the best CCTV camera for you are discussed in this article precisely. So, we hope you won’t have to be confused about which specification you should consider while choosing a CCTV system. If you have any further question, feel free to ask in our comment section below. Thanks for reading.