Configuration – A quick glance at a distributor’s list of cameras can verify what most people know already: cameras come in different shapes. The configurations that the consumer will most often see sold as security cameras are dome, bullet, and pinhole. The dome cameras are exactly that – a camera within a dome enclosure that often installs on a ceiling. They make for discreet surveillance solutions, particularly when the dome enclosure is tinted to hide the camera from view. Bullet cams are usually longer, cylindrical enclosures, often installed under eaves or in corners. Pinhole cameras are often also called “spy cameras.” A pinhole camera is a very small camera and lens, usually hidden inside a nondescript trinket or made to look innocuous, like a motion detector. Pinhole cameras are good devices for surreptitiously monitoring indoor activity; one will often see them referred to as “nanny cams.” The dummy camera is as it sounds – a fake camera that does not actually record or monitor anything. Its mere presence is meant to create the illusion of surveillance. Dummy cameras can make good supplements to a real surveillance system. They are cheap (as low as $20), and some feature a blinking red LED to better ward off the would-be intruder.

Indoor or Outdoor – Camera application is a key consideration. Outdoor cameras are vulnerable to the elements, and as such can be outfitted to survive. “Weatherproof” is a description often accompanying the outdoor camera, but different climates will require a little more attention to this detail. For some high-end surveillance jobs, McKinney has seen outdoor solutions that really went the distance: “The cameras had weatherproof housing, heater blowers, windshield wipers, the whole deal,” he says. The average consumer might not be able to afford such camera amenities, but the weatherproof enclosure on an exposed application is a must-have, regardless of region. One should look at the “Operating Temperature” or “Operating Environment” of the camera as well.

Color or Black & White – There are cameras that are one or the other, and there are some that switch automatically to B/W when the light-level is low, to preserve image quality. It is recommended that a B/W camera be used in low-light situations. B/W cameras make the most financial sense – they offer a better resolution, are sensitive to infrared-light, and can operated under low-light settings. Matching a B/W camera with a motion-detection floodlight is an affordable, effective solution. Color is only needed in a security camera when determining uniform color or car color is important.

Resolution – Like a digital camera, a security camera’s resolution determines the clarity of the images captured. The higher the resolution, the greater the image clarity. You’ll often see an analog camera’s resolution denoted in “TV lines of resolution,” or “TVL resolution.” 400 or 420 TVL is a common resolution for an affordable analog cam. Digital security camera resolution – like all digital cameras – varies by pixel.

Tilt/Pan/Zoom – The ability to adjust the camera’s aim remotely is a fun feature, but it may incur a greater cost than is necessary. Most recorded events are not watched as they happen, rendering the T/P/Z feature a bit superfluous for an outdoor application. It makes more financial sense for a consumer to purchase two standard fixed cameras that cover a 180 degree field of vision than a more expensive T/P/Z camera whose 90 degree field is limited but adjustable. The exception might be in a “nanny-cam” situation, where the homeowner wants to be able to scan about an entire room, or in a residential setting that employs a full-time security guard on the premises.

LUX – A camera’s LUX (also Lux) rating indicates sensitivity to light. A lower LUX rating means that it will take less light for the camera to reproduce an image. Indoor cameras that will always have readily available light may register in the 10 Lux range, while extremely low-light cameras can be as low as .001 Lux.

Infrared – It is very common to find cameras that incorporate infrared sensitivity. An IR-camera can basically “see” in the dark, provided there is enough infrared light illuminating the scene. Some camera models have infrared illumination built-in, while others might require a separate infrared illuminator (basically an infrared spotlight) to flood an area with enough infrared light for the camera to record in dark conditions. IR light does not extend very far, however. Although the IR-camera can operate at 0 LUX, the IR light illuminating the area fades significantly over a short distance, leaving subjects at greater distances less visible.

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Ben Hardy - Contributing Writer

Between watching re-runs of the The Jetsons and convincing his Insteon and Z-Wave controls to get along, Ben Hardy is immersed in the world of home automation, home control, and home networking.