Occasionally, our clients will asked us "why should I pay $150., $200. or more for a surveillance camera when I see cameras selling for $49.00 and even $29.00?"

This is an excellent question; unfortunately, there's no simple answer. Various components affect the cost of a surveillance camera. Some key factors are;

• Type of Lens

• Resolution

• Imaging Element

• B/W or Color

• Construction

All contribute significantly to the cost and quality of your CCTV camera.

We've listed some of the most common components that play an important role in the cost and behavior of all surveillance cameras. We've also included how they may effect your surveillance systems performance.

Focus on your particular situation, and be sure to consider lighting, distance, viewing angle & weather conditions (if unit is placed outside) when making your selection.

LENSES

If you look at our CCTV lens page you'll see three pages of diverse lenses ranging from $19.00 to $319.00. The reason is the quality of the lens, if it has auto focus & auto iris, and the millimeter of the lens.

The millimeter is extremely important when selecting a camera. This is what makes the difference between seeing an entire room or just the corner. A way to find the right millimeter is to remember; "if you need to see an entire room go with a smaller millimeter, if you need to see the numbers on a license plate go with a larger millimeter".

Several other factors to consider are;

• Vari-Focal: Allows adjustment from wide to narrow view. Manual adjustment

• Manual Iris: Use when light conditions remain constant

• Auto Iris: Use when light conditions vary

Your lens selection ultimately depends on image desired and the location of your camera.

RESOLUTION TOP

This is the number of horizontal TV lines (TVL) reproduced on a analog display, most commonly a PAL or NTSC TV. The term "resolution" refers to the amount of detail you see in an image. A DVD is capable of 540TVL whereas cable TV delivers roughly 330TVL. VHS tapes can vary from 250TVL in color to over 400TVL Super Video Home System or S-VHS1.

The more horizontal TV lines the sharper the picture. The average CCTV camera is 300 ~ 400 lines with some cameras having 540TVL resolution.

CCD vs. CMOS

The imaging element is what converts light into electrical images. CCD "Charge Coupled Device" and CMOS "Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor" are two critical components that act as the camera's "digital film."

CMOS is normally used in less expensive cameras although with today's technology, the CMOS camera has greatly improved compared to its quality several years ago.

Since the 1970s, CCD is the preferred technology and is normally found in professional cameras and telescopes. The bottom line is; if you require quality, we suggest CCD.

Advantages of each are...

LUX RATING TOP

LUX or light sensitivity is the amount of light from a candle calculated from one meter away. The lower the LUX Rating, the lower the light needed. The general rule is B&W cameras have a lower LUX rating then color cameras.

Some models come with Infrared Illuminators (IR) to assist when lighting isn't present or too dim for the camera to "see" clearly on its own. IR's are a must when surveillance is needed in darkened rooms (bars, night clubs, restaurants) or when used outdoors with limited or no light source. Fortunately, with today's technology you can find "Day & Night" cameras that offers the best of both worlds.

BLACK & WHITE vs. COLOR

Contributing to the cost of your camera, color is generally more expensive. However, B/W has several advantages such as; lines of resolution, a lower light requirement and B/W cameras on average cost less.

Generally, B&W cameras are used in conjunction with infrared technology. Day/Night cameras (Color to B/W) are recommended when varying light levels are present and/or IR's are used.

CONSTRUCTION TOP

Most professional models are available in either aluminum or steel while most "economical" models are made from plastic. Using plastic cuts the cost down, unfortunately when using plastic cameras outdoors they have a tendency to fade, crack and deteriorate over time.