Security Cameras for Businesses: What To Know

Compre­hensive surveil­lance for any size or type of business is crucial. Security cameras can track everyone who enters and exits your premises and provide vital infor­mation in case of incidents. For businesses, it’s essential to have security cameras that offer clear imagery and efficient video data trans­mission without lag.

With a myriad of options available for business security camera systems, it’s important to discern which features are essential for your specific needs and which are optional. We will explore the key differ­ences among various camera types to help you make an informed decision. These include:

Choosing the right security camera system for your business ensures compre­hensive monitoring of all internal areas and entry and exit points. Optimal coverage elimi­nates blind spots, reducing vulner­a­bil­ities that could be exploited. Let’s delve into what you need to know to secure your business effectively.

Wired vs. Wireless Transmission

The choice between wired and wireless trans­mission for business security cameras depends on factors like the size and layout of your business premises, the complexity of instal­lation you’re prepared to undertake, and the stability of your local network infra­structure. Under­standing these differ­ences will help you choose a system that provides the most effective surveil­lance for your specific business needs.

Wired Security Cameras: These cameras are connected through power and data trans­mission cables. The primary advantage of wired cameras is relia­bility. They offer a stable connection, less suscep­tible to inter­ference and hacking than wireless systems. This makes them ideal for larger businesses where maintaining consistent, high-quality video surveil­lance over a vast area is crucial. However, installing wired cameras can be more complex and intrusive. The presence of physical cables also means that the placement of cameras is limited to locations where wiring can be feasibly installed.

Wireless Security Cameras: Wireless cameras transmit video data over Wi-Fi or other wireless networks, offering greater flexi­bility in placement. This makes them suitable for small to medium-sized businesses or areas where wiring is imprac­tical. The instal­lation is typically easier and less disruptive, allowing for a more adaptable surveil­lance setup. Wireless cameras are also easier to scale up or recon­figure as your business grows or needs change. However, they rely on the strength and stability of your wireless network, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connec­tivity. Wireless systems can be more vulnerable to security risks like hacking, so it’s important to ensure robust network security.

Data Storage Solutions

It’s rare that you immedi­ately use the images from your surveil­lance cameras. Instead, you might need to review videos from weeks or months ago, so you need ways to store those videos for extended periods. While many modern cameras have the option to install a storage card, onboard storage has concrete limita­tions. You likely won’t be able to store high-defin­ition video on the camera’s internal memory for longer than a week.

Cloud storage is an option for longer-term video storage. By adding compression, video quality remains reliable without using too much storage space. With end-to-end encryption to protect your data, you can easily store and manage your videos when you work with the right cloud storage partner. Additionally, you can also have a storage card on each security camera, which is commonly referred to as ​“edge recording.”

High Defin­ition Video

Picture quality is a distin­guishing feature when it comes to surveil­lance cameras. Some cameras record low-defin­ition video that’s almost unusable when identi­fying a suspect or seeing detailed actions. However, these lower-quality cameras can be a reasonable option if you only use video cameras as a deterrent, with no need to use the footage later.

High Defin­ition (HD) video is essential for capturing clear, detailed images, which can be pivotal in various scenarios, from identi­fying individuals to analyzing events accurately.

HD cameras provide a signif­icant improvement in image quality over standard defin­ition cameras. They offer higher resolution, which means more pixels and finer details. This clarity is crucial when you need to identify specific features or actions in the footage, such as facial features, license plates, or the handling of items. In situa­tions where identi­fi­cation or detailed analysis is necessary, the superior resolution of HD cameras can make a substantial difference.

While HD cameras offer superior image quality, they require more storage space and bandwidth. High-resolution video files are larger and can quickly fill up storage drives. Additionally, trans­mitting HD video requires more bandwidth, which can be a consid­er­ation if using a wireless system. Businesses need to ensure they have adequate storage solutions and network capacity to handle the increased demands of HD video.

Low Light Performance

Some cameras take great video footage when the area is well-lit but lose defin­ition after dark or when the lights go off. However, certain cameras have night or low-light modes that allow them to capture images even in the dark.

Even the best low-light camera may not be equal in quality to daylight perfor­mance, but you can offset lower light levels with better visual equipment or by installing additional lighting. Talk to your security expert to determine the best solution for your business and budget.

Emergency Power Setup

An often overlooked but crucial aspect of a business security camera system is its emergency power setup. This feature ensures that your surveil­lance system remains opera­tional even during power outages, which is vital for continuous security monitoring.

If you have emergency backup power in your building and server room, it can be extended to your surveil­lance cameras. If you don’t already have an emergency power solution, you might want to look into surveil­lance cameras with an onboard battery. An Uninter­rupted Power Supply (UPS) system is critical to an emergency power setup. It provides backup power to your security cameras and recording equipment during a power outage. This battery-powered system kicks in automat­i­cally when the regular power supply is inter­rupted, ensuring there is no lapse in surveil­lance. The duration for which a UPS can power your system varies depending on its capacity and the power require­ments of your cameras. It’s important to choose a UPS with suffi­cient capacity to cover your critical surveil­lance needs until power is restored or alter­native arrange­ments can be made.