Types of CCTV Camera: Bullet, Dome, PTZ and their uses

With the rising crime rates, it has become a necessity to install CCTV cameras in every nook and corner of your property. To serve the purpose, different types of CCTV cameras have been invented across the world. If you are planning to install CCTV cameras for security and surveillance at your home, school and office, make sure that you know all about types of CCTV camera and their uses along with advantages. We have done the hard work for you and devised a list of CCTV cameras types and their uses. In this blog, you will find detailed description of Bullet, Dome, PTZ, C-Mount, Fish Eye, Infrared, Wireless, Pinhole cameras along with their uses.

Are you wondering which of these cameras to install for your home, school and office? We have summarised the advantages of each camera and also listed some of the popular CCTV camera brands in India including Samsung, Bosch, Pelco, Globus Infocom, Honeywell, Mi, etc.

Types of CCTV Camera

Dome CCTV Camera

Shaped like a dome, Dome CCTV Cameras are used for both indoors and outdoors use. It has a dome-shaped glass casing in which the lens is embedded. The main USP of Dome CCTV Camera is that it is hard to figure out where the camera is looking. This creates an air of uncertainty among intruders coming from all directions. Some of the brands like Globus Infocom use vandal-proof housing to provide uninterrupted security and surveillance to your property.

Advantages of Dome CCTV Camera

• It is easier to install owing to its design.
• Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
• Vandal-resistant housing
• Ability to adjust the lens in 360-degree direction.

Uses of Dome CCTV Camera

Dome CCTV Cameras are mounted in the corner of the premises like shops, restaurants, school, casinos, hotels. The design of the camera allows you to monitor a wide angle since you can adjust the focus area manually. It is considered as the best indoor CCTV camera as the intruders cannot figure out where the camera is looking.

Bullet CCTV Cameras

Bullet CCTV Cameras are called by the name since they shape resembles a bullet. Cylindrical in shape, they are usually are mounted on the wall in outdoor areas. Owing to their cylindrical shape, they are capable of focussing long distances. Hence, they are usually used for outdoor surveillance. To make them resilient to outdoor factors like dust, water and harsh sunlight, Bullet CCTV Cameras come with metallic casing and sun shade. They are also resistant to vandalism which is common in outdoor areas. They come with varifocal as well as fixed lenses. With the help of varifocal lenses, the focal length of the camera can be adjusted manually.

Advantages of Bullet CCTV Camera

• Bullet CCTV Cameras are highly visible. This acts as a deterrent for the intruders.
• It is resistant to external factors like water, dust and sunlight.
• They can provide surveillance over long distance.
• Metallic casing also makes them vandalism-resistant.

Uses of Bullet CCTV Camera

Bullet CCTV Cameras are often used in outdoor areas like entrance, gates, garage, park, etc. They produce high quality images and also deter intruders by being too visible. They are the most common CCTV Camera used for outdoor surveillance.

C-Mount CCTV Camera

C-Mount CCTV Camera is often used where the camera needs to adapt the field of view. They come with detachable lenses which can be switched to monitor varying distances. They are usually very bulky like Bullet CCTV Camera, so their high visibility also acts as a deterrent for the intruders.

Advantages of C-Mount CCTV Camera

• Lenses can be fitted to extend the range of C-Mount CCTV Cameras.
• These cameras are bulky, so they deter criminals by merely being visible.
• They are highly-rugged and vandal-proof. They can be used in outdoor harsh conditions.
• They come with sun-shade to prevent glare from harsh sunlight.

Uses of C-Mount CCTV Camera

C-Mount CCTV Camera is ideal for observing roads and crossroads. It can also be used on the approach of your premises to observe the road in front of it. This camera can withstand high temperatures, thus can also be used in manufacturing units.

Pan, Tilt, Zoom CCTV Camera (PTZ Camera)

As the name suggest, PTZ Cameras are capable of panning, zooming and tilting to provide 360-degree surveillance to your property. Above all, the security team can have complete control over the focal length, radius and area of surveillance. The camera head can be moved up and down, left and right and zoom in or zoom out to create ideal images. It is just like a security guard keeping a vigil over your perimeter.

Advantages of PTZ Camera

• Powerful optical zoom to focus on objects even up to 500 metres away from the camera.
• Pan and tilt feature provides you 360-degree field of vision.
• High resolution images created by PTZ Camera.
• Security team can control what the camera is recording and can react accordingly.

Uses of PTZ Camera

PTZ Camera is used for remote viewing. It can be used in places where there are specific valuable things to protect. Thus, they can be of great use for museums, retail stores, peripheries, boundaries, etc. It can also be used in garages to keep an eye over the cars. A single PTZ camera covers a great area, thus lesser units are required.

Day/Night CCTV Camera

Some CCTV cameras are designed specifically to operate in low light conditions or even dark. They can record clear images even in low light conditions. It is made possible due to highly sensitive image sensors and imaging chips. Most of the CCTV cameras use Infrared technology to create images in low light and dark conditions. IR sensors are mounted all around the lens to emit IR rays during dark.

Advantages of Day/Night CCTV Camera

• They can record clear images in low light.
• They can record coloured images in low light conditions.
• Day/Night Camera can produce clear images despite glare, direct sunlight, poor lighting and reflection.
• They usually come with hard metallic casing to protect them from vandalism and weather conditions like rain, sunlight, dust, etc.

Uses of Day/Night CCTV Camera

Day/Night CCTV Camera are types of CCTV Camera, that are usually used for outdoor purpose. They are used in porch, garage, entrance, exit, perimeter of the property.

IR/Night Vision CCTV Camera

IR Cameras use the Infrared technology to produce clear, decipherable images in dark and low light conditions. They can provide surveillance even in pitch dark conditions. IR based CCTV Cameras are usually more expensive than the Day/Night CCTV Cameras. Nowadays, mostly people like to invest in IR based cameras because security is required round the clock for their business.

Advantages of IR/Night Vision CCTV Camera

• IR sensors allow the camera to record clear images even in pitch black conditions.
• IR-cut filter also produces clear images in lighter conditions.
• In case of fog, smoke and dust, it can capture clear images.
• It records clear coloured images in day and black and white at night.

Uses of IR/Night Vision CCTV Camera

IR/Night Vision CCTV Camera are best for outdoor use or places where round the clock surveillance is required.

Network/IP CCTV Camera

Network/IP CCTV Camera are types of CCTV Camera, that are capable of transmitting data and power through the same chord. They share live footage through internet so the images and footage can be accessed remotely from anywhere. The bandwidth of the video is compressed, so it doesn’t take up much storage space and internet bandwidth. Also, some brands offer encryption as well to keep your footage secure from cyber theft. The archive footage from IP CCTV Camera is saved on Network Video Recorder.

Advantages of Network/IP CCTV Camera

• The recorded footage can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
• The archive of footage can also be accessed from anywhere.
• IP Cameras are easy to setup since they require same chord for power and data transmission.
• They are low maintenance.

Uses of Network/IP CCTV Camera

Network Camera is best for people who are often away from their property and want to keep surveillance even in their absence. It can also be used to keep a watch over pets and toddlers by working couples.

Fish Eye Camera

Fish Eye Camera is one of the types of CCTV Camera, that comes with ultra-wide angle lens to provide you 360-degree surveillance with single camera itself. They produce strong visual distortion to accommodate entire area in a single footage. They use special mapping technique which produces images with non-rectilinear appearance.

Advantages of Fish Eye Camera

• They are capable of keeping a watch over an entire room without any extra unit.
• They provide 360-degree surveillance to your property.
• They are compact in size and easy to install.

Uses of Fish Eye Camera

Fish Eye Camera is usually used indoors in offices, garages, shops, etc to keep an eye over a large area with single camera.

Also Read: Starlight Technology: How is it different from Infrared CCTV Cameras?

CCTV Camera Brands in India

In India, there are a number of brands providing CCTV Cameras, NVRs, DVRs, Switches and other accessories. Make in India brand Globus Infocom is one such brand that provides an entire security and surveillance solution to business and organizations. Their wide range of security and surveillance products include IP CCTV Camera, Analog Cameras, PTZ Cameras, Bullet Cameras, Dome CCTV Camera, Fish Eye Camera, Body Worn Camera and Mobile Surveillance System. Other accessories include NVRs, DVRs, Switches, etc. Other brands that have established their name in India in the field of security and surveillance include Honeywell, Dahua, Hikvision, Mi, etc.