Security cameras help you monitor your home 24 hours a day, by live feed or a recording. But not all cameras are created equally, features vary from camera to camera. PTZ security cameras are special cameras that provide extra features compared to regular compares cameras.
Why you should use PTZ cameras?
Large Field of View
Depending on the mounting location they can cover a full 360-degree area. Most models allow the installer to set several surveillance modes based on the viewing angle you need at pre-determined times. Both pan and tilt can be pre-programmed.
This gives you an easy install for locations such as parking lots or rooftops that would normally necessitate a multi-camera install. Sometimes, one or two PTZ cameras can cover entire large areas, helping minimize your costs while maximizing your level of protection.
The lenses on these cameras are varifocal motorized type, meaning you can change the angle of view from very wide (such as 2.8mm) to very narrow (such as 100mm).
Powerful Zoom
PTZ Cameras are available with a detection ability of 150 feet on the low-end and up to 1,000 feet on the more expensive models. The ability to zoom in on a person or object is from around 12X to 36X for the higher-level PTZ cameras.
Normally the more advanced PTZs with tracking ability will provide 36X zoom providing a clear image of a person or object several hundred feet away.
This is excellent for large parking lots or building tops as it allows the camera to be discreetly out of sight from most people while still giving you the ability to zoom in for a clear picture of what’s going on.
Night Vision
Night vision is a very important benefit when you need to provide surveillance in any area with poor lighting conditions. The amount of light is critical to capturing a high-quality image.
The advanced PTZ cameras developed over the past few years have the ability to capture images in total darkness. This is accomplished with the use of small LEDs that emit infrared light and a special IR filter for the camera lens that allows the PTZ Camera to capture excellent video images even in very dark conditions.
It is important to understand that a PTZ camera that is rated for a detection range of 600 feet or more will usually be rated for a maximum range of 400 feet for night viewing. It is a good idea to set up your PTZ cameras in the same lighting conditions they will be recording in, whether dark or bright.
Built-in Motion Tracking
A good PTZ camera comes with built-in tracking which can be set to detect motion and track the person or object, automatically panning, tilting, or zooming to follow the person or object as it moves.
This is a great benefit and will provide you with the video evidence you need in case of theft or vandalism to your property. Don’t skimp on this feature when buying a PTZ camera – make sure it has full motion tracking capabilities.
Pan Rotation & Tilt Rotation At High Speed
PTZ function is the obvious advantage of PTZ cameras. PTZ means pan/tilt/zoom, with pan function, the camera can make rotation horizontally via manually or automatically control at high speed, that’s the reason PTZ cameras are always referred to as “Speed dome”.
Automatically flip tilt rotation at 180 degrees, can make security camera monitoring scene without limitation in vertical. The high-speed panning and tilting feature not only enables the camera can view large areas with a single camera, and surveillance areas can cover every direction and without any surveillance blind spot, but also reduce the number of cameras in given areas.
Auto Focus
Unlike some cheaper dome or bullet cameras, all PTZ security cameras have full-range autofocus built-in. This ensures that no matter where you to pan, tilt or zoom the camera, the resulting picture will always be clear.
Most PTZ cameras also have an auto-adjust IR LED that quickly focuses the picture when moving the camera in areas of complete darkness – a feature almost always missing from cheaper security cameras.
Multiple Alarm system
These cameras usually have four alarm systems. Devices such as motion detectors, glass break devices, door contacts, etc. and can be placed in critical areas and connected to PTZ cameras.
So, whenever there’s a movement on a hot spot, these cameras can be customized to stop all the other coverage and just focus on that particular spot.
Tamper Resistant
The ideal location for a PTZ camera is mounted high above the ground. This gives the best view possible and allows it to survey a wide 360-degree range. This also affords them a certain level of protection.
Additionally, most PTZ cameras are built with rigid metal housings and use high-strength poly-carbonate domes that are virtually shatterproof to vandals. All this while still providing crystal clear images and offering you full pan, tilt, and zoom control.
Weather Resistant
Nowadays PTZ cameras are manufactured in a way that they easily survive years of direct contact with natural elements. In fact, most people who are looking to install cameras in difficult locations like high-rise buildings, invest their trust in high-quality PTZ cameras.
Remote Control: Cameras with remote controls have been around from over a decade. But digitally controlling the communication between the device and the security camera PTZ is even better.Plus it is available for both digital and analog style PTZ camera. This communication happens via a cable, via a wireless system or over the internet. And since the complete communication is digital, multiple cameras can be controlled by a single controller.
