One of the most commonly asked questions our sales team receives is which camera style someone should purchase. Dome, turret, bullet, even PTZ? I am here to tell you that the style of the camera you choose may not matter as much as you think it does. We are going to take a deeper look into each style, compare their differences, and see which style will work best for your application click here to know more
DOME - TURRET - BULLET
Dome cameras are typically the most robust and durable of the three. All internal components are covered by a plexiglass shell and almost always have a vandal and weather rating to ensure no damage can be done.
Turret cameras are the least popular of the three. There is not really a downside to using a turret but for some reason, people usually either go with dome or bullet cameras. Turret’s are similar to Domes being that they a dome shape but turret cameras do not have the protective plexiglass shell around them. They also have vandal and weather ratings but it will be less frequent and will absolutely vary from camera to camera.
Lastly, let’s look at Bullet Cameras. Bullets can also be found with vandal and weather ratings but they are probably the least durable of the three. The Bullet camera was designed on a hinge separate from its mounting point. This means that if someone wanted to, they could reach for the camera, and move the cameras to the side, meaning they would not be seen. Something else we have heard of people doing is jumping up, and grabbing the bullet camera down off of the wall since it is on a free hinge. This can definitely be a problem, so we would recommend placing these cameras at either a safe enough distance off the ground, or in a place where people can not access them.
In conclusion, a Dome camera is going to be the most popular and most durable, but all cameras have their pros and cons so you should weigh those into your decision before making a choice.
PTZ CAMERA
PTZ and Pinhole cameras are very different things but they both are considered “specialty” or non traditional cameras so we are going to cover them at the same time. PTZ Cameras, or Pan Tilt Zoom cameras, are a high end, watermelon shaped camera that give you the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom from either a joystick or your phone/web browser. Some PTZ cameras even give you the ability to schedule an event so the camera rotates 90 depress every other minute. This can be useful if you are trying to cover large areas with a single camera.
Another feature some specific PTZ cameras offer is motion detection out of frame, or “auto-tracking”. This feature allows you to set the camera to motion detection, and if someone walks into your cameras frame, and then back out, the camera will then pan and follow the motion until it stops. This can be especially useful if you are only wanting a single camera to cover a room entrance or exit. Next, lets look at pinhole cameras. Pinhole cameras have a very specific and unique use. These cameras have a very small form factor and are almost non visible when implemented correctly. They typically have an extremely wide angle lens and are used in close up encounters. For example, ATM machines, front doors, bank teller desks, key card entry ways in business buildings, etc.
Types of Camera
Style : Dome
Durability : Most Durable
Field of View : Varies from Camera to Camera
Application : Day to day use for home owner and or business, durable and robust.
Style : Bullet
Durability : Fairly Durable , Easily Movable
Field of View : Varies from Camera to Camera
Application : Day to day use, best if camera is placed higher so no one can move the camera.
Style : Turret
Durability : Fairly Durable
Field of View : Varies from Camera to Camera
Application : Day to day use for homeowner and or business owner.
Style : PTZ
Durability : Not Very Durable (Very delicate internal components)
Field of View : Great for long range and close range capturing, works well if you need camera to turn 90 degrees every so often on a set schedule automatically. Camera has capability to pan, tilt, and zoom.
Application : Day to day use for homeowner and or business owner.
Style : PINHOLE
Durability : Not Very Durable
Field of View : Typically very wide
Application : Used for close encounter situations. A few examples would be an ATM, front door of a business/home, bank teller desk.