When keeping your home or workspace safe, the primary thing you must always cover is surveillance. Generally, can you cut costs when buying a monitoring system since it’s the first line of defense? And most of the time, people tend to get cameras of subpar quality. That’s not recommended.
However, one type of camera that stands out is the PTZ webcam. In this segment alone, you’ll be able to find hundreds of varieties that offer different sorts of features. Naturally, it will be overwhelming to research and buy the best ptz camera lens that doesn’t break your budget.
But don’t worry. In this article, you’ll read about getting a top-quality monitoring camera. All you have to do is to consider and understand some factors, which you’ll be reading now! Let’s jump into it, shall we?
Zoom range
One of the first things you should see before buying your PTZ system is its zooming capability. This is one of the most key features any surveillance system should have. Some of the best cameras have a high zoom range, say around 30 times!!
When buying a PTZ, ensure it has at least a 20x zoom range to view visuals at farther distances. Similarly, the lens should have a higher resolution, at least 1080p. This will prevent the images from getting distorted when zooming into the area.
Note that there are two types of zoom lenses. One is a Manual Zoom, and the other is a Motorized Zoom. As the name says, you’ll have to physically turn a dial to zoom in or out in Manual Zoom. However, if the camera has a motorized lens, it can automatically zoom in on any area. These are generally found in mid to high-end PTZ variants.
Focal length
The lens size inside a camera, usually known as focal length, is another critical component. You’ll be able to find lenses of shorter and longer lengths. What’s the difference between the both? A shorter lens will give a wider view. And the greater the length, the farther you’ll be able to see.
If you need to monitor large areas such as a parking lot, storage units, or backyard, then it’s better to go for a wide-angle lens. A camera with a longer focal length is best suited for monitoring areas such as hallways, crucial entrances, and so on. The length range for security cameras falls between 2.8mm to 12mm. 2.8mm is the widest, and 12mm is the longest.
Please keep in mind that your camera must have a varifocal lens. Only these types of lenses can adjust their focal length. If the lens is fixed, it will not have an adjustable focal length.
Aperture
The aperture determines how much light can pass through to the camera sensor. This is denoted by ‘F-stop.’ If the camera has a larger aperture, it means the lens can take in more light. This will be very beneficial in places with poor lighting conditions. But cameras with higher apertures are relatively costly.
If you’re setting up a brightly lit camera, getting a high aperture camera will not make sense. However, most cameras in the market come with adjustable F-stops. You can control it with the help of the software.
Image stabilization
The final footage will be stable when you record a video from your mobile camera. Have you noticed that? That’s because your mobile has an image stabilization camera feature. And the same technology is built into PTZ security cameras as well.
There are two types of stabilizations that manufacturers offer you. They are optical and digital. If your device is optically stabilized, your lens has a dedicated module that muzzles out minor shakes and stutters. Does it mean that footage cannot be stable without an optical lens? No. That’s where digital stabilization comes into action.
Digital image stabilization is achieved through software processing and is less effective than optical stabilization. The recorded footage will be processed by the camera software, and the system will counteract the areas where the video is shaky. This is also called post-processing.
When you’re getting a camera, buy one with optical lenses. If not, you’ll be able to find cameras that come with gimbals or external stabilization modules.
Final thoughts
If you plan to get a PTZ with all the high-end features, you’ll have to spend quite a fortune on them. However, you can find a decent ptz webcam at comparatively lower costs with all the features you read!
When you’re about to buy a surveillance system, what factor do you give the most importance to? Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments!
