Zoom Lens Security Camera Can Help Or Hurt A Business

Depending on the size of the building in which a camera is being used, a zoom lens security camera can either be a benefit or a distraction.

Similar to a regular camera, the zoom lens provides an overall larger image than what is seen with the naked eye in order to bring the image closer.

When an image is viewed through a zoom lens security camera, everything in front of it and behind the focus of the picture also appears closer to the camera.

While a zoom lens security camera can help provide accurate identification of people and objects further away, anything that is in front of the object may not be included in the picture and objects behind it may appear larger than they really are.

Typically, a business will use an 8-mm lens on cameras that are focused between 10 and 30 feet and will use a zoom lens security camera for images further away, usually in parking lots or in large warehouses.

To capture images in tighter quarters, four and six-mm lenses are often used to capture a larger part of the scene. To be really useful, a zoom lens security camera should be able to be adjusted from remote control and in addition to be able to zoom in and out, should also be able to be panned and tilted to track a subject through a large area.

Recorder Determines Final Image Quality

When using a zoom lens security camera it is best to have them recorded with a digital recorder as the image size is considerably larger than a camera with a set focal length. Consider the zoom lens the same as that on a typical camcorder to get a better idea of what the end result will be from a zoom lens security camera.

In most still cameras a 200 mm lens can provide an enlarged image from several hundred feet but with a zoom lens security camera, 50 to 60 mm may be the limit to obtain a quality image of the type needed for court prosecution. They should also be optical zoom as digital zoom lenses loose a great deal of quality as the zoom length increase.

A manual, remote control zoom lens security camera often will provide zoom capabilities from eight to 25 mm, allowing a wide angle to take in a larger area while maintaining the ability to view a person's information on their driver's license from up to 100-feet away.