How To Position Your CCTV To Cover Maximum Area

For many, the prospect of purchasing a new 4 Camera CCTV System for home or office can be a daunting one. One of the most common reasons for this is it can initially seem confusing to work out the best way of positioning the cameras.  This is not without good reason, too- camera position really can make the difference between merely filming an incident and getting a conviction. Don’t worry though, there are a few simple tips to keep in mind that will help you get the best results.

Naturally, the first step when setting up any CCTV system is to plan exactly which parts of your property you’ll need to monitor. This will usually include any entrances and exits, as well as more specific vulnerable items such as Parked Cars or Sheds. One handy tip is to have a quick look at your property in Google maps. This can often highlight access routes or views that may not be immediately obvious otherwise. Now you can start working out camera placements!

One of the most common positions for standard CCTV monitoring is in the corner of your property’s façade, allowing it to look over both the doorway and driveway. Where possible, you should have some overlap between cameras, as this helps track subjects, and makes it much harder to tamper with your system. If you have night vision cameras then make sure they are pointed directly at the primary subject, as they won’t be as bright at the edge of the picture. Also, be aware that more powerful LEDs are great for long distances, but may ‘blow out’ detail in closer subjects- for this reason it’s important to have an idea of the range you require before making a purchase!

Another important consideration is the height at which you place the camera. A typical mounting point would be 3m off the ground, putting the camera out of reach of all but the most determined vandals! It may however, be worth mounting the camera lower if you are specifically looking to capture good detail of faces or car number plates. If this is the case, then we would advise a Vandal Proof Dome Camera for added protection. On the other hand, a higher mounting point can often make it easier to run the camera’s BNC cable, as you can put the recorder in an attic, and run the cabling out to the eaves or soffits.

Unfortunately, there are no concrete rules for setting up such systems, but as long as you follow these basic guidelines you should get satisfactory results. Of course, if you have any questions then you can just give SpyCameraCCTV’s technical experts a call on 0117 325 2470!