The concept and working of PTZ Cameras (Pan-Tilt-Zoom Cameras) were glamorized by Hollywood and people who saw it in movies got attracted by those. These have brought about quite a cool feature in security cameras – “adjustability”. Unlike fixed cameras that can capture the images from a fixed angle, these can move and thus can monitor a wider area. But, just like other security cameras, PTZ cameras also have their own pros and cons. In this article, we shall be reviewing them to make an informed investment.
Pros of PTZ cameras
- Monitoring Large Areas: You can use these cameras to keep a watch on your farms, malls, parking lots, and other such large areas. Because these have the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom; these can cover a far bigger space than a traditional fixed camera. In other words, these cameras are used to monitor the spaces that are either too expensive or impossible to cover with normal cameras.
- Manual Control of Cameras: With the cameras, you get the entire control in your hands. You receive the ability to see exactly what you want and when you want. In case of an incident, the offenders would be caught by the camera. Moreover, if the offenders are not clearly visible, PTZ cameras have the ability to zoom in the face and they can be tracked easily.
- Available Tours: A specific pattern is followed by the PTZ cameras which are referred to as a tour. For instance, if a PTZ camera keeps a watch over a building, it can be set to follow a particular schedule or a rotating pattern such that it monitors the gate of the building, taking the next tour to another part of the building, and then to another. You don’t have to be present there to capture the images of the various places of the building. An automated tour of this kind will do the thing.
Cons of PTZ cameras
- Limited View: The major disadvantage of these cameras is their inability to capture the videos of the areas where the camera is not looking at when rotating. Like you won’t be able to see the video of the other side where some event occurred because the camera was looking at the opposite side. The PTZ cameras can be manipulated and they also can’t see everything at once.
However, this downside can be eliminated by making use of a PTZ camera and several strategically placed fixed cameras. This allows mobility without ignoring any key areas. An event happening in the opposite direction can be recorded precisely by the fixed cameras, if not captured by the PTZ cameras.
After knowing the pros and cons of the PTZ cameras you can better decide whether these types of CCTV cameras will meet requirements or would be a waste of investment.
