Quality over Quantity?
When it comes to choosing the best home security system for you and your family, there are many different things to consider, especially if you’re dealing with any kind of budget! Don’t waste your money on poor quality home DVR camera systems that seem like they might be a good deal. Always do your research first because you could be leaving your family and your home at a serious risk. The quality of the camera you have plays a large role in how well your home or business is protected from criminals. Keep these things in mind when you choose a security camera for your DVR system.
Do They Have Quality Features?
It can be tough to decode all of the jargon you read while shopping for a security camera, but it comes down to one thing: does it have quality features?
Consider these key features:
Infrared Technology (IR)
They can see bad guys regardless of what clothing they wear. Infrared technology shown.
With infrared technologies, you’ll be able to record the activity going on around your house, even in pitch black conditions. Infrared technologies give homeowners the comfort that their home will be monitored in any kind of lighting condition. Infrared isn’t necessary for every homeowner, but if you are looking to monitor an enclosed space (such as a garage) it’s highly recommended that you look for a camera with IR.
Camera Angle and Focal Length
Where and how you angle the camera will get you the best view and results captured.
The camera angle is one of the most important features of a DVR camera, if the angle is poor, it may not protect your space quite like you would like it to. A wide-angle camera lens will likely give you the space coverage you need, but only if the focal length of the camera is correct. When working with a wide-angle lens, choose a shorter focal length, it will allow the wide-angle lens to capture things clearly.
However, shorter focal length often results in a loss of detail, but that may not matter to you if you are monitoring an area like a backyard or driveway. If you’re monitoring your front porch, it’s often recommended that you choose a smaller-angle lens with a high focal length to capture everything in the best of detail. For more info read our article on best placements.
Resolution
The resolution of the camera almost always depends on just one thing, how you plan on using your security camera. If you plan on monitoring the camera remotely–maybe while at work, on vacation, or just gone for the day, a lower resolution camera may work best. If you are viewing the camera in real time, invest in a higher resolution camera for the best picture in real time. If a high resolution is important to you, look at a camera with 1080P resolution!
Camera Lens
When choosing an outdoor security camera, look for one with an auto-iris lens, as they can adjust different changes in lighting as the day progresses. Choosing an auto-iris lens will give you the best picture, day or night and you won’t have to make any manual adjustments to the lens.
Or, if capturing the light change isn’t important to you, you can always elect to purchase a basic camera with a fixed iris lens. It’s a less expensive option, perfect if you are looking for something like that!
Wait! Before You Purchase!
Did you find a camera that you absolutely loved? Don’t seal the deal just yet, there might be a few more things to consider.
- Do You Have Adequate Cables and Wiring? Do you have all of the cables and wiring needed to successfully set up your DVR camera system? Determine the kinds of cables and wiring needed to get the job done before you make your purchase. Your installation process will go a lot smoother and you’ll thank yourself for it.
- How Are You Going To Mount the Camera? How will you mount the camera so it monitors your desired location? Do you need to purchase a mounting system, or do you have something at home that will do the trick? You will need both a bracket system and a mount for your new DVR security camera.
- Pick Up A Camera Housing. You’ll need something that houses your camera, protecting it from the elements–even though some are waterproof. Homeowners should be aware that you should avoid using metal, reflective housings when working with an infrared camera. The two are not a good combination!
- Does the Camera Have a Power Supply? Before you purchase your camera system, make sure it has a backup power source of some kind. If your electricity is cut or goes out in a storm, you’ll want to know that your cameras are still picking up the footage that you need them to.
- You’ll Need A Surge Protector. Just in case anything happens, it’s recommended by most manufacturers to invest in a surge protector. It’ll keep the electric wiring of your home safe and keeps the risk of damages to a minimum.
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Choosing an outdoor camera system doesn’t have to be difficult, here is for example more information that might suit your needs. We broke down the best of the best for you in our featured article: Top 10 Outdoor Security Cameras.
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Growing up with Law and Order and CSI shows taught Isabelle Landau one thing: if people back then had high-quality home security systems, those series would have been way shorter. In our modern world, technology helps us keep burglars away easily, and this is what Izzy studies and writes about: alarm systems, home security, protection systems, and more.
Last update on 2025-11-25 at 07:09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Falcon J says
I actually did not know there were auto-iris lens, thank you so much for sharing. I think it would be of great help knowing that feature is available in the cam I would buy. Also, very informative on camera placements — I could see how that would count as well.This would definitely help me out in choosing the kind of DVR cam that would fit my needs.
Jenny B says
Well for one I would want to purchase a surge protector, I’ve learned it the hard way as the lack of such caused some bad stuff to happen to our wiring and it made a lot of appliances go haywire! It would be useless to purchase a good quality dvr cam if it turns out broken due to problems in electric wiring.