5 things to consider when buying a rural security camera
A big issue with security cameras is there’s so much choice.
How are you supposed to know if one model is better than the other?
Or even if it’ll do the job you need it to!
Before you smash open your piggy bank you’ll want to have as much info as possible.
That way you’ll be able to buy the security camera that’s right for you.
And you won’t waste your money buying the wrong camera.
The 5 things that’ll affect your camera choice are:
- What you need it to do
- Where’s the camera going to be.
- How far from civilisation is the camera.
- What size is the area?
- Is the location busy?
Once you’ve got your head around these 5 topics, you’ll have a better idea about what you need.
What’s your objective?
First off, you need to ask yourself, what are you trying to achieve?
Whilst security is a camera’s main use, it isn’t the only one.
What are the uses for rural security cameras?
- Security
- Livestock Monitoring
- Observation
Security
Rural crime is a big problem.
Last year’s crime stats make for sorry reading.
And with recent trends saying it’s going to get worse; you need to be prepared.
When it comes to security, you’ll need maximum coverage.
And your camera needs to be big and obvious to deter anyone from robbing you.
Sometimes that isn’t enough.
If a criminal isn’t put off by your cameras the next step is to detect any security breaches.
This’ll give you the maximum amount of time to react to a break-in.
What’s the best security camera in this scenario?
You’ll need a large camera, placed in an obvious location. The security camera should have detection AI and a clear HD picture.
For example, our own 360° security camera will detect and track human movement.
Livestock
On the other hand, you may want a camera to monitor your livestock.
The good news is, you’ll be able to save a few pennies by not needing an SD card.
That’s unless you want to record and playback the footage.
Here the most important thing is a good-quality picture.
That way you’ll clearly be able to see what’s going on. Reducing the number of trips to the lambing shed.
The good thing about sheds is they’re small. So you don’t need anything particularly fancy.
What happens if you want to monitor your livestock outside?
If you put your camera in the corner of a square field, you’ll be able to see the entire thing.
But then, some paddocks are big, and others are stupidly big.
What happens if your prized cattle are all the way at the other end?
You’ll need a camera with excellent zoom capabilities – without ruining the picture quality.
That means optical zoom is what you’re looking for. This means the image won’t distort in any way.
X5 zoom is usually enough.
Any less than that and you might not be able to see what’s happening.
And once you go over that number you’re getting into digital zoom.
Our own 360° cameras have 30x zoom. Which uses optical zoom to 5x and digital zoom thereafter.
Observation
If you’re using security cameras for observation, the only difference is you’ll want them to be subtle.
After all, you’re not trying to deter criminals.
Having a camera with all the bells and whistles is overkill too.
A solid static camera will do the trick.
They’re more affordable, as there’s less technology, and they’re really compact.
Where will the camera be?
We already touched on it when speaking about livestock, some cameras are better suited than others when inside or outside.
This comes down to three areas:
- Waterproofness
- Area size
- Aesthetic
Waterproofness
You don’t need to be a genius to know that if you’re putting a security camera outside in the UK it needs to be waterproof.
Get a camera that’s at least IP66 rated – this means they’re resistant to extreme weather conditions.
Area Size
When it comes to the size of the area, a camera with more functionality may be better suited to larger areas.
We’ve already said a single camera in the corner will see the entirety of a square area.
We know this because all our cameras have a 96° field of view.
What if your field is more oblong or your yard rounds a corner?
One option is to get a camera with a wide-angle lens.
The problem is, you’ll lose picture quality. Anything far away will be distorted.
A camera with pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) will give you more options.
You can easily choose where a camera’s going to point. And with a 360° camera, you can maximise the area you cover.
Aesthetic
A big issue with security cameras is that they can be an eyesore.
If your building is sensitive to aesthetic change, such as a listed building, you don’t want your security to stick out.
The key here is size and colour.
We’ve already said a big camera is an excellent deterrent because they’re … big.
You’ll want your camera to blend in.
A small, black security camera is less likely to stick out in rural environments.
How far from infrastructure is the camera?
One thing your camera needs more than anything is power.
Without it, it’s just a useless wall ornament.
If you want to put cameras on a farm building or in the middle of a woodland, you might not have power.
Your reaction may be to go for something battery powered.
This isn’t always the best option. You’ll still need to change the batteries every couple of weeks.
Not the best if you’ve got you’ve got to go up a ladder every time.
Solar power is a great choice.
Granted, it’ll cost you a bit more.
But it’ll give you year-round power. So you won’t have to change any batteries.
Connectivity on the other hand is more straightforward.
Why do you need to be connected to your camera?
So it can tell you what’s going on.
All you need to do is ask yourself the question:
Do I have Wi-Fi where I’m putting the camera?
If not, you can use 4G.
EE currently has 4G connection over 86% of the UK’s landmass.
More or less anywhere you go, you can put a 4G security camera.
With the combination of a good solar unit and a 4G camera, you can have security cameras wherever you want.
How busy is the area?
Public access to your property raises complex security issues.
After all, you have no idea who the people walking down the footpath are.
If it’s not a particularly busy area, consider getting a security camera with human tracking.
This way you’ll be able to see what people are doing as they move around your camera.
A good 360° security camera will allow you to monitor movement when it detects human shape.
On the other hand, public access to your property can cause heavy footfall.
Yes, you’ll probably want to see what each person is doing. But is it necessary?
You’ll have to ask yourself; do you want your camera turning away from the point of interest for every person?
It may miss something.
For busy areas, a static camera would be better suited.
They won’t move from your point of interest, reducing the likelihood that something isn’t picked up.
Somewhere along the line, you’ll need to make compromises.
Say you want to deter criminals from coming onto your property without your cameras being too obvious.
You can’t put up loads of big 360° cameras – but they’re the ones that’ll be the best deterrent.
So, you must decide what’s more important to you. Security or aesthetic.
When it comes to the situations we’ve just spoken about, here are the best cameras for them:
- Security - 360° camera
- Observation - Static camera
- Livestock monitoring - Camera with zoom
- Inside - Static Camera
- Outside - 360° camera
- Connectivity - 4G cameras will connect in 86% the UK.
- Power - Cameras that can be powered by solar
- Zoom - Security camera with optical or hybrid zoom
- Tracking - 360° camera with human tracking
- Heavy foot traffic - Static camera
- Aesthetic - Black static camera
Once you've chosen what works best for you you'll be ready to upgrade your security.
Start by exploring our range of wireless security cameras.
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Hi
Looking for a CCTV set up to cover an allotment.
Regards
Kev Beaumont