Many businesses spend good money on cameras and still end up with footage that cannot identify anyone. The usual reason is placement. A great camera pointed the wrong way, mounted too high, or facing a bright window records very little of value. These tips will help you get footage you can actually use.
Start With Your Goal
Security professionals describe four levels of camera performance:
- Detect: notice that someone or something is there.
- Observe: see what the person is doing and what they are wearing.
- Recognize: tell whether it is someone you already know.
- Identify: see enough detail to identify an unknown person, such as a face or license plate.
Doors and cash areas usually need identification-level detail. A wide view of a parking lot may only need detection. Deciding the goal for each camera tells you what to buy and where to mount it.
Best Places to Put Cameras
- Entrances and exits: every main door, with the camera placed to catch faces as people walk in, not just the tops of heads.
- Cash registers and service counters: a view of both the employee and the customer area.
- Parking lots and loading docks: wide views of vehicles and people, plus a close view of entry and exit lanes for plates.
- Storage areas, stockrooms, and server rooms: where valuable items or data are kept.
- Hallways and stairwells: connecting views that let you follow someone through the building.
- Building perimeter and blind corners: back doors, side entrances, and dark areas.
Placement Tips That Make a Difference
- Mount at the right height. High enough to be out of easy reach, but not so high that you only see the tops of heads. About 9 to 10 feet is common outdoors, and lower indoors, depending on the camera and view.
- Avoid backlight. A camera facing a glass door or bright window sees people as dark silhouettes. Mount it so the light is behind the camera, or choose a camera with strong wide dynamic range.
- Plan for night. Check that there is enough light, or use cameras with good low-light or infrared performance, and avoid reflective surfaces that bounce IR light back.
- Cover the camera’s blind spot. Position cameras so they can see each other, or at least cover the area under and around them.
- Protect the cameras. Use vandal-resistant domes in exposed areas, and weather-rated models outdoors.
- Think about trees and growth. Branches and signs can block a view over time.
- Use the right lens. Wide lenses cover large areas but show less detail at a distance. Narrower lenses give more detail on doors and plates.
Common Mistakes
- Pointing cameras straight at bright windows or the sun.
- Mounting too high, so footage shows hats and shoulders but no faces.
- Too few cameras, leaving blind spots between areas.
- Skipping the doors people actually use, such as the back or side entrance.
- Forgetting to test footage after installation, day and night.
- Using weak cables or overloading the network, which causes dropped video. See our PoE guide.
- Placing cameras where people expect privacy, such as restrooms or changing areas.
Test Before You Finish
After installation, have someone walk through each area while you review the recording, in daylight and at night. Ask: could I identify this person? Could I read the plate? If not, adjust the angle, lens, or lighting before the problem costs you.
Choosing between camera types? Read IP Cameras vs. Analog. Check local privacy rules, avoid sensitive areas, and get legal advice about audio recording and signage.
Get a Camera Plan That Works
Scio Info Tech designs and installs CCTV systems for businesses across the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and California. We walk your site, plan every camera position, and test the footage before we leave.
