| The CCTV market is so crammed with technology | | | | of two digits, the first digit relates to water and the |
| jargon that it can be tricky to find out what are the | | | | second to protection against physical objects. The |
| important factors to consider buying your first CCTV | | | | higher the IP value the better protected the CCTV |
| camera kit. Luckily, out of all the numbers and values | | | | camera will be. A camera with the best IP rating |
| listed on the box there are only a few that you should | | | | possible, 68, is fully sealed so not even dust can enter |
| be concerned with: the lux rating, the IP value, and | | | | the enclosure, and it can be completely submerged in |
| what type of use the camera kit is designed for. Here | | | | water for extended periods of time. This is an |
| are these factors in greater detail: | | | | extreme example, as cameras with an IP value of 68 |
| · Lux rating: The lux rating demotes how sensitive the | | | | are generally specialist items made to order, but make |
| camera is to low light conditions. If the camera is | | | | sure your CCTV camera kit has at least an IP value |
| intended for use at both day and night then a camera | | | | of 55 - this will allow it to be used safely outside. |
| should have a lux level that is close to zero as | | | | · Type of camera: Check to make sure the camera |
| possible. A camera that has a rating of 1 lux will be | | | | is graded for both indoor and outdoor use, as an indoor |
| able to see in a moonlit sky, while a rating of 0.0001 | | | | camera will soon fail in outside conditions. If you are |
| indicates that the camera should still be able to pick up | | | | worried that the camera may be a target for vandals |
| images in the dead of night. It is actually possible to buy | | | | there are CCTV kits that feature vandal-proof |
| CCTV camera kit with a lux value of 0; this means | | | | cameras. Buying the incorrect type is sure to be a |
| that the camera has infrared vision, and will be able to | | | | waste of time and money, so always check for such |
| see without any light present. | | | | features before buying. |
| · IP value: IP, or ingress protection, denotes how | | | | Make sure your CCTV camera kit is fit for purpose |
| resilient the camera is to water and foreign bodies, | | | | using the above factors, and you will be all set to |
| such as dust. The better the seal on the camera | | | | deploy it at your premises! |
| enclose the higher the IP value. The IP value consists | | | | |