Camera types and when to use them

Fixed box, bullet and dome; PTZ; multisensor and panoramic; fisheye; thermal; LPR/ANPR; body-worn.

Fixed cameras: box, bullet and dome

Varifocal lenses with remote zoom and focus let you set the field of view after installation, which saves truck rolls and lets you fine-tune pixel density on site.

PTZ cameras

Pan-tilt-zoom cameras give operators a powerful optical zoom and the ability to follow a subject. They are excellent for actively monitored sites (city surveillance, ports, stadiums, large campuses).

• A PTZ only records where it is pointing. If nobody is driving it, it is often looking the wrong way when an incident happens.
• Pair PTZs with fixed or multisensor cameras that always record the full area; use the PTZ for detail.
• Use presets, guard tours and, where supported, auto-tracking or analytics-triggered slew-to-cue (e.g. a radar or fixed-camera analytic points the PTZ at the target).
• Mechanical parts wear: heavy continuous touring shortens life. PTZs often need PoE+ or 802.3bt power, especially with heaters and IR.

Multisensor and panoramic cameras

A multisensor camera has two to four (sometimes more) independent sensor/lens modules in one housing, each aimable separately, often with one network connection and one license per sensor in the VMS. Panoramic models stitch sensors into a single 180° or 360° image.

• Great for intersections, building corners, large rooms and parking lots: one mounting point, one cable, multiple views.
• Check pixel density per sensor, not the headline total megapixels: "4 × 4 MP" spread across 360° gives less density in any one direction than a single 4 MP aimed at the target.
• Many multisensor cameras also have a PTZ module combined in the same unit.

Fisheye (360°) cameras

A single sensor behind a very wide-angle lens covers a full room from the ceiling. The image is dewarped either in the camera or in the VMS client into panoramic or virtual-PTZ views.

• Excellent situational awareness: who went where in a retail floor or lobby.
• Pixel density falls off quickly toward the edges; rarely suitable for identification except directly beneath the camera.
• Confirm whether dewarping happens on the camera or the client, and that your VMS supports that camera's dewarping.

Thermal cameras

Thermal cameras image long-wave infrared (heat) instead of visible light. They need no illumination and are not blinded by headlights, so they excel at detection in darkness, fog, smoke and along perimeters.

• Thermal images do not identify people: there is no facial or clothing color detail, and they cannot see through glass.
• Thermal performance is described with detection, recognition and identification (DRI) ranges based on the Johnson criteria, not the visible-light DORI pixel densities.
• Paired with analytics, thermal cameras give low false-alarm perimeter detection; pair them with visible or PTZ cameras for identification.
• Radiometric models measure temperature (e.g. for hotspot or fire-risk monitoring in industrial sites).
• Higher-frame-rate thermal cameras can be subject to export controls in some countries; check with the manufacturer for cross-border projects.

LPR / ANPR cameras

License plate recognition reads plates and turns them into text for watch lists, parking, access control and investigations.

• Purpose-built LPR cameras use IR illumination and very fast shutter speeds so plates are readable on moving vehicles day and night, with retroreflective plates appearing bright under IR.
• Geometry matters more than resolution: keep horizontal and vertical angles to the plate small and follow the LPR vendor's plate-size-in-pixels and angle guidance.
• One camera per lane is the usual starting point; a general overview camera cannot be expected to read plates reliably.
• In Genetec's platform, LPR is handled by AutoVu; plates can act as credentials for parking or gate access within Security Center.
• Plate data is personal data in many jurisdictions: define retention and access policies up front.

Body-worn cameras

Body-worn cameras are carried by security officers, police or frontline staff. They record audio and video on the device and offload footage at a dock or over a network.

• Key requirements: chain of custody, evidence management, encryption at rest, battery life, pre-event buffering, and clear policies on when recording starts.
• Security Center includes a Wearable Camera Manager role that manages supported body-worn camera devices.
• Privacy and labor rules vary widely; involve legal, HR and unions early.

Quick selection guide