CCTV Cameras in Kenya these days have become an integral part of our lives. So I have decided to give you a list of things to consider before buying CCTV cameras.
For those of you who own M-Pesa shops, Pharmacies, Shops, Hotels, kindergarten schools, supermarkets, hospitals, exhibitions, now you can have the best real-time CCTV surveillance cameras installed at a cheaper price.
CCTV’s can also be used for monitoring your baby at home from the comfort of your office, salon anytime anywhere by the use of your Smartphone.
Related: HIK Connect: How to view cameras on your Phone.
But then, with the wide variety of CCTV’s available in the market, it is never easy to decide which one and where to buy. It is always a tough choice deciding the one that may suit your needs.
Life would be less nerve-wracking if most working mothers who leave their children at home with house girls or other caregivers could know what was happening back home.
This is made possible with the installation of discreet cameras i.e nanny cameras which enable house owners to observe the on-goings of their home.
Also, the price range is very wide and depends on several factors. When choosing a CCTV camera you must consider a number of conditions.
Before buying CCTV Cameras in Kenya
You should know this:
You should consider a few important aspects of a CCTV camera when planning to buy one. Does it have night vision? can it withstand harsh weather conditions, or supports mobile viewing? Is it old and refurbished or new? There are pros and cons to both.
Here’s a list of things you should consider before you decide to buy and install CCTV cameras in Kenya.
CCTV Cameras in Kenya – The Number of Channels
This by far is the first and most important step to consider in your decision in buying CCTV cameras. The number of channels actually determines the total number of cameras you want to install.
In CCTV business, cameras are usually sold in either 4, 8, 16, and 32 channels. When planning to install CCTV always go for the higher number of channels to cover up for feature expansion and cost.
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Visual Quality
A good CCTV camera should be able to produce quality images and videos in 720p and 1080p resolution. The greater the resolution, the better the quality of videos.
Night Vision Ability
Night vision is the ability of the camera to view objects in low or poor lighting conditions. This is an important feature to consider when buying a CCTV camera to be able to capture images at night.
With a night vision feature in your camera, you can be able to distinguish between humans, animals, and still objects.
Focal Length
The focal length is the distance between the lens and the image sensor or CCD when the object is in focus. The focal length is measured in millimetres, for example, 10 mm, 20 mm, and so forth.
A CCTV camera can either have a fixed or varifocal length, for a fixed length camera, the lens is usually fixed while for a varifocal camera the lens can be adjusted to meet specific criteria.
Varifocal cameras are usually the best because you can zoom and focus and are and finetune it to your liking.
CCTV Cameras in Kenya – Motion Detection
Motion detection is the ability of a camera to detect motion and start recording, send an email/SMS alert, or activate an alarm device.
This feature is also best suited for users with less storage space, i.e you don’t want the camera to fill up your hard disk recording nothing.
Indoor/Outdoor Cameras
CCTV cameras are made to fulfil specific requirements. There exist different types of cameras distinguished by their uses.
Dome cameras are usually meant for indoor use whilst Bullet cameras are built for outdoor monitoring and they are usually made weatherproof/dustproof to withstand different harsh conditions.
Remote Viewing
Remote viewing is a type of technology that enables you to view and record CCTV footage from a remote location or away from the actual recording device either from the PC or your Mobile phone.
Audio Option
Check if a camera with audio has a built-in microphone, some cameras can be added audio by connecting to DVR or card connection.
Environmental conditions
In the case of external CCTV cameras, protective cover from vandalism or natural damage can be added.
In addition, a close voltage source is required to connect a CCTV camera in cases where the external camera is in a remote location.
Number of cameras
How many CCTV cameras do I want to have according to the number of rooms in the building, whether they will be installed at one time or in stages?
Connecting to a home computer
Connecting to a home computer is possible but due to load may be recording, there may be computer glitches that can damage the security camera software as well as sharing browsing software allows unauthorized viewing of recordings.
Keep in mind that when the computer is turned off, the security camera software will turn off and the recording will stop as well.
In addition, in order to connect the CCTV cameras to the computer, an appropriate specification is required.
Wireless Camera
In cases where a mobile CCTV camera can be installed without a cable, then its location can be changed without any problem.
IP Camera
The cost of the camera is more expensive but the advantage is that you can view the CCTV cameras from any computer with the Internet.
There are software programs that only allow recording to start(Motion recording) when there is a suspicious traffic detection in place.
Wrap Up on CCTV Cameras in Kenya
To sum up, there is no one-size-fits-all to home surveillance. The system you choose should be based on your budget, climate, your home’s layout, and your security concerns among other factors.
Before buying CCTV cameras start by deciding what exactly you want and the cost you are going to incur. Then, start researching.
Different systems, even those in the same price range, mix and match features differently, so keep looking until you find one that offers what you need at a price you can afford.
Here are some of the top shops selling CCTV Cameras in Kenya on wholesale prices.
In short, before you start looking for security cameras, the terms must be set according to insurance and structure requirements.
