CCTV cameras come in different types, depending on where they are used. A camera designed for use in a hallway or reception will not last long when fitted in an outside wall, while an outdoor camera may have more features than your business premises require. Recognizing the difference allows you to spend on necessary features and to avoid those that you do not require.
This paper will cover the factors that distinguish indoor and outdoor CCTV cameras and the places suitable for their installation.
What Makes a Camera “Indoor” or “Outdoor”?
The basic distinction lies in the degree of exposure that the particular camera model is capable of handling.
Indoor cameras are designed for relatively static and predictable conditions. As a result, they don’t have to withstand rain, sun, dust, or temperature swings, allowing manufacturers to focus on other features such as compact size, wider angles for small rooms, and strong audio for two-way communication.
Outdoor cameras are built to withstand various external factors. In particular, they come in weatherproof casings, are protected from moisture and heat, and also work in wide ranges of temperatures from warm summers to cold winters.
Key Differences to Look Out For
Weatherproofing and Build Quality
This is where the difference is most significant. Outdoor cameras have an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of IP65 or above. This indicates the level of protection against moisture and dust that the enclosure has. Indoor cameras don’t necessarily need this rating because they aren’t exposed to rain or outdoor humidity.
Housing and Vandal Resistance
Outdoor cameras are often placed within easy reach at car parks, loading docks, and entrances. Therefore, they must also have vandal-resistant enclosures. The cameras that are installed indoors normally do not require such protection because of their location.
Night Vision Range
The outdoors is much darker and more expansive compared to the indoor rooms, and hence outdoor cameras normally have a longer infrared night vision range that can cover areas such as driveways or parking lots during nighttime. Indoor cameras just have to cover the room or corridor and can thus have a shorter range.
Temperature Tolerance
Indoor cameras are designed around room temperature. Outdoor cameras have to keep functioning from freezing winter mornings to hot summer afternoons, so they’re built with wider operating temperature ranges and better internal heat management.
Size and Design
Indoor cameras tend to be smaller and more discreet, designed to blend into a room. Outdoor cameras are usually bulkier, since the housing needs extra space for weatherproofing and, in some cases, built-in lighting or sirens.
Where Each Type Works Best
Indoor cameras are the perfect choice for reception areas, offices, retail store floors, warehouses, storerooms, and other interior common areas. They are perfect for surveilling the office area, the till point, or entry doorways from the interior.
Outdoor cameras are designed for entrances, parking lots, loading bays, fences, gates, and all weather-exposed areas. They are also frequently used for the blind spots surrounding a building where an intruder could gain access unnoticed.
Both types are often used in combination. In a retail property, for instance, outdoor cameras can be employed for the car park and delivery entrance while indoor cameras can be used for surveillance of the retail floor and till point.
Common Mistakes When Choosing CCTV Cameras
The error here is positioning the indoor camera in an open area outside, such as an awning or patio area, thinking the camera will be okay since it’s “protected” in a way from the elements.
A second problem is the requirements of night vision capability outside. A camera equipped with short-range infrared may work great indoors in a small room, but not so great outside in a parking lot or perimeter area.
Choosing the Right Setup for Your Property
The type of camera equipment that you use should depend on the structure of your property, what you wish to protect, and what the weak spots of your property are. A building that has more than one entrance, as well as exterior and interior areas, will require both indoor and outdoor cameras to function as a team.
It is also wise not only to consider the types of cameras but also the manner in which the footage will be recorded and accessed. The traditional system of CCTV is based on local hardware such as DVRs or NVRs that become vulnerable to damage or theft themselves.
This is where cloud-based CCTV systems come in. Instead of saving the recorded videos on your premises, the cloud system uploads them to an encrypted system that you can access from anywhere on any device. This is especially advantageous for large properties that have different sites because all the indoor and outdoor video feeds can then be controlled from one dashboard.
At Controlled Ltd, we design and install both indoor and outdoor CCTV systems tailored to your property, and pair them with cloud-based platforms that give you remote access, centralised control, and continuity even if on-site hardware is affected by an outage or damage. If you’re weighing up the right camera setup for your building, contact our team and talk about what fits your space and budget.
