The smart home generates interest in surveillance cameras among home users who do not have an above-average need for security. They allow us to quickly check that all is as it should be in the home and garden, even from afar. When weighing up the big differences in features and capabilities of IP cameras, otherwise known as network cameras, this question crops up: What must you have, what’s recommended and what’s just nice to have?
Basic features and properties of IP cameras
Some features are the same with surveillance cameras as they are with photographic digital cameras. Thanks to increasing resolution, more details can be picked out from the image but the level of data volume to be stored also increases.
The focal length of the lens determines the image angle. 180 degrees corresponds to a hemisphere and 90 degrees to a quarter of a panoramic view.
The largest aperture, in turn, dictates how much light falls on the image sensor with a given brightness. Therefore the aperture, together with the light sensitivity of the sensor, determines when additional lighting is needed at dusk. Here are the differences. An essential feature of surveillance cameras is the night vision mode, especially on models for outdoor use.
As a rule, night view is achieved via a recording in the near infrared range, supported by appropriate infrared LED spotlights. Without night vision function or a suitable light source, you can only monitor your smart home during the day.
Smart-controlled surveillance cameras
Some IP cameras are able to directly control smart devices, for example via the standard Z-wave. This also allows you to independently turn lights on and off as well as start and stop sensor-controlled recording. Other cameras achieve functionalities like these by means of smart home integration, for example in the Google Nest, Apple HomeKit systems or via the online service IFTTT.
IP cameras can be divided here into two categories: One category works autonomously and can itself monitor and control other smart home applications if necessary. The other category provides only a few functionalities and uses a smart home connection for intelligent control features.
An essential factor when choosing your IP camera is the way in which it stores your recordings. Virtually all devices provide the option of saving to the Cloud and some provide additional local storage. Cloud storage has the advantage that recordings will remain available even in the case of the camera being destroyed or stolen. But some recordings are deleted after 24 hours.
Using Cloud storage is also often liable to charge. With some cameras, you don’t even have the option of downloading recordings to back them up locally.
Autonomous and energy-efficient: Surveillance cameras for observing wildlife
Wildlife cameras are a specific category of surveillance camera. They are suitable for permanent outdoor use, work autonomously entirely on battery power and have a run time of up to several months. Wildlife cameras can usually record time-lapse series at pre-set intervals, as well as individual images and video sequences, triggered by a motion detector or noise detection.
SD cards are generally used to store data. Some wildlife cameras also have a wireless connection for data transmission and remote control.
Item image: Fotolia / 90945002 / 3d_generator
Image 2: Fotolia / 103895217 / johnmerlin
