Fixed security cameras point in a single direction, which makes them perfect for monitoring very specific areas of interest. They’re also preferred for applications where it’s beneficial to install cameras in clearly visible locations. For this reason, fixed CCTV surveillance cameras are quite effective not only for capturing footage of suspicious activity, but also for deterring criminals and vandals from carrying out their acts in the first place. The direction of the camera is set during installation. Many security cameras also accept interchangeable lenses and housings, so you have the flexibility to meet a wide variety of surveillance needs.

PTZ cameras are ideal for wide-area surveillance. They give operators the ability to remotely control pan, tilt, and zoom functions to follow activity and to zoom in for detailed monitoring. This is an area where analog CCTV security cameras fall behind their IP camera counterparts. With IP cameras, the pan/tilt/zoom functions are controlled manually or automatically and delivered over a single network cable, while analog cameras require additional wiring to perform similar functionality.

Dedicated LPR camera systems are high-tech systems that use a combination of high-definition cameras and special optical character recognition (OCR) to capture and identify license plates. The image is then sent to the LPR camera software, which interprets the letters and numbers on the license plate and then compares them to a database or list of license plate, many of which are flagged if of interest. Law enforcement often uses systems like this to track and locate vehicles of interest, but businesses and properties can also use them for keeping track of who enters or exits the premises.