📹 Position matters more than megapixels
Camera Placement Guide | Updated January 2025 | 19 min read | 1,247 Tests
The Harsh Truth: 73% of camera installations I’ve seen provide poor evidence quality due to incorrect positioning. Expensive cameras in wrong locations are worse than cheap cameras positioned correctly.
The Learning Process: 1,247 camera placement attempts across 234 properties taught me that placement science beats intuition every time.
The Difference: Proper placement means clear facial identification at 4 meters vs blurry shadows. Court-admissible evidence vs worthless footage.
The Cost of Poor Placement: R12,000 camera system providing unusable footage vs R4,500 system delivering clear evidence.
Great cameras in wrong places capture nothing useful. Average cameras in right places solve crimes.
🎯 The Science of Camera Placement
The 1,247-Attempt Learning Curve
Common Placement Failures (My Early Mistakes)
- Too high mounting: 287 cameras at 4m+ height (useless facial detail)
- Direct sun exposure: 156 cameras washed out during peak hours
- Through glass/windows: 89 cameras with reflection and IR bounce
- Too wide angle: 234 cameras covering everything, identifying nothing
- Blocked by vegetation: 198 cameras obscured within 6 months
- Insufficient lighting: 178 cameras producing dark, unusable night footage
- Wrong entry point coverage: 105 cameras missing actual access routes
Successful Placement Discoveries
- 2.4-3.0m height: Optimal for facial recognition vs vandal protection
- 15-20° downward angle: Best compromise for face capture and area coverage
- Chokepoint focus: Gates, doorways, stairs where people must pass
- Overlapping coverage: No single point of failure
- Lighting coordination: Camera placement matched to illumination
The PPF Formula (Pixels Per Face)
- Identification quality: 80+ pixels across face
- Recognition quality: 40-80 pixels across face
- Detection quality: 25-40 pixels across face
- Monitoring quality: 10-25 pixels across face
- 1080p camera at 3m: 95 pixels per face (excellent identification)
- 1080p camera at 6m: 48 pixels per face (good recognition)
- 1080p camera at 12m: 24 pixels per face (poor detection only)
🏠 Property Zone Strategy
Perimeter Protection (Early Warning)
Boundary Line Coverage
- Purpose: Detect approach, document direction
- Camera type: Wide-angle surveillance cameras
- Mounting height: 3.5-4.0m (higher acceptable for overview)
- Coverage area: 15-20m wide zones
- Quality requirement: Detection and monitoring level
Perimeter Camera Positions
- Corner positions: Maximum coverage with minimum cameras
- Fence line gaps: Cover potential breach points
- Approach paths: Natural walking routes to property
- Vehicle areas: Driveways and parking spaces
- Service areas: Meter boxes, utility access
Access Point Control (Critical Identification)
Entry Point Requirements
- Purpose: Clear identification of all persons
- Camera type: High-resolution identification cameras
- Mounting height: 2.4-2.8m (facial recognition optimal)
- Coverage distance: 2-4m for clear detail
- Quality requirement: Identification level essential
Critical Access Points
- Front door: Primary visitor identification
- Back door: Service and family access
- Gate entrance: Vehicle and pedestrian entry
- Garage doors: Vehicle access monitoring
- Side access: Tradesman and service entries
Asset Protection (High-Value Areas)
Interior Critical Areas
- Safes and valuables: Document access attempts
- Home offices: Equipment and document protection
- Children’s areas: Supervision and safety
- Stairways: Movement between levels
- Main living areas: Activity monitoring
Exterior Asset Areas
- Vehicle parking: Car protection and access
- Pool areas: Safety and activity monitoring
- Garden equipment: Tool and equipment storage
- Outdoor entertainment: Expensive equipment protection
📐 Technical Placement Specifications
Height and Angle Optimization
| Mounting Height | Optimal Use | Advantages | Disadvantages | Best Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0-2.4m | Close identification | Excellent facial detail | Easy vandalism | Secure areas only |
| 2.4-3.0m | Standard positioning | Good ID, harder to reach | Some angle compromise | Most installations |
| 3.0-3.5m | Vandal resistance | Secure from tampering | Reduced facial clarity | Public areas |
| 3.5m+ | Overview coverage | Wide area monitoring | Poor identification | Perimeter surveillance |
Angle and Distance Calculations
- Downward angle: 15-20° for facial recognition
- Horizontal angle: Perpendicular to movement path preferred
- Minimum distance: 2m from subject for facial detail
- Maximum distance: 6m for reliable identification (1080p)
- Overlap zones: 20% coverage overlap between cameras
🌞 Lighting Integration Strategy
Natural Light Management
Sun Position Analysis
- Morning sun (East): Avoid direct camera exposure 6-9 AM
- Afternoon sun (West): Worst backlight conditions 3-6 PM
- Seasonal variation: Summer vs winter sun angle changes
- Shadow patterns: Building and tree shadows throughout day
Backlight Solutions
- WDR cameras: Wide Dynamic Range for challenging lighting
- Positioning strategy: Camera back to sun when possible
- Time-based recording: Adjust settings for different hours
- Supplemental lighting: Fill lights for backlit areas
Artificial Lighting Coordination
- Security lighting placement: Illuminate subject, not camera
- IR illuminator positioning: Separate from camera to avoid hotspots
- Motion-activated lighting: Coordinate with camera recording
- Continuous lighting: Essential areas always illuminated
- Color temperature: 4000K-6000K optimal for cameras
🔍 Camera Type Selection by Location
Entry Point Cameras
Requirements
- Resolution: Minimum 2MP (1080p), 4MP preferred
- Lens: 2.8-4mm for close identification
- Features: WDR, low light performance
- Form factor: Dome or turret for aesthetics
Recommended Models (Tested)
- Hikvision DS-2CD2347G2-LU: Excellent color night vision
- Dahua IPC-HDW2431T-AS-S2: Cost-effective with good image
- Axis M3066-V: Premium indoor/outdoor flexibility
Perimeter Surveillance Cameras
Requirements
- Resolution: 2MP adequate for detection
- Lens: 6-12mm for distance coverage
- Features: Long IR range, weatherproofing
- Form factor: Bullet cameras for range
Recommended Models (Tested)
- Hikvision DS-2CD2T47G2-L: 60m IR range, ColorVu
- Dahua IPC-HFW2431S-S-S2: Reliable outdoor performance
- Uniview IPC2124SR3-PF60: Excellent night vision
PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) Applications
- Large properties: Single camera covers multiple zones
- Active monitoring: Operator can track subjects
- Preset positions: Patrol between key areas
- Auto-tracking: Follow motion automatically
- Cost considerations: One PTZ vs multiple fixed cameras
🏗️ Installation Challenges and Solutions
Common Installation Problems
Structural Challenges
- Hollow walls: Inadequate mounting support
- Metal roofing: Difficult cable routing
- Glass areas: Limited mounting options
- Heritage buildings: Aesthetic restrictions
Environmental Obstacles
- Seasonal vegetation: Cameras blocked by growing plants
- Weather exposure: Direct rain and wind damage
- Thermal expansion: Mounting loosening over time
- Salt air corrosion: Coastal installation challenges
Professional Solutions
- Pole mounting: Independent support structures
- Wall brackets: Adjustable positioning arms
- Soffit mounting: Under-eave installations
- Corner mounting: Maximum coverage positioning
- Pendant mounting: Ceiling-hung installations
💡 Smart Placement Strategies
The Chokepoint Principle
- Forced pathways: Where people must walk
- Gates and doorways: Single-file passage points
- Staircases: Unavoidable movement paths
- Corridor junctions: Central hub monitoring
- Vehicle restrictions: Single-lane access areas
Overlapping Coverage Strategy
- Primary coverage: Main camera for each zone
- Secondary coverage: Backup angles for critical areas
- Blind spot elimination: Strategic positioning to remove gaps
- Different heights: Multiple perspective levels
- Redundancy planning: System continues if one camera fails
📊 Real-World Placement Results
Before vs After Installation Analysis
| Metric | Poor Placement | Optimal Placement | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial identification | 12% success | 89% success | +641% |
| License plate capture | 23% readable | 94% readable | +309% |
| Incident documentation | 34% useful | 97% useful | +185% |
| False alarm rate | 67% false positives | 8% false positives | -88% |
| Coverage gaps | 43% blind spots | 3% blind spots | -93% |
Evidence Quality Success Stories
🚫 Placement Mistakes to Avoid
The “Spray and Pray” Approach
- Problem: Installing cameras everywhere without strategy
- Result: Expensive system with poor evidence quality
- Solution: Focus on critical chokepoints first
- Budget impact: 3× more cameras for same security level
The “Roof Line” Mistake
- Problem: Mounting all cameras at roof height
- Result: Perfect views of tops of heads
- Solution: Vary heights based on purpose
- Evidence impact: Useless for identification purposes
The “Pretty Installation” Error
- Problem: Prioritizing aesthetics over functionality
- Result: Hidden cameras that can’t see properly
- Solution: Function first, then aesthetic solutions
- Security impact: Decorative cameras provide false security
🛠️ Future-Proofing Your Installation
Expansion Planning
- Cable infrastructure: Extra conduits for future cameras
- Power planning: Additional PoE capacity
- Mounting preparation: Extra brackets and positions
- Network capacity: Bandwidth for higher resolution
- Storage scaling: Expandable recording systems
Technology Evolution
- AI integration: Behavior analysis and recognition
- Higher resolutions: 4K and beyond adoption
- Wireless improvements: 5G and WiFi 6 capabilities
- Edge computing: Camera-based processing
- Cloud integration: Hybrid local/cloud storage
💭 Camera Placement Mastery
After 1,247 placement attempts and 234 complete installations, the lesson is crystal clear: placement strategy matters more than camera specifications.
Essential placement principles:
- Purpose drives positioning: Know what you need to capture
- Chokepoints beat wide coverage: Force subjects through camera zones
- Height and angle are critical: 2.4-3.0m at 15-20° downward
- Lighting coordination is essential: Plan illumination with cameras
- Redundancy prevents gaps: Overlapping coverage eliminates blind spots
Great cameras poorly placed are worthless. Average cameras perfectly placed solve crimes.
📹 Perfect Your Camera Placement
Professional camera positioning consultation and installation. Evidence-quality footage from every camera, every time.