Most failed security camera installs aren't about the cameras themselves — they're about what surrounds them: layout, lighting, audio, network, and monitoring. Spend money in the right order.
1. Start with a site plan, not a camera list
Before picking hardware, mark every camera position, field of view, and blind spot on a plan. Most installers skip this and end up with cameras in convenient mounting locations rather than effective surveillance locations. (We offer a free site plan review precisely because this step is so commonly skipped.)
2. Choose cameras for the conditions
Lighting, weather, distance, and approach angle drive lens and sensor choice. A 4MP camera at the wrong angle is worse than a 2MP camera placed correctly. Pay attention to:
- Low-light performance (most break-ins happen at night)
- Wide dynamic range (for high-contrast scenes like back-lit entries)
- Lens focal length (long for narrow approach roads; wide for parking lots)
- Mounting height and angle
3. Network and storage
NVR capacity, network bandwidth, and remote access are commonly under-specified. If your monitoring vendor (or insurance claim adjuster) can't pull the video they need, the cameras may as well not exist. Budget for:
- 30+ days of storage at full resolution
- Sufficient uplink bandwidth for live streaming + clip retrieval
- Redundant or off-site backup of critical events
4. Audio talk-down
If your goal is deterrence (it should be), audio matters. Either pick cameras with built-in two-way audio or budget for stand-alone IP speakers covering high-risk zones.
5. ONVIF/RTSP, not proprietary
Vendor lock-in is a trap. ONVIF/RTSP cameras keep your options open — for AI vendors, monitoring providers, and future upgrades.
6. Monitoring — the part people forget
A $50,000 camera system without monitoring is a $50,000 evidence collector. A $20,000 camera system with live monitoring is an active deterrent. The proportion of budget that goes into monitoring vs. hardware should be much higher than most properties initially plan.
A practical budget split
For a typical commercial property, we suggest:
- 40–50% cameras + installation
- 10–15% network, NVR, storage
- 10–15% audio and supplemental lighting
- 25–35% live monitoring (annual)
This frequently inverts what installers propose — they'd rather sell hardware. But the monitoring is what stops the next break-in.