Buying cameras is the easy part. Getting useful footage takes some planning first.
Start with what you need to see
List the areas that matter: entrances, cash points, stock rooms and car parks. For each one, decide whether you need to see general activity or identify a face or number plate. Identification needs more detail, and the camera has to be closer.
Choose between analogue and IP
Analogue systems can be a practical choice for smaller sites or for reusing existing cabling. IP systems offer more detail and scale well across larger sites.
Plan your storage
Decide how many days of footage you need to keep. Camera count, resolution and recording mode all affect the storage required.
Think about lighting
A camera that looks fine in the afternoon may struggle at night or when facing a bright doorway. Check each location at different times of day.