How to Determine the Proper CCTV Camera Lens

October 24 2024, by Jeff Taylor, 1 min reading time

Need to figure out what lens works best in your security camera installation?

Most of the time, the 2.8mm lens will be your best choice, as it will provide a clear wide angle view of the target area thereby maximizing value of the camera positioning.

However, some camera position may benefit from a more narrow lens angle (measured in mm). For instance, a camera at the end of a long corridor would benefit from a more narrow lens angle because it would eliminate much of the walls from the scene to allow a better image of the subject area.

Keep in mind that as the lens angle increases, the "zoom" effect is greater. So objects further away fill up more of the monitor screen. The compromise to this is that the peripheral is lost. For example, a camera looking at an entrance gate may benefit from having a higher lens angle to maximize the view of those entering the gate, but it will subsequently lose the view of the wider surrounding area. In many cases this may justify the placement of another camera to capture the wider area without the detail of the target area.

Use our "CCTV Lens Focal Length and Field of View Calculator" tool to determine which lens angle makes the most sense for your installation. Keep in mind you'll need to "round" the lens result to whatever is available on the camera model you are selecting.

Use our "CCTV Scene Dimension Calculator" tool to determine the size of an area you will be able to see on the monitor when using a specific lens.

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