With the spread of technology functions that were only possible through specialized skills or services can be easily performed by technological devices even by a layman all by himself after of course he has suitably empowered himself with the required information.
Among such fields is security with the big security agencies now having to deal with smart do-it-yourself CCTV security systems.
While indeed it is true that there is a lot to choose from for the consumer with the emergence of tech it also translates to more difficult purchase decisions. And this buying guide is meant to help you with that.
Related articles: Top 13 Best CCTV Cameras in India , Top 9 Best Webcam For PC/Laptop in India
We Highly recommend you to read the CCTV Camera Buying Guide at the end of this article to get in-depth knowledge about the latest CCTV camera technologies and tips on making an informed decision about which product to buy for your needs 🙂
Top 10 Best CCTV Camera Brands in India (2022)
Although my favorite among all is Hikvision but you must check all of them to make your buying decision.
1. Hikvision
One of the best CCTV camera companies in the world of security cameras Hikvision is based out of Chine. Its Indian operations are overseen by its Mumbai headquarters.
The company is very well reputed in the security field for its Network Surveillance Systems and cameras.
The company employs over 7000 engineers among 18,000 employees in all to create its state-of-the-art security solutions.
The company has a solid foothold in over 155 countries and is spread with over 2400 partners across the four corners of the world.
The security cameras manufactured by the company come with a host of features most of which are very much the latest features offered by any other brand.
The products manufactured by the company come with a warranty of one to two years.
2. CP Plus
This Indian cctv camera company based out of Noida started its operations in the year 2007.
Within the scope of slightly more than a decade, the company has established itself as a trusted name as a quality manufacturer of a wide variety of cameras and recorders.
The tech is German and boats on top of the line feature in a variety of cameras like Night Vision, Hidden, Zoom, HD, Wireless, Spy, Analogue, Software, Indoor, Outdoor, Bullet, and IP variants.
Besides its security cameras, the company is also noted for its megapixel cameras, LCD and HD monitors.
Despite its relatively young age in the field, the camera has already won coveted awards like Excellence Leadership Award in addition to ISO certification.
3. Zicom
Zicom is one of the older names familiar to the Indian market. Manufactured in Himachal Pradesh the company has its headquarters in the business hub of Mumbai. Besides the domestic Indian market, the company has a sizeable market presence in five other countries as well.
It is another one of the best cctv camera company in india.
The range of security products offered by the company is wide and its products reliable and of good quality. Besides CCTV security cameras it also provides intruder and fire alarm systems, RAM as well as biometric locking systems. The company is especially noted for its products which stand out by the virtue of their superior quality.
Its range of CCTV cameras include a vandal proof, IR and speed dome cameras. The cameras range starts at a price of Rs. 1,400 and are really easy to use as well as install. The cameras do their job well for both households as well as commercial purposes.
4. Sony
The name Sony really needs no introduction. In addition to its wide range of quality products, Sony is also a manufacturer of security products that are characterized by their advanced technology and features. Though Sony does not really manufacture its security products in India it does, however, sell the same to consumers through its set of partners.
As with other goods manufactured by the brand its range of security products too are of the highest quality and are in many ways the ultimate. It manufactures Wireless cameras, IP security cameras, 4K security cameras in addition to other network solutions.
The imaging quality of the security products manufactured by Sony as-as to be expected superior and are really easy to set up and install.
5. Bosch
If you are looking for some real world-class security products then the famed Bosch is the name you want to turn to. The headquarters of the Indian arm of the company is in Bangalore. The company brings to consumers a wide range of cameras, alarm systems, conference systems, access control and security cameras amongst others.
With its range of products, one can effectively protect offices, homes and other assets. The company is an MNC based out of Germany and its products are available across 150 countries.
The development centers of the company in India are spread across various locations in addition to twelve sales offices in the country.
6. Samsung
Another one of the world leading names in quality electronics, Samsung is one of the brands that consumers really rely upon for home security systems. Their range of CCTV cameras offered by them includes Zoom and IR cameras, Thermal and PTZ cameras besides box and dome cameras.
The cameras of the company come with advanced features as well as the very latest in technology.
7. AVTech
This Taiwan based company is famous for its video surveillance products. The products offered by the company stand out by virtue of their durability as well as the fact that they function with equal effectiveness across a wide range of environments. Apart from video, their products are able to pick up voices too. The cameras of this make are particularly suited for offices, homes, schools, and colleges.
The price of the range of cameras starts around Rs. 3000. Outdoor bullet cameras are also manufactured by the company. The cameras come with a CMOS sensor which is added by the company. The cameras work 24*7 and have a viewing distance of 25 meters.
8. SANYO
Yet another MNC manufacturer of CCTV cameras that does due justice to its billing as one of the very best brands available for consumers for these sorts of products is Sanyo. Its reliable usefulness is perhaps only exceeded by the performance of the cameras.
You can find Sanyo CCTV cameras across various locations in India without burning a hole in your pocket. All your potential present security needs are effectively addressed by the brand's range of Security cameras. Panasonic is the present owner of Sanyo.
9. LG
LG is one of the foremost trusted names when it comes to industrial and residential products. Apart from its obvious fame as a manufacturer of home appliances and electronics, its security products for industries and residences are a cut above the rest too.
Irrespective of whether you would like to monitor your factory, home, office, a park, road and street. The CCTV cameras are posed to provide you with an effective solution for what you want to do.
10. Vantage
The company dates back by a few decades to the year 1990. Headquartered in India’s Noida the company distributes its Indian manufactured products to several foreign countries numbering to fourteen in all.
The company has a capable research and development team which is evident from the quality of its surveillance cameras and systems, video cameras and recorders, access control systems and alarms besides electronic products. The company manufactures both analogs as well as network CCTV cameras.
Buyer's Guide - How to Purchase CCTV Cameras
The Old Variants of Security Cameras
Before today's smart security cameras hit the market, we had the IP or Internet Protocol cameras. They were the only threat to security agencies in terms of competition and expectedly not quite an effective one due to the prematureness of the tech involved.
They were not quite as simple to use as some of the security solutions available for smart homes these days. The web interfaces of this breed of CCTV cameras were typically unduly complex. Compare this with the ease of use and convenience of the controlling mobile apps of today’s smart home security systems.
Things to Consider
Before you decide on the specific features you want in your security camera here are some questions the answers to which you really need to figure out:
Answering these questions and knowing what is really important to your particular use case will be of immense help to you in charting through the confusing waters of available CCTV cameras.
Specialized Security Cams or a Webcam: What do you need?
There is a very wide difference in terms of specs, the tech driving the device and of course, the features offered by the camera are concerned between a specialized security camera and something which is essentially a webcam.
There are numerous so-called security cameras out there which are basically webcams with security features. They would do in many cases and would fall short in just about as many. It really depends on your needs.
Some cameras with live video feed alert you about security event like motion sensors getting into work while some simply don’t.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that such customizability is of small interest as it may prove to be detrimental according to the use case as DIY also means that you are the one who will have to alert the authorities in case any untoward incident indeed does take place.
But to be fair webcams do serve as good supplements to a separate and comprehensive home security solution. If you need to ensure that Jimmy, your dog has not mistaken your sweater for a chew toy after ruining one the last week then webcams do a fine job.
Features to Look For
These are the most popular security camera variants available out there on the internet:
Power Source and Connectivity
The bulk of the security cameras you will find today work through the wi-fi network of your home. This translates to you having to place them in the range of the router that you have in your home or a wireless access point. If you fail to do this properly the normal functionality of the camera may get hampered.
This also translates to improper functioning of your security camera should the Wi-Fi signal be interrupted for any reason like power outages. There are however some models of security cameras that can perform their duties even if a cellular network is available.
However, they are very rare and not all permutations and combinations of network and device will work for them but it is something to look forward to in the future. There are also a few security camera models that can don the hat of an action camera if you would like to record video from your car for instance.
However, such functionality is hampered by the absence of support for remote cellular connections. The source of power for most security cameras these days is an adapter that you can just plug-in. This means that it can only work in the vicinity of an outlet.
An extension cord frees you up considerably in such cases. That being said, an increasing number of security camera models out there are opting for battery power as the power source. The batteries are either rechargeable or replaceable. This variety gives you greater control over where you can potentially install the camera.
App possibilities
Most of the security cameras that are available out there these days can be accessed through both iOS as well as Android devices.
In addition, many come with web apps that allow you to view the video feed through desktop and laptop PCs usually by providing a username, password and local wi-fi details as authentication.
The apps usually have features like sound and motion alerts, night vision, a two-way talking system through speakers and mics.
Video recording capabilities
With some models of cameras, you get access to your camera’s live feed for the live stream of its view provided of course the app and the camera remains connected to the internet. This way you can check in on what is happening at your home any moment you want.
Some models, however, capture video only when one or more of the sensors are triggered which means you cannot really check in on things like pets the way you want to with these security solutions. The quality of the video is another thing you should consider.
It is obvious that video feeds of higher qualities will consume more bandwidth and the accompanying lags and glitches that might annoy you from time to time. The standard resolution of live video feeds is increasingly becoming Full HD.
Some models however still stick with VGA video with the resolution 640x480 which makes the battery last longer.
It is important to remember that in case you do choose a model with the ability to livecast Full HD video of what it sees you can at any time lower the resolution should there be any issues with lags or other bandwidth caused problems.
Some of the models even adjust the video quality according to the speed of the net connection by itself.
Subscriptions and Storage
You must always keep in your mind that all video storage is in no way equal. There are a number of options as is provided by the particular security camera model. The latest technological innovation in video storage is, of course, storing the video in the cloud or a remote server.
Local storage stores all the video in a USB or microSD card. It is really up to what you prefer when you are asked to choose from either of the two. Some cameras go a step further and give you both the options.
Sometimes you might need to shell out something like Rs. 500 on a monthly basis as charges for your cloud storage service, so keep that in mind as well.
Field of view
Field of view really refers to the area that your camera can see. Usually, CCTV cameras are put into used to guard a single room or area or point of view. This makes a large field of view desirable. Some cameras go to the extent of providing a 180-degree field of view lens.
Price
The determining factor of the price of a security camera is really the features. Usually, they will set you back by Rs.8000-20000. The price can range from as little as Rs 3500 to a whopping Rs25000 as found with some of the premium high-end security cameras.
Advanced features
The features we have talked about till yet in this buying guide are more or less to be considered as basic features. There is a vast scope in terms of integrations and features of these security cameras. Some of the real good security cameras ship with facial recognition tech.
They can, of course, recognize you and your family member but as well as people who have been added to a database of family and friends by yourself. Another nice feature that some of the cameras ships with are called activity zones.
This simply means that the camera can ignore or guard with special attention to a specific area. This helps to keep vulnerable entry points like doorways guarded all the more vigorously.
Some models also have built-in sirens and arm and disarm modes which strengthen the security setup. To really take your smart home to a whole new level of smart sophistication, these days some cameras also respond to voice commands given to digital assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
Even more recent is the trend of integrating smart TVs with these smart home security cameras which let you view the feed in the large screen rather easily. Some hubs are also available that let the smart devices communicate through different protocol languages.
Design
One of the basic needs of the design of security cameras is not being prominent which accounts for the staid black and white color of most security cameras. The design of the camera is usually like a solid cylinder which comes with built-in stands.
Some camera stands let you pivot the camera which lets you angle the camera according to your wish. Some ship with backings made of magnet that let you fix the angle of the camera position.
the best one is hik one
I liked your expert opinions.
Now, tell me where can I buy these CCTV Cameras as advised by you.