Everyone thinks the game is over after installing a high-tech security camera, and now these eagle-eye guardians will keep an eye on every corner, right? You need to think again! The sneaky little blind spots are still there. They are the black holes of your high-end security system. They let those sneaky intruders come to your place as they own it, making your security system nearly useless.
But you do not need to fear anymore as you’ve stumbled upon the right guide. This is your ultimate guide to defeating these sneaky blind spots. We will tell you how to find and avoid security camera blind spots so your security game remains unbeatable. Continue reading this article, to make those blind spots a thing of the past.
What are Security Camera Blind Spots?
Security camera blind spots are vulnerable spots within monitored areas where any threat can go undetected. Blind spots are often overlooked but can greatly decrease your security system's overall effectiveness. It leaves room for unauthorized activities to occur without being monitored.
In simple words, a blind spot is an area within the surveillance field where the security cameras’ lens fails to capture or monitor activity. They can result from multiple reasons such as camera limitations, structural obstructions, or environmental factors. It is necessary to detect and fix these blind spots for uniform surveillance within your desired field. Let’s look at other technicalities of security camera blind spots now.
Why are Blind Spots Dangerous?
Security camera blind spots are considered dangerous for a few very straightforward reasons. Firstly, they provide a shelter for criminals to hide, where the security camera lens can’t reach them. It makes it hard for law enforcement to locate and catch them. But the danger extends beyond mere invisibility, criminals use these blind spots as launching points to attack homes or businesses before anyone notices what’s going on. This results in unfortunate events, including property damage or even loss of precious lives.
Moreover, these security cameras' blind spots make monitoring and identifying potential threats challenging and hard. This compromises the overall safety and security of the area being monitored. To counter these threats, one needs to fix these blindspots. But, before fixing, you need to find and identify blind spots in your security camera. Let’s see how we can do it.
How to Find Blind Spots in a Security Camera?
A blind spot refers to any area that a camera lens fails to capture with its’ peripheral vision. Every camera comes with its own set of limitations so that no camera can monitor your entire space. Every camera has its blind spots. We can avoid these blind spots by taking certain steps, but we need to identify them before that.
First things first, let’s understand the blind spots enemy - field of vision (FOV). The field of vision is an area that your camera’s lens can see. It is like a spotlight in the dark. Different cameras have different fields of vision. The wider lens covers a wide area but less focus, and vice versa. For instance, a 4mm lens generally has a viewing angle of 80 degrees. Anything beyond these 80 degrees turns into shadows known as blind spots.
Now the fun part - finding these sneaky blind spots. You need a friend, family member, or neighbor with you for this. Now, ask them to act sneaking around like a mischievous intruder and approach your house from all possible angles, like the front door, back porch, garage door, basement window, etc.
As they do this, make sure to keep your eyes stuck to the camera feed. Monitor attentively and notice the areas that are dark and are showing no activity. Those will probably be your security camera blind spots. Make sure to monitor the camera feed on different devices, because what might be visible on your monitor might not be visible from your phone. Once you have successfully detected the blind spots of your security camera, you can take effective measures to avoid those blind spots.
How to Avoid Blind Spots on Security Cameras?
If you consider your security cameras, you eagle-eyed guardians, you need to know that even eagles have blindspots! You must be wondering if I can avoid these sneaky blind spots. Then, yes you can! Let’s see how.
1. Choosing the Perfect Camera Location
By strategically choosing an ideal location to mount your security camera, you can avoid these blind spots. Let us take you through choosing a perfect location for your security camera.
Cover every entry point and vulnerable area: You must ensure that you cover every entry point that an intruder can assess. These entry points include the main door, garage door, windows, basement, etc. Identify the blind spots of your security camera from the method mentioned above and make sure that your camera covers those areas as well. No vulnerable area should be left unmonitored.
Don’t overlook high-traffic zones: High-traffic zones such as hallways, corridors, etc are often overlooked when it comes to the placement of security cameras. Make sure to place security cameras here as well since they can keep an eye on the comings and goings, making it easy to catch suspicious activity.
Clear view with no obstructions: When installing security cameras, ensure no obstructions are blocking its view. Your cameras need a clear vision field to catch every little activity.
2. Installing Wide Angle Security Cameras to Cover Large Area
Choosing wide-angle cameras gives your security system a superpower to see more with fewer blind spots. These cameras capture wider views, ensuring you monitor your entire field in one go. The best part is they save you money! Since they cover a wider area, you need a few cameras to monitor your property. This makes your security system light on the pocket and easier to install.
These cameras give you a clear view over large distances, making sure there are no blind spots left. They ensure that every corner of your property is under watch and nothing goes unnoticed. They’re best for places over large areas like parking lots, warehouses, and outdoor spaces of your property. Remember, your security system shouldn’t be a guessing game. Utilize wide-angle cameras to get a clear and comprehensive view of your property. You can check out Eufy's security cameras range; they’ve got pretty good wide-angle cameras. Our personal favourite is Eufy Floodlight Camera E340. Check it out here!
3. Adjust the Height of your Security Camera
Security cameras need a clear view with minimum obstruction to keep everything under check. Adjusting the height of the security cameras or more specifically elevating them high on a wall, gives them superpower against all the obstructions. Technically, it’s harder for things to get in their view when they are above eye level.
Adjusting their height isn’t just about elevating them but ensuring they give a clear view of the monitored field. But wait, you don’t need to build a camera tower too! You need to balance between height and practicality. Elevating your camera too high might make it miss some details at the ground level. Look for a sweet spot with a clear field view without sacrificing close-up details.
Remember, every property is different—experiment with what works for your property by placing your cameras at different heights and angles. Find out the one that gives wide coverage with minimum blind spots, and then go for it.
4. Remove or Reposition Shiny Items to Avoid Glares
Think of the security camera lens as your eyes. You want to see everything clearly but imagine a blinding flash of light coming off any reflective object and you cannot see what’s happening around. A camera lens is the same. Any shiny reflective object in its field and its glare will create unwanted blind spots in your camera’s sight. So how can you avoid these unwanted glare blind spots? Simply remove or reposition the shiny stuff out of your camera sigh!
Windows, metal signs, and even glossy walls, cause big glares on the camera footage, making you miss important details. By removing or repositioning these reflective items, you give your camera a chance to have a clear view.
Studies show that over 60% of blurry footage comes from these reflections from shiny items. A retail store had the same issue. Their entire security system was compromised by shiny glass displays reflecting light at the camera lens. Once they moved and repositioned those glass displays, all blind spots were fixed.
5. Consider External Factors
Choosing a perfect location, adjusting it to a perfect height, and removing every possible obstruction might not be enough to avoid those blind spots. There are some external factors like lighting and weather that you need to take into consideration.
If you place your camera where a lot of sunlight comes or too much artificial light, it can make your images fuzzy and too bright. Similarly placing your camera in insufficient lighting can make your images grainy. Besides lighting, weather plays an important role too. Placing your camera where it has to see through thick fog or heavy rain, will make it like looking through a blurry window. Ensure that the camera you choose is weather-resistant to withstand these conditions.
These factors can mess up your footage. Make sure you consider these factors when installing a security camera.
6. Conduct Reviews and Tests to Fix New Blind Spots
The security cameras guard your property like a loyal watchdog. Well, even the best watchdogs need regular checkups to stay sharp. That is where conducting periodic reviews and tests comes in - a super secret to avoid those sneaky blind spots.
Periodically looking at camera angles to ensure that they’re giving the right clear view they were supposed to give and if any new blind spots have shown up. By doing these routine check-ups you are stopping problems before they get big.
These are especially recommended for businesses because things around them change quickly - a new plant growing tall or a new construction obstructing the camera angles. These routine check-ups will keep your security game up-to-date and even new emerging blind spots won’t cause harm.
Conclusion
That’s it, these were a few tried and tested tips to find and avoid security camera blind spots. Now, that you have gone through our guide and armed with knowledge, you can fix these sneaky spots and level up your security game. The key takeaway from this guide should be that your security system is not just about cameras. It’s about where they might lack and how you can fix those lackings. We hope we helped you with that. Cheers to a safer and happier home!
FAQs
- What are some common causes of blind spots?
Some of the most common causes of security camera blind spots include physical obstructions (like walls, bushes, etc), Improper camera placement, limited field of vision, camera type, insufficient lighting, improper camera angles, reflections, environmental factors, and lack of maintenance.
- What are some common ways to avoid blind spots?
You can avoid security camera blind spots by strategic camera placement, using multiple cameras to overlap the field of vision, considering suitable camera types, optimal lighting, regular maintenance, wireless connectivity, or using professional consultation help.
- What about blind spots created by nature, like bushes or trees?
You can do strategic trimming, pruning, or adjusting of landscaping elements to prevent them from blocking the camera’s view. Periodically inspect camera views to notice and adjust any potential blind spots caused by changes in the plantation.
- How often should I check for and address potential blind spots in my surveillance setup?
Check your surveillance setup every 3-6 months, more frequently during environmental changes. Assess immediately after significant events or property modifications. Use smart camera features and user-friendly monitoring apps for remote access and notifications.
- What advanced technologies can help minimize security camera blind spots?
You can employ advanced technologies to minimize security camera blind spots. These technologies include options such as Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras, wide-angle lenses, motion sensors, smart cameras with AI, thermal imaging cameras, etc. These options provide comprehensive coverage and enhance surveillance levels.
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