I've seen people spend good money on cameras and end up with useless footage, almost always because of avoidable installation mistakes.
Here are the ones that come up over and over.
Mistake 1: Bad camera angles
Pointing a camera straight at a bright sky or a light source backlights everything and turns faces into silhouettes. Angle cameras to capture faces at entry points, not just "the general area."
Mistake 2: Mounting too high
Cameras mounted very high get great views of the tops of heads, which is useless for identification. Mount at a height that captures faces while staying out of easy reach.
Mistake 3: Ignoring IR reflection
Putting an IR camera behind glass or too close to a wall reflects the infrared back and washes out night footage. Mount outdoor cameras in open air.
Mistake 4: Skimping on storage
Setting recording to overwrite after a few days means the one incident you need is already gone. Plan for weeks of retention.
Mistake 5: Wrong camera for the spot
Using an indoor camera outdoors is asking for failure in our weather. Match the camera to the environment. A weather-rated Dahua camera for outdoor spots and a standard one indoors avoids this entirely.
Get the placement right and even a modest system performs brilliantly. Got a tricky spot to cover? Describe it and I'll suggest an angle.
