Planning CCTV for your business: 8 things to decide before you buy

Many businesses install CCTV after something goes wrong — a break-in, missing stock, a dispute with a customer. Then, when they finally need the footage, they discover the camera was pointing at the wrong place, the picture is too blurry to recognise anyone, or the recorder stopped saving weeks ago.

A camera system is only as good as the planning behind it. Here are eight things to decide before you buy.

1. What exactly do you need to see?

Start with the purpose, not the camera. Walk around your premises and list the places that matter:

• Entrances and exits — who came in, and when
• Cash points and tills — transactions and handling of money
• Stores and stock rooms — movement of goods
• Parking and the gate — vehicles and number plates
• Perimeter — walls, fences and back doors

For each place, decide whether you need to detect something (someone is there), recognise a person you know, or identify a stranger clearly enough to show the police. Identifying a face or reading a number plate needs much more detail than simply seeing movement — which affects the camera, the lens and how close it must be.

2. Image quality: resolution isn't everything

Higher resolution (2 MP, 4 MP, 8 MP/4K) gives more detail, but a sharp picture also depends on:

• The lens — a wide lens covers more area but makes faces smaller; a narrower lens shows less, in more detail.
• Distance — the further the subject, the fewer pixels on their face.
• Lighting — cameras facing a bright doorway or the sun often show only silhouettes. Cameras with good wide dynamic range (WDR) cope better.

It is usually better to have more cameras, each covering a specific area well, than a few cameras trying to see everything.

3. Night vision

Most incidents happen at night. Check how each camera performs in the dark:

• Infrared (IR) cameras see in black and white in total darkness, up to their rated range.
• Colour night vision cameras use a little ambient or built-in light to keep a colour picture — useful for identifying clothing and vehicles.

Make sure security lights don't shine straight into a camera, and that IR light doesn't bounce off a nearby wall or glass and wash out the image.

4. Analogue or IP cameras?

• Analogue (HD-TVI/AHD) systems use coaxial cable and a DVR. They're usually cheaper and simpler for small sites.
• IP cameras connect over network cable to an NVR. They offer higher resolution, smarter features (such as detecting people and vehicles) and can be powered over the same cable using PoE.

For new installations, IP cameras are often the better long-term choice. For extending an existing analogue system, staying analogue can make sense.

5. How long do you need to keep footage?

Storage is where many systems quietly fail. The recorder's hard drive fills up and overwrites older footage — so how many days you can go back depends on the number of cameras, the resolution, whether you record continuously or only on motion, and the size of the drive.

Decide how far back you need to look (many businesses aim for two to four weeks) and size the storage for it. Use surveillance-grade hard drives, and check regularly that recording is actually working. A monthly check that you can play back footage from last week takes five minutes and avoids unpleasant surprises.

6. Remote viewing — set up securely

Being able to view your cameras from your phone is one of CCTV's most useful features. It's also a security risk if set up carelessly.

• Change the default password on the recorder and every camera.
• Use the manufacturer's secure app or a VPN rather than opening ports on your router to the whole internet.
• Give each person their own login, with only the access they need.
• Keep the recorder's firmware up to date.

7. Power and protection

Cameras that go off during a power cut are useless exactly when you might need them.

• Put the recorder and cameras on a UPS (backup power) — even a short backup covers most outages and protects against surges.
• Use outdoor-rated cameras for outdoor positions, and protect cables from weather and tampering.
• Place the recorder somewhere secure and out of sight, so an intruder can't simply take it.

8. Respect privacy — and the law

In Kenya, CCTV images of people who can be identified are personal data under the Data Protection Act, 2019. In practice, that means:

• Put up clear signs telling people CCTV is in use.
• Only record what you need for security — not toilets, changing areas or private spaces, and avoid pointing cameras into neighbours' property.
• Limit who can view and export footage, and keep it only as long as you need it.
• Tell staff about cameras in the workplace and why they're there.

If you handle a lot of personal data, check whether you need to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), and take advice for your situation.

Putting it together

A good CCTV plan answers, for every camera: what does it need to show, how clearly, by day and night — and can we get the footage when we need it? An installer should walk the site with you, propose camera positions and types, and explain storage and remote access before quoting.

How we can help

We plan, install and support CCTV and access control for offices, shops, schools, estates and clinics — with secure phone viewing, backup power and properly sized storage. We'll start with a site visit and a clear quote.

Request a CCTV site visit or talk to us about your existing system.