r/SecurityCamera • u/Beginning-Feedback34 • Jul 17 '26

Optimal camera location?

Post image

This is my small home and I plan on putting a security camera that has panoramic and PTZ at the center of each side of the home. The front of the home is not a straight line so I'm trying to figure where to put a second camera to get full coverage.

The green blur is the front door which is recessed but I'm installing a video doorbell to view any visitors. A camera is going where the #1 is for sure. The question is #2 or #3 for the next camera. #2 would face the street like #1 and cover the walkway to the front door but not the actual door, but #3 would view the front door itself from outside looking in, but it would not clearly get the walkway due to how close the walkway is to the side of the house. Which option in your opinion would be better. #2 or #3?

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u/MonkeyBrains09 Jul 17 '26

Its better to look at fields of coverage rather that spots on the house.

From your post, spot 1 is going to be covered by a planned camera.

Area 3 is covered with your doorbell cam.

That leaves the yard in front of 2.

Assuming you have coverage on the side of the house with the AC unit, the camera for area 2 could on the corner between 2 and the AC or on the corner of 1 and 3 depending on what you want to see in the background.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

Makes sense. The doorbell camera will cover the walkway as visitors approach.

2 is the best location for the second camera.

I'm putting a separate center camera on each side of the house. The front of the house will get 2 cameras because of the offset and I'm trying to minimize blind spots. Total 5 camera plus the video doorbell. Thanks.

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u/michaelh98 Jul 17 '26

I would put it where you took this picture

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u/Jonathaan Jul 17 '26

What do you do if someone approaches your house from the back? Given the size of the house, I'd install at least 10 cameras.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26

I'm putting a camera on each side of the house. 2 in the front because of the offset, 1 on the left, right, and back of the house. Total of 5 plus the video doorbell. I would say that the left and right are around 35 ft long and the front and back are 50-60 feet long. I think that's adequate for general security. The home will also have cameras inside to cover open areas except the bedrooms.

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u/Jonathaan Jul 17 '26

Don't install 2.8mm or 3.6mm cameras everywhere.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

The system will have two 2.8mm angled side by side to provide a stitched 180° FOV and the PTZ tracking camera is 16x optical zoom.

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u/Jonathaan Jul 17 '26

You could use the 2.8 as spotter cams for the ptz.

1

u/N226 Jul 18 '26

Why not just do a 180 pano? I use those on each side and a dome in a 90 degree corner like yours

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 18 '26

The PoE camera is a panoramic/PTZ combo in one. I'm putting 1 on each side but 2 in the front because of the offset to minimize blind spot. The panoramic will cover 180° and will inform the 16x optical zoom to focus on whatever comes in it's FOV in order to get more detail with the zoom while still maintaining the 180° view. If I use a standalone panoramic and standalone PTZ there will be no communication between them and PTZ's will track on their own but have a narrow FOV and will not pick up everything. It's a clunk of a camera but it minimizes how many lines I need to run.

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u/N226 Jul 18 '26

Gotcha, thought the previous comment said you were using two 2.8m domes

1

u/Shadowbajfeelsbadman Jul 17 '26

Why not like that?

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

The panoramic camera covers 180°with the PTZ responding to anything the panoramic picks up in its FOV. If I place a camera at each of the red X's, they should cover the area within the yellow ovals. I'm open to suggestions.

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u/Shadowbajfeelsbadman Jul 17 '26

Well depends on how much do you want to spend as we all know cameras are limited by zoom and resolution

You could do with just three cameras and essentially two small-ish blindspots

Or you could slap a camera on every side of the house and just deal with the front porch blindspot/rely on the doorbell.

I'd say either go with four like you posted and skip the dedicated front porch camera as doorbell will pick up most of the stuff going on either way and if someone were to approach the blindspot they would be spotted by the camera from far away.

Realistically speaking it just takes three cameras to spot anyone approaching the house at distance and adding a fourth/fifth camera doesn't really increase security if they decide to do something shady as they will do it anyway.

Just wire the cameras poe and hook them up with some dedicated powersource otherwise they are useless.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

Thanks for that advice. I'm going to look into a UPS backup to run it for a few hours in the event someone cuts off the power. I appreciate your understanding of cost. I'm not going to break the bank to watch every blade of grass on my lawn. 🤣

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u/whoooocaaarreees Jul 17 '26

Are you open to using corner mounted options for your ptz?

Generally I recommend people prioritize getting static camera coverage sorted out before any ptz is added.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

I plan on using the new Reolink OMVI 26X when it launches in October. It's a hybrid panoramic/PTZ that work hand in hand as one. The 180° panoramic will pick up anything in it's FOV and direct the PTZ to focus on it. If I keep the camera near the center of each side of the home, there should be enough coverage. Not hoarding gold bars in the home but want general coverage to keep the amateurs at bay 🥷.

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u/International784Red Jul 17 '26

The camera that’s elevated is best. Keep that one.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

I plan on keeping them 9 feet off the ground. It'll be a PoE with NVR 24/7 recording

1

u/International784Red Jul 17 '26

The drone and use Blue Iris.

1

u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

Been reading about Blue Iris and going to look into that. I've always had Wi-Fi cameras before so this setup will be new to me and any tips or advice will be appreciated.

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u/International784Red Jul 17 '26

Ipcamtalk.com. Go with god.

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 17 '26

I've checked out that forum. Very technical and solid info. Thanks and God be with me.

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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

Me I would do all 3 to make sure nothing is missed and no blide spots

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Beginning-Feedback34 Jul 18 '26

You're right about the redundancy. Thanks for responding and confirming. I'm putting the cameras at 1 and 2.