IP camera types explained: dome, bullet, turret, PTZ, fisheye and thermal
The camera type decides what the image can be used for. This guide explains each IP camera type, where it works and where it does not, with example locations common in Oman and the UAE. MDT supplies the Panasonic range in all of these types.
Dome cameras
A dome sits inside a protective cover, usually on a ceiling or under an eave. The cover hides where the lens is pointing and resists casual tampering.
- Best for: offices, corridors, reception areas, lifts, shop ceilings, school corridors.
- Limits: the cover can reflect infrared light at night if the camera is mounted too close to a wall, and range is usually shorter than a bullet.
Bullet cameras
A bullet is a tube-shaped camera mounted on a wall or pole. It usually has a longer reach and a visible shape that signals that the area is watched.
- Best for: villa gates, driveways, car parks, building walls, long narrow views along a fence or a lane.
- Limits: easier to knock out of alignment, so mount it out of reach on a solid bracket.
Turret cameras
A turret (or eyeball) camera has a ball-shaped lens that can be adjusted by hand, with the infrared lights set apart from the lens so there is less glare than with a dome cover.
- Best for: entrances, shop fronts, covered outdoor areas and any place where a dome shows infrared reflections.
- Limits: once aimed it is fixed, so choose the lens and angle at installation.
PTZ (pan, tilt and zoom) cameras
A PTZ camera is motorised. It can sweep a large area, zoom in on a detail and, with analytics, follow a person or vehicle automatically.
- Best for: yards, car parks, ports, stadium-style spaces and large warehouses, operated by a guard or set to patrol.
- Limits: it looks at one place at a time, so it should support fixed cameras at entrances rather than replace them.
Fisheye 360° cameras
A fisheye camera uses an ultra-wide lens to capture the whole room and flattens the picture in software.
- Best for: lobbies, showrooms, restaurants, open-plan offices and shop floors where one device should replace several.
- Limits: detail falls towards the edges of the view, so use a fixed camera where identification is needed.
Thermal cameras
Thermal cameras form an image from heat rather than light, so they work in complete darkness, smoke, fog and dust.
- Best for: perimeter detection at industrial sites, utilities, storage yards, farms and construction sites, usually with an alarm and a normal camera for identification.
- Limits: they detect that something is there; they do not show faces or number plates.
Which camera for which place?
| Location | Suggested camera | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Villa gate or driveway | Bullet or turret | Reach for vehicles and faces; weather-rated |
| Shop entrance and till | Turret or dome | Identification of every customer; less glare |
| Shop floor or showroom | 360° fisheye | One view of the whole space |
| Reception and lobby | Dome | Discreet, vandal-resistant |
| Car park | Bullets at entry and exit, PTZ for overview | Number plates at the gate, activity in the open area |
| Warehouse aisles and loading bays | Dome or bullet at ends, PTZ for the yard | Wide coverage with detail where goods move |
| Perimeter fence or plot boundary | Thermal plus bullet | Detection in darkness, identification at the gate |
Combine types, and think about the whole system
A typical business system uses fixed cameras at every entrance, a fisheye or PTZ for overview, and a recorder with enough storage for the retention period. Add analytics, such as people and vehicle detection or line crossing, only where an alert is useful, and make sure the network and PoE switch can carry the load. See How to choose a CCTV system, CCTV storage calculator and PoE for CCTV.
Frequently asked questions
Dome or bullet: which is better?
Neither is better in general. A dome suits ceilings and discreet indoor areas, while a bullet suits outdoor walls and longer views. The location decides.
Do I need a PTZ camera?
Only for large open areas where someone will use the zoom or where automatic tracking is valuable. For doors and gates, fixed cameras give more reliable identification.
Is a 360° fisheye good enough to identify people?
It is excellent for overview, but identification at a door is better served by a fixed camera aimed at the entrance.
When do I need thermal?
When you must detect people on a large perimeter in darkness, fog or dust, and false alarms from ordinary cameras would be a problem.
Next step: browse Panasonic IP cameras or request a site survey. We supply and install in Oman and the UAE.