What Are Pan Tilt Zoom Cameras and How Do They Work?

Installing closed circuit cameras in your home or workplace is a great way of providing an added layer of security where close monitoring and surveillance is needed. While standard wide angle cameras can usually do the job, there are situations that require more flexible solutions.  

Pan Tilt Zoom or PTZ cameras offer additional functionality for better surveillance coverage in sensitive areas. Unlike static closed circuit cameras, PTZ cameras have the ability to change their field of view by panning from side to side, tilting up and down, and zooming in and out of their subject. PTZ cameras can do this with the help of multiple servo motors and a gimbal assembly that allows for controlled movement in multiple axes. This ability gives PTZ cameras a wider and more versatile field of cover that static units cannot deliver.

These cameras can be controlled remotely to pan around and follow a subject—an ideal feature for law enforcement and other applications requiring close monitoring capabilities. They can also be set in scan mode, where they are preset to pan or tilt in a set pattern to automatically cover a wide area. PTZ cameras are also used as an economical solution for wide area monitoring. It can cover a larger space much easier often replacing multiple guards for a single camera operator, and thus reducing manpower costs. They are also an ideal option for locations where a placing a live human sentry is not feasible or downright dangerous, say in a prison setting, or industrial locations handling hazardous materials and the like.

The ability to zoom in close to the subject also give PTZ cameras a huge advantage over static camera systems. Being able to home in close to the subject provides more detail views and better subject identification, which is necessary in law enforcement applications.