How to Choose Rotating Security Cameras in 2021: A Practical Buying Guide

A shocking but undeniable fact:

Burglars can see the blind spots of your house that you may have not thought of.

But with rotating security cameras in your home, the burglars may be forced to search for other easy targets: such CCTV cameras can rotate automatically and cover every corner, leaving no places for the intruders to hide.

So, how to choose the best wireless rotating security cameras? How to set up the most effective patrol patterns?

Continue reading and find the answers in the practical buying guide here.

Contents:

• Top 2 Picks
• 4 Can’t-Miss Buying Tips
• How to Set Up Rotation
• Hottest Questions

Rotating Security Camera Recommendations: For Indoor & Outdoor Use

Selecting a rotating security camera for your home, the living rooms or yards will no longer be a time-sponge task…

With these best picks recommended by top-tier tech media and customers:

Rotating Outdoor Dome Security Camera: ZOSI C289

In terms of locations like gardens, garages and storefront doors, outdoor rotating IP cameras like ZOSI C289 shall be your ideal options.

With 275° horizontally & 90° vertically rotating and 5MP crisp images, this rotating dome security camera can cover large areas, leaving no blind spots for intruders to hide in the open air.

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Tech Spec:

Resolution	2MP
Night vision	Up to 100 feet
Rotation	275° pan & 90° tilt
Storage options	ZOSI NVR/FTP server
Intelligent alerts	Emails/Push notifications
Interface	2-way audio
Waterproof ratings	IP65
Working temperature	-10°C~+55°C (14°F~131°F), humidity: 10%~90%
Media review from VueVille.com	“Ultimately the PTZ functions superbly, video quality and resolution are stellar, and noise is very well contained. This rotating home security camera is a great buy.”
Customer’s ratings	★★★★

A ZOSI user applies this 275-degree rotating CCTV camera to capture the view of a sailing cruise. And it looks stunning!

Top Factors to Consider When Buying Rotating Security Cameras

Aside from the specifications shown on the rotating security camera product page, consider the following factors before making a purchase.

Factor 1. Plan Your Budget to Buy Cost-Effective Rotating CCTV Cameras

With a wider angle of view, rotating security cameras are more versatile than fixed lens ones.

So, is the rotating CCTV camera price higher than that of its counterpart?

Not necessarily.

Here is a price list for your reference:

Camera Type	Price
Wireless rotating security camera	$35 – $180
Outdoor dome rotating IP camera	$70 – $500
Rotating security camera with LED light	$40 – $300
Rotating security camera system	$200 – $1500
Fixed lens security camera (no rotation)	$60 – $200
Fixed lens security camera system (no rotation)	$150 – $1000

As the chart indicates, rotating security cameras are not much more expensive than fixed lens IP cameras, making them good security options for your budget.

Also, to maximize the budget, make sure that you are investing in the most-wanted features.

For example, if you need a rotating IP camera for indoor use only, you don’t have to spend much on one that fits the outdoor environment with high IP ratings.

Meanwhile, remember to examine what are (& not) included in the rotating CCTV camera prices to prevent any hidden fees. Check here for more useful tips on how to avoid the myths about security camera prices.

Factor 2. Choose Rotating Security Cameras with Fast Pan & Tilt Operations

Automatic rotating CCTV cameras with fast and flawless rotation can change their directions and adjust focus within a few seconds, which prevail over insensitive pivot security cameras.

So, before checking out, you may read reviews of the rotating IP cameras and take a look at how these security cameras perform when they rotate.

Reliable rotating security camera review media include:

• CNET

• PCMag

• TechRadar

• Digital Trends

• TechHive

• VueVille

Factor 3. Best Rotating Security Cameras Shall Pivot Without Much Noise

In addition to the rotation speed, it is also important to check if the rotating CCTV cameras produce much noise during the patrol process.

There are multiple reasons behind such noise, such as imperfect design, unqualified parts and unit failure.

 

Rotating indoor security cameras that generate unpleasant sounds are not suitable for indoor use. Especially when you are looking for rotating video cameras in baby rooms, be careful that such noise may wake your babies up in the middle of the night.

Factor 4. Think Twice Before You DIY Rotating CCTV Cameras

If you have been using CCTV cameras that can’t rotate but you desire for the patrol function, you may think of making your security camera pivot by adding a rotating mount.

This is a possible solution indeed.

But before starting the DIY job, be aware of the potential obstacles as follows:

#1. Building rotating security cameras on your own requires professional knowledge and skills. The DIY work is not just about installing rotating brackets, but also involves some minor yet unignorable tasks for you to deal with: how to power up the brackets, how to control the rotating mounts via phones and so on.

Without good understandings of electronic appliances, you may not get these issues solved properly.

#2. Rotating stand brackets may not work with your security cameras. There are mainly 2 types of rotating mounts for CCTV cameras: one driven by motors with joysticks and the other by software.

It is very possible that the rotation brackets won’t be compatible with your security cameras so that you can gain control over them only with new software or other devices.

#3. You may spend more than buying a rotating security camera. With price tags from $50 to $250, security camera rotating bases with motors are, in fact, expensive.

Combined with the potential installation fees, the total expenditure of adding rotating brackets to CCTV cameras is very close to, or even exceeds the price of a rotating security camera.

What have I missed? What are the other factors you may consider when buying rotating security cameras? Share your ideas in the comment section and we will add them to the list above to help out all the new readers.

How to Set Up Pan & Tilt for Rotating CCTV Cameras: Step-by-Step Guide

Basically, there are 2 ways to set up a patrol pattern of a rotating security camera: choosing automatic cruise mode and designing a rotation pattern manually.

To make it easier for you to understand, we would take ZOSI C289 as an example to demonstrate the setup process.

Solution 1. Use Automatic Scan Mode to Monitor Your Home & Small Business

With automatic scan mode, the rotating CCTV cameras will point to one direction for a specific time period and move to another by the default settings.

Meanwhile, you don’t have to bother designing a cruise pattern manually with every corner of your home or small business covered.

If you find that automatic scan mode doesn’t meet your security needs, skip to solution 2.

Solution 2. Set Up a Cruise Pattern for Rotating CCTV Cameras Manually

#1. Select monitor positions before hurrying to set up patrol patterns of your rotating IP cameras.

#2. Adjust wireless rotating security camera angles, zoom in or out and monitor duration to set up a specific cruise point.

#3. Repeat #2 to design multiple cruise points and save them to your patrol route respectively.

#4. Click to run your own cruise patterns.

Then you can enjoy a smooth pan & tilt operation of your indoor & outdoor rotating security cameras!

Bonus: To make full use of your outdoor rotating security cameras, ensure that their viewing angles are not blocked at any directions.

A good installation spot will reduce such a problem effectively. Here are some practical installation tips:

• Places with direct sunlight are big Nos since it may lead to unit failure;

• Do not set up outdoor rotating CCTV cameras near bushes and garden landscape;

• Install wireless rotating security cameras in spots with shelters, for example, under the attic.

Hottest Questions on Rotating IP Cameras (with Solutions)

Below are some of the frequently asked questions by rotating security camera users in multiple forums. Just in case you encounter similar issues, we have offered some practical solutions for your reference.

Question 1. Why Does My Rotating Security Camera Keep Moving on Its Own

If your rotating security cameras can’t rotate smoothly, first check if the CCTV cameras are working with sufficient power supply.

Also, such failures that rotating security cameras keep moving or won’t pan and tilt are related to the settings: you have set up automatic patrol on boot or disable the preset settings.

Therefore, you may take a look at the rotation settings and make adjustments by your needs.

Question 2. My Rotating Security Camera Is Out of Focus. Any Solutions

In fact, it takes time, like a few seconds, for the outdoor rotating security cameras to regain focus on the monitoring subjects after rotation.

When your pivot CCTV cameras remain out of focus for a long time, the following factors may explain:

• Dirty camera lens outer covers

• Power drop (running cables longer than 300 feet)

• Lenses failures

• Unstable network connection

To solve such security camera picture issues, you may carefully wipe the lens covers with a micro-fiber cloth and examine both the network connection and power supply of CCTV cameras.

Are you facing other rotation issues when running rotating security cameras at your home or small business? Please specify your problems in the comment below and we would love to help!