PTZ Camera Placement Best Practices

Making sure that you place your new PTZ camera in the correct spot is almost as important as deciding which PTZ to buy! After all it doesn’t matter how good the camera is on paper if you placed it in a spot that doesn't play to its strengths or will simply only allow for poor framing. 

So let’s go ahead and dive into some concepts that can help you secure the proper place for your PTZ camera. 

Start with Clear Line of Sight

First things first, your PTZ camera needs to actually be able to see the subject area! This means that it should have a clean, unobstructed view. 

So that will rule out placing it behind pillars, furniture, places where people might be standing in front of it, etc. Even something small can become a massive hindrance when you want to zoom in. For extra measure make sure that you test the viewing angles at more than one zoom level. 

Mounting Height Matters

Height does matter when it comes to a camera. If you place it too low not only will it create an uncomfortable angle for your audience but it can also cause potential blockages to the view. However the opposite it true as well, mounting it too high can give the perception of looking down on the speaker and detract from what is being shown. 

As a general guideline:

• Eye-level or slightly above eye-level works best for close shots.
• Rear-of-room elevated placement works well for wide coverage.
• Ceiling mounts are ideal for capturing larger areas without obstruction.

The goal is for you to create a natural viewing experience.

Consider Distance and Zoom

To put it simply, your zoom camera does you no good if you place it 5 feet from the stage. You now have a feature (that you paid for) that is not being used. However, just because you have the ability to zoom that doesn’t mean you should place it as far away from the stage either! 

Always test:

• The widest shot you need
• The tightest close-up you plan to use

From there you should make sure that both shots look clean and properly framed.

Lighting and Backlighting Considerations

It is very important that you do not have bright windows or strong backlights behind the subject. When you have harsh backlighting behind the subject you will cause exposure issues for the camera, or in other words, the subject will appear dark while the rest of the image is exposed correctly.

Having a proper lighting setup can be the difference between a good looking image and something that is unusable. 

Cable and Power Planning

You might scoff at this, but make sure the place you are considering placing the camera has a way to get cables to and from it. Especially whatever cable you are using to power the camera!

Consider:

• Access to power or PoE
• Network connectivity
• HDMI or SDI cable distance limits
• Future service access

Not planning for this can cause a lot of headaches later on.

Testing Before Final Installation

Finally make sure to test it all before you do a permanent mount, or install a wall/ceiling mount:

• Temporarily position the camera
• Test all preset shots
• Check zoom clarity
• Verify lighting balance
• Confirm control responsiveness

Not only can this save you time in the long run but it can also prevent some rather unsightly holes in the wall or ceiling if the original spot didn’t work out.

Final Notes

Hopefully you’ve come away with some more to think about, placing the camera is a decision that matters and shouldn’t just be something that has no thought placed into it. Where the camera is placed has a lot of affect on quality and viewer comfort as well as how efficient your production can be. 

For help selecting the right camera for your space, refer to the PTZ camera selection guide or contact technical support.