Light duty

Designed for interior use, light-duty enclosures are the least expensive camera enclosures. These enclosures protect the camera from everyday dirt and dust buildup, and they also usually come with tamper-resistant features to dissuade would-be vandals.

I recommend: See a picture of a typical light-duty enclosure and read about its features at 123SecurityProducts.

Dome enclosure

A dome enclosure is a popular style for locations where a security camera would seem intrusive. These enclosures protect and hide the camera behind a glass dome, which often use smoked glass to better obscure the direction of the camera. Though these enclosures don't hide the fact that you have cameras, they can make visitors feel more welcome than exposed cameras.

I recommend: See a dome enclosure for cameras that features smoked glass at ProVantage.

Recessed enclosure

A recessed enclosure fits into a ceiling, allowing the camera to stay relatively unobtrusive. The most common styles of recessed enclosures are wedge and dome.

I recommend: View a wedge-recessed enclosure at Security Hardware Discount.

Weather resistant and weather rating

You need to house all exterior cameras in weather resistant enclosures to function well in all seasons, but some camera enclosures use a weather rating. This helps you know just how weatherproof the enclosure is. A rating of IP66 is among the highest for camera enclosures, and these models feature a heater and a blower to regulate temperature.

I recommend: Read about the qualities of an IP66-rated camera enclosure at Supercircuits. Compare it to the weather resistant model listed at Mace Security International.

Pressurized enclosure

To keep an exterior camera especially secure from environmental and weather effects, you can use a pressurized enclosure. Another benefit of pressurized enclosures is the reduction in maintenance cost, since there is no way for contaminants to affect the camera.

I recommend: Read about the benefits of pressurization at Cohu.

Explosion proof

An explosion proof enclosure is the most rugged camera enclosure you can purchase. These enclosures can withstand hazardous conditions and will keep operating even in the vicinity of explosions. Most explosion proof enclosures are also waterproof.

I recommend: Read about the EHX*E Series explosion proof enclosure, which is appropriate for use on both land and in marine environments, by visiting Surveillance-Video.