Coverage beats quantity
Ten cameras in the wrong places will leave you with more blind spots than two cameras in the right ones. Placement is the single biggest factor in how useful your system actually is.
Here's where we position cameras on most Sydney residential and commercial properties.
1. Front entry and main door
This is the most important camera position. You want a clear view of anyone approaching the front door — ideally showing their face as they approach, not just the top of their head.
Best practice:
- Mount at 2.4–2.7 metres high, angled slightly downward
- Aim to capture a face zone from 1–4 metres from the door
- Use a wide-angle lens (110° or more) to catch the full width of the entry path
2. Driveway and vehicle entry
A driveway camera serves two purposes: deterring opportunistic theft from vehicles, and capturing number plates of anyone who drives in.
Best practice:
- Position to the side of the driveway, not at the end — a straight-on view produces glare from headlights at night
- Height of 3–4 metres gives you a good angle on number plates without being too steep
- Pair with a camera that has colour night vision if number plate capture is important to you
3. Backyard and rear access
Most residential break-ins in Sydney happen through rear access — via back lanes, side passages, or over rear fences. A backyard camera is important even if you have front-door coverage.
Best practice:
- Position to cover the rear fence line and any back gates
- A 4mm–6mm lens handles a standard suburban backyard well
- Motion-triggered recording is particularly useful here to manage storage
4. Side passages
Side passages are common entry points that are invisible from the street. A camera here catches anyone moving from the front of the property to the rear.
Best practice:
- Mount at the front of the passage, aimed towards the backyard
- Even a basic 1080p camera here adds significant coverage
5. Garage and shed
If you store tools, bikes, or vehicles in a garage or shed, this is worth covering. A single camera inside the garage covering the door and contents is usually enough.
Height and angle: the most common mistake
The most common mistake we see in DIY installations is cameras mounted too high — sometimes up near the roofline. At 4+ metres, cameras capture mostly the tops of heads and are useless for identification.
General rule: mount at 2.4–3 metres for pedestrian areas. Reserve greater heights for wide-area coverage of open spaces like carparks and yards.
Avoiding blind spots
Walk your own property and think like someone who wants to avoid being seen:
- Is there a route from the street to your rear door that avoids every camera?
- Can someone stand at your front door without being captured clearly?
- Is the garage or side gate visible from any camera?
If the answer to any of these is yes, those are the gaps to fill.
Legal considerations in Australia
In NSW, you can install security cameras on your own property. A few things to be aware of:
- Do not capture your neighbour's property in your camera's view — this can breach privacy laws
- Do not record audio without proper disclosure in some contexts
- Cameras in common areas of strata properties require body corporate approval
When we do our site assessment, we always check sight lines to neighbouring properties and advise accordingly.
Not sure where to start?
Book an installation and we'll do a site walkthrough before any work begins. We'll mark out the camera positions with you and explain what each one covers before we mount anything.