Bullet camera VS Dome camera VS PTZ camera
(Bullet camera)
A bullet camera is a type of security camera that has a long, cylindrical shape, similar to the shape of a bullet or a lipstick tube—that’s exactly where the name comes from.
Key Characteristics
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Shape: Slim, tube-like body with the lens at one end and the mounting bracket at the other.
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Installation: Usually mounted on walls or ceilings with a bracket that lets you aim it toward a fixed direction.
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Field of View: Typically set to watch a specific area such as a gate, driveway, or hallway.
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Housing: Often weather-resistant (IP66/IP67), making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Why Called “Bullet”
The camera’s elongated barrel-like design resembles a bullet cartridge—hence the term “bullet camera.” The name is purely descriptive of its physical appearance, not its function.
Typical Uses
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Building entrances and exits
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Parking lots or driveways
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Perimeter fences or outdoor corridors
In short, “bullet camera” just refers to its shape and style, not any special shooting or weapon-like capability.
For example below items are bullet camera sytle looks like:
(Dome camera)
A dome camera is a type of security camera that sits inside a transparent, dome-shaped cover—and that round “dome” is exactly where the name comes from.
Why It’s Called a “Dome Camera”
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The camera and its lens are enclosed in a protective, half-sphere (dome) housing.
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From the outside you mostly see the smooth dome shape, so installers and users simply call it a dome camera.
Key Characteristics
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Discreet appearance: The tinted or smoked dome makes it hard to see which direction the lens is pointing, which can deter intruders.
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Vandal-resistant: The housing is usually impact-resistant and tamper-proof.
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Mounting flexibility: Often mounted on ceilings, eaves, or the underside of overhangs.
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Wide coverage: Many models include a varifocal or PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) mechanism inside the dome for broad surveillance.
Typical Applications
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Indoor spaces such as shops, offices, lobbies, and restaurants.
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Outdoor installations where a low-profile, unobtrusive look is preferred—like hotel entrances or parking garages.
In short: the name “dome camera” simply comes from its dome-shaped protective housing, not from any special feature beyond its design.
(PTZ camera)
A PTZ camera is a type of security camera that can Pan, Tilt, and Zoom—that’s exactly what the abbreviation PTZ stands for.
Why It’s Called “PTZ”
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Pan – the camera head can rotate horizontally (left and right), often a full 360°.
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Tilt – it can move vertically (up and down).
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Zoom – it can optically zoom in or out to focus on details without losing image quality.
The name simply describes these three core mechanical functions.
Key Characteristics
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Remote control: Movement and zoom can be controlled from a smartphone app, NVR, or central control software.
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Preset tours & auto-tracking: Can be programmed to move through specific viewpoints or automatically follow a moving subject.
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Optical zoom lens: Provides clear close-ups of distant objects, unlike digital zoom which just enlarges pixels.
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High coverage: A single PTZ camera can watch areas that would normally require several fixed cameras.
Typical Applications
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Large open spaces such as parking lots, stadiums, warehouses, ports, or city streets.
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Situations where you need to actively track people, vehicles, or incidents.
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Remote or solar-powered installations that require wide-area coverage with fewer cameras.
In short: a PTZ camera gets its name from its ability to Pan, Tilt, and Zoom, letting you remotely move the lens and magnify images to monitor a large area in real time.
For example below items are PTZ camera sytle looks like:
Pan, Tilt function: Pan/Horizontal 355 °, Tilt 100°
Zoom function: Zoom in/out to check far away object details
