After twelve years of installing and repairing camera systems in New York, I see the same mistakes again and again. Most are not about picking the wrong brand. They are about planning, placement, storage, cabling and expectations. The good news is that every one of them can be avoided if you know to look for it. This guide lists ten of the most common buying mistakes in the New York area, explains why each one costs money or leaves you without usable footage, and gives a simple fix for each, whether you are buying for a brownstone, an apartment, a corner shop or a rental property.
This is general information based on field experience. Your property and priorities are your own, and a site visit will tell you more.
1. The Short Version
| # | Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buying cameras before planning views | Walk the property first. |
| 2 | Chasing megapixels | Match lens and placement to purpose. |
| 3 | Mounting too high | Aim for faces and plates. |
| 4 | Skipping night tests | Test after dark. |
| 5 | Too little storage | Do the math. |
| 6 | Cheap cable and connectors | Use proper cable and seal outdoors. |
| 7 | Ignoring building rules | Ask landlord, board or HOA. |
| 8 | Weak security | Change defaults, update, isolate. |
| 9 | No power backup | Use a UPS. |
| 10 | No plan for service | Know who to call. |
2. Mistake 1: Buying Before Planning
Many people order a kit, then try to figure out where cameras will go. The result is gaps and wasted cameras. Start by walking the property at the times you worry about. Mark entries, approaches and blind spots. Decide what each camera must see: a face, a plate or a general scene. Then choose equipment. Our guide on camera placement shows how.
3. Mistake 2: Chasing Megapixels
A higher number on the box does not guarantee a better image. A 4K camera aimed at a wide scene can show less detail on a face than a 4 MP camera with the right lens aimed at a door. More pixels also mean more storage and bandwidth. Choose resolution for the job. Our guides on resolution and on 4 MP vs. 8 MP explain how.
4. Mistake 3: Mounting Too High
Cameras on second-story eaves show the top of a head. A good mounting height for faces is usually a bit above head height, often 8 to 10 feet, with a downward angle, depending on the scene. Out of reach matters for tampering, but not so high that you lose faces. Our guide on mounting height explains the trade-offs.
5. Mistake 4: Skipping Night Tests
Many cameras look excellent at noon and poor at midnight: glare from infrared bouncing off a wall, blown-out porch lights, blur from slow shutter speeds. Test every camera after dark before you accept the job. Adjust angles, settings and lighting. Our guides on night vision problems and on testing camera views explain what to check.
6. Mistake 5: Too Little Storage
A system that keeps three days of footage may lose the clip you need after a long weekend. The formula for total gigabytes is cameras × bitrate in Mbps × 10.8 × days. Four 4 MP cameras at 4 Mbps for 30 days need about 5,184 GB. Use surveillance-grade drives and choose retention that fits your risks. Our guide on how much storage you need walks through the steps.
7. Mistake 6: Cheap Cable and Connectors
Intermittent video, dropouts in rain and cameras that reboot often trace back to poor cable or wet connectors. Use proper cable, weather-rated connections, sealed penetrations and surge protection. Cheap cable and unprotected outdoor connections fail in New York weather. Our guides on Cat5e vs. Cat6 and on outdoor cabling cover the details.
8. Mistake 7: Ignoring Building Rules
Renters, co-op owners, condo owners and tenants in multifamily buildings often need permission before drilling or mounting. Landmarked buildings may restrict exterior changes. Ignoring rules can lead to removal orders, fines or disputes. Ask the landlord, board or management in writing. Our guide on landlord approval for cameras explains how to ask. The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission publishes guidance at nyc.gov.
9. Mistake 8: Weak Security
Default passwords, outdated firmware and exposed ports turn a security camera into a security risk. Change all defaults, use strong unique passwords, update firmware, keep cameras off your main network if possible and use secure remote access. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency offers practical guidance at cisa.gov, and the FCC maintains a Covered List of equipment deemed a national security risk at fcc.gov. Our guide on NDAA-compliant cameras explains related concerns.
10. Mistake 9: No Power Backup
Power outages and surges can corrupt a recorder or leave you blind during storms. A UPS keeps the recorder and switch running for a while and protects against surges. It costs little compared with the equipment it protects. Our guide on UPS backup and surge protection explains how to size one.
11. Mistake 10: No Plan for Service
Cameras need occasional attention: drive replacement, firmware updates, lens cleaning, repositioning after construction. If you do not know who to call, small problems become outages. Ask for a written warranty and a service contact. Test the system monthly. Our guide on camera system warranties explains what to look for.
12. Bonus Mistakes
- Relying only on cloud video without local backup.
- Pointing cameras at neighbors' windows, which creates legal and relationship trouble.
- Recording audio without understanding the law.
- Buying the cheapest installer and getting no support.
- Not documenting the system.
- Forgetting signage where it helps.
- Ignoring the clock. A wrong date and time hurts footage as evidence.
13. Cost
Planning ranges in 2026 for professionally installed systems: video doorbell, $150 to $550; four-camera home system, $1,600 to $3,600; eight-camera system, $3,000 to $6,800; sixteen-camera commercial system, $6,500 to $13,000. Fixing a bad installation often costs as much as the original, which is why avoiding these mistakes saves money. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
14. News Context
The mistakes show up when footage is needed. In February 2026, NYPD released stills and video from a Staten Island doorstep to help identify three young men who tried to enter three homes overnight, according to CBS News New York. In July 2026, QNS reported that police were seeking a burglar who hit homes in Flushing, Oakland Gardens and Bayside, with a vehicle's plate partly covered and a $3,500 reward. Good footage comes from good decisions made before the purchase.
NYPD reported burglary down 19.5% citywide in May 2026 compared with May 2025 (NYPD).
15. Questions to Ask Your Installer
- Will you walk the property and plan views before quoting?
- How will you test night footage?
- How many days of storage will I get, and what is the math?
- How do you secure the system against hacking?
- Do I need permission from my landlord or board, and can you help?
- Who do I call when something needs service?
See our local pages for security camera installation in Staten Island, business camera installation in the Bronx, security camera installation in Jersey City and our services page.
Before you buy, let someone look at the property. Revolvis will walk the property with you and mark the spots.
16. A Pre-Purchase Checklist
Before you spend a dollar, answer these. What do I want each camera to see? Where do I park, enter and receive deliveries? Who needs to approve the install? How many days of footage do I need? Where will the recorder live, and does it have power and network? Who will set it up and who will support it? Do I have a budget for cable, mounts, storage and labor, not just cameras? If you can answer these, you are ahead of most buyers.
17. How to Avoid All Ten
The common thread is planning before purchase. Walk the property, decide what each camera must see, size storage with the formula, ask about rules, test at night and know who supports the system afterward. If you do only those six things, you avoid most of the problems above. Ask any installer you consider to explain how they handle each one, and treat vague answers as a warning. A short, specific plan on paper is the best sign of a job that will work.
More From Revolvis
Cameras are one layer of a secure property. The same in-house crew also handles the rest:
- Keyless entry installation and smart lock installation
- Access control systems and commercial access control
- Video doorbells and intercoms
- Alarm system installation
- Complete unified security
Learn more about Revolvis, meet the team, see all services, browse the blog or contact us.
Areas We Serve
Revolvis installs residential and commercial camera systems across the New York metro area. Every borough and county has its own building stock, rules and wiring challenges, so the plan for a Queens two-family is not the plan for a Manhattan co-op.
- Staten Island: houses, detached garages and shop fronts. See security camera installation in Staten Island.
- Brooklyn: brownstones, row houses and storefronts. See security camera installation in Brooklyn.
- Queens: attached brick homes, two-families and busy commercial strips. See security camera installation in Queens.
- The Bronx: pre-war buildings, bodegas and warehouses. See security camera installation in the Bronx.
- Manhattan: co-ops, condos, offices and retail. See security camera installation in Manhattan.
- Long Island: Nassau County and Suffolk County.
- New Jersey: Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken and nearby towns.
The full list is on the service areas page.
Get a Custom Quote After a Site Visit
Revolvis prices every job after a site visit, because the building sets the cost as much as the equipment does. A few things make the estimate faster and more accurate:
- The address and property type: house, apartment, co-op, condo, storefront or warehouse.
- Which doors, sides and areas you want covered, and what worries you most.
- Photos of those spots and any spots where you already have cabling or power.
- How many days of footage you want to keep and whether you want to watch on your phone.
- Any landlord, board, lender or insurer requirement.
Call 347-258-9165 or use the contact page to book a site visit. The quote you receive is written and itemized, so you can compare it line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest buying mistake? Buying equipment before planning what each camera must see.
Do more megapixels mean better footage? Not by themselves. Lens, placement, light and settings matter as much.
How high should I mount cameras? Often 8 to 10 feet, angled down, though it depends on the scene.
How much storage do I need? Cameras × bitrate in Mbps × 10.8 × days gives gigabytes; add margin.
Do I need permission to install cameras? In rentals, co-ops, condos and landmarked buildings, often yes. Ask in writing.
Why do I need a UPS? It protects the recorder from outages and surges.
Ready for a custom quote? Call Revolvis at 347-258-9165 for a site visit and a written, itemized estimate.
Safety note: A camera system supports, but does not replace, good locks, lighting, alarms and everyday habits. If you are in danger or witnessing a crime, call 911. Prices and legal summaries in this guide are general information for the New York metro area, not an offer or legal advice. A written quote after a site visit governs your actual price, and for legal questions you should confirm with the agencies linked in the article or a licensed attorney.