Buying cameras without a plan is how you waste money.
We've seen people buy 16 cameras for a small shop, and 4 cameras for a large farm. Both are mistakes. The right number of cameras depends on your property's size, layout, and security risks. And the right storage depends on how long you want to keep footage.
This guide will help you get both right.
Part 1: How to Choose the Right Number of Cameras
There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are general guidelines based on property type:
| Property Type | Recommended Cameras | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small apartment / bedsitter | 2 | One at the door, one inside main room |
| Typical family home | 4–8 | Gate, front door, back door, driveway, backyard |
| Large home / compound | 8–16 | Add perimeter walls, parking, staff quarters |
| Small shop / kiosk | 2–4 | Entrance, counter, storage |
| Medium shop / supermarket | 4–16 | Aisles, cash registers, loading area |
| School / institution | 8–32 | Classrooms, corridors, playground, gate |
| Warehouse / industrial | 16–64 | Loading docks, storage racks, perimeter |
| Farm / ranch | 4–32 | Gate, livestock area, store, fence lines |
| Hotel / lodge | 8–32 | Reception, parking, hallways, common areas |
Key rule: Start with entry points. Then cover high-risk areas. Don't buy more cameras than you need — a few well-placed cameras beat many poorly placed ones. Our free site survey gives you an exact number for your property.
Part 2: How Long Does CCTV Footage Last?
CCTV footage is stored on a hard drive inside your DVR or NVR. When the drive is full, the system automatically overwrites the oldest footage. So "how long footage lasts" really means: how many days of recording can your hard drive hold?
This depends on three factors:
- Number of cameras – more cameras = more data
- Resolution – 4MP and 8MP cameras use more storage than 2MP
- Recording mode – continuous recording uses more space than motion-based recording
Part 3: Understanding CCTV Storage
Here's a rough guide to how many days of footage you can expect on different hard drive sizes, assuming continuous recording with 2MP cameras:
| Cameras | 1TB Drive | 2TB Drive | 4TB Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 7–10 days | 14–20 days | 30–40 days |
| 8 | 3–5 days | 7–10 days | 15–20 days |
| 16 | 1–2 days | 3–5 days | 7–10 days |
| 32 | Less than 1 day | 1–2 days | 3–5 days |
*Higher resolution cameras (4MP/8MP) will use more storage and reduce these durations. Motion-based recording can extend storage by 50–70%.
Motion-Based Recording: The Smart Way to Save Space
Instead of recording 24/7, many systems only record when movement is detected. This dramatically reduces storage usage. For a home, this can mean keeping 3–4 weeks of footage instead of 7 days. It's the smartest way to get more from a smaller hard drive.
For businesses and farms where you need continuous monitoring, we recommend larger drives (4TB or more). See our packages which include different storage options.
Don't guess — let us calculate it for you.
Book a free site survey. We'll tell you exactly how many cameras you need and the right storage for your recording goals.
📋 Book Free SurveyOr call: 0722 625 525
Frequently Asked Questions
Most homes need 4–8 cameras. Start with the gate, front door, back door, and driveway. Larger compounds may need up to 16.
For homes, 2–4 weeks is usually enough. Businesses often keep 4–8 weeks. It depends on your storage capacity.
Yes. 4MP and 8MP cameras use more storage than 2MP. You'll need a larger drive to keep the same number of days.
Instead of recording continuously, the system only records when movement is detected. This saves space and extends storage duration.
Yes. In most cases, we can upgrade the hard drive in your DVR or NVR. Some systems also support adding an external drive.
The system overwrites the oldest footage automatically. If you need to keep footage longer, you'll need a larger drive.