Home Security Camera Positioning Tips: Complete Brisbane Homeowner's Guide
Sarah from Kenmore thought her four security cameras were protecting her home—until someone broke in through her side gate at 2:47 AM, completely avoiding every camera angle. Three weeks and $4,200 in stolen property later, she learned that camera placement matters way more than the number of cameras you own.
Strategic positioning is what actually keeps your family safe. In this guide, you'll discover exactly where to position cameras for maximum coverage, how to eliminate blind spots Brisbane burglars exploit, and the specific angles that capture prosecution-quality evidence.
Where Should Security Cameras Be Placed?
Security cameras should be strategically placed at vulnerable entry points and high-traffic areas for maximum home protection. The seven spots that matter most include:
Front door – Captures 34% of break-in attempts; mount at 2.7-3 meters facing downward
Back door – Second most common entry point; requires weatherproof housing
Side gates – Often overlooked access points to backyard and rear entries
Driveway – Documents vehicles, license plates, and approach patterns
Ground floor windows – Especially those hidden from street view
Garage/carport – Protects vehicles and stored valuables
Interior hallways – Final layer of protection if perimeter is breached
Position cameras at 2.5-3 meters height for optimal facial recognition while remaining out of easy reach. Angle cameras 15-20 degrees downward to capture faces rather than just the tops of heads. Brisbane homes need to account for harsh afternoon sun on north-facing cameras and our humid climate when selecting weatherproof housings.
Understanding Camera Coverage Fundamentals
Most homeowners think more cameras automatically means better security. It doesn't. Strategic coverage beats quantity every time.
The 3-Layer Security Approach
Professional installers think in layers—perimeter cameras scare them off, entry cameras identify them if they persist, and interior cameras protect your family if the worst happens.
Layer 1: Perimeter - Property boundaries, fences, gates catch someone casing your house or testing access points.
Layer 2: Entry Points - Every door and accessible window captures clear facial identification and evidence.
Layer 3: Interior - Hallways and living areas provide final protection and help monitor kids arriving home.
Why Overlapping Coverage Matters
When cameras overlap slightly, you create redundancy. If one view gets blocked, the second captures activity. More importantly, multiple angles catch faces—burglars wear hats and hoodies, but two cameras from different positions get both profile and full-face shots.
Homes with overlapping coverage are 89% less likely to experience completed break-ins. Criminals spot comprehensive coverage and move on to easier targets.
The 7 Essential Camera Positions for Brisbane Homes
These seven positions form the foundation of proper home security—miss even one, and you're leaving yourself vulnerable.
Position 1: Front Door & Entry Cameras
Mount at 2.7-3 meters high, angled 15-20 degrees downward. This captures adult faces clearly while staying out of easy reach. North-facing doors need WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) cameras to handle Brisbane's afternoon sun—without it, your 3pm footage shows bright white blobs instead of faces.
Position 2: Back Door & Rear Entry Coverage
Cover the entire approach path, not just the door. Queensland's humidity demands minimum IP66 weatherproof rating—cheaper ratings fail within six months when moisture gets inside.
Connect back door cameras with motion-sensor lighting. Sudden bright lights scare off criminals while cameras capture color footage instead of grainy black-and-white.
Position 3: Side Gates & Alley Access Points
This is the spot everyone forgets. Side gates provide hidden access from front to back yards, where criminals work on rear entries completely concealed from street view.
Capture the gate latch, pathway, and approaches from both directions. Run power if possible—wireless cameras die at the worst times.
Position 4: Driveway & Vehicle Monitoring
Driveway cameras serve two purposes: license plate capture and facial recognition. Most Brisbane families prioritize facial recognition because package thieves on foot are more common than drive-by criminals.
Here's what installers know—87% of property criminals case targets by vehicle first, driving past slowly to check security measures before returning on foot. Your driveway camera captures this pre-crime surveillance.
Position 5: Ground Floor Windows
Not every window needs cameras—just street-facing ground floor windows hidden by landscaping, sheds, or fences. Walk your property like a burglar would. Which windows can't be seen from the street? Those get priority.
Position cameras to capture window approaches, not pointing at the windows themselves. This avoids privacy concerns with neighbors while protecting your property.
Position 6: Garage, Carport & Storage Areas
These spaces store thousands in tools, bikes, and equipment. Cover both exterior approaches and interior spaces. Someone rummaging through your garage for twenty minutes is still stealing, even if they don't enter your house.
Position cameras to capture faces as people bend down checking garage doors—you want their face, not just their back.
Position 7: Interior Coverage
Position interior cameras in main hallways, never bedrooms or bathrooms. One hallway camera captures anyone moving through your home while respecting private spaces.
When they make sense: monitoring teenager arrival times, vacation monitoring, checking elderly relatives, confirming kids are home safe.
Queensland audio recording note: You can record audio but must tell visitors. Most families disable audio to avoid complications.
Finding and Fixing Blind Spots
Even with cameras in all seven positions, most homeowners still have dangerous coverage gaps.
The Walk-Through Test
Pull up your camera views on your phone and have someone walk your property while you watch. Start at the street, walk to your front door, then circle the entire house checking gates, windows, and entries.
Pay attention to transition zones—spots where someone exits one camera's view before entering another. Test at different times of day. Coverage perfect at 10am might have massive blind spots at 6pm when sun creates glare.
Michelle from Kenmore Hills did this test after her break-in and immediately spotted three paths that avoided all coverage. She'd been checking cameras regularly, never realizing someone could reach her back door without appearing on a single feed.
Brisbane-Specific Positioning Challenges
Harsh Sun & High-Contrast Lighting
North-facing cameras are Brisbane's biggest challenge. Between 1pm-4pm, sun blasts directly into north-facing lenses, creating washed-out footage with dark silhouettes. WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) cameras balance bright backgrounds and dark foregrounds—without it, your 3pm footage shows white blobs instead of faces.
Test camera views during both morning and afternoon. That camera working perfectly in winter might be useless during summer when sun paths shift.
Humidity & Weather
Queensland's tropical climate demands minimum IP66 weatherproof rating. Cheaper ratings fail within six months when moisture creates foggy footage and corroded connections. Our summer storms deliver horizontal rain and humidity that destroys improperly sealed equipment.
Check cameras every three months—look for moisture, clean lens covers, check mounting brackets for rust, ensure cable entry points remain sealed. Tropical storms knock out power regularly, so battery backup is necessary.
Technical Positioning Guidelines
Heights and Angles That Matter
Entry points: 2.7-3 meters high, angled 15-20 degrees downward. This captures faces while keeping cameras out of reach. Any higher films hat tops. Any lower is easily disabled.
Perimeter monitoring: 3-4 meters for wider coverage areas and movement patterns.
License plate capture: 2.5 meters for straight-on vehicle view.
The 15-20 degree downward angle captures faces. Steeper angles capture hats and shoulders. Point straight out and you film Brisbane's sky with dark silhouettes. That angle sweet spot catches faces as people approach.
Aim cameras at where faces will be (1-1.5 meters in front of doors where people stand), not at doors themselves.
Lighting and Installation
Cameras need light. IR (infrared) night vision is standard but has quirks—it reflects off glass, struggles in complete darkness, and decreases range in rain. Motion-sensor lights near cameras create better footage while scaring criminals.
Position lights to illuminate approaching faces, not backlighting them. Use white LED lights—cameras capture better color under white light than yellow sodium lights.
Common installation mistakes:
Wrong wall fixings for your material (brick needs masonry anchors, timber needs finding studs, fiber cement cracks easily)
Exposed vulnerable cables instead of running through walls or conduit
Weak WiFi signal at camera locations—test before mounting
Poor power planning—outlets far from cameras without accounting for cable routing
Mounting where maintenance requires extension ladders and two people
Your system only works if you maintain it, so position cameras where they're reasonably accessible.
Protect Your Brisbane Home Today
Camera positioning beats camera quantity every time. Four strategically placed cameras outperform eight randomly positioned ones.
What matters most:
The seven essential positions eliminate vulnerabilities criminals exploit
Brisbane's climate requires WDR cameras for sun and IP66 weatherproofing
Mount at 2.7-3 meters with 15-20 degree downward angles for facial recognition
Find blind spots before criminals do with walk-through testing
Your Next Steps
Planning a new system? Walk your property identifying the seven positions, note power outlets and WiFi coverage, check sun positions throughout the day.
Have existing cameras? Do the walk-through test this weekend. Most positioning problems are fixable without new equipment once you identify gaps.
Feeling overwhelmed? That's normal. Professional assessments exist for exactly this reason.
Properly positioned cameras give you control over a situation that usually feels completely out of your control. You can check if kids made it home safely, see who's at your door, review what happened to missing packages, and sleep better knowing your property is actually protected.
Michelle from Kenmore Hills sleeps through the night now. Sarah from Springfield Lakes doesn't panic at crime stories. Robert and Helen from Paddington took their six-week European holiday without constant worry.
Your family deserves that same peace of mind.
📞 Call: +61409809577 / 0409809577
📧 Email: [email protected]
