Body Worn Cameras

A body worn camera is essentially a small video and audio recording device that is mounted on a person. They are used professionally by a range of industries and also personally by private individuals who may encounter risks while travelling alone or walking in remote areas. Bodycams, as they are sometimes called, will tend to be light and reasonably small with a quick activation button.

There are several body worn camera UK companies of note. Reveal Media works widely with Police forces but is more expensive than most competitors. The Partner and Pinnacle are widely used by security personal in the UK. Audax is a UK brand but do more business in Europe and Vietnam than in the UK.

There are not distinct categories like you have with many other security products. You could say that streaming and non-streaming are different types. You could also draw a distinction between where the record button is on the camera. Size and functionality has been largely homogenised in recent years with only few differences in spec and the odd extra.

Streaming Bodycams – Connect through WIFI or cellular network to allow the uploading of footage in real-time. This will normally mean it can also be viewed in real-time. Streaming systems tend to be more expensive and have upkeep fees.

Front Activation – This is where the record button is on the front. This has become the more popular style recently as it offers the greatest freedom of mounting without reducing the ease of reaching the button. They buttons also tend to be bigger in this style as bodycams are more flat and wide rather than square these days.

Top Activation – This is where the button is on the top of the bodycam. This style has become less popular as it is less convenient to activate the higher the bodycam is mounted on the body. Centre chest mounting is the easiest position for the types.

Side Activation – Side Activation was very popular a few years ago and is still used by body worn camera UK companies like Reveal as well as many Chinese bodycams. If you know exactly where the camera will be mounted the side activation works well. If the switch is on the far-side of the bodycam from the hand that it will be activated with then is very easy to use. If it is on the nearside to the activation arm then it can be a bit tricky depending on where it is mounted. If it is mounted on the same side as the activation arm then it depends entirely on how high the camera sits. The higher the better.

This depends on what you are going to be using it for. You need to think about what purpose the body worn camera will be used for and what considerations fall from that. Some questions that might help are:

How long are my shifts? – This will affect how much battery life you have and if you run at high resolution, how much storage you need.

What kind of weather conditions will I be using it in? – Extreme weather will require higher IPX ratings and perhaps weather resistant pouches depending on the bodycam.

Do I anticipate physical conflict? – Higher IP ratings help with this but are not always the best indicator. Standards like MIL-STD-810G sound good in practice but there is a lack of consistency between companies and what surfaces they use when they do the test. Body Worn Cameras without screens tend to be more resilient as screen cracking is a big problem.

Who will be using the body worn camera? – If you are buying a bodycam for yourself then you have more freedom. If you are buying one for your staff then there are more considerations that come into play. Are they allowed to access the footage? If not, don’t get a camera with a screen. You will also need password protection and possibly encryption. Who will download the bodycam? If it is each individual staff member then you need something that can be downloaded to any PC. Will it be downloaded centrally? Then you may want to look at something with a Digital Evidence Management System.

Where am I going to mount it? – Choice of mounting option can be just as important as the choice of the bodycams themselves. Make sure that the position suits the bodycam that you use. What activation method does it use? Is it wide angle or not as shoulder mounting can be a problem for body worn cameras with narrow lenses.

There are a number of companies that have UK based support for their cameras. Axon, Reveal Media, The Partner, Pinnacle and Audax all support their cameras locally in the UK. This is extremely important as if you have a problem then you need to get it resolved right away. Most bodycams that you buy from Amazon or Chinese brands will not have local support if any at all. If your camera breaks you will have no real recourse outside of the Manufacturers warranty and are left to fend for yourself with regards to technical questions and setup.

This depends a lot on the bodycam. If it has a screen, then your biggest problem is going to be making sure it doesn’t get smashed. Water damage is common if you work outdoors. Body worn cameras are essentially little computers and they can suffer many of the same issues that laptops do. If you have problems turning it one, its going to be the main board. Not holding charge or charging, probably the battery. Also, if your footage is blurry then odds are it is going to be the lens. The better a camera, the less prone to these problems it will be. Reputable body worn camera UK brands will test extensively and also have redundancies that can minimise the effects of these problems.