A camera has a lens that gathers light for the security camera. The focal length of the lens determines the level of zoom on the picture, as well as the width of the view.
The shorter the focal length will give you a wider viewing angle with less zoom, whereas a longer focal length will give you a narrower view, with more zoom.
A camera with a varifocal lens will give you the best of both worlds, as it will allow you to adjust the focal length of the lens to meet your needs. These cameras typically have knobs
or screws which allow you to adjust both the focal length of the lens and the focus. Adjust the focal length down if you want to mostly view objects that are close to the camera and get as wide a field of view as possible (most people tend to
prefer this setting). Make the focal length longer if you want to get a narrower view on objects that are further away.
Although varifocal lens cameras are a little more expensive they may be worth it to make sure you get the perfect shot that you need, there can be nothing more frustrating than buying a camera and finding out the shot is either too narrow or too wide and doesn't have the zoom level you need.
