You will get a wide range of options when you go to buy a camera. There are cameras that can capture sound, cameras that can capture time-lapse still shots and cameras with night-vision feature. The latest security cameras do not need a separate monitor to see the pictures. The signals from the security cameras can be taken into your T.V. directly. Some of the cameras even have motion detectors that automatically switches on the T.V to show the pictures when they detect any motion.
Some of the newer cameras can be connected to the internet also. You can check the videos provided from any computer connected to the internet even when you are not home. The best part of this system is that when the alarm is triggered, you will get an instant alert mail from the internet camera.