Outdoor cameras are designed to be your second set of eyes when you’re sleeping, relaxing or away. Nowadays, cameras are designed to meet every home security need and give you more control using your smartphone. Homeowners have a lot of choices for storage, installation, power source and more. Here’s what you need to know as you search for the right security camera.
| Price | $179.99 | $199 | $399 | $174.99 | $99.99 | $169 | $399 | $199.99 | $199 | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service contract required | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Two-way talk | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power source | Power over Ethernet | Battery-powered | Plug-in | Plug-in | Battery-powered | Plug-in, battery-powered or solar | Wired by professional | Battery-powered | Plug-in | Plug-in |
| Field of view | 111 degrees | 130 degrees | 130 degrees | 130 degrees | 110 degrees | 140 degrees | 140 degrees | 160 degrees | 152 degrees | 95 degrees |
| Night vision range | 130 feet | N/A | 50 feet | 30 feet | 20 feet | 30 feet | 55 feet | 30 feet | N/A | 20 feet |
| HD video | 4K | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 2K HDR | 1080p | 720p |
| Installation | DIY | DIY | DIY with professional option | DIY | DIY | DIY | Professional | DIY | DIY | Professional |
| Professional monitoring | No | Optional | Optional | N/A | N/A | Optional | Required | N/A | Optional | Required |
| Warranty | 2 years | 1 year | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 1 year | 3 months | 1 year | 1 year | Based on contract length |
Our take
Lorex’s 4K Nocturnal IP Camera provides the clarity you need in low-lighting with Color Night Vision™. If conditions are too dark, the camera will switch over to black and white night vision with infrared lighting, allowing you to see clearly up to 130 feet away. A wide 111 degree field of vision allows for great viewing around your property. This camera also uses Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology for storing footage to your NVR. Keep track of person and vehicle alerts with push notifications sent to your smartphone.
Stand-out features include
- Color night vision for low lighting
- Power over Ethernet connection
- Flexible for use indoors or outdoors
Our take
The Blue by ADT Outdoor Camera is battery-operated, wire-free and easy to install. Use the free mobile app to see crystal clear live 1080p video footage and receive instant alerts with preview images when motion is detected. You can store up to 24 hours of camera activity to playback later. Blue by ADT offers a free 30-day storage day trial for customers to try convenient, secure camera storage before committing to a monthly storage plan. It also uses Facial Recognition technology to recognize familiar guests, and two-way talk.
Stand-out features include
- Create custom motion sensor zones to best monitor activity around your home
- Uses Facial Recognition technology to detect and alert you of familiar guests
- Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, HomeKit voice assistants for hands-free control
Our take
The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is a weatherproof and tamper-resistant outdoor camera with all of Nest’s most popular features. This camera boasts a wide 130 degree field of view, provides person alerts, and HD two-way audio. You’ll be able to see who’s outside of your home – day or night from your smartphone. And you’ll get instant alerts to your phone if your camera spots someone. With Nest’s mobile app, you can view a 3-hour snapshot history. The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is powered by an AC adapter and backed by a two-year warranty.
Stand-out features include
- Supersight
- Person Alerts
- Familiar Face Alerts (with Nest Aware)
4. Kasa Cam Outdoor
Our take
The Kasa Cam outdoor is filled with features to guard your yard. It’s equipped with custom motion zones and a siren you can trigger using the TP-Link app to scare off unwanted guests. You can also see what’s happening around your home using your Fire TV, smartphone or Google Chromecast. It also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s easy to self-install and has a weatherproof design guaranteed to work with rain or dust.
Stand-out features include
- Works with Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
- Built-in siren
- Custom motion zones
Our take
Amazon’s newest battery-powered security camera is designed to work indoors and outdoors. It features a 110 degree field of view, two-way audio, night vision, temperature monitoring and motion detection. When motion is detected, the Blink XT2 sends a push notification and instantly records activity for you to view later using free cloud storage. With the Blink Home Monitor monitor mobile app, you can also view a live video feed and start a conversation through the camera’s two-way audio feature.
Stand-out features include
- Made with two-way audio to clearly speak to guests
- Pairs with Amazon Alexa for hands-free camera control
- Includes night vision for crystal clear camera footage in the dark
- IP65-certified weatherproof outdoor security camera
Our take
This Ring Spotlight Cam functions by battery-operated power, giving you access to a wireless setup. Have access to clear 1080p HD video, built-in LED lights, and a siren for deterrence. You can also see, hear, and speak with visitors.
Stand-out features include
- 1080p HD video quality
- Features LED lights and siren for deterrence
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control
7. Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro
Our take
The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro is designed to deliver HD video with a 4K HDR sensor and a wide range of vision with a 140-degree field of view. Unlike many cameras, this Vivint outdoor camera comes with deterrence features: a red LED light and a warning tone. If a lurker is identified on your property by the camera, the LED light will turn on and the warning tone will sound through the camera’s 85 db speakers. You can playback video clips, check notifications, and more with Vivint’s mobile app.
Stand-out features include
- Built-in deterrence features with a red LED light and siren
- Custom zone-setting
- Advanced analytics to distinguish real potential threats versus false ones
Our take
The Arlo Pro 3 can help you guard your home with deterrence features like a siren and spotlight, designed to make lurkers think twice. This camera has sharp 2K resolution for recording and a wide 106-degree field of view so you can see more areas of your home. With Arlo’s mobile pap, you can review recordings, set up custom motion zones, and more.
Stand-out features include
- Comes with deterrence features like a siren and spotlight
- Sharp 2K video recording
- Wide 160-degree field of view
9. Abode Smart Outdoor Camera
Our take
The Abode Smart Outdoor Camera is designed to work both indoors and outdoors for your home’s security. This camera can also work as your smart doorbell by replacing it with your existing doorbell wiring. It’s able to chime and alert you when someone’s at your door. It has two-way talk, infrared night vision and facial recognition. The Abode Smart Outdoor Camera also lets you record video when your alarm is triggered so you have footage of the moments that matter most.
Stand-out features include
- Can work as a video doorbell, indoor or outdoor camera
- Facial recognition
- Set rules to record video whenever you want using the Abode app
Our take
ADT’s Pulse captures sharp 720p images and videos, even in limited lighting, to give you the best view of your home from your smartphone. The Pulse even allows your phone to control your outdoor security camera to see real-time activity from different angles to stay aware of your home and loved one’s safety.
Stand-out features include
- Automatically receive alerts and HD video when suspicious activity and alarms are detected outside of your home
- Stay aware of your home’s security activity with a detailed log of all past events
- Pair with Alexa for voice commands to manage your home, doors, alarms, and outdoor cameras anywhere using
Showing 5 of 10 products
Showing 10 of 10 products
Outdoor Camera Clip Storage
You’ll likely have two options to store your security camera footage – local or cloud storage. Here’s the difference.
Local – You’ll need to install an SD card in your camera in order to record activity. Once the card is full you’ll need to upload the footage to your computer or another device to continue recording footage. On the other hand, some cameras will automatically record over old footage.
Cloud – You’ll be able to access your footage using the camera’s mobile app or online portal from anywhere. Most companies charge at least $5/mo. for cloud storage. Your monthly cost will depend on your provider, amount of storage you need and other features included in the plan such as continuous video recording (CVR) or professional monitoring. Keep in mind, the monthly cost may be more if you have multiple cameras.
Most people trust cloud storage because of extra data and privacy measures taken to protect your footage and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Factors to Consider Before Buying an Outdoor Camera
Before you start narrowing down your favorite camera, there are a few points to think about:
Power source
Outdoor cameras come with a few options to stay connected to power. Some rely on solar, while others are battery-powered or simply plug into an outlet indoors. A few are even hardwired to your home’s electrical system depending on your home security provider.
Your power source depends on your preference, but you’ll want to keep in mind how your camera will continue to get power during an outage. For this reason, many people prefer battery-powered cameras with a rechargeable battery pack. Others that are plugged-in or wired have a backup battery just in case.
Placement
Most cameras are mounted up high for a few reasons. They’re harder for intruders to reach and tamper with. Plus, cameras mounted up higher for a better view of your home’s vicinity. No matter where you place your camera, make sure it has a sturdy mounting template and is easy to stay connected to the power source.
Here are common places to set-up your camera outside of your home:
- Near the front and back door
- Outside of the garage or sheds
- Driveways
- Facing side streets and alleyways
Field of View
Your field of view is how much of your home’s vicinity your camera will show. The wider the field of view, the better view of your home. Keep in mind that some cameras have a warping effect to show cameras from a fish-eye view. You’ll want to avoid this for the best view outside of your home. And if it’s not enough, it might be best to add a few extra cameras.
Recording
Some cameras have continuous video recording (CVR) to record activity outside of your home constantly. Many cameras offer this feature, but for others it’s an add-on. Others only record when the camera’s motion sensor is triggered. Before you buy a camera, make sure you know when your camera will record and for how long.
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