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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The top-performing security camera isn’t necessarily the one boasting the sharpest image or the most features.
- Factors like ideal positioning, data storage, and user-friendliness matter much more.
- Before you start browsing, consider these essential tips.
Security cameras have evolved significantly, moving from costly, closed systems to affordable, do-it-yourself options. For a long time, wired setups were the standard, with battery-operated wireless versions seen as less dependable.
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Nowadays, a reliable wireless camera can satisfy most household requirements and is often the sole viable choice. As a smart home specialist, I run a complete security setup with ten cameras, of which only two rely on wires. In most scenarios, wireless cameras go-to pick, and I’ll guide you through the key factors to help you decide between wired and wireless for your property.
Key considerations before purchasing a security camera
While high-definition video and smart alerts are appealing, there are more critical aspects to evaluate before selecting a camera.
Deciding on the security camera’s location
Before focusing on resolution or night vision, consider the desired placement and its purpose. I’ll cover the purpose in the next section, but the location will immediately narrow down your options.
Also: 7 guidelines for positioning home security cameras – places to avoid
Battery-driven cameras allow for greater placement flexibility. As a proponent of wireless cameras, I still use strategic positioning. For example, all my south-facing outdoor units feature integrated or separate solar panels. I orient the panels towards the sun throughout the year, sometimes charging one or two units annually at most.
My top solar-powered cameras:
I also favor wireless video doorbells and typically place a pair of wireless cameras at every entrance to supplement the doorbell view.
Battery-operated cameras without solar panels are excellent for shaded spots or areas lacking constant sunlight. Without the need for cables or physical connections extending from your home, you aren’t constrained by wire length. You could install a wireless camera at the boundary of your property for monitoring, perhaps on a fence or a tree, to observe wildlife.
My preferred wireless cameras without solar:
Identifying the specific need for the security camera
When looking for a security camera, your initial thought should be, “What specific issue am I trying to address?” Your response will directly influence the kind of camera you select. For instance, a single camera might not be suitable for both keeping an eye on your pets and preventing parcel theft.
Also: Transform your old iPad or Android tablet into a smart home dashboard
Refine your list of priorities to clarify this need. You might aim to stop package thieves, monitor a driveway, gather evidence after an event, keep watch on a garage, see who is at the front door, or supervise your animals. Every situation will call for a camera with a different focus:
For goals like:
- Preventing package theft: Opt for a video doorbell with dedicated tracking capabilities (beyond basic alerts) — such as the Eufy E340 — which notifies you when a parcel is removed and triggers an alarm if someone gets close.
- Observing a driveway: If an existing floodlight already illuminates your driveway, consider swapping it for a wired floodlight camera, like a Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus or an Eufy E340 Floodlight.
- Tapping into potential evidence: Choose a model with dependable storage and straightforward file retrieval for easy sharing. Certain cloud storage options impose additional fees for sharing footage, and local storage methods like microSD cards can be physically accessed. An indoor home storage hub, available from brands like Eufy, Reolink, Tapo, and Swann, is typically the most secure outdoor setup for capturing vital evidence.
- Watching a garage: A wireless camera inside the garage works well, but solar power is usually insufficient here. Indoor environments rarely get the direct, intense sunlight needed to keep a unit charged, particularly in a dim garage. Given that most American garages have electrical outlets, a plug-in camera offers the best reliability. Personally, I use a PTZ camera in my garage to detect open doors, approaching individuals, or even unwelcome animal visitors.
- Supervising pets: As long as you are comfortable with occasional manual charging, a battery-operated camera is a good fit for pets. However, dedicated pet cameras often use pan-and-tilt functions to track movement, which consumes battery life quickly. If you are using a moving camera for this purpose, a wired alternative like the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt or Tapo C250 is more practical.
- Identifying visitors: It is not strictly necessary to have a video doorbell for visitor identification, as most modern cameras possess person-recognition technology. That said, a video doorbell is uniquely designed for doorways, offering full-body views and specialized parcel alerts.
Understanding video storage methods for security cameras
The approach a camera uses to save and access recorded clips is a major factor in your decision. It is important to remember that some budget-friendly models offset their low cost by requiring monthly cloud subscriptions for video access. These subscriptions often come with tiered pricing and additional fees per camera.
Conversely, many cameras offer local storage choices such as microSD cards inside the camera, NAS compatibility, or in-home hubs featuring solid-state drives, all without a mandatory monthly fee.
Also: Searching for a camera without a subscription? Here is a top recommendation
That said, storage
Cloud-based membership fees work well for lots of users, but it’s worth thinking carefully about whether they suit your needs. Think about which functions stop working when the subscription lapses, and check how much recorded footage each plan level stores and for how long.
My top pick for a security system that doesn’t require any subscription is Eufy Security, as it provides a blend of budget-friendly and premium models, both plug-in and battery-operated alternatives, solar-driven units, and works with the HomeBase for saving footage locally.
Wired versus wireless security systems
Each type—wired and wireless—brings its own strengths. Once you’ve sorted out your ideal positioning, picture quality, features, and storage method but are still unsure whether to go wired or wireless, here are some key points to weigh:
- Wired cameras tend to be the best choice for around-the-clock video recording, ultra-quick detection of movement, keeping evidence over extended periods, never needing to recharge batteries, the highest dependability, and Power over Ethernet (PoE) setups.
- Wireless cameras tend to be the best choice for rental properties, apartment living, hard-to-reach areas, expanding your security setup with minimal hassle, quick and simple installation, and homes that don’t already have the necessary wiring.
And what about picture sharpness and detail?
Image quality matters for every camera, though people sometimes place too much emphasis on it with security cams. A properly installed 1080p camera can outperform a badly positioned 4K one. Rather than obsessing over 1080p versus 2K versus 4K, pay more attention to the sensor’s capability, how well it handles contrast between light and dark, and how much ambient light it needs to produce a crisp image.
Also: Ditched Ring—tried this Eufy camera instead, and the difference in night vision is night and day
What you really need is a cam that, once positioned correctly, captures sharp visuals both during daylight and after dark. Resolution is only part of the equation—strong HDR capabilities and dependable motion-triggered recording are just as critical. But remember, where you mount the camera counts just as much as the specs. Mount it too high, and you might get a perfect view of someone’s hat while missing their face or the details on a license plate.
To get a realistic sense of how any particular camera handles bright and low-light conditions, read through user reviews where people describe their firsthand experiences in various lighting situations.
