Choosing the best outdoor security camera is important because it’s the first line of defence when it comes to protecting what is most important to you: your home and your loved ones.
Aside from potentially alerting you that someone unfamiliar is approaching your home, an outdoor security camera can tell you who they are and even deter them from breaking in if they are criminals.
Unfortunately, finding the best outdoor security camera can be highly challenging because of the myriad of features to choose from.
In this buying guide, we’re going to tell you about some features you should look out for as well as highlight some of the best models on the market today. Let’s get started:
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Why You Should Take Great Care When Choosing Your Outdoor Security Camera
You must carefully choose your outdoor security camera to keep you, your family, pets, and your home safe. Not only this, by selecting the right model, you may deter thieves and other criminals altogether.
Also, you must choose a camera equipped with all the right features to catch anyone breaking into your home.
For example, you want your camera to have infrared so that it works correctly at night. You also need to ensure that your camera captures movement and has a high resolution to identify facial features and colours.
Without the above capabilities, you may be able to identify if someone is threatening your safety. Still, you may not be able to prove who, which is very important in a police investigation.
Features To Pay Attention To When Choosing Your Outdoor Security Camera
Now that we’ve established why it is so important to choose your outdoor security camera carefully let’s look at the features you should pay close attention to when making your final decision.
Motion Detection
Many modern cameras have motion detectors, which means they will only record once they detect some movement.
The motion detection level depends on the model you choose, so opting for one that is known for picking up even the slightest movements is essential.
This feature is a great way to save space on your disk, and with the proper connectivity, you can program it to send you an SMS or email alert if it recognizes movement that shouldn’t be happening.
Field Of View
Choosing an outdoor security camera with a wide field of view could help you pick up more activity than models with a narrow field of view.
Models with a narrow field of view should only really be used if you only want to survey one small area of your home or workplace, for example, your front door.
Night Vision
Choosing a camera with night vision capabilities will allow you to better grasp what is going on in your home. Without it, you won’t be able to fully identify what is happening in your home or workplace when it is dark.
With night vision, you’ll be able to capture high-quality images at night as well as during the day. If you fall victim to a burglary or other crime, night vision could be enough to identify the culprit for you.
Resolution
The higher the resolution of your camera, the better the quality of the image. You may not feel that you need a high-resolution camera as a residential user, but many modern models offer it anyway.
The higher the pixels or TV lines (TVLs), the higher the quality of the image you capture. Regular, low-quality cameras typically have approximately 420 TVLs, while higher resolution cameras have around 700.
Sound
Some people like the idea of hearing what is going on during the footage that they capture. As a result, they opt for security cameras with recording devices to pick up sounds.
Security cameras with built-in microphones are great for businesses that handle sensitive information. While you can’t control what people say out of the office, it is an excellent way to ensure that employees are not sharing information they shouldn’t be during work hours.
The Best Outdoor Security Cameras On The Market Today
Purchasing the best outdoor security camera is crucial to your and your family and friends well-being. Unfortunately, because so many models are now on the market, it can be not easy to know which one to choose.
To help you, we’ve scoured the industry and chosen our top three outdoor cameras based on features, capabilities, and price.
Winner: Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera
If you’re looking for a security camera that can be used outdoors, is stylish, and is packed with a mound of awesome features, then we recommend you check out the Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera.
The Nest Cam offers security to your home or business, whether bright and sunny or dull and raining. With a fully waterproof camera, cables, and adapter, this model is elegantly designed to suit any exterior, no matter the conditions.
Thanks to its unique magnetic mount, it is straightforward to install manually and can be mounted virtually anywhere, including gutters.
The security camera can record 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has a 130-degree wide-angle view through a crisp glass lens offering amazing quality footage.
- 24/7 live video: 130 Degree view shows your home in 1080P HD day and night
- Weatherproof: Camera cable and adapter are all weatherproof
- Clear as day even at night: Night vision evenly illuminates the whole scene. See who's at the door and talk back to get their attention
- Alerts on your phone: Get activity alerts so you know if anything happens while you're away
- Install it yourself: Install yourself and point it anywhere with the unique magnetic mount. No hub required.
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Plus, you don’t have to worry about resolution either, as the Nest Cam offers viewers a clear 1080 pixels in HD during the day and at night time.
The Nest Cam comes with Nest Cam Outdoor, a system that alerts you via phone or email if the camera detects some form of activity. Next Cam Outdoor sends a photo of the event so that you can take the necessary measures to keep you, your family, and your home safe.
In addition to all the above, the reason we’ve voted this model the best outdoor security camera is its incredible built-in speaker and microphone, which allows you to listen and talk back through a simple to use mobile application.
If you’re relaxing in the bath and get an alert on your phone saying someone is trying to deliver a parcel, you can tell them exactly where to leave it without disturbing your peace and quiet.
By buying it through Amazon, you’ll benefit from a free Nest Aware trial that allows you to get intelligent alerts and continuous Cloud recording.
In addition to the above, you can share your recorded content with friends, family, or the authorities if need be and speed through old recordings to find key moments.
The Nest Cam comes with all the necessary tools for an easy installation and is currently priced at less than $160. Through Amazon, you can choose between the one and two pack outdoor camera and the one indoor and two outdoor packs, depending on your security needs.
Runner Up: Zmodo 720p HD Outdoor Home Wifi Security Surveillance Video Camera System
While the name suggests that this awesome security can only be used outdoors, the Zmodo 720p HD Outdoor Home Wi-Fi Security Surveillance Video Camera System can also be used indoors for all your home and business needs.
We have voted this Zmodo model top three in our list of best outdoor security cameras because it comes with two 720 pixel cameras, both offering crisp and clear HD footage.
Equipped with infrared lights, the Zmodo cameras have fantastic night vision allowing you to see clearly up to 65 feet in the dark.
Not only this, they both have exceptional smart motion detectors which send you push notifications to your mobile with five snapshots whenever movement is detected.
- Set up with ease - No professional installation required. Plug this WiFi camera into a nearby outlet and complete the network configuration in just minutes. With its Wall-mount design, you can see images from every direction.
- True 1080p HD Live Video Day and Night: Watch your home in true 1080p Full HD day and night, and see up to 65ft away in the dark. Videos can be viewed anywhere anytime from iOS or Android mobile devices and tablets, or web view on PCs
- Works with Alexa - Zmodo 1080P outdoor Wi-Fi camera works with Alexa. Control Zmodo camera with your voice by saying, "Alexa, show me the front door" To view a live stream from your camera. Encryption:256-bit
- Smartz Eaze cloud recording with 14-day free trial - Instead of receiving just pictures, you'll be notified with video clips in Smartz Eaze App when motion is detected. Motion video clips are saved in the cloud.
- Mounting type: Wall Mount
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Once the system is properly set up, you can view your camera remotely from the comforts of your smartphone, tablet or PC, whenever you want.
Best of all, you can record videos, take pictures, and download these media pieces whenever you want through the Zmodo application on your mobile device.
And if that’s not enough, you can send these videos and images to your friends and family as well as share them with the authorities if needs be.
The Zmodo security system can be set up in a matter of minutes, thanks to its wireless technology. All you have to do is plug in your camera, download the Zmodo application through the Apple or Google Play store, and add the camera to your smartphone.
To get started, you need a password-protected 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection with WPA.WPA2 encryption and an iOS 7 and up or Android 4.0 and up smartphone to download the application.
We love this security system because it is one of the safest on the market today. It is also easy to expand upon, so if you need to integrate additional cameras into your security system, you can do so easily by simply purchasing new Zmodo cameras.
If all the above isn’t enough, the Zmodo 720p HD Outdoor Home Wi-Fi Security Surveillance Video Cameras System is priced reasonably.
Plus, you can buy an additional 3 or 4 years of protection for less than $5 and less than $9, respectively.
Alternative: Wansview Outdoor 1080P WiFi Wireless IP Security Bullet Camera
If none of the above security systems tickles your fancy, we suggest you check out the Wansview Outdoor 1080P Wi-Fi Wireless IP Security Bullet Camera.
This camera is not only incredibly stylish but also packed with high-quality features that are bound to take your breath away.
With Pro HD video clarity of up to 1080 pixels, this Wansview model can capture 30 frames per second and offers a very crisp and fluent live stream that can help you understand what is going on even when you’re not around.
Thanks to its ability to integrate with smartphones, tablets, Apple and Windows, the Wansview lets you live stream your videos straight to your device virtually effortlessly.
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It offers exceptional compatibility and supports remote viewing via iOS and Android mobile devices and Windows, Apple, and an array of web browsers.
The Wansview Outdoor 1080P Wi-Fi Wireless IP Security Bullet Camera is straightforward to set up. It has a simple setup and plays system whereby you scan the Wansview mobile application QR code and let the magic happen.
All you need is a good and safe internet 2.4GHz wireless connection, some mobile device, and the system itself.
And, if all the above isn’t enough, the camera is completely waterproof and made of aluminium, meaning it is not only highly durable but also rustproof. You’ll quickly find out that it can resist even the harshest weather conditions.
Lastly, the Wansview security camera system has long-distance night vision, which offers a crisp line of vision even on the darkest nights of up to 67 feet. This long-distance night vision provides some of the highest quality footage on the market to date.
Our Verdict
Choosing the best outdoor security camera can be a challenging task. You must consider what you need from your camera. We recommend you choose one that has a high resolution, wireless integration, as well as night vision.
Having the extra option to listen and speak through your camera is a massive bonus if you run a busy household or don’t want visitors disturbed.
As you can imagine, we recommend the Nest Cam if you’re looking for a functional, feature-packed, and reliable security camera for your outdoor spaces. That said, it is among the more expensive models on the market today.
If you can’t stretch your budget that far, the Wansview and Zmodo models remain some of the best outdoor security cameras in the industry.
