Whether you're out for one hour or one week, one of the best ways to give yourself peace of mind is an outdoor security camera. Far from the clunky imagining conjured by the word CCTV, modern security cameras can be wireless, record 4K resolutions, use night vision, motions sensors, and be operated from an app on your phone.
In this article, we go over everything you need to know from cloud storage to FOV, before ranking the 10 best in the UK all available to buy on Amazon, Argos and John Lewis.
Quick List - Top Outdoor Security Cameras
Ezviz
Sharp Footage and a Stable Connection at a Fraction of the Price
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Table of Contents
The most vital factor when choosing a security camera is the resolution of the image. The camera is going to be no use whatsoever if it turns over low-quality, pixelated playback. It’s fair to say, if the phone in your pocket can record in full HD, your security camera should be able to do the same!
We recommend going no lower than 1080p. If you have a bigger budget, then you might want to look for cameras that are capable of recording in 2K or 4K resolution. However, these models will require better WiFi bandwidth, use more battery life and significantly bump up the overall cost of the device.
Any camera worth its salt will feature night vision. After all, it's during nighttime hours that most crimes occur. Gone are the days of simple simple green and black hues, the emergence of better technology has seen an increase in security cameras with full colour night vision.
This is achievable via the use of LED lights built into the camera itself. This upgrade means that if something suspicious does happen on your property, then you’ll be able to provide clearer evidence and a better description to the police.
Of course, full colour night vision is likely going to come at a premium price. If you're shopping for home security on a budget, choosing a camera with high resolution black and white night vision will create a higher contrast, bumping up the overall quality of the image.
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Field of view refers to the area that can be seen by the camera lens. Therefore, the larger the field of view, the more area of your outdoor space will be covered.
Your desired field of view will depend on where you plan on placing the camera, as you’ll want to make sure it's wide enough to cover the area you need. As a general guideline, a camera with at least 130° FOV will be enough for the average outdoor space in the UK. If your space needs a particularly large FOV, systems using multiple cameras can be a significant upgrade.
As with all new-age electronic gadgets, your security camera will likely come with some additional features. Not all bundled features will be especially useful, but there are a few that are certainly worth looking for.
These days, cameras will include both a speaker and a microphone, so you can hear and talk to anyone in view of the camera. Having a two-way talk feature can be useful if you’ve forgotten about a delivery, but more importantly, gives you the power to shout at any trespassers should they be up to no good. This is generally paired with motion sensor equipped cameras that can alert you of any visitors.
Motion sensors can also automatically trigger strong deterrents like lights and sirens, or these features can be operated manually from an app. Or both, which leads us onto scheduling. This feature will allow you to turn on the camera at specified times, which is perfect for making sure the kids get home from school and to help reduce the number of false alarms.
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Storing your clips can become a costly, and it isn’t always clear how much file storage space will be required before you buy. There are generally two ways to store footage, subscription-based remote ‘cloud’ storage, or locally using a Micro SD card inside the device.
Cloud storage subscriptions can be costly, ranging from £2.50 to upwards of £10 per month. That said, for business and commercial use this can be a wise choice as cloud servers can hold larger files. Usually, you will be given a period of free online storage when you first get your device, so you can try it out to see if it's right for you.
If you choose to store locally on the device, you can forgo all the hassle of subscriptions and monthly costs. However, this puts you at risk of criminals stealing the camera from your house and taking the evidence of the crime with them.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Arlo Ultra Smart Home Security System|Twin Pack | ![]() | 4K Camera With Top End Software and Motion Sensors | |
2 | Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro | ![]() | HD Security Camera With Floodlights for Use With Ring Security System | |
3 | Ezviz Outdoor Security Camera|CTQ3W | ![]() | Sharp Footage and a Stable Connection at a Fraction of the Price | |
4 | Ring Wired Spotlight Cam | ![]() | Motion Sensors and an Extra Loud Siren to Deter Criminals | |
5 | Eufy EufyCam E|Twin Pack | ![]() | 365 Day Battery Life for Year Round Protection | |
6 | Victure Security Outdoor Camera | ![]() | Budget Security Camera for Outdoors With Smartphone Connectivity | |
7 | Blink Outdoor | ![]() | 1 Year Free Cloud Storage and Alexa Integration | |
8 | Arlo Pro3|Twin Pack | ![]() | Pair of 2k Security Cameras With Magnetic Mount for Wireless Installation | |
9 | Nest Cam Outdoor Smart Security|Twin Pack | ![]() | Zoom and Enhance Images for Clearer Evidence | |
10 | Ring Video Doorbell 4 | ![]() | 2-in-1 Doorbell and Security Camera |
It may be a little pricey, but if you're here for the best then look no further than the Arlo Ultra! This twin pack of security cameras carry the most up to date software and hardware, boasting a 4 K resolution for crystal clear footage whether it's midday or midnight.
The camera uses motion sensors to capture footage, so you won't have to search through lengthy recordings. Additionally, it offers the widest field of view at 180° and has a great app interface with premium AI features that allow you to tailor alerts to your exact preferences.
Ring offer a variety of cameras and home security systems that all support the same software. Why is this important? Well if you're looking to install more than one camera, by purchasing from Ring you can be certain that all of your hardware will be compatible.
If you're unsure where to start, check out this outdoor cam! It has a 140-degree field of view, HD resolution and integrated floodlights. And its motion detection can even create 3D maps of movements that trigger it. Do note that the drawback of such power for such a price is the need to be wired in.
This affordably priced outdoor security camera lets you keep tabs on what's going outside your home, wherever you are. The 1080 p resolution delivers sharp footage day and night, which can be stored either on a Micro SD card or on the cloud.
Unlike other devices, this camera has two antennas which can be manually altered to help it achieve better reception. Quick, simple and easy to set up, this is a cut-price camera that's sure to give higher-end models a run for their money!
If buying a reliable camera is your top priority, we suggest this model from Ring. We've opted for the wired model over the wireless variation, as this prevents WiFi interference and guarantees a stable connection.
This camera features motion-triggered recording, a wide-angle view and full colour night vision. But best of all is the 110-decibel siren! This function can be activated remotely from the app and is a fantastic tool for discouraging crooks - it's pretty good for playing practical jokes too if you time it right.
If you're after a security camera you can simply set up and leave to do it's thing, you might want to consider the EufyCam. Often forget to charge your devices? No problem! The battery lasts for 365 days, or up to 3 years in standby mode.
This security camera comes with a 16 GB micro SD card, which should be enough space for a year's worth of footage. It also has a siren system that will automatically trigger should anyone try and remove the camera, which is a handy feature to have when you'll be storing all the data onboard the device.
If you're looking for a cheap, yet reliable model, this security camera from COOAU is certainly the best we've found. It comes with motion detection, an impressive IP66 waterproof rating and a crisp HD resolution.
We like that this camera gives you the option to store files either using a micro SD card, or through the cloud. Sensitivity and detection time can also be adjusted to reduce false alarms without completely turning the camera off.
If you're looking to save money on storage, we recommend the Blink Outdoor. Included with each purchase is the ability to store hundreds of clips on the cloud for up to a year, with no monthly subscription fees!
The Outdoor comes with a comforting 2 year manufacturer guarantee. It can be connected so you receive motion alerts directly to your smartphone, or can use Alexa integration to remotely operate the camera and view live streams and clips via Alexa-enabled devices.
This 2 K camera from Arlo will provide you with crisp and sharp high definition images both day and night. It's super simple to set up the wireless magnetic mount, so you won't have to worry about getting out the power drill and making a mess of your nicely plastered walls.
The system comes with a full house of additional functions for added security and ease of use. It may be up there with the most expensive models on the list, but if you're willing to fork out, we're sure you won't be disappointed.
This twin pack of cameras from Google provides a wide 130° view of your outdoor area. We especially like that these cameras allows you to zoom in and enhance an image, capturing all the fine details. Due to the LED sensors that are in the camera, you can rest assured you'll get clear footage whether it's night or day.
However, we do have one big concern, and that's the Nest's 30 minute cooling off period. This means that if a second activity occurs within 30 minutes of a first event, you won't receive a notification to check the camera in real-time.
A bit different from the other entries on the list is this video doorbell. To ensure you don't miss any visitors, the 160°field of view provides a substantial view from the front of your house.
Additionally, it has a nifty 'pre-roll' function that allows you to view a couple of seconds before the motion sensor kicks in. The motion detection zone can also be customised to fit your space.
No. 1: Arlo|Ultra Smart Home Security System|Twin Pack
No. 2: Ring|Floodlight Cam Wired Pro
No. 3: Ezviz|Outdoor Security Camera|CTQ3W
No. 4: Ring|Wired Spotlight Cam
No. 5: Eufy|EufyCam E|Twin Pack
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