When it comes to spy cameras, in general, the smaller the better right? In the end, the goal is to make them unnoticeable in the environment.
But how do you actually choose the right one? Do you know what’s out there on the market? And even if you do find something you love, will it fit your pocket? Today, let’s discuss the small spy cameras and how to pick one that fits your surveillance needs.
Why Small Hidden Cameras vs Security Cameras?
Well, one might say, why overpay (presumably) for high-end tiny spy camera, when I can install a regular security, or CCTV cam.
There are advantages of CCTV cameras. One I can think of, is deterrence. Burglars see security cams mounted outside, they’re more likely to avoid robbing the house.
But with small cameras, we’re not even talking about deterring potential criminals. Small spy cameras are primarily used to record criminal acts stealthily.
The beauty of mini hidden spy cameras, is that they’re small. Well, you may question what small is. Is a teddy bear small? An alarm detector? Compared to what, something like an outdoor security camera? Sure, they’re smaller. They’re not tiny though. But there are tons of designs of these small spy cams, and you can pick and choose any which you like.
You can choose barebone small hidden camera, where it’s just tiny cam and recording device. These you can place anywhere you want, they’re really small. But there are tons of choices for small cameras with build-in cameras, ready to use. Such as mirrors, USB drives, chargers, air vents, etc. They may not be small, but properly concealed. So again, when you’re looking for a small spy camera, what is the main goal? To hide them better? Well, in such case, larger spy cams come with hidden lens altogether and may be a perfect choice for you.
So it’s something for you to think about before choosing a small spy video camera to hide in the room.
Types of Small Spy Cameras
To give you a better idea on what’s available out there, let’s take a look at some of the options available on the market.
Miniature Body Worn Spy Cameras
- Spy Camera in Glasses – Yep, you can find spy cams in glasses. Sunglasses or regular. It’s ok if you’re not shortsighted or farsighted, these mini cams use regular glass as a cover with spy cam sitting in the middle.
- Spy Camera in a Tie – You wear suits? Maybe that’s the option for you. Tiny camera placed in a tie. You film whatever is in the front view, in some cases capturing the audio as well. Pretty neat.
Small Hidden Spy Cameras
- Nanny Cameras – These can be anything really. From baby monitors to spy cams in teddy bears. They’re called nanny cameras to secretly record nannies possibly misbehaving. In the end, they’re like any other hidden camera you’ll find online.
- Charger Spy Cam – One of the many types of hidden cameras is a charger cam. These are plugged into a wall for continuous power for instance. But at the same time, they monitor the room and record what’s happening. Can have motion detection as well to save on storage space.
Relatively Small Home Security Cams
- Google’s Nest Wifi Cam – It’s pretty much a smaller version of a security camera. It can be mounted on a wall or ceiling, offers many features. Connects to Google’s Assistant (for better or worse). Not a tiny spy camera per se, but people use it as a security camera to protect their homes.
- Ring’s Indoor Camera – Relatively small video camera, offering 1080p HD Video, audio surveillance, color night vision, 2-way communication. You can place it on a table or mount it on the wall. Both of these cams have nice designs and are meant for home protection.
But there are so many more options ranging anywhere among these. Pen spy cams, hats with cameras, shirt button spy cams, book camera, mirror cam, car mirror camera, etc.
If you know what you want, finding it is a breeze on the internet.
What to Look for in a Small Hidden Spy Camera?
Ok, let’s say you found the type of camera you need for your miniature surveillance needs. Now, what are the main characteristics you should be looking into when buying a camera?
- Resolution: The higher the resolution, the clearer an image. 1080p is a good minimum resolution to aim for. However, there are 2K and 4K cameras readily available also.
- Field of view: How wide of an area do you need the camera to cover? 120-degree angle or wider? Wider field of view will allow you to see more of surveillance area. The cost is higher as well.
- Night vision: If you need to be able to see in low light, no-light or at night, you will need a camera with night vision capabilities. Luckily, many cameras these days boast night vision functionality.
- Motion detection: Motion detection can help you save on storage space by only recording when there is movement detected in the view. If you leave home, then this option is great as it saves you time scrolling through meaningless footage.
- Audio recording: Some spy cameras can also record audio. On top of that, some use microphones built-in. It means you can talk to another person, being miles away.
- Storage: How much storage do you need? Some cameras have built-in storage devices using SD cards, SSD’s, HDD’s, while others can be connected to a cloud storage with subscription fee.
- Battery life: If you are getting a battery-powered camera, you need to take a look at the battery life. Depending on how you use the camera, it’s not crucial. Changing batteries more often may not be a problem at all.
- Connectivity: Some spy cameras are wireless, while others need to be plugged into a power outlet. Wifi cameras are more convenient. If you’re choosing small spy camera, then maybe go for wireless option, as you can place it almost anywhere.
- Price: Spy cameras can range in cost, from $10 to $1000 or more. Last, but not the least to consider, is your budget. See how much you can shed for a new spy camera, or multiple mini spy cams. This will affect your choices of course.
In Summary
Going for a small hidden video spy camera is a good idea. You don’t want the whole world to know you’re surveilling your house. You want an inconspicuous way to protect your belongings, your loved ones.
But you really need to determine what camera type you need. Is it on the go recording, like we’ve mentioned before? Body worn spy cameras are here for you. You buy ready made concealed mini spy cam in a pen and up you go to record meetings, etc.
On the other hand, if it’s home or business security, then you should look into numerous types of these cams like light bulb camera, smoke detector, cam in a plant, coke can mini spy cameras and so on… They’re already designed to be hidden in plain sight, so no need to mess around trying to stuff one into a plushy toy for example.
Whichever small spy camera you choose, make sure to pay attention to their resolution, whether it has integrated audio or not, night vision and motion detection, and how you’ll be storing data with them. Pick a camera that offers many function within your budget. Look at the ratings, see what other people say. I’m sure you’ll find what you need in no time.
