7 Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Smart Security Camera for Your Home
Smart surveillance cameras are essential tools that provide security and protection for smart homes. They help monitor everything happening outside your home and send alerts in case of any detected danger or threats. A smart security camera can connect with other devices in your home, allowing remote access and control, which classifies it as “smart” compared to other security cameras and services.
But what criteria should you adhere to when selecting a smart security camera? How can I choose a surveillance camera that meets the needs of my smart home? Here are some important suggestions in this regard.
- Connectivity and Control with Other Smart Devices
Some surveillance cameras come with their official app, allowing access to all camera features and settings. However, this is not sufficient. It’s better if the camera can connect with various devices in your home, such as smart TVs, smartphones, personal assistants, and alarm systems.
This enables complete control over everything happening outside. For example, after linking the security camera with your smart TV, you can stream live footage of what’s happening outside through the camera. If the camera sends you an alert that it has detected movement outside, you can check the situation via your smartphone immediately.
- Good and Wide Field of View
Your smart surveillance camera should have an exceptionally wide field of view to cover as much area outside your home as possible. The camera angle plays a crucial role in determining its price, and manufacturers are aware of this. Two cameras with the same specifications but with a wider angle will likely come at a higher price. It’s also worth mentioning that a wide angle may come with some downsides, such as reduced image clarity, which brings us to the third point in this list.
- At Least 1080p Video Quality!
To obtain good and clear video footage, the camera’s recording quality should be no less than 1080p HD. Currently, some security cameras can record in 8K, but you don’t need such a high resolution (as it significantly increases the camera’s price). A quality of 1080p is sufficient for capturing people’s faces and movements, and even when zooming in on the video, you can discern facial features. If you want better quality at a lower price, you can opt for a camera with 2K or 4K resolution.
It’s also important to consider other imaging technologies, such as Night Vision or Focus features, as they help capture images and videos under specific conditions.
- Energy-Efficient Power System
How does a smart surveillance camera operate? For indoor cameras, they generally rely on a power source (via a power outlet) to ensure constant operation. However, for outdoor surveillance cameras, this may be different due to the lack of nearby power sources. Manufacturers know this, which is why they offer cameras with two types of batteries: rechargeable lithium batteries (similar to those in phones) and AAA batteries (which need to be replaced).
Don’t worry, battery-powered cameras can last for a long time; for example, Arlo surveillance cameras can last up to six months. You can monitor the battery status through their official app. In general, it’s always better to look for surveillance cameras with energy-efficient systems.
- Consider Storage Systems
To avoid falling victim to additional costs, many manufacturers of surveillance cameras sell you a smart security camera, but you’ll have to pay for their cloud storage service to save the recorded content. This includes companies like Arlo and Wyze for some of their camera models, which can increase the budget for acquiring a professional surveillance camera.
We recommend relying on a smart security camera with internal storage (via an SD card) or one that can connect to a local network storage system (like a simple server inside the home or even a computer). However, most cameras either offer cloud storage or SD card storage.
- Good Durability for the Smart Surveillance Camera
Since it will be used outdoors, you need a smart surveillance camera with a good resistance rating to external factors like rain, dust, storms, and extreme heat. The last thing you want is for the camera to stop working the moment it starts to rain. Fortunately, the durability of the surveillance camera can be measured using a specific global rating system. For example, the IP67 rating indicates that the camera can withstand various external factors ranging from moderate to weak, such as rain and stormy weather, but it may not handle severe storms or lightning at times (which could internally affect the camera).