A security camera is only half effective if it doesn’t have a proper night vision. And the lack of night vision is especially felt if you are planning to buy one for outdoor use. Imagine the alert going off in the middle of the night, and all you can view is a sea of grey. Disappointing.
Thankfully, there are many security cameras in the market with excellent night vision skills. And the best thing is that some are affordable and won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
So, if you are in the market looking for the best security cameras with night vision, here are our recommendations.
1. Best Budget: Wyze Cam Pan
Available under $40, the Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Camera is one of the best affordable options out there. It’s compact and measures just about 2.4 x 2.4 x 5 inches. And this form factor makes it easy to keep this indoor camera just about anywhere. It’s capable of recording Full HD videos with a 120-degrees FoV. What makes this tiny camera special is its rotating base, which pan across 360-degrees in just 3 seconds.
The primary highlight of this camera is its 6-InfraRed LEDs. These help to get a clear and sharp night vision. These LEDs not only increase the distance, but also help you see clear images. Wyze claims that these lights help you distinguish between 18-shades of grey.
Plus, it bundles several nifty features for the price, such as two-way audio, activity zones, live streaming, and third-party app integrations. On top of that, you can customize alerts and enable motion tracking.
When it comes to user reviews, users have spoken highly of its night vision, motion detection, and picture quality.
However, it’s not without its share of issues. For one, it can’t connect to the 5 GHz network. On the upside, the Amazon Alexa integration means you can pair it up with an Echo Show to use as a baby monitor.
2. Best for the Price: Kasa Cam Outdoor by TP-Link
TP-Link’s Kasa Cam Outdoor Camera makes for a great outdoor camera. This weatherproof budget security camera boasts of many great features such as Full HD streaming video, a built-in 80dB siren to alert you, and a two-way audio system. And if that was not enough, many users describe the night vision quality of this camera as crisp and clear.
Moreover, the Kasa Cam Outdoor Camera gives you two days’ worth of free HD cloud recording. Interesting, I’d say. And well, it supports both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
If we talk numbers, you get a 130-degree FoV. The Kasa Cam Outdoor Camera also features night vision up to 20 feet. So, if you do not perch it way up on your porch, you will be able to see most of the details in the frame.
Users have praised this small and compact camera for its motion detection, night vision, and picture quality.
The only catch is that there’s no option for local storage.
3. Our Pick: Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera
There’s a lot to like about the Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera. This one boasts of Full 1080p video recording, instant alerts, and a two-way audio system, apart from a notable night picture quality. And that’s not all. It can also pick up soft voices and babbles of infants quite effectively. That feature makes it great to double as a baby monitor as well.
The video & audio quality is clear and precise. And similar to the Wyze Cam Pan, this one also has a ring of 8 LED lights around the camera. The lights combine with the 3-megapixel camera to give you an impressive performance.
As per the folks at Tom’s Guide, this camera can pick up minute details even in night mode. And the claim has been backed by several users on Amazon.
Another quality worth mentioning is the zooming option in the companion app. And like any security camera, you also get motion alerts should the camera pick up something out of the ordinary.
So far, the Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera has picked up 67% positive ratings on Amazon, with users speaking highly of its Motion detection features, night vision, and more importantly, its picture quality.
The only catch is that you’ll need to subscribe to the Nest Aware monthly subscription for continuous video recording. The subscriptions start at $5 per month.
4. Best Premium: Arlo Pro 3
If you’re looking for something in the premium segment, the Arlo Pro 3 is the best option for you. This one bundles a couple of great features that are worth every cent. For starters, you get crisp 2K live streaming, built-in siren, local storage, and support for voice assistants like Google Assistant and Siri.
Furthermore, it bundles smart alerts that can differentiate between a variety of situations. The picture quality is great for the price with a good contrast ratio and colors.
When it comes to night vision, you can rest assured as it’s sharp and clear. And it doesn’t end there. The Arlo Pro 3 is one of the few security cameras that boast of colored night vision. Yes, you read that right. Now, you no longer have to be limited by monochromatic images in the dark.
The best part is that there is not jitter or motion delay that is usually associated with most of its affordable competitors.
Speaking of its features, it has a 160-degree field of view, integrated spotlight, two-way audio, digital zoom, and the Arlo Smart app adds to the experience.
5. Also Consider: Ezviz Mini 360 Plus
Another security camera you can consider buying is the Ezviz Mini 360 Plus. This one is a small device that resembles a tiny (and adorable) orb rather than a security device, similar to the Amazon Echo Spot. This shape gives you the advantage of placing it anywhere in the home. Plus, the neat design means that it will easily blend with the background.
When it comes to the features, the orb Ezviz Mini 360 Plus comes with 92-degree FoV in addition to an 80-degree tilting angle and a 340-degree panning angle. All these combine to see you a lot in a single glance.
While there is the option to opt for a paid cloud service, you can also use a microSD card for local storage. And as far as night vision is concerned, you get vision up to 33 feet, and for the price, the details are sharp and clear.
Furthermore, this camera bundles two-way audio, something which makes it perfect for communicating with the elderly and small kids.
Other than that, the device is easy to install and the app is easy to use. You can see all the motion-detected events easily since they are marked orange. However, the lower price tag means you will have to make some sacrifices. For one, some of the app features are a tad difficult to find.
Secondly, the auto-panning feature isn’t as effective when it comes to following motion activity.
The Eyes of a Cat
Apart from the above, you can also check out the Amazon Cloud Cam. This compact camera beautifully balances functionality with looks. And at $99, you get two-way audio, sensors for motion detection, 1080p video streaming, and 120-degree FoV.
However, Amazon has stopped the sale of the basic variant. At the time of writing, only the Key variant was on sale.
Last updated on 02 February, 2022
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