Top 3 Peephole Cameras for Apartments

When it comes to security, the tech world holds an infinite number of gadgets. From outdoor security cameras to keep a tab on your house to smart lights that switch on at specific times of the day, we have come a long way. Another gadget to join this lineup is peephole cameras. These cameras replace the traditional peepholes on your door, thereby removing the issues with distorted images and odd fish-eye lenses.

Most of these peephole cameras can record the events of the day and store in either on the cloud storage or in the devices themselves, thereby giving you the time to scrutinize the events outside your door. And that’s not the end of the story. They give you an additional sense of security since you have a clip in your hands that you can share with the concerned authority should an unfortunate event occur.

However, the market for peephole cameras is still niche and there aren’t many products. Plus, many products lack features which makes them a little difficult to recommend.

Nevertheless, there are some good products out there, and in this list, we have shortlisted the best peephole cameras out there. Let’s take a look. But first,

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1. Brinno SHC500 Peephole Camera

• Video length: 10 seconds
• Local storage: Yes, microSD card

Brinno SHC500 Peephole Camera

Buy

The Brinno SHC500 is a simple and affordable peephole camera that easily mounts on the front door of your apartment or house. It comes with a simple one-button activation method, which makes it increasingly easy to use, especially for small children and seniors. This one records a short 10-second video when activated, which you can access later. The best part is that the company ships two 12mm and 14mm barrels.

It comes in two parts. One is the lens that goes into the peephole, and the other is the camera where you can see the recorded footage. Installation is no rocket science and should not take much of your time as long as you follow the instructions.

On the downside, there are no rechargeable batteries since it runs on AA batteries. A set of new batteries can power the camera for 6 months, depending on the usage.

By default, the camera has a viewing angle of 90-degree which should be enough to show you what’s in front of the camera. Though the picture quality is not top-notch (no HD video here), it gets the job done. On top of it, you can zoom in on the screen to view closely. Do note that the angle reduces to 40-degree when zoomed.

As noted earlier, it’s a manual camera. You will have to activate it manually. Thankfully, it’s an easy-peasy process.

But at the end of the data, the Brinno SHC500 is not perfect. Since it doesn’t have an automatic-sensing mechanism, you tend to miss a lot. But, for the money, it’s an effective solution.

2. Brinno SHC1000 Peephole Camera

• Video length: 10 seconds
• Local storage: Yes, microSD card

Brinno SHC1000 Peephole Camera

Buy

The Brinno SHC1000 addresses one of the key limitations of the Brinno SHC500. Yep, you guessed it right, this peephole camera comes with a built-in sensor. Known as the KNS100 Knocking Sensor, this sensor triggers the camera to start recording as soon it senses the vibration from knocking on the door. And there’s more to the story. The camera also bundles a separate motion sensor, which you can conceal under traditional door knockers. This one captures footage as soon as it’s triggered. Neat, right?

Again, you won’t have top-notch HD video quality like some of the premium security cameras like the Arlo Pro. However, it gets the job done and has enough detail for you to recognize faces and the likes.

Like its counterpart above, the Brinno SHC1000 has a viewing angle of 90-degree, which again is decent. The camera interface is simple and is easy to operate.

You can view the recorded files right from the camera interface, and the date-wise arrangement of the videos makes it convenient to go through the events of the day. The video playback has all the necessary tools to help you scrutinize the video better.

Though it has a premium price tag, it lacks a few features. For instance, it doesn’t have cloud storage, nor does it have any virtual assistant support.

3. Ring Peephole Cam

• Video length: N/A
• Local storage: No, cloud stoarge

Ring Peephole Cam

Buy

The Ring Peephole Cam addresses many of the shortcomings of the above two peephole cameras. It makes for a good buy if you are looking for a serious peephole camera. Not only does it come with cloud support, but it also has smart assistant support in the form of Amazon Alexa. The good part is that it bundles a knocking sensor, a motion sensor, two-way audio, and a doorbell button.

For now, you will get access to 1080p video. However, unlike the ones above, the Ring Peephole Camera doesn’t bundle a camera interface. Instead, you will have to use the mobile app to watch the recorded footage.

Like most Ring products, installation is easy and straightforward, and easy instruction helps its case. Since it supports Amazon Alexa, you can see the feed on a bigger Alexa screen like the Echo Show or give it simple voice commands.

Video footage is clear and sharp. It also comes with a couple of infrared LEDs to lend a hand to low-light videos. It doesn’t have facial recognition yet, but it does a good job of alerting you when someone is at your front door. Additionally, you can also set a motion detection zone if you do not want your camera to intrude into your next-door neighbor’s area.

However, all these nifty features come at a cost. The Ring Peephole Camera doesn’t have local storage. Instead, it comes with a paid subscription. The Ring Protect plan begins at $3 gives you access to your videos for a span of 60 days.

On the upside, you get a rechargeable battery that lasts around 6 months.

Bonus: Arlo AVD1001B Video Doorbell

Arlo AVD1001B Video Doorbell

Buy

The Arlo AVD1001B is not strictly a peephole camera, but if you are looking for a door security camera with top-notch performance, this one definitely makes the cut. The best part is that it’s small and doesn’t stand out as an eyesore. And as you might have guessed already, it packs in all the top-notch features such as two-way audio, motion alerts, live streaming, and motion alerts, and automated schedules.

While automated schedules let you arm and disarm the camera automatically at the timing of your choosing, it’s the motion alerts which you should look out for. From parcel delivery person to animals and vehicles, this one can tell one from the other, which is a huge plus.

Like the Ring camera, there’s no option for local storage. You will have to opt for cloud storage which starts at $3 per month.

Smart Door for Entry

A smart home is no longer a myth. With more smart products joining the lineup, it has become increasingly easy to manage the home with voice commands or through your phone.

However, products such as the ones above are not foolproof. For example, someone can easily hold a hand over the peephole to block your view. Hence, it’s recommended to settle for full-fledged devices that give you many options to play with.