Budget Covert Cameras Tested

By: Derek Ward, Published on Nov 26, 2019

Covert cameras under $100 are widely available online but are they any good?

To see how these models really work in the real world, we bought and tested some of the most commonly bought hidden cameras on Amazon, including:

For commercial models, see Covert IP Camera Shootout - Axis, Hanwha, Hikvision, March, Vivotek and for detecting such cameras, see Hidden Camera Detectors Tested.

Inside this report, we call out which one we found to be test, how their image quality worked in full light, low light and WDR, plus usability tradeoffs.

****** ******* ***** $*** are ****** ********* ****** but *** **** *** good?

** *** *** ***** models ****** **** ** the **** *****, ** bought *** ****** **** of *** **** ******** bought ****** ******* ** Amazon, *********:

*** ********** ******, ********* ** ****** ******** - ****, ******, *********, March, ********** *** ********* **** cameras, ********* ****** ********* ******.

****** **** ******, ** call *** ***** *** we ***** ** ** test, *** ***** ***** quality ****** ** **** light, *** ***** *** WDR, **** ********* *********.

[***************]

*******

** *** *****, *** these ****** ******* ******** usable ******* ** ****-*** scenes **** ****** ******** variance. *** ***** (~*-* lux), **** (~*.** ***), and *** ****** *** caused ******* ********** ** image *******, **** ** way ** ******* ***** via ****** ********.

*******, ***** ****** ** not ******* ** *** performance ** ********** ************ cameras, *** **** **** as *** *** ******* may ** ****** ** residential ******** ** ******* for **** ******** ***** when ********* *** ** their *** ***** *** portability.

"Best" ******

** *** * ******, we ***** *** '****' was *** ***** ***** since ** *** ***:

  • **** ****** *** ********* for ****** ** **** the ****** (***** ***** IR *** * ****** embedded ****** ********* **** the *****
  • ******* ** ***** ** various ****** ** *****, desks, ********, ***. ****** the *********** ** ******* a ****, ***** ******** or *******
  • ***** ******* *** ******* above ******* ******** ** other ****** ****** *******, though ***** ******** ** commercial ****.

*******

*** ****** ******* ********* were ~$*** *** ** under. *** ******* ***** was **** *********,$**.** *** ******. *** ********* ****** sells ***~$** ******, ***** ******** ***~$** ******,*** *** ******* ****** camera ***~$** ******.

Physical ********

** *** ***** *****, we ******** *** ******** construction ** **** ****** camera ******:

Full ***** ***** *******

*** ****** ******* ********* best ** **** ********, with ******** ****** ~**' - **' ** *** camera. *** ******* **** shot ** *** ******, and *** ***** ***** is ** ******* ** the *****, **** *** subject ~**' **** *** cameras:

**** *** ******* *** chart ****** ~**' **** the *******, ******* **** solid:

**** *** ******* ******* away, ******* ** *** picture *****, ***** ******** and *** ******* *** still ******, *** *** low *** ** *** panoramic ********* ***** ******* hard ** *******.

Poor *** ***** *** **** ***** *******

** **** *** *** lit ******, *********** ****. The ******* ***** ****** camera *** *** **** selectable ******* ** ***** color ****, *** ***** slip **** */* **** IR ** ** ~* lux. ****, ** *** not ******** ** *** light *******. *** ********* performs **** ** *** light **** ***** ********, but *** *****-**** ***** detector *** *** ******* had *** *******.

**** ******* ****, *** lightbulb ** **** ** detect *** *******, *** details *** **** ** discern ***** *** ***.

** *** ****, *** lightbulb *** ******* ***** cameras ******* ***** *** IR ************. ****, ***** was ** ***** *** the ******* *****, ***** is "*********" *** *** noise ******** ******* ** our ******** ****. *** color **** ***** ******** and *** ******* ******* produced ** *****.

******* ****, ******** ********* is **** ********, ** both ** ******* **** to ******* ******* ** either *** ******* ** chart.

Recommend ******** *** ******

** **** ***, ** opened *** ******** **** in *** ******, **** the ******** ~** *** and ******** ** ~*,*** lux. **** ***** ** from *** ******* ***** camera, ***** **** *** have ** ** ******, as **** **** *** abundance ** *** ** the ******* ******* ** the *** *****.

*** ****** ******* ****** are *** ****'* *** WDR ******, ** *** to ***** **** ** much ** ******** **** using ****. *** **** areas ** *** ***** are ********** ****, ** the ******* ******* ******** to ***** *** *****.

*********

**** *** ******* ***** and ********* ******* ******* WiFi *** * ****** app **** ***** ~*-* minutes ** *** *********. Once *********, **** ****, recordings, *** ***** ******** can ** *** ** adjusted. ***** ** ** image ** *** **** screen/live **** ** **** WiFi *******.

*** ***** ******** *** USB ******* ** *** have *** *** ** view ******* ****, *********** making *****/******* **********. *** USB ******* ******** ** an ******, *** *** be *** ** ****** on ****** ******, ** continuously ** ~* ****** clips. *** ***** ******** uses * ******, *** once *******, *** ****** continuous ******* *** ~** minutes, **** * ********, record **** *****, ** record ** ******.

*** ******* ****** ** an ** ****, *** the ****-******* ******* ***** and ********* ******* *** save ***** *** ********* to * ****** ****** as ****.

***************

***** ********** ** ****** these ****** ****** ******* should ** ******* ** deploying **** ** ****** lit ***** **** ****** to ** ***** ********. Otherwise, ******** **** **** image ******* ** ******. Given *** ***** *** portability ** **** ** the ****** ******* ******, interested ***** *** **** value ** ******** **** on ***** **** **** home *** **** **** of ************ ** ********* living ******.

Comments (5)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

11/26/19 12:28pm

****** *** **** *** of *****! **** ****.

********* ******* *** *&* on *** ****** **** for *** ******* ***** I ****'* *** ***** or **** *********. *** of ***** *** ****** have * ************ *********?

Avatar

Derek Ward

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 11/26/19 12:38pm

***** ***,

*** ******* ***** (*** lightbulb ****** *** **** matter) *** *** **** ONVIF ** **** **********. The **** *** ** control **** **** ******* a ****** *** ****** testing. **'** ***** ******** an ***** ** *** usability ******* ** *** report, ******* *** "**** screen/live ****" **** ** each ******/***.

Avatar

Matthew Del Salto

BLACKBOX USA | 11/26/19 04:46pm

*** **** ****?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

11/27/19 09:47am

*******'* ** ******** ****** in *********** **** ****? Yesterday's *** ******** *** role ** ******* ********* in *****'* ********** *** of ************ **********.

********* ******* *********** "********" subjects **** **** *** being *******. ********** ****** then *** ***********. ** generally ***** **** **** has * ******** ********** effect *** **** ** helps *********** **** ***** is * *******. ****** cams **** * ***** for **************, *** *** they **** **** * huge ********* *** ***** and **********. **** ****** be **** ** *** discussion.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 11/27/19 10:59am

#*, ****'* * **** post. **** ** * test, ** **** **** when ** **** *********'* products, ** ** *******, we *** ** ***** on *** **** ****** but *********, *** ***** and ******** *** ***** up *** *****.

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