How do I choose a home security camera?

Choose resolution, night vision, and field of view first, then decide how recordings should be stored.

Start with 2K or higher resolution, night vision, and field of view. Decide cloud versus local storage, use weather-resistant models outdoors, and cover entry points without pointing into neighbors’ windows.

What matters more than megapixels

Camera shopping pushes resolution hard, but most disappointed owners were let down by other things: a dead battery every fortnight, alerts for every passing car, a subscription they did not budget for, or Wi-Fi too weak at the mounting spot. Decide power, storage, and placement first, and the camera itself becomes an easy choice.

How to choose, step by step

1. Start with the spots, not the camera: front door, driveway, back gate. Cover entrances and the paths to them, at about head height where faces are visible.
2. Pick a power source per spot: battery for flexibility, plug-in for forget-about-it reliability, solar where sun reaches.
3. Check night performance — infrared range and, better, a small spotlight for color at night. A face you can identify is the whole point.
4. Decide storage and price the year: cloud plans charge per camera or per home; local storage (hub or memory card) costs more upfront and nothing monthly.
5. Insist on smart detection — person, vehicle, and package alerts plus activity zones — so the camera only bothers you when it matters.
6. Aim cameras at your own property, skip neighbors’ windows, and check local rules if the camera records audio; rules differ by place.