Hidden cameras are a great tool for monitoring your home, property, office, business, or personal space. There are thousands of spy camera options available on the market today, and these cameras come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from a concealable pen camera to a camera hidden in a smoke detector to an easy-to-conceal USB block camera.
When using hidden cameras, it is always important to make sure you are using them lawfully, ethically, and respectfully. Whenever recording a person, place, or thing, be sure that you have the proper permission to do so and that you are not violating anyone’s reasonable expectation of privacy.
In this post, we will explore three common categories of spy cameras and then look at our top 6 picks for spy cameras on the market today.
Types of Spy Cameras
There are a wide variety of camera types available today, but the three most common categories of spy cameras are the following:
Hidden Cameras
Spy cameras are meant to be hidden. This often means that they need to be small enough to not draw attention to themselves and designed in such a way as not to look like a camera. As a result, this category of cameras covers a wide gamut of both miniature cameras and cameras disguised as common household items, such as smoke detectors, alarm clocks, and USB blocks.
Wearable cameras
Sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where a wearable camera is necessary for your personal safety or other personal reasons. This is where wearable cameras come into play. These nifty spy cameras also come in a variety of shapes and sizes and forms, from cameras hidden in pens and tie clips to full frame body cameras.
Vehicle cameras
Dash cams are a great way to record footage while driving a vehicle. They are also useful for recording activity around your vehicle, documenting driving habits, and functioning as video evidence in the event of an accident or road incident.
6 Best Spy Cameras
There are thousands of spy camera options on the market today, and it can be overwhelming to find the right one for your particular needs. To help guide you in this process, here is the list of our top 6 favorite spy cameras across a number of uses.
1. Best Spy Camera for Indoor Security: Blink Mini Indoor Security Camera ($34.99)
One of our favorite high-quality indoor security cameras is the Blink Mini Indoor Security Camera. This WiFi-enabled device records video at a crisp and clear 1080p. It has a 110-degree field of view and offers a variety of advanced features, such as night vision, 2-way audio communication, and integrations with common household internet-enabled devices, like Amazon’s Alexa. The mobile app also gives you quick and easy access to the device and recorded videos, and you can even store your footage instantly to the cloud. Its small size also makes it easy to conceal and transport. Overall, it’s one of our top choices for a discreet security camera for indoor security.
2. Best Spy Dash Camera: Rove R2-4K Dash Cam ($119.99)
Recording ultra-clear dashboard video footage has never been so easy! The Rove R2-4K Dash Cam delivers everything you could expect from a dashcam. Shooting footage at a stunning 4K and offering a 150-degree field of view, this camera is great for any vehicle situation, and built-in WiFi allows you instant access to your footage on your mobile device. It also has built-in GPS features that automatically append the time, your location, and driving speed alongside the recorded footage for accurate video documentation. There is also a full suite of additional features, such as emergency locking, slow-mo, and timelapse.
3. Best Mini Spy Camera: YEEHAO HD Mini Hidden Camera ($29.99)
If you are looking for a small, affordable camera that is easily concealable, the YEEHAO HD Mini camera is a great option. This mini camera is feature-rich with motion-detection abilities, night vision, and a 2-hour battery life. This mini camera is great for indoor use, such as monitoring an office, hall, or room. It’s compact size (roughly a 1-inch cube) makes it easy to conceal on a bookshelf or dresser. Better yet, it records at clear 1080p.
4. Best Hidden Camera: Mini USB Charger Camera ($36.50)
If you are looking for a compact, concealable spy camera disguised as a common household item, look no further. The Mini USB Charger Camera comes cleverly concealed in the form of a working USB block. The nearly imperceptible camera is cleverly embedded in a common USB charging block, which means it’s easy to conceal anywhere a device is plugged in. It records at a high-quality 1080p, and because it is constantly plugged in, this camera never requires recharging. It accepts a 256gb microSD card, which allows you to record hours of footage, and surge protection features also ensure that your SD card remains safe from corruption.
5. Best Home Hidden Camera: 4K Hidden Camera Smoke Detectors WiFi ($59.99)
This 4K hidden camera comes cleverly disguised as a working smoke detector. This WiFi-enabled device lets you easily monitor your home while outdoors or away from home. Recording at high resolution, this camera offers a 150-degree field of view and also offers infrared sensors that deliver clear night vision capabilities. Motion detection and push alerts allow you to immediately know when motion is detected in your space and notify you immediately.
6. Best Wearable Spy Camera ($34.99)
For wearable concealed cameras, this camera is disguised as a pen. It’s easy to conceal in a pocket or on a purse or bag, making it a great wearable spy camera. Recording at 1080p video resolution, this is a great spy camera for use as a body camera or for personal security. The device also boasts a 2.5-hour battery life, making it ideal for a broad array of activities.
Whenever you are conducting surveillance activities involving concealed cameras, it is important that you act ethically and abide by all local laws. NITA offers an Ethics Course to help private investigators and security professionals understand the proper use for cameras and other monitoring devices.
Our enrollment counselors are here to answer any questions you might have about our state- and board-approved status, pre-licensing training, or professional development programs.
