First, decide whether you want your home security camera to record footage continuously or based on a trigger, such as motion. Recording continuously will make sure yo don’t miss anything, but it will require a lot of Wi-Fi bandwidth and isn’t suitable for battery-powered wire-free cameras. The footage should be stored either on the camera itself or on a cloud-based server where you can access it for a period of time. The camera also should alert you to motion by sending a notification to your smartphone or tablet and quickly deliver clear, good-quality video of the event. “Any camera that can record footage at full high definition or above is going to be good,” says VanWert. “Some can record at 4 and 5 megapixels, and then you’re talking about 4K resolution. It depends on what level of detail you’re looking for, such as whether you want to be able to zoom in on your camera and see a license plate.”
The power source is another key feature of a security camera. If you’re buying a wireless camera, look for one that’s powered by batteries or AC (which means it plugs into a wall outlet). AC power is preferable but not always available where you want to install a camera. As a result, the ability to use both allows for maximum placement flexibility.
Other important features include:
- Night vision for seeing what happens when the sun goes down, unless you have a lot of motion-activated outdoor lighting installed
- Two-way audio so you can hear and speak to whoever is on your property
- A built-in siren and/or a floodlight for extra deterrents
- A mobile app that’s easy to use
