Whether you’re a parent to one child or many children, you’ve got a lot to worry about.
It doesn’t matter if you have babies, toddlers, or teens–chances are you spend more time than you’d like fretting over their safety and trying to protect them from dog bites, bullies, outdoor accidents, and more.
Parenthood is stressful, there’s no denying it. The good news, though, is that there are lots of tools available these days that can help to ease some of the burdens for you. One of these tools is a hidden camera–sometimes referred to as a nanny cam.
There are lots of benefits that come with having a hidden camera in your home. Read on to learn more about them and how you can find the best hidden camera for your home.
Why Buy a Hidden Camera?
If you’re on the fence about having a hidden camera in your home, consider all the great benefits that come with installing one:
- Enjoy peace of mind when you’re away from the house
- Make sure your children are being cared for properly
- Make sure your children are being safe and staying out of trouble when they stay home alone
- Monitor your home while you’re away to catch intruders as soon as they enter
Clearly, there are lots of reasons to invest in a hidden camera. How do you find the best one, though?
How to Find the Best Hidden Camera
There are tons of different options out there that come in a variety of prices and styles, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed during your search.
Keep these tips in mind to help you sort through all the choices and find the right one for your needs.
1. Consider Camouflage
If you’re going to spend money on a hidden camera, one of the first things you ought to consider is how well you can hide it.
What’s the point of having a camera in your home if everyone knows its there? Remember, if your kids or their baby sitter think they’re being watched, they’re going to act very differently than they would if they didn’t know anything about the camera.
Start by making sure your camera blends in with your surroundings. Many people store their cameras inside another device, such as a picture frame, a clock, or even a smoke detector.
2. Decide Between Streaming and Self-Recording
When you’re choosing between several different cameras, consider whether they are streaming cameras or self-recording cameras.
Self-recording cameras are stand-alone devices that record videos to an SD card or internal memory. In order to view the footage, you’ll have to be able to connect the device to a computer.
Streaming cameras allow you to watch a live video from a separate device, such as your phone or tablet.
These devices require a wifi connection and can be a bit more costly. They also take longer to set up. But, the extra time and money can be worth it if you want to be able to monitor your home and your children remotely.
3. Decide Between Battery Powered and AC Powered
Most hidden cameras are either battery powered or AC powered. There are benefits and drawbacks to both options.
Battery powered cameras are portable and can be placed anywhere you want. Of course, you also have to factor in the battery life and make sure you replace the batteries regularly. If you don’t, the camera is useless to you.
AC powered cameras, on the other hand, must be plugged into an outlet. The benefit of this is that you never have to worry about the battery dying. The downside, though, is that you’re limited when it comes to deciding where to place the camera.
4. Pay Attention to Detail
Before you purchase a particular camera, it’s important to test it out and see what level of detail it captures. The higher the resolution, the better you’ll be able to see what’s going on in your home while you’re away.
Pay attention to the camera’s focal length, too. This is the distance from the center of the lens to the subject or area you’re monitoring.
Focal length determines the angle of your field of view, as well as the size of the image. Longer focal lengths yield a narrow angle of view but more detail. Shorter focal lengths yield a wider angle of view but less detail.
5. Let Light in
Choose a camera that has day-night capabilities. This will ensure that you can see what’s going on in your home at any time of the day or night.
Before you choose a camera, be sure to test both its day and night capabilities. That way, you’ll know that you can get a quality picture no matter how light or dark it is inside your house.
6. Consider Storage Options
Whether you’re using a camera with an SD card or an internal memory, make sure it holds the right amount of footage for your needs.
Check to see whether it will delete footage or stop recording when the storage is full, too.
If this is the case, you’ll need to make sure you stay on top of deleting the old footage or moving it to a computer or external hard drive so that your camera can do its job.
7. Set a Budget
Finally, don’t forget to factor your budget into the equation. Cameras come at a ton of different price points, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble figuring out what you can afford.
You can likely find a high-quality, effective hidden camera for under $100.
If you go too low in price, though, remember that you’re likely going to be sacrificing picture quality and reliability. With hidden cameras, as with just about anything else, you get what you pay for.
Need More Child Safety Tips?
A hidden camera can be a great tool for keeping your children safe and giving you peace of mind when you go out.
Now that you know how to find the best hidden camera, it’s time to go out and start shopping!
Are you interested in learning about other steps you can take to keep your kids safe while you’re away? If so, we’ve got lots of articles just for you.
Start by checking out this one for tips on keeping your children safe (while still making sure they have fun) when they go trick or treating.
