Security should be a top priority in any home: you should be able to feel safe within your own property whether you’re there or away. Before recently, this meant purchasing often-pricey systems from specialized services which not everyone could benefit from.
But thanks to the development of new “smart home” technologies and innovations in recent years, things like floodlight cameras have become more accessible for the average consumer, making it easier to set up security around your home yourself.
You only want the best option for keeping your household safe. But what do you do if you don’t know where to look? This floodlight camera guide will show you what you want to look for and provide a few recommendations to get you started.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison of 6 Best Floodlight Cameras
| IMAGE | BRAND | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ring Floodlight Camera |
| Check The Price |
 | Toucan Security Camera |
| Check The Price |
 | HeimVisionHM211 Camera |
| Check The Price |
 | EZVIZ Security Camera |
| Check The Price |
 | WESECUU Outdoor Security Camera |
| Check The Price |
 | Sens8 Outdoor Camera |
| Check The Price |
Why Use a Floodlight Camera?
The camera is a first line of security and evidence on any property. Everything gets monitored and recorded most of the time, so you know who shows up or what they’re up to. If an incident occurs, you have evidence to help you.
There’s really no disadvantage to getting a few floodlight cameras set up around your home. Nowadays good cameras are capable of sounding alarm sirens, alerting you of activity while you’re away, and even communicating in real time with any visitors at your doorstep.
What to Look for in a Floodlight Security Camera?
So, what can a floodlight security camera do for you? Here are a few things:
Visibility
Of course, you want to be able to clearly see the footage that the camera is picking up. It’s no use if the video footage is blurry, shaky and just incomprehensible overall as you wouldn’t have any decisive evidence in the case of an incident occurring.
The most common resolution quality on security cameras has been a fairly high definition at 720p for a while.
Better footage quality is growing more common, however, with full 1080p HD resolution. It makes things much clearer but can also have a bigger strain on battery life and slower network connections.
Night Vision
This is up there in significance with motion detection. However, the night vision works, the camera should have some sort of way to see as the majority of incidents happen in the evening or night. The night vision feature on cameras can be toggled automatically or scheduled manually.
Audio Quality
This one goes without saying given the point made about picture quality: these two go hand-in-hand. Being able to clearly hear what’s happening, especially if the camera view didn’t catch any activity while the microphone may have.
Did you know that many cameras nowadays also offer a two-way audio feature that will let you speak through the camera with whoever’s nearby? Speakers and microphones are often built into the camera to become one compact security device. This is a handy feature to look for because of how much you can do with it. Two-way audio can be used for communicating with visitors, pets, or for startling intruders. Plugging in a speaker may be required depending on the camera.
Motion Sensor
There are both standard and advanced motion detection systems. The former uses infrared sensors to detect heat signatures, while the latter uses the camera instead. That bit is not as important: what you really want to look for is customizability. Your camera system should be able to adjust the sensitivity to avoid the chance of false alarms.
The Alarm
In order to keep you up to date on activity as much as possible, cameras with smart home and/or internet connectivity will send you notifications when anything happens. This alert will happen when the camera’s motion sensors pick up any significant sort of movement. Pricier, yet higher quality cameras will be able to detect people specifically, and even recognize faces.
A number of cameras will sound a siren, too, if any suspicious movement happens. This will either be automated or by remote command from you.
Backup Battery Life
Backup power is a helpful feature to consider. In the off chance that a blackout occurs, or a burglar decides to cut the power, you’ll still have the camera running for valuable evidence of any possible incident.
Cloud Storage for Recorded Footage
Want to keep recorded footage of your property when you’ve gone out? Many companies that sell you cameras offer plans for cloud storage that will keep your footage temporarily. In most cases, these are subscription-based plans that require a monthly payment to access.
If you’re not up to storing data in the cloud, consider a camera that provides slots for local storage like SD cards.
Smart Home Features
The ability to connect to home assistants like Alexa or Google Home is a given for most standard camera systems. If not, they should be able to connect to Wi-Fi in order to upload footage or send alerts. An app will most likely accompany your new camera system.
Other Features
These are secondary features that may come with newer cameras or fancier ones that can be useful but not crucial to your home security. Facial recognition is an increasingly common feature among new models of outdoor floodlights with cameras.
Never forget to look up the cameras you’re considering for the purchase. Look at reviews, customer testimonials, ratings from multiple sights for the same product. Check the official websites and the product’s specs, and whether it falls within your set budget. There’s a camera out there perfect for your home, now go do some research!
Top 6 Floodlight Security Camera Reviews
Ring Floodlight Camera
- 1080p HD, Night Vision and Live View.
- Two-way audio with noise cancellation.
- Motion-activated alert notifications, Remote-activated siren alarm.
- Alexa compatible, Wifi connection required.
One of the more popular floodlight camera options, the Ring Floodlight Camera lives up to its name and overall brand reputation. It’s the first of its kind and has been only improving ever since. But it’s not to be confused with its spotlight model.
Alexa compatibility makes way for new interactions, including a two-way talk feature with visitors through Echo devices. Get notified and talk remotely from your mobile or home devices like your phone, tablet, or PC.
You will get notified by text if Ring’s motion sensors are activated while you’re out. The advanced motion detector can detect human sized objects up to thirty feet away when placed in optimal position, 9 feet off the ground.
The Ring uses a 1080HD video quality for the clear details, combined with a wide-angle lens, so you don’t miss a thing in shot. It includes advanced night vision and live view so you can not only see activity in the dark, but you can watch it live from a remote location on demand using your phone.
Pros:
- Good video quality and two-way audio.
- Viewable live footage.
- Live controls and demands from remote locations with devices.
Cons:
- The price and subscription-based cloud storage might be out of budget for a number of customers.
Pro tip
Great for homeowners who want something high quality and easy to install. Equipped with extra-bright LED floodlights and a siren alarm you can remotely activate, the camera will not only catch everything, but also ward off any startled trespassers on your property.
Ring offers Cloud storage plans for footage starting at three dollars a month per device. It’s secure and ensures valuable data and potential evidence is stored elsewhere from crooks or burglars.
Toucan Outdoor Security Camera
- 1080p HD, Live View.
- Two-way audio.
- Motion-activated alert notifications.
- Alexa and Google Home compatible.
For those looking for a camera at a more affordable price, Toucan offers a smart camera that offers a great value considering the cost.
The way the Toucan camera works is that it must be connected to a smart light socket, so the monitoring area will always be lit up. It’s compatible with select smart outdoor lights and this makes assembly super easy. It doesn’t require batteries or hard wiring to the house’s electric box.
Including Live Video viewing and alerts, you’ll never miss a thing. You can see remotely what’s happening when connected by your phone. You’ll get alerted with a notification if the camera’s motion sensor picks something up.
You can record and save video footage onto your device, or up to 2 hours worth of video on the cloud. This camera includes pre-recorded sounds you can use as automated alarms or greetings: from voice greetings to dog barks, you can customize this camera to welcome guests on a holiday get-together or scare off unwanted visitors.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing.
- Live View Capabilities.
- Great value and features for the price.
- No batteries required.
- Doesn’t require hard wiring or difficult assembly.
Cons:
- Cloud storage is fairly limited.
Pro Tip
Siren alarm and emergency call buttons are readily accessible in the case of an incident or urgent problem. The Toucan outdoor camera is both Alexa and Google Home compatible. It turns on its lights when motion is detected, and you can schedule how long you want the light to operate.
HeimVisionHM211 Outdoor Wireless Security Camera
- Full HD 1080p picture, IR vision.
- Two-way audio.
- Motion-activated floodlight and siren system.
- Wifi, app connectivity.
The outdoor wireless HeimVisionHM211 security camera is another value pick which not only offers the essentials for a good smart home floodlight camera but has impressive specs and local storage capabilities as well.
For starters, the HM211 camera offers clear full HD video quality. At night, it auto-switches to standard infrared night vision and has an impressive range of 98 feet. Fitted with a microphone and speaker, the two-way audio allows you to communicate with anyone nearby in real-time, welcome or not.
Wireless internet connectivity with the help of a 5DB extension antenna can be fast and hassle-free, so you can use your companion app and upload data to the cloud quickly and smoothly while maintaining clear video throughout.
The motion-activated floodlight and alert notifications keep you up to date when anything suspicious happens. And in an automated response to a potential threat, the camera will shine the floodlight, take pictures, and sound a siren.
Pros:
- The HeimVision offers great specs and features for the price.
- Easy to connect and set up.
- Both local and cloud.
- Durable, high-quality materials go into making this camera.
Cons:
- There are some complaints about the companion app’s usability.
Pro Tip
A 24/7 cloud storage plan is available, though not necessary, as this camera has local storage space through an SD card slot. Not only does this camera have the features, it’s durable too. It’s made with a metal casing and is certified dust tight, waterproof, and weatherproof. There’s no worry about unwanted cracks or scratches obstructing the view.
EZVIZ Outdoor Security Camera
- HD full video quality, Night vision up to 100 feet.
- Two-way audio included.
- Motion-activated siren.
- Alexa and Google Assistant compatible.
EZVIZ promises a safer home from threats with this smart outdoor security camera. With a focus on the camera’s smart features, you’ll have no problem using this product’s companion software and pairing it up with the rest of your smart home.
Being both Alexa and Google Assistant compatible, you can make the most out of controlling the cameras with ease. The cameras can then be connected to a monitored device with iOS, Android, or Windows for an easy live viewing experience.
Infrared motion detection and night vision make for an effective combination. With a wide-angle lens and a field of night vision as distant as 100 feet, this camera won’t miss a thing. When triggered they activate the floodlight and sound a siren of 100 decibels, scaring off intruders.
Pros:
- Quality HD video and impressive night vision range for clearest playback.
- Designed to be durable and weatherproof.
- Plenty of local storage space available.
- Great app usability, according to customers.
Cons:
- Software set up issues.
Pro Tip
If you want to store your data, you can opt for cloud storage plans with the first month totally free. The data stored is sent to the server and encrypted for extra security. SD card slots allow you to have up to 256 GB of local space. The camera is recognized dust tight and waterproof and offers two-way audio as well.
WESECUU Outdoor Security Camera
- 1080p full HD.
- Includes two-way audio.
- Motion-activated floodlight and AI face recognition.
- Wi-fi connectivity.
What makes the WESECUU outdoor security camera stand out on this list has to be its special AI human face detection technology. They claim it’s the best of its kind and has an advantage over previous detection technologies like conventional and PIR motion sensors. The advantage really comes from the fact that by recognizing who or what’s coming to your door, you can get significantly fewer false alarms – up to 99 percent.
The camera still has a motion detector that triggers the floodlight and alarm, but only after someone is recognized as suspicious. Then, the rest follows as normal: the app will alert you immediately of the activity.
Pros:
- Setup is easy: just plug your camera in and connect it to the companion app.
- AI technology gives this camera an edge over others.
- Can function as a regular porch light, if you so desire.
Cons:
- SD card not included, required to record.
Pro Tip
Two-way audio lets you talk to visitors, regular or unwanted. The camera can double as a regular porchlight and is certified IP66 waterproof. The WESECUU camera requires a standard home plug for local power supply and is easy to set up.
Sens8 Outdoor Camera
- 1080p HD, PIR night vision.
- Two-way audio included.
- Motion activated floodlight and siren.
- Wi-fi connection required.
If you want to be able to benefit from cloud storage but have an issue with the subscription model, Sens8 has a solution for you. Their outdoor floodlight camera has both built in 8 GB of storage space and freely accessible cloud storage on either Dropbox or Google Drive without any monthly or yearly fee.
Along with its visually unique design, this camera still has it all: a full HD 1080p camera, wide angle lens view, LED lights built-in, and a PIR motion sensor. The motion sensors are customizable to prevent false alarms, which is especially helpful in not triggering the 95-dB siren for no reason.
Pros:
- No subscription fees needed for cloud storage.
- Durably weatherproof.
- Customizable motion detection sensitivity for better accuracy.
Cons:
- 8GB of local storage is not much.
Pro Tip
Sealed against dust and water, the Sens8 camera is recognized as weatherproof. It requires a regular power socket to function and doesn’t need batteries.
Two-way audio is included for easy communication. The Sens8 requires an internet connection for the app and many of its features to work.
Conclusion
Floodlight cameras are useful for monitoring activity right outside your home. Be it right outside your front door or in the backyard, the lights attached can make it easier to spot and take clear colored images at night. Or they can startle unsuspecting intruders when they detect motion nearby and turn on spontaneously.
So, whether you’re looking for easy installation, flexible setup, or advanced features, there is a suitable floodlight camera for every home. Just take your pick from our recommended list and see which one works best for you.
