The Best Solar Security Camera
The best solar security camera will allow you to record and view footage no matter the weather. However, the battery’s charging efficiency will be reduced during cold months.
Local storage via USB or Micro SD slots are common features on modern solar cameras. Many also come with a cloud service accessible via the brand’s app.
Reolink Go PT Plus
The Reolink Go PT Plus addresses both challenges by combining a battery with a solar panel for continuous power supply, eliminating the need for wires and requiring a network connection only for initial setup. Once installed, the camera connects to a 4G LTE network for the best solar security camer remote access and monitoring, or saves video to an SD card, if you choose not to use the cloud.
With 2K 4MP resolution and night vision capabilities, the camera offers excellent picture clarity. It can also pan 355deg horizontally and tilt 140deg vertically, allowing it to cover almost any area with no blind spots.
Its smart detection distinguishes between significant movements and trivial ones, reducing the number of false alarms caused by flying insects and moving shadows. It can also be configured to send instant alerts via push notification on your smartphone or by email with on-scene snapshots. The alerts can be personalized with verbal warnings to scare off intruders or even notify your family or guests to take action.
Live viewing consumes a considerable amount of data, and Reolink recommends at least 60GB per month for this feature alone. Depending on your schedule and monitoring needs, this can add up quickly. However, you can minimize your data consumption by limiting the duration of live viewing to short periods of time and using the camera’s schedule-based recording mode to avoid unnecessary data usage.
Ring Stick-Up Cam
While it doesn’t boast the flashy AI or high-end resolution of some of our other top picks, the Ring Stick Up Cam is still a solid DIY option. If you’re looking for a camera that can work indoors and outdoors, doesn’t require drilling holes in your walls, and can be powered by solar energy, this is the one to go with.
It can operate at temperatures between negative five and 122 degrees Fahrenheit, making it suitable for outdoor use. It comes with a stand that attaches to arms that you can use to mount it to a flat surface, or it has mounting hardware to screw it to the wall or ceiling.
Like all Ring cameras, the Stick Up Cam can communicate over Wi-Fi, so it doesn’t need hardwired ethernet. However, it does have a single-band (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi adapter, so it won’t work well with 5G home networks.
Like its competitors, the Ring Stick Up Cam can detect motion and record clips based on your defined motion zones. The app allows you to set the sensitivity for these zones, as well as control other aspects of its functionality, such as alerts, timers, and pre-roll footage. But the camera can’t distinguish between a 5-lb chihuahua and a 200-lb intruder, so it’ll send many false positives. Fortunately, this can be corrected by downloading a software update.
Arlo Q
Arlo cameras are a solid solution for indoor security. They’re not cheap, but a burglar caught in the act is a criminal a lot less likely to return if you can prove they broke into your house. NETGEAR’s latest offering is the downright cute Arlo Q, which comes with a free basic cloud service plan for life (one gigabyte of storage for seven days), as well as fast text and email alerts.
It also has a 130-degree wide-angle lens and IR night vision, so it can see what’s happening even at night. It also supports three different resolutions, though we’d recommend the highest (1080p) for crisp footage that can easily identify faces and other small details. Getting started is as simple as plugging the camera in and downloading the Arlo app. After that, the LED on the front of the device will blink blue and you can pair it with your Wi-Fi network by scanning a QR code using the app.
Alternatively, you can set up an Arlo camera using a wired connection, which makes it a good choice for those who want to install multiple units in a larger home or business. Both the security camera supplier Arlo Q and the pricier Arlo Q Plus offer 7 days of free event-triggered cloud recording, as well as a micro SD card slot for local storage.
Lorex
Lorex offers a wide range of security equipment, including cameras and accessories. You can browse indoor, outdoor, doorbell and floodlight cameras as well as video recorders and sensors to find the right products for your home. The brand also offers wired and wireless systems, allowing you to customize your setup based on your needs.
While the company doesn’t offer professional monitoring, its products are easy to set up and don’t require a subscription. Its cameras are designed with user-friendliness in mind, and they offer a variety of features that make it easy to manage your home security from your phone or computer. These include: 2x zoom, HD resolution and excellent night vision; person detection, which prevents false alerts; two-way audio with microphone; and a remote, mobile app-based viewing experience.
The brand’s cameras may not look as sleek as some of its competitors, but their state-of-the-art technology makes up for it. For instance, Lorex offers 4K video quality, which means your footage won’t take up as much bandwidth as 1080p videos. Additionally, its smart motion detection — also known as person detection — helps you avoid false alerts and only records activity when necessary. Plus, its camera storage is localized rather than cloud-based, which keeps your data private and eliminates monthly fees. Moreover, it supports Windows and Mac operating systems.
