Best Night Vision Security Camera: Outdoor, Wireless, Color, High Resolution, Battery Powered, & More

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Two robbers in night vision camera (Caption: Best Night Vision Security Camera)Afraid of what could be lurking in or outside of your house at night? Most security cameras advertise a night vision feature these days, but don’t let that simple claim keep you in the dark.

Not all night vision is created equal, so if viewing and recording in the dark are top priorities for your security needs, you’ve come to the right place.

Features To Consider In Night Vision Security Camera

Whether you live in a high crime area, just want to see what’s lurking in your yard or watch your baby at night, there are many excellent night vision camera options on the market.

  • The best night cameras have high-quality infrared sensors, high-definition image quality and a wide or long range of view.
  • Make sure the camera you choose specifies its infrared and lighting capabilities, and find out the viewing angle and range if night vision is a paramount factor.
  • The idea of totally wireless outdoor cameras is fantastic, but you need to make sure your WiFi signal is strong enough.
  • Additional features to consider: Video storage capabilities, real-time alerts based on motion detection, cost, and if the installation requires complicated wiring.

Best Night Vision Security Camera Winners By Category

Since night vision security cameras differ so much by cost, features, and equipment options, we’ve created categories and reviewed a winner in each:

Wireless | Range | Motion | Budget | Night Vision | Indoor

Best Wireless: Arlo Pro 2 Review

Arlo Pro 2View on Amazon

The Arlo Pro 2 (formerly owned by NETGEAR) wins our award for the best wireless WiFi night vision camera. This highly-rated security camera is easy to install inside or out with absolutely no wires required.

You connect the included base station to your WiFi router, which syncs up with your camera (you can connect up to 6 cameras to the base). Its performance is exceptionally reliable, especially for a WiFi camera.

Other standout features include rechargeable batteries, two-way audio, motion and sound-activated alerts, a 100+ decibel siren, a 130-degree wide-angle lens and HD video recording. The Arlo Pro 2 is an excellent choice unless you need super long-range night vision, but for most houses or yards, its 25-foot range should be all you need.

Access Motion-Activated Recordings

Note: you must pay a small monthly fee for Arlo Pro to have access to motion-activated recordings (otherwise it’s just a live stream).

Pros

Cons

  • Entirely wire-free
  • Can use indoors or out (weatherproof with temperature range (-4° to 113° F)
  • Easy to install
  • 1080 HD clear footage
  • Motion and sound activated recording
  • Recurring free cloud storage for 7 days
  • Battery level is displayed on the app, and batteries are rechargeable (solar panel available to keep batteries charged)
  • Two-way audio and siren
  • Compatible with Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, SmartThings & Stringify
  • Night vision range is limited at 25 feet
  • No remote pan, tilt or zoom features
  • Delay with video and two-way audio at times

Pricing

  •  for 2 cameras and base station
  •  for 3 cameras and base station
  • 1-year warranty; 3 months tech support

Read Our In-Depth Arlo Review

Best Long Range: EZVIZ C3W Pro Review

EZVIZ C3W Pro security cameraView on Amazon

The EZVIZ CRISPr C3W Pro is our pick for the best long range night vision security camera camera. You can combine eight 100-feet long-range night-vision cameras and eight channels to give you full coverage and surveillance on your property.

This wired security camera kit runs on the EZVIZ platform, which lets you manage all your cameras and video in a central location. And EZVIZ works with their free mobile apps and smart devices using IFTTT (If This, Then That). Although this system requires wiring, users report easy installation if you have basic DIY skills.

Pros

Cons

  • Night vision up to 100-feet per camera in ambient light and 65-feet in total darkness
  • Can use indoors or out (weatherproof with temperature range -40° to 140° F)
  • Clear HD resolution adjusts to lighting conditions
  • Adjustable motion detection on each camera with real-time alerts
  • Built-in 1TB hard drive to save your footage
  • Use Android and iOS apps to configure your system and securely view footage
  • Compatible with Alexa via IFTTT
  • Requires wiring (included) but easy DIY installation
  • No siren or audio
  • No remote pan, tilt or zoom features

Pricing

Best Motion Sensor: Netatmo Presence Review

Netatmo PresenceView on Amazon

The Netatmo Presence Security Camera is our choice for the best motion sensor camera with night vision. This smart camera, which doubles as a floodlight, has sensors that can detect and differentiate motion from a car, a person or an animal. You can set up the Netatmo in your mobile app to switch on as a floodlight when it detects a person, car or animal (or all three).

This WiFi-enabled camera has a 50-foot night vision range, and you can remotely zoom in on specific zones in your yard, like your driveway. With free storage and real-time motion alerts, the Netatmo Presence is an excellent outdoor security camera.

Pros

Cons

  • Infrared LED night vision with a 50-foot range
  • Excellent weatherproofing
  • Clear HD 1080p video with live stream
  • Can detect motion from cars, people or animals
  • Multiple free video storage options: Micro SD card (included) or Dropbox and FTP server compatibility
  • Real-time alerts to your mobile app, via text or email
  • IFTTT compatible
  • Requires wiring; replaces existing light fixture
  • Only has one-way audio and no siren
  • Large and bulky (not the most aesthetically pleasing camera for your front porch)
  • Some users report SD card failure

Pricing

  • Price: $229.99  for one camera
  • 1-year warranty

Best For Budget: Amcrest 1080P WiFi Camera Outdoor Review

Amcrest 1080P WiFi Camera OutdoorView on Amazon

The Amcrest 1080P WiFi Camera is a great choice if you’re looking for an affordable, wireless, long-range night vision camera with a ton of smart features. You can configure 16+ cameras, get motion alerts and stream video directly to your smartphone or PC (supports Android, iOS, Windows and Mac).

You also get multiple storage options, including four free hours in the Amcrest Cloud, recording to a Micro SD card, your PC, an FTP server, a NAS and more. Some users report difficulty in the setup process, but Amcrest’s tech support gets high ratings. 

Pros

Cons

  • Night vision up to 98-feet with 30 IR LEDs
  • Easy wireless setup
  • Use indoors or out (IP67 weatherproof rating)
  • Ultra HD 3M resolution
  • Ongoing 4 hours of free cloud storage
  • Motion alerts via mobile app
  • Use Android and iOS apps to configure your system and securely view footage
  • Enhanced zoom feature
  • Compatible with Alexa on Echo Show
  • Doesn’t have two-way audio or siren
  • No remote pan or tilt features
  • Some consumer complaints that the software is buggy and hard to set up

Pricing

Night Vision: Foscam FI9901EP Review

Foscam FI9901EPView on Amazon

The Foscam F19901EP is a powerful outdoor night vision camera with 30 infrared LEDs that work in complete darkness up to 65 feet away. This camera does require wiring, but it uses an Ethernet cable for reliable performance.

This model comes with a rich set of features including full HD resolution (2560 x 1440p), motion detection alerts, and multiple storage methods like an SD Card, NVR and Foscam Cloud Storage (at an additional cost). If you subscribe to their cloud, they’ll send you captured real-time images. Foscam is a trusted name in the security camera market, and this product is among their best.

Pros

Cons

  • Night vision range up to 65 feet
  • Use in or outdoors (IP66 weatherproof rating -4° to 140° F)
  • 4.0-megapixel image quality with 6X digital zoom
  • Motion detection real-time alerts to mobile app, email or FTP
  • Remote viewing via iOS or Android app
  • Hardwiring required (but powered over ethernet)
  • No built-in two-way audio or siren
  • No remote pan or tilt
  • Must pay for Foscam cloud storage

Pricing

  • Price: $68.94 for one camera
  • Limited 2-year warranty

Read Our In-Depth Foscam Review

Indoor: Yi Security Home Camera 3 Review

Yi Security CameraView on Amazon

Are you looking for an indoor camera with night vision? The WiFi-enabled Yi Home Camera 3 delivers excellent full HD video in both day and nighttime, giving you reliable monitoring of your baby, pets, home or business any time of day.

This camera’s smart technology standout features include baby crying detection, human detection and gesture recognition. Yi Home Camera 3 provides video and audio live streaming, recording and an included Micro SD card. You can also manage multiple cameras from the Yi iOS or Android app.

Pros

Cons

  • Eleven LEDs provide up to 30-foot night vision indoors
  • Easy installation and set up
  • Smart human motion detection and real-time alerts to mobile apps
  • 130° ultra-wide viewing angle with zoom feature
  • Two-way audio with baby crying detection
  • Local storage with Micro SD card and free 7-day alert video cloud storage
  • Indoor use only (not weatherproofed)
  • Requires a power source (no batteries)
  • Can’t split the camera from the base (must use velcro tape to mount to wall)
  • No remote pan or tilt
  • Not IFTTT or FTP compatible

Pricing

What Are The Benefits Of Security Cameras With Night Vision?

Check out the video below to see Arlo catching thieves using night vision:

What’s The Best Indoor Security Camera?

If you’re in the market for WiFi-capable indoor security cameras in general (including those that don’t have night vision), we have a comprehensive review covering dozens of options in our best indoor security camera article.

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The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

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