Trail Cam (primarily for security) - advice please

[J@son]

I am thinking of putting a trail cam in the bushes in front of the entrance to my garage. The camera would be on my property. And in the first instance I will be using it for security - to catpure footage of people I fear are snooping around my place at night. I know next to nothing about these cameras so would greatly appreciate some advice from those with more experience.

The location is beyond the reach of the WiFi we use in the house - which I assume means footage will need to be stored on an SD card rather than streamed.

I can attach the camera to a tree - which is reasonably discreet. But obviously if the reason I am installing the camera notices it, I fear it will become the first thing to be attacked. I understand that nothing will survive a sustained attack but I am looking for something in a strong housing which can be attached with a metal cable rather than, say, zip ties.

I am looking for something which can capture footage over a range of 10-15m. And with NV to capture footage in the dark. (Out of interest - something I have often wondered - if you have NV scope/spotter can you "see" the motion sensor beam projected from a NV trail cam?)

I am conscious that perhaps I am using the wrong tool for the job. Maybe I should be attaching a purpose built security camera to the garage itself. It just occured to me that a trail cam might be cheaper and easier to install - and an option worth exploring.

Thanks in advance for help and advice.

 

[stalker.308]

If I were in this situation- I’d get a SPYPOINT micro lte camera- you get 100 free photos a month sent immediately via app - no subscriptions required. I’d also pop it in a SPYPOINT metal security case and chain it to the tree.

If they want to destroy it, little you can do even in a metal case as they could just trash the lens and night vision sensor and led’s, but by that point you’ll have photos of them on the app.

Yes NV will pick up the beam but if you place it higher in a tree no one ever looks up. And unlikely a thief would bring nv?

 

[JTO]

I have been using some called Gardepro?
No glow!
Passcode protected, so the only way to delete stuff is to take the card out and use another device if they don't know the passcode.
Suffers from glare, so can't read number plates when approaching/leaving car lights are on. Bushnells, at 3-4 times the price didn't suffer the same.

 

[enfieldspares]

I am thinking of putting a trail cam in the bushes in front of the entrance to my garage. The camera would be on my property. And in the first instance I will be using it for security - to catpure footage of people I fear are snooping around my place at night. I know next to nothing about these cameras so would greatly appreciate some advice from those with more experience.

The location is beyond the reach of the WiFi we use in the house - which I assume means footage will need to be stored on an SD card rather than streamed.

I can attach the camera to a tree - which is reasonably discreet. But obviously if the reason I am installing the camera notices it, I fear it will become the first thing to be attacked. I understand that nothing will survive a sustained attack but I am looking for something in a strong housing which can be attached with a metal cable rather than, say, zip ties.

I am looking for something which can capture footage over a range of 10-15m. And with NV to capture footage in the dark. (Out of interest - something I have often wondered - if you have NV scope/spotter can you "see" the motion sensor beam projected from a NV trail cam?)

I am conscious that perhaps I am using the wrong tool for the job. Maybe I should be attaching a purpose built security camera to the garage itself. It just occured to me that a trail cam might be cheaper and easier to install - and an option worth exploring.

Thanks in advance for help and advice.

Put up your required CCTV Recording warning sign. Next buy a cheap, dummy, very visible CCTV camera in a hard to reach but easily seen place. Now erect in the actual chosen place the real camera. That way you have satisfied the law and drawn attention away from the actual camera. Alas all do still, afaik, give off a "glow" from the infra red lenses at night?

 

[Ruby Tuesday 2]

I've mounted one in a fake bird nesting box before which kept it discreet but I did get a lot of blurry close up blue tit pictures.

 

[Swedish]

Put up your required CCTV Recording warning sign. Next buy a cheap, dummy, very visible CCTV camera in a hard to reach but easily seen place. Now erect in the actual chosen place the real camera. That way you have satisfied the law and drawn attention away from the actual camera. Alas all do still, afaik, give off a "glow" from the infra red lenses at night?

If your CCTV only records images that are within your boundaries then no signage is required although signage my have a deterrent effect.

 

[Pedro]

As a private individual, on your own property you don't need to put any signs up. Although there is a school of thought where you could put a sign up and then any intruders wouldn't be able to find the camera that isn't there. Add to this lighting that comes on and you are well on the way to deterring many. Of course hoodies are the enemy of identification anyway. But to deter is the better choice when the alternative is trying to identify perps after the damage/theft is done.

 

[wytonpjs]

Look to see if you can extend your WiFi options (range extenders, etc) and consider mounting high on the garage - I have a number of Tapo 4K cameras that livestream and record to an inbuilt micrSD card - this can be accessed over WIFI and downloaded to pass to police etc. Currently sat here aboard a cruise liner in Tenerife with my Ring doorbell camera alerting me to someone at my door (good but multiples get costly to run) whereas I can look at any of the Tapo cameras for free or I could set them to alert me if I wished. The police were most complimentary on video I provided a couple of weeks ago on a drug deal that went down outside my house

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1488535?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=pqqmtipxa&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:416-707-6621%7Ccid:20248059078%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:14322106382394112530%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006668&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20248059078&utm_term=1488535&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=416-707-6621&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImObZq53qhQMVrp1QBh2beAYmEAQYBCABEgLNWPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Remotely, I’m running 2 solar Spypoint LTE cameras that work well. The deer activity on one is so high that the freebie scheme is no good but the yearly unlimited is reasonable. Both have been in place over a year without issue (others do seem to have problems but mine haven’t been touched since install!

 

[wytonpjs]

This is being pushed in my feeds (big brother noting what a I’m commenting on) but does seem to be genuine

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