Small front door camera

Can anyone recommend a small front door camera? I want one which is discreet, and eye-level to get a good view of the face. Why not  Ring etc? Because 1) I have an existing, large 'fancy' 1920s push button that goes well with the house and want to carry on using and 2) I don't want my data going off to the cloud. I want the camera to be similar to cctv and record locally.
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  • tallmansix
    tallmansix Posts: 1,895
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    edited 28 June 2021 at 3:02PM
    There are a lot of options, but to help narrow down:

    1. Do you want it to record when motion detected only or run a continuous recording? Do you want alerts for that motion?
    2. Do you want to watch a live feed on your phone / PC or just review footage later?
    3. Do you want to access the camera when away from home?
    4. Night vision required?
    5. Battery powered or wired? - Size will be be bigger if battery power needed. 
    6. Wired to network or wireless?
    7. When you say record locally, some will record on to an inbuilt SD card and then you can access via wifi or are you thinking of a dedicated NVR (Network video recorder) where the video is stored on a hard disk?
    8. What is you approx budget?


    Note that if you go with the option of a camera with built in data storage like an SD card then your video images are less secure than the cloud, somebody can just physically steal the whole camera with footage included. Better to store to a dedicated device in your house (or the cloud but I know you've said you don't want that)

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  • Chickereeeee
    Chickereeeee Posts: 1,175
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    There are a lot of options, but to help narrow down:

    1. Do you want it to record when motion detected only or run a continuous recording? Do you want alerts for that motion?
    Motion detect. Option for alerts nice to have
    2. Do you want to watch a live feed on your phone / PC or just review footage later?
    Later is a must. Live is NTH.
    3. Do you want to access the camera when away from home?
    Preferably yes.
    4. Night vision required?
    Yes
    5. Battery powered or wired? - Size will be be bigger if battery power needed. 
    Wired
    6. Wired to network or wireless?
    Wireless simpler, but wired not a show stopper
    7. When you say record locally, some will record on to an inbuilt SD card and then you can access via wifi or are you thinking of a dedicated NVR (Network video recorder) where the video is stored on a hard disk?
    Ideally, SD card AND NVR. Else, just NVR.
    8. What is you approx budget?
    Whatever, within reason.

    Note that if you go with the option of a camera with built in data storage like an SD card then your video images are less secure than the cloud, somebody can just physically steal the whole camera with footage included. Better to store to a dedicated device in your house (or the cloud but I know you've said you don't want that)

    Wee inline comments

    Thanks
  • pbartlett
    pbartlett Posts: 1,397
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    well it's wide angle, hd, night vision, plugs into your tv or into a laptop usb if you buy a cheap capture device. What did you plan to view the picture on ?
  • tallmansix
    tallmansix Posts: 1,895
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    edited 29 June 2021 at 3:39PM
    There are a lot of options, but to help narrow down:

    1. Do you want it to record when motion detected only or run a continuous recording? Do you want alerts for that motion?
    Motion detect. Option for alerts nice to have
    2. Do you want to watch a live feed on your phone / PC or just review footage later?
    Later is a must. Live is NTH.
    3. Do you want to access the camera when away from home?
    Preferably yes.
    4. Night vision required?
    Yes
    5. Battery powered or wired? - Size will be be bigger if battery power needed. 
    Wired
    6. Wired to network or wireless?
    Wireless simpler, but wired not a show stopper
    7. When you say record locally, some will record on to an inbuilt SD card and then you can access via wifi or are you thinking of a dedicated NVR (Network video recorder) where the video is stored on a hard disk?
    Ideally, SD card AND NVR. Else, just NVR.
    8. What is you approx budget?
    Whatever, within reason.

    Note that if you go with the option of a camera with built in data storage like an SD card then your video images are less secure than the cloud, somebody can just physically steal the whole camera with footage included. Better to store to a dedicated device in your house (or the cloud but I know you've said you don't want that)

    Wee inline comments

    Thanks
    Thanks, yes that helps. For the NVR cameras, they tend to come as kits with multiple cameras because that usually how they are deployed so maybe you could find a use for more than one camera on your property, if so, something like these is worth a look:

    Hikvision 4 camera with NVR - this brand typically gets good ratings but a bit over the top for what you need.
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081F32ZT1

    eufy 2 camera with NVR equivalent but camera is battery powered (1 year life) and wireless to make it easy to install
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hikvision-Vision-Outdoor-DVR-Security/dp/B0751KV47B/

    The above are really pushing the budget up to the £200+ mark which is quite a lot but you do get a good set up and it doesn't come cheap to get NVR recording because you are adding a base station.

    To be honest I'm struggling to find cheaper alternatives that match your requirements because so many of them use cloud based recording, it makes the devices cheaper - as soon as you want NVR you are in a different world price wise.

    Also struggling with the small and eye level based.

    Would you reconsider cloud based? I use the Ring ecosystem for my doorbell and security cameras and love it - all the cloud based data is encrypted and secure, probably more secure than having the recordings on an NVR at home which requires you to open up ports in your router to access the footage away from home?
    YNAB enthusiast and extreme coupon-er.
    Discounts, coupons and cashback:
    2019 = £1,443.52
    2020 = £1,191,76
  • RumRat
    RumRat Posts: 4,769
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    edited 29 June 2021 at 3:46PM
    Drinking Rum before 10am makes you
    A PIRATE
    Not an Alcoholic...!
  • Chickereeeee
    Chickereeeee Posts: 1,175
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    Thanks for the attempt. The trouble with the cameras that you suggest is that they are designed to be wall/ceiling mounted. Which means either they are mounted high (not a good view of the face, especially if visitor has, say, peaked cap or hood on). Or they are mounted low and a rather obtrusive.

    What I really want is a Ring which talks to a PVR, and DOESN'T have a button, I think!
  • Chickereeeee
    Chickereeeee Posts: 1,175
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    RumRat said:

    Thanks but - no proximity sensor, no connection to network.
  • tallmansix
    tallmansix Posts: 1,895
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    Thanks for the attempt. The trouble with the cameras that you suggest is that they are designed to be wall/ceiling mounted. Which means either they are mounted high (not a good view of the face, especially if visitor has, say, peaked cap or hood on). Or they are mounted low and a rather obtrusive.

    What I really want is a Ring which talks to a PVR, and DOESN'T have a button, I think!
    I can see why you came here to ask now, it isn't an easy answer to your requirements!

    The thing with NVR recording security cameras is that they are aimed at being proper security and you don't mount a proper security camera at face level normally because the camera should ideally be out of reach for tampering with. Also NVR cameras will be bigger and bulkier than a doorbell style, no need to make them so small when the camera itself is supposed to be visible as a deterrent.

    As you say, there is a whole range of doorbell type cameras that operate at face level, but then they won't include and NVR and as you said you don't want the doorbell either.

    With such specific requirements - I'm out, I can't find anything to match those exact requirements.
    YNAB enthusiast and extreme coupon-er.
    Discounts, coupons and cashback:
    2019 = £1,443.52
    2020 = £1,191,76
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