Ten weatherproof IP cameras tested

The market is gradually bulging with affordable outdoor cameras that work completely independently. No hub or nas is required for this, so you can get started right away. Thanks to WiFi support, homeowners do not have to pull a network cable that is meters long, while they receive the images in real time via an app on their smartphone. We discuss ten weatherproof outdoor cameras.

When looking for a new outdoor camera, you first look at which area you want to monitor. Can you do that with one IP camera or do you need multiple devices? For an average backyard of a terraced house, you can go a long way with a single copy, provided the model supports a decent viewing angle. You can install several IP cameras for video surveillance around the house. Preferably use products from the same brand, so that you can monitor everything from one mobile app.

Resolution

Until recently, consumers had a choice between low and high resolution outdoor cameras. Models that capture the images sharply were significantly more expensive than products with lower image quality. Today, a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels is the standard, as manufacturers are rapidly phasing out 720p models. It is therefore not surprising that only 1080p cameras are discussed in this test. By the way, interested parties can also consider an outdoor camera with an even higher resolution of 1440p or 2160p, but they are quite expensive. Manufacturer Hikvision, for example, has a large number of 4K outdoor cameras in its range.

Various storage methods

Recent outdoor cameras often support cloud storage. The device sends the images to an online server, so that you can view the video material anytime and anywhere. Handy, but keep in mind extra costs. The free storage time is limited to, for example, 8, 24 or 48 hours, after which the images disappear from the server. If you want to store the videos in the cloud for longer, the manufacturer asks extra money for this via a subscription. With IP cameras with a micro-SD card reader, you can store the surveillance images locally. Apart from the costs for a memory card, you don't pay anything extra. A disadvantage of this is that you can no longer access the recordings if the device is stolen. Certain apps also offer a function to save recordings in the device memory of a smartphone or tablet.

Motion detection

Every contemporary security camera supports motion detection. When someone sneaks into your garden during the day or at night, you will receive a push message on your smartphone. In addition, the device immediately starts a recording session. Thanks to motion detection, you only record images when something actually happens. This saves valuable disk space. With most IP cameras you can select a detection area, after which the 'watchdog' only monitors the specified zone. Homeowners thus reduce the risk of false reports. A disadvantage of automatic recordings is that, for example, cats walking around can trigger the motion detection. Some independent IP cameras also record images continuously, such as the Nest models. This offers more security, since the motion sensor of the monitoring device can always miss something.

Edit

Logically, every outdoor camera has a weatherproof housing. You can mount the device on the facade of a house, garage or shed, for example. Pay attention to which mounting material the manufacturer supplies as standard, because who knows, you may still need separately available accessories. Also study thoroughly beforehand whether you can hide the cables. Not every camera manufacturer supplies a neat cover for this. Thieves can simply cut visible cables. Although all the models discussed support Wi-Fi, with a few exceptions they are not completely wireless. For the power supply, you connect the device to the electricity network. Alternatively, there are also IP cameras with a battery, so that you have more freedom to position them. In this test, one so-called batterycam is discussed, namely the Logitech Circle 2.

Additional Features

Camera manufacturers provide their products with all kinds of extras. For example, some outdoor cameras have an integrated siren. If you receive a visit from an uninvited guest, you will hear a deafening sound from the app. In addition, manufacturers usually add a microphone and speaker to their monitoring equipment. In addition to images, the outdoor camera also records sound thanks to a microphone. You can also pass on a spoken message from the app, after which the speaker present will let you hear your voice. Finally, some outdoor cameras can pan and tilt remotely, such as the Foscam FI9928P and Nedis WIFI020CWT discussed below. From the mobile app you can easily change the desired angle with the arrow keys.

Assessment method

For the assessment, we looked extensively at the build quality, available functions, installation procedure and mobile app. Since the ten products are mainly aimed at private individuals, we think it is important that new users can easily use them. In addition to user-friendliness, the price-quality ratio also plays a role in the establishment of the assessment. We also looked at possible additional costs. The prices mentioned are the lowest prices on the Kieskeurig.nl comparison website, measured around mid-June. So those prices may be different now.

D-Link DCS-8600LH

D-Link recently introduced an IP camera with relatively modest dimensions under the name DCS-8600LH. Users attach the round housing to the facade via a – rather theft-sensitive – magnetic ball construction, after which you connect a seven-meter cable to a socket. On the side there is a card slot in which you can insert a micro SD card of up to 64 GB. Alternatively, you can store the images in the cloud. The recordings are saved for one day with a free subscription. The paper manual offers brief information with its unclear pictures, although fortunately the operation is not overly complicated. The mydlink app will help you with the setup. You scan a QR code on the installation card with the smartphone camera and then register the device on WiFi. The main screen of the app gives you direct access to the live view, with a choice between 720p and 1080p. The images have bright colors and are very sharp. Strangely enough, the microphone of our test model does not always work, so that the DCS-8600LH does not capture any sound. For example, if we pass on a message through the speaker, the microphone no longer works. Furthermore, the navigation structure of the mydlink app is a mess. Due to the large number of windows, it takes some effort to easily find the desired settings. In addition, the app sometimes has long loading times, for example after leaving the control panel.

D-Link DCS-8600LH

€ 165,-

Website

www.dlink.com 6 Score 60

• Pros
• Smooth configuration
• Long power cable

• Negatives
• Memory card up to 64 GB
• Sound often cuts out
• Theft sensitive
• Mediocre app

Foscam FI9912P

The cylindrical housing of the Foscam FI9912P is made of metal and can therefore take a beating. A collision with, for example, a football, the housing will probably survive without damage. This Foscam has thirty infrared LEDs around the cmos lens, so that you can observe objects up to a distance of about twenty meters at night. The supplied Allen key provides access to a micro-SD card slot. We can be brief about the installation, because you can easily mount the security camera on the facade using two screws. For the connection to the network, choose between Ethernet and WiFi. In the latter case, you screw an antenna onto the housing. The Ethernet connection is partly incorporated in a fairly short power cable. Incidentally, this cable also contains connections for the input and output of audio and a reset button. If you would like to record sound, you can connect an external microphone to it. To get rid of all these connections, you can consider a separately available junction box or drill a large hole. New users are requested in the Foscam app to scan a QR code on the housing. The app is well-organized and gives users the option to save images locally or in the cloud. The free cloud storage is limited to storing events from the past eight hours. Finally, take into account a relatively limited filming area, because the viewing angle is only 105 degrees.

Foscam FI9912P

€ 110,18

Website

www.foscam.nl 8 Score 80

• Pros
• Sturdy housing
• Ethernet and Wi-Fi
• Good night vision

• Negatives
• Short power cable
• Modest viewing angle
• No sound recording by default

Foscam FI9928P

The FI9928P is an impressive appearance due to its size. This pzt camera can rotate (355 degrees) and tilt (90 degrees) remotely on the basis of a motor construction, so that you can film different angles. In addition, this model includes 4x optical zoom. The metal housing weighs almost two kilos, so it is not surprising that Foscam supplies four wall screws for mounting. You can log in to the network via WiFi or an Ethernet connection. Just like the FI9912P discussed in this article, this cable contains a large bunch of connections, namely an audio output, audio input, ethernet port, alarm connection and power input. To get rid of the cable spaghetti you need to drill a large hole. Also make sure that there is a socket nearby, because the total cable length is about 2.5 meters. The light-sensitive cmos lens comes from the Sony stable. We tested the IP camera in the twilight and even then the lens delivers razor-sharp images with bright colors. In night vision mode, the lens bridges a distance of tens of meters with ease. As we are used to from Foscam, you add the camera to the mobile app using a QR code. Arrow keys are located below the live view for pan, zoom and tilt movements. Foscam tries to market its own cloud service through a striking advertisement at the bottom of the screen. Alternatively, you can just as easily store the video material on a micro-SD card of up to 128 GB.

Foscam FI9928P

€ 229,-

Website

www.foscam.nl 9 Score 90

• Pros
• Pzt Features
• Robust housing
• Highest image quality
• Ethernet and Wi-Fi

• Negatives
• Short power cable
• Advertisement cloud service
• No sound recording by default

Logitech Circle 2 (cable-free)

Logitech manufactures its Circle 2 in two different versions, namely with battery or with power adapter. We were sent the cable-free version of which you have to charge the battery with some regularity. Logitech does claim a battery life of three months, but in practice that turns out to be a utopia. To limit battery consumption, the surveillance camera is continuously in a kind of sleep mode. Only the motion sensor is active. When moving, the Circle 2 automatically starts recording. Incidentally, this security camera stores recorded images in the cloud, because the housing does not contain a card reader for local storage. With a free subscription you can keep recordings for 24 hours. The camera and battery consist of two separate parts, which you attach to each other with a rotating construction. The seam seems to be fairly closed, but we doubt whether the plastic construction is robust enough for frequent outdoor use. Logitech also supplies a swivel base, wall mount and charging cable. A user-friendly app guides new users through the configuration and shows the live view in a modern user environment. Unlike many other IP cameras, you can use this model on the 2.4GHz or 5GHz band. The camera uses a wide-angle lens with a viewing angle of no less than 180 degrees. This creates the so-called fisheye effect, in which the image appears somewhat spherical. A downside is that the sound reproduction shows a curious noise with a high beep.

Logitech Circle 2 (cable-free)

€ 170,-

Website

www.logitech.com 7 Score 70

• Pros
• Can be used anywhere
• Wide viewing angle
• Operates on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands

• Negatives
• No local storage
• Poor audio playback
• Premium subscription required for person detection and motion zones

Nedis WIFICO20CWT

Nedis develops affordable consumer electronics and the WIFICO20CWT is a good example. The price of this weatherproof pan and tilt camera is almost the lowest in this overview. For that you have to make some concessions. For example, a micro-SD card reader is missing and there is also no cloud service for the storage of images. The housing does contain 16 GB of flash memory on which you can store the latest videos. With frequent recording, the storage capacity is a bit on the low side. The housing consists solely of plastic and is not too sturdy. For example, if your children like to kick a ball in the garden, then you should consider a more solid camera. The power cable fits through a thin drilled hole and measures approximately 2.5 meters. Nedis supplies an easy-to-use wall mount for mounting. Using the Smartlife app takes some getting used to, because the user environment is designed to control countless smart devices. The registration via WiFi on the 2.4 GHz band was difficult during the test, but after some struggles, we finally got the security camera up and running. In any case, user-friendly is different. The images are certainly fine for a product in this price range. You can simply move the camera in the desired direction using arrow keys.

Nedis WIFICO20CWT

€ 108,95

Website

www.nedis.com 4 Score 40

• Pros
• Affordable
• Pan and tilt function

• Negatives
• Moderate outdoor housing
• Limited storage options
• Difficult WiFi configuration

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor

Owner Google uses rather hefty suggested retail prices for its smart Nest products. Fortunately, with the Cam IQ Outdoor, you do get an excellent build quality in return. Despite its relatively modest size, the luxurious housing weighs over half a kilo and feels extremely sturdy. The hinge has also been well thought out, because thanks to multiple axes you can move the camera smoothly in the desired direction. The weatherproof power cord fits through a narrow drill hole, after which you have a lot of slack with a cable length of 7.5 meters to reach a socket. The app takes new users along with clearly defined steps, so that nothing can actually go wrong. After scanning a QR code on the housing, you already have a sharp image. It is striking that the camera automatically zooms in on people. This allows you to follow someone well and, moreover, the image quality remains at a good level thanks to the 4K image sensor during zooming. The Cam IQ Outdoor also has even more clever features. For example, the device recognizes familiar faces, after which you receive a notification (requires Nest Aware account). In addition, the camera can automatically turn on or off based on your location. The speaker present is remarkably loud, so that you can scare off uninvited guests if necessary. Unlike many other outdoor cameras, the Cam IQ Outdoor shoots continuously. As a result, the watchdog never misses events. Unfortunately, local storage options are missing, although you can review events from the last three hours in the Nest app. Because of this limitation, you always need a paid Nest Aware subscription to store the images in the cloud for five, ten or thirty days.

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor

€ 329,-

Website

www.nest.com 7 Score 70

• Pros
• Premium build quality
• Long power cable
• Very user-friendly app
• loud speaker
• Smart Features

• Negatives
• Very expensive
• No local storage options
• Actually need paid subscription

Nest Cam Outdoor

Because of all its cleverness, you pay a high price for the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor, also discussed. But if that's not what you want, you might want to consider the cheaper brother. The Nest Cam Outdoor is priced about 130 euros lower. The housing is a size smaller and contains a fixed USB cable of three meters. You connect an adapter to this, after which a power cable of 4.5 meters leads to a socket. Both cords and the adapter are weatherproof. Unfortunately, with this model you cannot hide the cable behind a mounting plate, which means that there is a risk that intruders will cut the cord. The wall mount works with a sturdy magnet, where you can easily change the direction. A handy, but theft-prone construction. As we are used to from Nest, there is nothing to complain about in terms of user-friendliness. The registration of the Cam Outdoor in the Nest app is therefore very smooth. Unfortunately, with this Nest camera, you are in fact sentenced to a paid Nest Aware account for viewing footage. A micro-SD card reader is missing and writing videos to a NAS is also not possible. While you can review events from the past three hours in the mobile app, that's not a serious option for surveillance purposes. By the way, the detailed video display with its bright colors is excellent.

Nest Cam Outdoor

€ 199,-

Website

www.nest.com 6 Score 60

• Pros
• Sturdy housing
• Long power cable
• Very user-friendly app

• Negatives
• Theft sensitive
• No local storage options
• Actually need paid subscription

Ring Floodlight Cam

Ring takes it quite rigorously with his Floodlight Cam. Two bright LED floodlights and a deafening 110 decibel siren deter any intruders. In addition, you can have a conversation remotely with the microphone and speaker. Under both floodlights, in the middle, there is a motion sensor and camera lens with a viewing angle of 140 degrees. The installation of the Floodlight Cam requires more attention compared to most other models in this field. Ring supplies the product without an adapter cord and plug, so you have to connect the wiring to the terminal block yourself. After some tinkering, all the cabling just barely fits in the sturdy housing. Fortunately, the website contains a user-friendly Dutch manual with clear pictures to make the assembly in order. In addition, Ring supplies the necessary tools. But if you are not handy with electricity, then you might be better off switching to a ready-made outdoor camera.The configuration within the English-language Ring app is arranged in no time, after which users are presented with a razor-sharp live image. From the video display you switch on the lighting yourself and let the siren go off. Be careful with the latter option, because the alarm sound is really loud. You must specify a detection area to activate the motion sensor and associated push notifications. A disadvantage is that the Floodlight Cam can only write recordings to the cloud. This requires a paid Ring Protect subscription.

Ring Floodlight Cam

€ 249,-

Website

www.ring.com 7 Score 70

• Pros
• Wide viewing angle
• Sturdy housing
• Bright floodlights and loud alarm
• Windows app

• Negatives
• Connect your own wiring
• No local storage options
• Paid subscription required
• English app

Somfy Outdoor Camera

The mounting of Somfy's outdoor camera requires - just like with the Ring Floodlight Cam also discussed - the necessary knowledge of electricity, since users have to take care of the wiring themselves. The mounting plate has an integrated terminal block, which allows you to switch on existing lighting if necessary. Fortunately, a Dutch paper manual explains all the steps clearly. The plastic parts feel rather cheap and the housing is rather fragile when used outdoors for a long time. Especially for a security camera of more than two hundred euros, users can expect a more robust outdoor camera. The configuration is quickly beeped via the clear Somfy Protect app and a minute-long update is immediately ready for new users. The live image is sharp and the colors are bright. We do notice a few seconds delay. This also applies to recorded messages. As soon as the Outdoor Camera detects movement, a red colored option will appear above the live image to start a siren. It is very loud with a volume of 110 decibels. Within the settings, users can activate automatic presence detection, so that the surveillance camera automatically switches off when they return home, for example. If desired, you can download events from the past 24 hours to your smartphone or tablet. These fragments are only ten seconds long. A paid subscription is required for a longer video history.

Somfy Outdoor Camera

€ 219,-

Website

www.somfy.nl 5 Score 50

• Pros
• Clear app
• Loud alarm

• Negatives
• Connect your own wiring
• No local storage options
• Fragile housing
• Delay

TP-Link Kasa Cam Outdoor KC200

For a device of barely a hundred euros, the KC200 has quite a bit of technology. In addition to the 1080p lens, we discover a microphone, speaker and siren. Although the alarm sound at eighty decibels does not sound that loud, it may be just enough to scare away uninvited guests. It is also nice that the wireless adapter can handle both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The round housing is very sturdy for a camera in this price range. Unfortunately, this price-friendly product also has a few drawbacks. First of all, the equipment is quite prone to theft, as the camera is only attached to a magnetic bracket. Furthermore, you cannot completely hide the cable connection, so burglars can simply cut the cord. Finally, the fixed three-meter USB cable is not too long. Allow sufficient time for the configuration. The English-language Kasa Smart app takes quite a while to register the camera on the wireless network and to get a fresh firmware update. Once everything is working properly, KC200 will do just fine as a reliable watchdog. For example, you will receive a push message after motion detection and the app contains an option to specify detection areas. You can also set a time schedule if you wish. TP-Link follows the trend of cloud storage, because there are no other storage options. Fortunately, the Chinese network manufacturer is generous, because free users can consult events from the past two days.

TP-Link Kasa Cam Outdoor KC200

€ 99,-

Website

www.tp-link.com 7 Score 70

• Pros
• Affordable
• Sturdy housing
• Free 48 hours cloud storage
• Operates on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands

• Negatives
• Siren can't be so loud
• Theft sensitive
• No local storage options
• English app

Conclusion

Just about all contemporary independent outdoor cameras offer an image quality of at least 1080p with a good viewing angle. The differences in image quality are therefore becoming smaller and smaller. Models that only support cloud storage are not our preference, such as the products from Nest, Ring, Somfy and TP-Link. In addition to the extra costs, you are completely dependent on a commercial cloud service for storing images. What happens in the event of a data center failure or if the company unexpectedly goes bankrupt? For that reason, alternative storage options are a must in our opinion. With its FI9928P and FI9912P, Foscam can save images to the cloud, a micro-SD card, a PC or NAS. In addition, the configuration using the Foscam app is a piece of cake. The FI9928P has an edge because of its pzt functions, excellent night vision and high-quality Sony lens. This product therefore deserves the Best Tested quality mark. If you want to keep your expenses limited, we recommend the Foscam FI9912P, although the viewing angle of 105 degrees is somewhat limited by current standards.