Battery Powered Security Cameras with Night Vision: 2024 Ultimate Buying Guide

So you want to keep an eye on your place without power source at night?

Battery powered security cameras with night vision will do the trick – some can even identify license plate numbers or face features up to 33ft in total darkness, and deliver true color videos in low-lit conditions.

BUT, not all battery powered night vision security cameras work equally well.

Many alleged battery operated night vision CCTV IP cameras in the market indeed capture blurry images without ambient light.

To land you on the best battery powered infrared night vision security cameras, this comprehensive guide will take you on a tour of all things you should know about battery operated night vision security cameras.

Here is a video introducing night vision cameras.

How Battery Powered Security Cameras with Night Vision Work

Most high quality battery powered security cameras with night vision have an infrared-cut filter. In the daytime, the infrared-cut filter blocks out the IR light in order to keep colors looking accurate.

Once it gets dark and all light sources are diminished, the filter automatically gets removed, which lets more light in, including the IR light produced by infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

The IR lights of outdoor battery operated IR security cameras would turn on in the dark, and serve as a flood light of sorts.

Through a CCD or CMOS sensor, different levels of red, green and blue light are detected and converted into a digital signal, creating an image that would be seen by human eyes.

Battery Powered Night Vision Security Cameras: Black & White or Starlight

Now most outdoor battery powered security cameras with night vision will automatically switch to black and white at night, as human eyes can tell the differences between black and white better than any other colors.

Thanks to the advanced technology in security camera filed, some top battery powered night vision security cameras, like Reolink Argus 2, come with advanced starlight image sensors that are highly sensitive to light, and can provide color night vision in low-lit environment.

Note that this type of day and night vision battery CCTV cameras produce black and white images at night by default, and you’ll need to manually adjust the camera settings to obtain color images and videos at night.

With the outdoor & indoor battery powered security cameras with starlight night vision, you’ll be able to identify more visual details when there is not enough ambient light, like the color of clothing that a thief was wearing or a get-away car.

Watch the color night vision video below captured by Reolink Argus 2, a 1080p rechargeable battery powered security camera with night vision.

Bonus: Check what you need to know about night vision security cameras.

Main Factors to Consider When Choosing Battery Powered Night Vision Security Cameras

How can you tell which battery powered Analog/security IP camera with night vision is of better performance? Keep the following factors in mind and you will have a greater chance to find a suitable one to your expectation.

1. Noise & Solutions

When choosing wire free battery powered security cameras with night vision, noise is a first priority you should consider as the by-product of image capturing of security cameras.

Generally speaking, low-light conditions will result in higher noise levels, thus leading to inferior image quality.

Now some manufacturers of battery operated night vision security cameras have employed 2D/3D digital noise reduction technology to remove image noise.

The 2D DNR reduces the noise that can be found in low light images but can cause blur trails. While the 3D DNR goes one step farther and can effectively eliminate the noise in both static and moving images.

When shopping for battery powered CCTV security cameras with high quality night vision, you can focus on those with strong noise reduction capabilities.

Also, you may ask the sellers in advance whether they would provide any assistance or solutions in case the battery powered night vision surveillance camera you purchase has noise issues.

2. Resolution

The resolution of battery powered security cameras with night vision has a direct impact on their day/night image quality.

The higher the resolution is, the more visual information the camera will be able to capture, which results in better clarity of videos and pictures.

The outdoor battery powered night vision security cameras with high resolution can also zoom in on specific images of your video feed without blurring the image.

Note that 1080p battery powered security cameras with night vision are the best high resolution battery control CCTV cameras available now. And you can read this post to learn more information.

3. Trails

As mentioned above, though the 2D DNR can reduce the noise of battery powered wireless night vision security cameras in low light images, it may also lead to blur trails.

Some sellers deliberately display the videos recording stationary objects to customers who have little knowledge about security, and brag about the high quality of camera images.

When the battery operated surveillance cameras with night vision are applied to monitor moving objects, results are totally different.

To learn from others’ experience, you can ask the sellers to provide videos monitoring moving objects so that you can check whether the wireless battery powered security cameras with night vision have trails when working at night.

4. Battery Life

It is not exaggerating to say that battery life is one of the keys to choosing battery powered security cameras with night vision. You certainly don’t want to change the batteries frequently or run into an annoying situation that the batteries die when you need surveillance footage most.

The wire free battery infrared night vision security cameras with long battery life and low battery notifications can keep you away from all the troublesome cases above (See how to extend battery life of battery-powered security cameras).

Besides, the battery wireless CCTV cameras with night vision and rechargeable batteries, like Reolink Argus 2 and Reolink Argus Pro, not only accord with the popular “go green” trend, but also can save you big on the bill.

5. LED Light

The main reason why some battery powered night vision security cameras capture inferior images at night is that there is no sufficient light source.

Beyond the illuminating scope of LED lights, the image quality is inferior and noises are more likely to occur.

Most battery operated night vision security camera specifications will list the number of LED lights, which people tend to use to compare low light performance.

Actually, the type of LED is more important than the quantity. Comparing the amount of feet the camera illuminates and how wide the light spreads is a more reliable method to select the best battery powered night vision CCTV security cameras.

6. Lux Rating

The Lux rating is used to measure how outdoor battery powered security cameras with night vision performs in various degrees of darkness.

Now most security cameras operate with a LUX rating of 1.0 or less. The smaller the Lux rating is, the less light security cameras require for image-producing.

If you want a truly wireless battery operated night vision security IP camera that can record in total darkness, the camera should have a rating of 0.0 LUX, meaning it can capture images when there is no available light.

Note: Besides the factors listed above, these following factors are also important for you when choosing outdoor & indoor battery powered security cameras with night vision.

Motion Detection --- The battery powered wireless motion sensor camera with night vision can detect any human movement and reduce false alarms.

Phone Notifications --- You can receive real-time alerts when any human movement is detected by the battery control CCTV night vision security cameras.

Viewing Angle --- If the area you tend to monitor with wire free battery powered night vision security cameras is large, the viewing angle should be one of your major concerns.

Indoor/Outdoor --- Whether you are going to place the battery powered security cameras with night vision outdoors or indoors determines if the camera needs to be weatherproof or not.

Remote Access --- The battery operated wireless night vision security cameras that can be hooked up to your phones enable you to monitor your house anytime and anywhere.

Storage --- For the battery powered night vision security cameras with SD card slot, the recorded images/videos can be directly stored in the SD card. Besides that, the Cloud Service provided by the seller and your personal cloud are also practical storage modes available for you.

Security Level --- To ensure the security products are indeed secure, many security brands have the highest level of security protection for their surveillance cameras. Check if the wire free battery powered night IP cameras you are looking at are also featured with multi-level security features.

Though most battery powered security camera with night vision claim they possess the features above, they may not meet the highest standards in every aspect.

For example, NOT all battery powered night vision security IP cameras can offer you multiple notification choices. Look into the details during your selection and you will find big differences.

Tips on Purchasing Battery Powered Security Cameras with Night Vision

During your selection and purchase process, there are some matters requiring your extra attention. Follow the tips below to get a suitable battery powered CCTV security camera with day and night vision worth your money.

1. Go for Reputable Brands

It’s always wiser to invest in a good quality and high-end battery powered security camera with night vision, than to rush out and buy an unbranded cheap one that could lead to your remorse later.

Top security camera brands, are able to offer you a wide range of security cameras and provide sound after-sales service (like 1-to-1 instant technical support) to solve your problems during use.

2. Watch Demos/Video Samples

Videos are far more convincing and trustworthy than promotional words.

To guarantee that you obtain the right outdoor & indoor battery powered night vision security camera, you can search online the demos of night vision videos released by others users or ask the sellers whether they can provide any video samples.

The contents of battery powered night vision security camera video samples are also important. Compare the videos recorded at day and night to see if the qualities are the same.

Also, pay attention to the videos recording moving objects at night to check if there are any trails.

All of these are important criteria to judge the the performance of battery powered security cameras with night vision in darkness.

Watch the videos below submitted by a Reolink Argus 2 user to check out the image quality of Reolink Argus 2 in the daytime and at night.

Video Transcription

The battery powered security camera with night vision, Reolink Argus 2, delivers crystal clear images in true color during the daytime, with no noise or trails

Video Transcription

In this video, you'll see this battery-powered night vision camera performs equally well at night. You can pinpoint small details, such as the human faces and license plate numbers, even in total darkness from a distance up to 33ft.

3. Read Reviews

Reading users’ reviews is also an important way to measure whether the wireless battery powered security camera with night vision you are looking at is a worthy purchase.

Besides the users’ reviews on the seller’s official website and Amazon store or other platforms, you can also search for the reviews written by some professionals or go to some popular forums like Reddit where people will share their experience about security products and tips.

For example, below are the reviews of Reolink Argus 2 from the top tier media.

4. Check Camera Accessories

Security camera accessories, including batteries, wall mounts and etc, are indispensable for your battery powered night vision security cameras to work normally.

Note that not all security brands provide essential security camera accessories free of charge as Reolink does.

So before you buy wireless battery operated night vision security IP cameras, remember to check what’s in the packaging box.

The extra money spent on camera accessories should also be taken into account when you evaluate the cost-effective of cameras.

Best Battery Powered Security Cameras with Night Vision for Your Recommendation

After a thorough market research, here we’ve picked two best battery powered security camera with night vision for your reference.

1. Reolink Argus 2 - Rechargeable Battery Powered Wireless Security Camera with Night Vision

As the second generation of Reolink Argus, this rechargeable battery operated night vision security camera Reolink Argus 2 is a big step up even in the whole security camera industry.

Besides sharing all the highlights of Reolink Argus, Argus 2 stands out by its starlight night vision and flexible powering options (battery powered & solar powered).

With the advanced Sony starlight CMOS sensor, this outdoor & indoor battery powered security camera with night vision offers you the option to present color videos or black and white ones at night.

Also, Reolink Argus® 2 is one of the few solar powered night vision video cameras with battery backup in the market now.

It comes with a rechargeable battery that can be powered by an electrical outlet or Reolink customized solar panel (requires a separate purchase), so you don’t need to charge the batteries frequently and the camera can get continuous power even in rainy or cloud days (Read this post to learn more).

Can’t Miss: Reolink recently added a new solar security camera to the Argus family – Reolink Argus Pro, which shares almost all the highlights of Reolink Argus® 2 except the starlight night vision and magnetic base mounting, and at a much more affordable price (below $100). So if you need a cost-effective security solution that gets the job done, Reolink Argus® Pro could also be one of your top choices.

Video sample of Reolink Argus Pro:

2. Reolink Go - 4G/3G Cellular Outdoor Battery Operated Night Vision Security Camera

As with Reolink Argus 2, Reolink Go also features 1080p Full HD high resolution and starlight night vision, which enables you to identify the smallest details in total darkness.

What makes Reolink Go stand out is its capability to meet your security needs in places without WiFi connection and power source.

Even in areas where there is no WiFi available, such as your barns, farms, construction sites, campsites, RVs, vacation homes, etc., this mobile rechargeable security camera allows you to watch live viewing anytime & anywhere on your smartphones.

Besides that Reolink Go can send instant alerts (push notifications, emails, siren) when motion is detected, you can also record your own customized alert message to get notified with it.

Below is a video shared by a test user of Reolink Go cellular battery powered night vision security camera.

Tips for the Night Vision of Battery Powered Security Cameras Not Working

The LED lights of your indoor or outdoor battery powered security cameras with night vision stopped working? Or the security camera night vision didn’t work? Try out the following expert tips to fix the issues.

• Make sure your day and night vision CCTV camera used by batteries is powered on.
• Avoid placing your wireless battery operated security cameras with night vision behind glasses or windows (and here is why).
• Cover the daylight sensor for more than 10s and check if the IR LEDs turn on.
• Examine whether you have enabled the infrared lights and set the Auto mode to active the IR lights.
• Inspect if there are obstruction on the glass, such as dirt, dust, and fingerprints.
• Reset your battery powered CCTV cameras with night vision to see if it works.
• Restore your wire free security camera with night vision and motion detection to its factory settings.
• Ensure you have upgraded the camera firmware to the latest version.

As always, if you have any questions about the battery powered security cameras with night vision, please leave your comment below and we’d love to help you out!