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How to Buy a Battery Operated Home Security Camera and Not Regret It

Jenny Hu8/22/2022
How to Buy a Battery Operated Home Security Camera and Not Regret It

Looking for good and cost effective battery operated home security cameras ?

But with different options out there, you can’t see the wood for the trees?

This comprehensive guide today will take you on a tour of all things about battery home security cameras, including why you should choose the battery powered home security cameras, what features to look for, how to select a best one, which is the all-round winner and a ton of other things.

Why to Choose Battery Powered Home Security Cameras

The battery powered security cameras for home can be your top choice if the following scenarios also apply to you.

  • No electric power can reach the location where you want to install the cameras or you have real trouble bringing power there, like your chook house or empty home?
  • You don’t like running messy wires around or don’t want the cables and drilling holes to break the decor of your new home?
  • You wish to move or reposition the cameras when your specific need changes? For example, you will need to move the cameras for your new home construction site as the project completes.
  • Do you want to add a camera for your rented house legally without drilling holes or running wires?
  • You want your home to be protected even in case that someone unplugs the line or in event of electrical outages?
  • You are looking for an easy-to-use camera for elderly which requires little efforts for installation and setup?

Besides the listed ones, there are far more reasons why you should choose battery operated CCTV home security cameras. And more ideas from you are welcomed – feel free to tell us your incentives to go for battery home security cameras in the comment box and we might include them in this part.

What to Look For in Battery Operated Home Security Cameras

Before your purchase, you should know what features of battery operated home security cameras you desire most. Below are the requirements of battery powered security cameras for your apartment, flat, new house, second home or vacation house that you should account for.

1. Smart Motion Detection & Alerts

Almost all battery operated home security cameras in the market now are packed with PIR motion sensors, which work by measuring the changes of infrared energy in the field of view.

Some high quality wireless battery powered home security cameras, like Reolink Argus® 2, can also send you multiple alerts (email snapshots, push notifications and siren alarms) when they are activated by the motion detectors.

And the 4G/3G battery operated home security camera Reolink Go, also allows you to record your own customized alert message and get notified with it when motion is detected.

Since the placement of your battery powered home security camera system can affect how quickly motion is detected and the camera begins recording, it is important that you place the camera in the right place to avoid time lag from motion detection to video recording.

Below is a video explaining PIR and motion detection.

2. Day & Night Vision

With an infrared cut filter and digital noise reduction technology, a battery operated home security camera ensures true and accurate color reproduction without noise.

In virtue of the good day and night vision of battery powered wireless home security camera system, you can see who is stealing stuff from your home yard or catch the neighborhood children vandalizing your property in the act. (Click here if you want a battery home security camera with good night vision.)

Some top battery powered infrared security cameras for home dwellings, like Reolink Argus® 2 and Reolink Go, even feature starlight image sensors, which can produce better images and videos when lighting conditions drop at night. You may also adjust the camera settings to obtain color images/videos if you want.

Below is a color night vision image shared by a user of Reolink Argus® 2.

Battery Home Security Cameras

Don’t miss: Read the news of one suspect arrested after she was caught on Reolink security camera stealing packages.

3. Connectivity to Phones & Mobile App

Even you’re not at home in the daytime, the battery operated home security cameras can still allow you to tape the crooks, check on your pets, babies or elderly parents on your smart phones.

To access the battery powered home security cameras and watch remote viewing of your second home or your new house in an easy manner, a user-friendly and free mobile app is also important. (Read this to learn how to choose home security cameras with battery backup and smart phone app.)

And it is more favorable that the wireless battery home security camera App has an intuitive user interface. Then you can easily tweak the basic settings, such as adjusting the motion sensitivity and scheduling motion recording via the mobile app.

User Interface of Mobile App

4. Storage Options of Battery Home Security Cameras

The battery operated home CCTV security cameras with memory card are your top options if you don’t want to be bound by the long-term contract or shell out extra money for a base station, or in case your remote second home/vacation house has no network.

No matter your home has WiFi/Internet connection or not, the battery powered home security cameras with memory card (slot) can still record motion triggered events onboard for your later check (you can also play back the videos on your phone if network is available).

The old videos of battery operated home security camera systems will be automatically overwrite when the memory card is full. So you don’t need to manually delete the footage. (Read this full guide to learn how to pick a battery home security camera with memory card.)

5. Battery Life

“Want a battery powered home CCTV security camera for my second home in a very remote place. Ideally, because I don't visit a lot, I'd like the system to be motion activated and have a long battery life - think around 4 months.”

No doubt that the wireless battery powered home security cameras with long battery life can save you much trouble if you only go to your remote home or your elderly parents’ home at intervals.

And it is even better if the battery backup home security cameras can send you notifications when the power is running low, so that you can replace or charge the batteries in time before the camera goes dead without your conscious.

Reolink Argus® 2, for example, would send instant alerts to your phone when the battery power is reaching 10%. This smart battery operated home security camera can also get continuous power from the included rechargeable battery and Reolink solar panel (requires a separate purchase), which is both environmentally-friendly and money saving.

Editor’s Tip: Remember to check whether the battery powered security cameras for homes are equipped with standard batteries, in avoidance of explosions or other safety hazards.

Reolink Argus 2

100% Wire-Free Starlight Camera

Rechargeable Battery & Solar Powered; Outdoor/Indoor Protection; 1080 Full HD; Starlight Night Vision; 2-Way Audio; Live View Anytime Anywhere.

6. Battery Home Security Camera Price

Looking for a cost effective battery operated home security camera to monitor your front door, backdoor, garage, yard, garden or the hallways, laundry areas and associated vicinities?

When you say cost effective, I know you DON’T mean cheap at the cost of image clarity and performance.

But that’s the way some security camera sellers play the trick – compromising the camera quality to offer a lower price.

To obtain a battery home security camera that is decent in both price and quality, it is advised to choose the reliable brands that enjoy high reputation from both users and the top media, such as Reolink, who are positively rated by over 200,000 happy customers worldwide.

And WATCH OUT - the tag price of some battery control home security cameras may not be the final price you need to pay for a battery powered home security camera system.

It may not count in the batteries, customs duties, freight, etc. Also, some battery operated home CCTV security cameras cannot work alone and you have to spend extra money on a base station. So before you place an order, take some time to check these issues.

Bump: You may need to allow for different factors based on your specific usage. For example, if you want a battery powered home security camera fully exposed to the elements for your elderly parents’ home, an outdoor battery home security camera may be your right fit (click here to learn how to choose a best one).

How to Find Truly Reliable Battery Operated Home Security IP Cameras

During the search for top-notch battery operated home security cameras among reputable brands, you may find that even some renowned camera providers deliver DOA products and offer no customer support.

So don’t be cheated by what the security company claims, follow the insider tips below to find the best battery home CCTV security cameras.

1. Read Reviews of Battery Powered Home Security Cameras

The battery operated home security camera reviews are not only limited to the user comments in the Amazon or official website product page, but also include the professional reviews by the top-tier technology media with score breakdowns, pros and cons, etc, which are far more trust-worthy.

Besides, the Youtube video reviews of battery security cameras for home are also a good way to check out the camera performance within minutes. And the videos made by the Youtubers with a large amount of subscribers are usually more reliable.

Taking Reolink Argus 2®, a battery operated outdoor home security camera for example, you can refer to the following reviews to decide whether it is a good option or not.

User reviews: “The Argus 2 is a great camera, the setup takes minutes, they give you everything you need to hook the camera up whereever you like. They even include a mount for the exterior not a lot of companies do that.”

Top-tier media reviews from PC Mag: “The new Argus 2 camera ($129.99) offers the same easy installation and weatherproof enclosure, and adds a few new features including Sony’s Starlight CMOS sensor for outstanding night vision, a rechargeable battery pack, and a solar power option. You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck, making the Argus 2 a very solid option for its price range.”

Youtube video reviews: Watch the video below to see whether this battery home security camera would be your best bet.

2. Watch Video Samples of Battery Operated Home Security Cameras

How can you tell if the battery operated home security cameras deliver high quality videos in the daytime and at night? Will they be able to monitor your single family home or tenement even in total darkness?

Although the security camera sellers would provide video samples for promotional purpose, the footage recorded by the real users are undoubtedly more trust-worthy.

Reolink recently has launched a video-sharing project, which aims to encourage its users to share captured videos with product coupons and free giveaways. So you can watch the footage of the camera you intend to buy to see if it actually performs well.

Below is a video sample submitted by the Reolink Argus® 2 user for your reference.

3. Pay Attention to the After-Sales Service of Battery Home Security Cameras

The last but also important point you should note is the after-sales service of battery operated home security cameras.

In the unfortunate case that your battery powered wireless home security camera system goes wrong, will you receive a response back in a day or two from the technical support of the camera seller?

And in which way will they provide assistance for you? 1-to-1 or not? Offer instructions via the website, emails or phones? (FYI: Reolink provides 1-to-1 technical support via emails and phones and would get back to you within 48 hours.)

Getting the detailed information will help you learn whether the sellers of battery powered home security cameras own a professional support team and save you much trouble when you need assistance later.

After comparing the pros and cons of popular battery operated home security cameras from different brands, here comes the best and affordable option for you: Reolink Argus® 2.

Reolink Argus® 2 is one of the few solar powered & battery operated home security cameras. It is superior to other other contenders in starlight night vision and flexible powering options (rechargeable battery powered & solar powered).

You can install it indoors & outdoors without worrying that the camera may fail to work due to the dead batteries, as Reolink Argus® 2 can get non-stop power from the included rechargeable battery and Reolink solar panel (requires a separate purchse).

Resolution 1080p
Image Sensor Sony starlight CMOS sensor
Powering Options Battery powered & solar powered
Night Vision 33ft
Two-way Audio Yes
Motion Detection Yes
Weatherproof Yes
Viewing Angle 130°
All-in-One Yes
Battery Life 4-6 months
SD Card Storage Yes (SD card not provided)
Remote Access Yes (support phones only)

Battery Home Security Camera

Reolink Argus 2

100% Wire-Free Starlight Camera

Rechargeable Battery & Solar Powered; Outdoor/Indoor Protection; 1080 Full HD; Starlight Night Vision; 2-Way Audio; Live View Anytime Anywhere.

*Reolink has recently launched its first 4G/3G battery powered home security camera, designed to provide an ideal security solution for places without WiFi network and power source.

If your remote vacation home or your elderly parents’ home has no WiFi available and you want to monitor the place on your phone, the cellular battery home security camera Reolink Go is definitely your best go-to option.

Reolink Go

100% Wire-Free 3G/4G LTE Mobile Camera

No WiFi & Power Needed; Rechargeable Battery or Solar Powered; 1080p Full HD; Starlight Night Vision; 2-Way Audio; Live View Anytime Anywhere.

Christmas Deals: Both Reolink Argus® 2 and Reolink Argus® Pro are on big sale for the Christmas holiday promotion (ends on Dec.25 PST). And you can get a 20% discount for these battery wireless outdoor security cameras.

Q&As on Battery Operated Home Security Cameras

Here we have rounded up some frequently asked questions about battery operated home security cameras to resolve your possible puzzles. And if you have any other questions in mind, please don’t hesitate to comment below and we’d like to help.

Q: Where Can You Buy Battery Powered Home Security Cameras

Whether you want to buy battery operated home CCTV security cameras in UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or any other countries, purchasing online from the security camera stores or the online shopping platforms such as Amazon, eBay, etc. is the easiest way to go.

But you may not enjoy the sound after-sales service, like the due product warranty, if you buy from shopping platforms. So it is more recommended to buy the battery powered home security camera systems from the seller’s official websites.

Reolink Argus 2

100% Wire-Free Starlight Camera

Rechargeable Battery & Solar Powered; Outdoor/Indoor Protection; 1080 Full HD; Starlight Night Vision; 2-Way Audio; Live View Anytime Anywhere.

Q: How to Choose Batteries for Battery Operated Home Security Cameras

Firstly, it is important to know whether the wireless battery operated home security cameras support rechargeable batteries or not.

Also, you need to consult the camera sellers about battery voltage and size that match the battery home security cameras.

Taking Reolink Argus® 2 for example, it supports rechargeable batteries, which can be easily purchased from Amazon or eBay.

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All Comments Are Welcome

Jenny is an editor from Reolink. Her posts are helpful for homeowners, undergraduates, small business owners, and pretty much anyone who needs security tips for a worry-free world. If you want to say hi, you can email her at jenny#reolink.com (replace # with @) to connect!