A body camera is the one recording device in this shop that does its best work when everyone can see it. It sits openly on the chest, and a visible lens changes how people behave before a word is said. That one fact settles the legal position, the mounting and the specification worth paying for, and it makes this the easiest category in the range to buy well.
This guide compares fourteen items from the Bodycams range for Australian buyers, $39 to $690: thirteen cameras and the chest harness that holds them. At one end is a $249 offline 4K recorder. At the other is a $690 camera that streams 4K live over 5G, falls back to 4G where 5G runs out, and carries GPS tracking and push-to-talk. Between them sit a $590 dual-lens 4G model, and live 4G video with GPS and push-to-talk from $390. Picture quality is good on all of them. The real differences are how long each one lasts on a shift, how the footage comes off it, and whether anyone else needs to watch while it is happening.
Can you wear one in Australia? Yes. Worn openly, a body camera can film in public places and on premises you control in every state and territory. Sound is the part that varies between states, and telling people the camera is recording keeps you inside the rules in all of them. Paid security work needs a licence from your state or territory. Responsible use, in brief, at the end.
Contents:
Quick Picks
One pick for each of the fourteen items, with the job each does best. All fourteen appear again in the comparison table below.
Start here: the $249 4K recorder
VIM-POLICECAM12, $249. 4K at 30fps from a 36MP sensor, a 110 degree lens, 64GB built in, six infrared LEDs reaching about 10 metres in the dark, and an LCD screen for checking framing in the field. IP54, with a 2 metre drop rating. The 1500mAh battery runs about 6 hours at 1080p, and a tripod, a lanyard and a clip come in the box.
For one person who wants a record of their own shift, it covers what matters. It records, it stamps every clip with the date, time and user ID, and it survives being dropped. Its WiFi is a direct hotspot from camera to phone for playback, which is as much connection as most single users ever need.
There is no docking station with this one. It charges by USB cable, so someone has to remember to plug it in at the end of the day. Battery, Docking and the Shift Problem explains why that matters more than it sounds.
Don't buy this one if your shift runs past six hours, or someone needs to see the footage while it is happening.
Best for retail and foyer security: 4K, strobes and a siren, nothing to connect
VIM-PC-03, $270. 4K at 30fps, or 1080p at 60fps for fast movement, with pre-record on standby and post-record from 5 seconds to 5 minutes. A 3000mAh built-in battery rated for about 13 hours at 1080p with the screen off, six infrared LEDs that switch on as the light fades, a white LED torch, and red and blue strobes with a siren on the SOS key. IP68 with a 2 metre drop rating, a 2.4 inch screen for reviewing clips on site, a password lock on settings and playback, and a magnetic chest mount and a long clip in the box.
It has no WiFi, Bluetooth, 4G or app, so there is nothing to pair and no network for footage to leave by: clips are reviewed on the screen and copied off over USB-C. The siren is a local alarm and alerts no one remotely. At 120 g it is light enough to wear for a whole shift, and every camera comes with its own mount, so a team can be kitted out without ordering mounts separately.
Budget for a card. Like the VIM-POLICECAM18 and VIM-PC-01, it takes a microSD up to 512GB and none is supplied: a 128GB microSD card is $69 and a 256GB card is $99. It charges over USB-C, with no dock in the box.
Don't buy this one if a supervisor needs to see footage before the camera comes back, or a cable-charged camera would end up flat in a shared kit. The VIM-PC-01 adds a phone app and a dock for $299.
Best for a shared pool of cameras: 128GB built in, no card to manage
VIM-PC-02, $270. 4K at 30fps through a 120 degree lens onto 128GB built into the camera, about 27 hours of 4K, with no card slot. A 4200mAh built-in battery rated for up to 15 hours at 1080p, a 15 second pre-record buffer on standby, infrared to about 5 metres, a white LED torch, a laser aiming dot, and red and blue lights with a siren on the side key. IP68 with a 2 metre drop rating, a 2.0 inch screen, a password lock, an officer ID stamp on every file, and a magnetic mount, a belt clip and a pocket clip in the box.
The built-in memory is the point. When cameras rotate between guards on a roster, the memory cards are the first thing to go missing, and a camera without a card records nothing. Here the footage stays inside the unit until it is copied off over USB-C, playback has no single-clip delete, and the officer ID set at issue ties each file to whoever wore it. There is no WiFi, Bluetooth, 4G or app, and the side key marked PTT triggers the lights and siren rather than push-to-talk.
Don't buy this one if you want 1080p at 60fps or post-record, which the VIM-PC-03 adds at the same $270 with a card slot, or a dock, which comes with the VIM-PC-01. Files are not encrypted, so collect the cameras at the end of every shift.
Best for long shifts: hot-swap batteries
VIM-POLICECAM18, $400. The Philips unit, and the answer to the problem every other camera has. Two 3000mAh batteries for 18 hours, swapped in seconds without a trip back to base. A 10 second pre-record buffer, so the start of an incident is saved before anyone presses a button. 4K at 30fps, 54MP stills, a 144 degree lens, the widest in the range, eight IR LEDs reaching 5 to 10 metres, WiFi RTMP live streaming so a supervisor can watch, voice control for hands-free start and stop, IP68 and a 1.5 metre drop rating. One battery gives 9 hours, and the dual battery charging dock comes in the box.
A flat battery is the most common reason a body camera misses footage, and hot-swapping is the only real fix for a double shift. Pre-record is the second thing worth paying for: incidents arrive without warning, and by the time a hand reaches the camera the ten seconds that matter have already gone.
Budget for a card. This, the VIM-PC-01 and the VIM-PC-03 are the only cameras here that cannot record out of the box. It takes a microSD up to 512GB and none is supplied, so add one to the same order: a 128GB microSD card is $69 and a 256GB card is $99.
Don't buy this one if you need location tracking, or live streaming beyond WiFi range. That takes 4G.
Best value, and the toughest build
VIM-POLICECAM10, $340. 2K at 30fps from a 32MP Sony sensor, a 140 degree lens, 64GB built in, a 2.0 inch LCD, and WiFi to a phone app for preview and download. Two 850nm infrared LEDs reach about 14 metres, the longest infrared reach quoted here, with faces recognisable to about 8. About 10 hours at 1080p or 5 hours at 1296p. IP66, a 2.5 metre drop rating and anti-fog protection.
Two things make it the value pick. It is the cheapest camera in the range that ships with a second battery and a docking station, so spare power and a charging routine cost less here than anywhere else. And it is the toughest build: 2.5 metres is the highest drop rating in the range, and it is the only camera with anti-fog, which earns its keep when staff move between an air-conditioned building and a humid night outside, or from a frosty yard into a heated room.
Don't buy this one if you want 4K. It records 2K, which still identifies a face at conversational distance but leaves less to zoom into afterwards.
Best for evidence integrity
VIM-POLICECAM17, $440. 4K at 30fps with a 140 degree lens, 128GB of sealed internal storage with no removable media at all, RSA and AES256 dual encryption on every file, and a 2 minute pre-record buffer, by far the longest here. A 4400mAh battery giving over 16 hours at 1080p, and storage that holds roughly 8 to 10 hours of 4K before loop recording begins overwriting. IP66 rising to IP67, a 2 metre drop rating, and an operating range of -20C to 65C. The box includes a docking station, a wall charger, a belt clip and a rotatable crocodile clip.
Sealed storage and file encryption exist for one reason: so nobody can claim the footage was altered, including the person who wore it. If recordings could end up in a workplace investigation, a tribunal hearing or a prosecution, that chain of custody matters more than resolution. Recordings cannot be opened or edited on the device.
The 2 minute buffer is a different capability from the 10 to 60 second buffers elsewhere in the range: it captures the build-up, not just the trigger. It can be cut to 60 or 30 seconds if you would rather keep files smaller.
Don't buy this one if you need to swap storage or hand a card to someone. Sealed means sealed.
Best for night patrols: strobes, a siren and an impact sensor
VIM-PC-01, $299. 4K at 30fps with pre-event recording and post-record from 5 seconds to 5 minutes, a 3500mAh built-in battery rated for about 15 hours, and a single-bay charging dock in the box. Infrared switches on by itself as the light fades, a white LED torch lights a doorway, red and blue strobes with a siren show where the wearer is standing, and a laser dot shows where the lens is pointing. IP68 with a 2 metre drop rating, a 2 inch screen, a password lock on settings and playback, and a magnetic chest mount that holds it on a shirt with no vest.
Its own WiFi hotspot links to a phone app for live view, playback and downloads at the scene, with no SIM, data plan or platform fee. With collision recording switched on, it starts recording the moment it is knocked off or dropped, which is exactly the moment a camera without an impact sensor misses in a scuffle, and it is the only camera without a SIM that records a knock by itself. Its files are not encrypted, so where footage will be disputed, the sealed and encrypted VIM-POLICECAM17 is the stronger choice.
Budget for a card. Like the VIM-POLICECAM18, it takes a microSD up to 512GB and none is supplied: a 128GB microSD card is $69 and a 256GB card is $99.
Don't buy this one if a control room needs to watch live or track where your people are. That takes 4G or 5G.
Best for managing a team in the field
VIM-POLICECAM4G3, $590. A different class of device from the offline cameras. Two lenses, the front recording 2K and the rear 1080p, switchable on the touchscreen mid-recording or mid-stream. Live 4G streaming to a control room with no WiFi needed, real-time GPS position on a map, push-to-talk two-way intercom over 4G wherever there is mobile coverage, a 30 second pre-record buffer, SOS that sends the wearer's GPS position, a 2.8 inch Android touchscreen, a white LED, four IR LEDs and a laser for aiming, and a dock that charges the camera and a spare battery together. Two 3050mAh batteries come in the box, each good for up to 11 hours.
It ships with a 128GB card already fitted, so it records out of the box, and takes up to 256GB if you want more. IP67, so rain and immersion to a metre are no concern. You supply the SIM, from any Australian provider, and like every 4G product we sell it is tested before despatch.
Battery swaps are covered by a 60mAh internal backup that keeps it recording while you change packs, so the footage has no gap. For anyone running guards across several sites, live view, map position and push-to-talk together replace a separate radio system, and answer the question every operations manager actually asks: where is everyone, and what is happening right now.
Don't buy this one if nobody is watching the other end. A live stream has no value without someone monitoring it.
Best for live 4K, and the only 5G camera here
VIM-PC2-5G, $690. The only camera in the range with 5G. It streams live 4K video and a GPS position to the fleet platform over 5G where Telstra, Optus or Vodafone have built it, and switches to 4G everywhere else, so coverage works out the same as on the 4G units and the gain is bandwidth for a sharper live picture. A yellow push-to-talk key opens a voice channel to one officer or the whole group, a red SOS key sends the wearer's position, and a backup cell inside keeps recording while you swap the 3050mAh battery. Two batteries and a dock come in the box, a 128GB card is already fitted, and the 2.8 inch Android 13 touchscreen shows signal, GPS lock and playback on site.
Against the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 it trades the rear lens for 4K on the front camera, and adds a second 2MP camera beside the screen, dual SIM slots, IP68 with a 2 metre drop rating, and RTSP and RTMP output so the feed can sit inside a video management system you already run.
Don't buy this one if nobody will watch the live feed. Offline, the $299 VIM-PC-01 records 4K for less than half the price.
Lowest-priced 4G camera: live video, GPS, push-to-talk and SOS
VIM-PC-4G, $390. Live video, a GPS position and push-to-talk over 4G for the least money in the range. It records 1080p at up to 30fps, and the control room opens a guard's feed on the fleet platform or in the phone app, at 240p to save data or up to 1080p. GPS, GLONASS and Galileo put each guard on the map, the side key opens push-to-talk to the whole team, and the red SOS key sends the wearer's position, flashes the red and blue strobes and sounds an alarm. A day lens and a night lens switch over by themselves, with four IR LEDs reaching about 5 metres and a white LED, and the 2.8 inch Android 12 touchscreen shows signal, GPS and playback on site.
AES-256 video encryption and separate password locks for playback and settings are built in, though encryption ships switched off, so turn it on before the cameras go out. A 128GB card is fitted before it ships, about 22 hours of 1080p, and it takes up to 512GB. IP68 with a 2 metre drop rating, 120 g, and pre-record of 5 to 30 seconds. You supply the SIM, from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or any provider on their networks, and there is no subscription.
The trade is power. The 3000mAh battery runs up to 8.5 hours, or about 8 with live streaming, and charges over USB-C in about 3 hours, with no dock and no spare battery in the box.
Don't buy this one if one charge has to last a 12-hour shift. The VIM-PC2-5G swaps batteries without stopping the recording, and the VIM-POLICECAM4G2 runs over 15 hours with a dock.
Best 4G for a full shift on one charge
VIM-POLICECAM4G2, $530. 2K recording with a 32MP Sony sensor, a 720p live feed over 4G or WiFi, GPS location data added to recordings, two-way audio through a built-in mic and speaker, motion detection recording, a 4400mAh battery rated at over 15 hours at 1080p, 128GB built in, and an IP66 housing against dust and rain, with a docking station and power adapter in the box.
If you want live streaming and GPS without the dual lens or touchscreen of the VIM-POLICECAM4G3, this keeps the two features that matter most for oversight and costs less. GPS tagging on every clip is the underrated one: a recording that can be placed at a location as well as a time is what turns footage into evidence. Against the $390 VIM-PC-4G, it gives up push-to-talk in return for 2K recording, over 15 hours of battery and a dock in the box.
You supply your own SIM and data plan, from any Australian provider. There is no subscription on top.
Best when the camera must not be on a network
VIM-POLICECAM13, $350. 4K at 30fps, 36MP stills, a 140 degree lens, 128GB of internal memory covering a full shift at 4K, six IR LEDs to 10 metres, about 10 hours of battery, a magnetic docking station that charges without cables, IP65 and a 2 metre drop rating. Red and blue warning LEDs on the body are visible during a confrontation and do deterrent work before anything escalates.
It records and does nothing else: no streaming, no remote access, no account. On sites with no network, for contractors who are not allowed on a client's WiFi, or for anyone who simply wants the footage to stay in one place until they collect it, that is a feature rather than a gap.
Best storage headroom, and the best microphones
VIM-POLICECAM16, $350. 4K at 30fps, 32MP stills, 128GB internal plus microSD support to 512GB, the only camera here with both built-in memory and a card slot. Eight 850nm infrared LEDs, a 140 degree lens, a 2.0 inch IPS screen, a 2500mAh battery, IP66 and a 2 metre drop rating.
Two things set it apart. Dual microphones with noise reduction, which matter more than people expect: a body camera lives on a chest under a jacket, in wind and rain, and most of the value of the footage is what was said. And Wide Dynamic Range with 3D de-noise, which stops a face turning black when someone stands in a doorway with bright daylight behind them.
Like the VIM-POLICECAM13, it has no connectivity at all: it records locally and the footage comes off over USB. There is no docking station in the box.
Don't buy this one if you need streaming, GPS or a dock.
Buy this with any of them: the $39 harness
VIM-HARNESS, $39. A polyester shoulder and chest harness adjustable to about 125cm, made for cameras with a long alligator clip.
Clipping a body camera to a shirt pocket or a lapel is the most common mounting mistake, because fabric moves and the camera ends up filming the ground, the sky or the inside of a jacket. A harness gives the clip something rigid to grip and holds the lens at chest height, facing forward. It is the cheapest item in the range, and it does more for usable footage than the step from 2K to 4K.
All Fourteen Compared
Two columns are worth reading down before anything else: which models include a docking station, and which arrive able to record. Eight of the thirteen cameras include a dock; the VIM-POLICECAM12, VIM-POLICECAM16, VIM-PC-02, VIM-PC-03 and VIM-PC-4G do not. The VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 are the only ones supplied with no storage.
| Model | AUD | Video | Storage | Battery | Connectivity | Build | Notes | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIM-HARNESS | $39 | Accessory | Accessory | Accessory | Accessory | Polyester | Shoulder and chest harness to about 125cm. For cameras with a long alligator clip. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM12 | $249 | 4K 30fps, 36MP | 64GB built in | 1500mAh, about 6h at 1080p | WiFi hotspot to phone | IP54, 2m drop | 110 degree lens, 6 IR LEDs to 10m, LCD. Ships with tripod, lanyard and clip. No dock, charges by USB cable. | View |
| VIM-PC-02 | $270 | 4K 30fps | 128GB built in, no card slot | 4200mAh built in, up to 15h at 1080p | None. Records only | IP68, 2m drop | 15s pre-record. Red and blue lights with a siren, white torch, laser aiming dot, 2.0 inch screen, password lock, officer ID stamp, magnetic mount and two clips. No dock, charges by USB-C. | View |
| VIM-PC-03 | $270 | 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps | microSD to 512GB. Card not included | 3000mAh built in, about 13h at 1080p, screen off | None. Records only | IP68, 2m drop | Pre-record, and post-record up to 5 min. Red and blue strobes with a siren, white torch, 6 IR LEDs, 2.4 inch screen, password lock, magnetic chest mount. No dock, charges by USB-C. | View |
| VIM-PC-01 | $299 | 4K 30fps | microSD to 512GB. Card not included | 3500mAh built in, about 15h | WiFi hotspot to a phone app, no SIM | IP68, 2m drop | Pre-record, and post-record up to 5 min. Impact sensor, laser aiming dot, red and blue strobes with a siren, white torch, magnetic chest mount. Single-bay dock included. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM10 | $340 | 2K 30fps, 32MP Sony | 64GB built in | 3000mAh. 10h at 1080p, 5h at 1296p. Two batteries in the box | WiFi to a phone app | IP66, 2.5m drop, anti-fog | The toughest build here and the cheapest with a spare battery. Night vision to about 14m, 140 degree lens, dock included. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM13 | $350 | 4K 30fps, 36MP | 128GB built in | 3000mAh, 10 hours | None. Records only | IP65, 2m drop | Magnetic dock included, no cable to align. Red and blue warning LEDs. 6 IR LEDs to 10m. Novatek chipset. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM16 | $350 | 4K 30fps, 32MP | 128GB built in, plus microSD to 512GB | 2500mAh, over 8h at 1080p | None. Records only | IP66, 2m drop | The only one with built-in memory and a card slot. Dual mics with noise reduction, WDR and 3D de-noise, 8 IR LEDs. No dock. | View |
| VIM-PC-4G | $390 | 1080p up to 30fps, day and night lenses | 128GB card fitted, takes up to 512GB | 3000mAh, up to 8.5h, about 8h streaming | 4G, GPS, push-to-talk, WiFi | IP68, 2m drop | Live stream, map tracking, PTT, SOS with GPS, 5 to 30s pre-record, AES-256, strobes, 2.8 inch Android 12 touchscreen. No dock, charges by USB-C. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM18 | $400 | 4K 30fps, 54MP | microSD to 512GB. Card not included | 2 x 3000mAh hot-swap. 9h single, 18h dual | WiFi live view to a phone | IP68, 1.5m drop | 144 degree lens, the widest here. 10s pre-record, voice control, 8 IR LEDs 5 to 10m. Dual battery dock included. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM17 | $440 | 4K 30fps | 128GB sealed, no removable media | 4400mAh, over 16h at 1080p | WiFi hotspot, file transfer | IP66 up to IP67, 2m drop | Pre-record to 120s, the longest here. RSA and AES256. Rated -20C to 65C. Dock, wall charger and two clips included. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM4G2 | $530 | 2K, 32MP | 128GB built in | 4400mAh, over 15h at 1080p | 4G, WiFi, GPS | IP66 | Live 720p stream over 4G, GPS data on recordings, two-way audio, motion recording. Dock and power adapter included. | View |
| VIM-POLICECAM4G3 | $590 | 2K front and 1080p rear | 128GB supplied and fitted, takes up to 256GB | 2 x 3050mAh hot-swap, up to 11h each, 60mAh gapless backup | 4G, GPS, push-to-talk | IP67 | Dual switchable lenses, live stream, map tracking, PTT, SOS with GPS, 30s pre-record, 2.8 inch touchscreen. Dock included. | View |
| VIM-PC2-5G | $690 | 4K 30fps, plus 2MP screen-side camera | 128GB card fitted | 2 x 3050mAh hot-swap, up to 8h each, gapless backup cell | 5G with 4G fallback, dual SIM, GPS, push-to-talk, WiFi | IP68, 2m drop | Live 4K stream, map tracking, PTT, SOS with GPS, pre-record, 2.8 inch Android 13 touchscreen, RTSP and RTMP, AES-256. Dock included. | View |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Prices are the Securitylab Australia range in October 2026, including GST, and change; the product pages are current.
Mistakes That Cause Returns
Nine of them, and only one has anything to do with picture quality.
- Clipping it to a shirt pocket. Fabric moves, the clip rotates, and a whole shift's footage ends up showing the ground. It is the single most common reason body camera footage turns out to be useless. Spend $39 on the harness and mount the camera rigidly at chest height.
- Assuming every camera comes with a docking station. Eight of the thirteen do. The VIM-POLICECAM12, VIM-POLICECAM16, VIM-PC-02, VIM-PC-03 and VIM-PC-4G charge by cable only. Check the box contents on the product page before ordering for a team, because a cable-charged camera in a shared kit is a flat camera by the third week.
- Ordering the VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 or VIM-PC-03 without a memory card. They are the three cameras here supplied with no storage at all. Each takes a microSD up to 512GB and none is included, so it arrives unable to record a second until you fit one. Add a microSD card to the same order. Every other camera in the range records out of the box, with storage built in or a 128GB card fitted.
- Buying on resolution when battery is the constraint. Every camera here records well enough to identify a face, but not every camera here lasts a shift. A 1500mAh unit at about 6 hours and a dual hot-swap unit at 18 hours give the same picture and are completely different products.
- Assuming a 4G camera works everywhere. Live streaming needs mobile data at the moment of the incident, and a basement car park, a fire stair, a loading dock or a property past the last tower often has none. Every 4G unit here still records locally, so nothing is lost, but do not plan an operation around a stream that will not connect.
- Forgetting the SIM. The 4G and 5G cameras take your own SIM with a data plan, from any Australian provider, and there is no subscription from us on top. A prepaid SIM has to be activated with ID before it will connect, so do that before the cameras go out. Australia no longer has a 3G network, so there is nothing below 4G to fall back on: check the coverage map for the sites your people actually work, remembering that the maps predict outdoor coverage, not the inside of a concrete building.
- Buying live streaming with nobody watching. A live feed is worth exactly as much as the attention at the other end. Without a control room, or a supervisor rostered to monitor it, the $690 camera is doing a $350 job.
- Not telling staff before the rollout. Asking employees to wear cameras changes their working conditions. NSW and the ACT require written notice before workplace cameras or tracking start, and in every state a rollout done without consultation tends to turn a safety measure into a dispute.
- No plan for the footage. Recording is the easy part. Decide before you buy who downloads it, where it is stored, who can watch it, how long it is kept and when it is deleted. Businesses covered by the Privacy Act 1988 must keep that footage secure and delete it once it is no longer needed.
How to Choose
Four questions, in this order. By the third there are usually two cameras left.
1. How long is the shift?
Match the runtime to the shift, then add a margin: quoted figures assume 1080p, and continuous recording drains faster in the cold and at night with the infrared running.
Up to about six hours: VIM-POLICECAM12 at $249. About eight, with live view over 4G: VIM-PC-4G at $390. About ten: VIM-POLICECAM13 at $350, or VIM-POLICECAM10 at $340 with a spare battery in the box. About thirteen: VIM-PC-03 at $270, at 1080p with the screen off. A full day: VIM-POLICECAM17 at $440 with over 16 hours, VIM-PC-02 at $270 with up to 15 at 1080p, VIM-PC-01 at $299 with about 15, or VIM-POLICECAM4G2 at $530 with over 15. Doubles, back-to-backs, or a camera shared between shifts: hot-swap batteries, which means VIM-POLICECAM18 at $400, VIM-POLICECAM4G3 at $590 or VIM-PC2-5G at $690.
2. Does anyone need to see it while it is happening?
If not, stop here and buy on battery and build. Most single users are done at this point.
If someone needs to watch from inside the same building, WiFi streaming is enough, and the VIM-POLICECAM18 covers it. If they need to watch from anywhere, that means a camera on the mobile network, and GPS comes with it: VIM-PC-4G at $390, VIM-POLICECAM4G2 at $530, VIM-POLICECAM4G3 at $590, or VIM-PC2-5G at $690 for a 4K feed over 5G with 4G fallback.
3. Where does the footage go afterwards?
This decides more than people expect, because it is the daily chore rather than the occasional one.
A cable to a computer is slow and depends on someone remembering. A dock is better, and most units here include one. The VIM-POLICECAM13 uses a magnetic dock, the VIM-POLICECAM17 uses USB-C contact points, and the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 and VIM-PC2-5G charge a spare battery at the same time. WiFi transfer straight to a phone on site is quicker again, and it is what the VIM-POLICECAM17 is built around.
4. Will the footage be disputed?
If a recording might be challenged, buy for integrity rather than resolution. The VIM-POLICECAM17 at $440 seals its storage so there is no card to swap, encrypts every file with RSA and AES256, and blocks editing on the device. Sealed media also means there was never a moment when someone could have removed the card, which is the question that actually gets asked. Pre-record matters here as well, because the argument is almost always about what happened just before the camera came on.
Battery, Docking and the Shift Problem
Almost every body camera failure is a power failure. Not a fault, just a flat battery at the wrong moment, and the range solves it in three ways worth understanding.
Quoted runtime is not shift runtime
Manufacturer figures assume 1080p, continuous recording and room temperature, and real shifts are none of those. 4K costs battery compared with 1080p. Infrared through a night patrol costs more. A 4G camera holding a connection and streaming costs more again, and a weak signal costs most of all, because the radio works harder to hold on. Cold drains lithium cells faster, which shows on a winter night shift in Canberra, Ballarat or Hobart, and summer heat ages them, which is one more reason a camera should never be left in a parked car.
The working rule is to buy at least a third more runtime than the shift, or buy hot-swap and stop doing the sums.
Hot-swap is the only real answer to a long day
The VIM-POLICECAM18 at $400 carries two 3000mAh packs for a quoted 18 hours, 9 hours per battery, and a flat one is swapped for a fresh one on the spot instead of back at base.
The VIM-POLICECAM10 at $340 also ships with two batteries and a dock, which makes it the cheapest way into working with a spare battery. It records 2K rather than 4K, and that is the whole trade.
The VIM-POLICECAM4G3 at $590 goes a step further and solves the problem hot-swapping creates: a 60mAh internal backup keeps it recording during the swap, so the file has no gap. If continuity matters, and in a disputed incident it does, a gap is exactly what the other side will point to. The VIM-PC2-5G at $690 does the same with its own backup cell, recording 4K straight through the swap.
Docks are about habit, not speed
A camera that charges on a dock gets charged. A camera that needs someone to find a cable does not, and by the third week it starts the shift flat. That is the whole case for docking, and it is about people rather than technology.
Eight of the thirteen cameras include a dock: POLICECAM10, 13, 17, 18, 4G2, 4G3, PC2-5G and PC-01. The POLICECAM12, POLICECAM16, PC-02, PC-03 and PC-4G do not, and charge by cable. If a camera is shared between shifts, or worn by someone who is not naturally tidy, that difference is worth more than a step up in resolution.
The eight take three approaches. The VIM-POLICECAM13 uses a magnetic dock, the most forgiving because it aligns itself. The VIM-POLICECAM17 charges through USB-C contacts, comes with a wall charger as well, and sends its footage over WiFi to a phone, and the VIM-PC-01 also charges through contacts, standing upright in a single-bay dock. The VIM-POLICECAM4G3, VIM-PC2-5G and VIM-POLICECAM18 charge the camera and a spare battery together, which is what you want when a camera is handed between shifts rather than owned by one person.
Pre-record is the feature people wish they had bought
A buffer means the camera is always recording into a loop it keeps discarding, and pressing the button saves the loop along with everything after it. Incidents give no notice: by the time someone reaches for the camera, the shove, the first words or the moment a vehicle pulled out has already happened.
The range has five published buffer lengths. The VIM-POLICECAM18 buffers 10 seconds, the VIM-PC-02 15 seconds, the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 30 seconds, the VIM-PC2-5G up to 60 seconds and the VIM-POLICECAM17 2 minutes. The VIM-PC-4G lets you choose 5, 10, 20 or 30 seconds, and it stays off until you set it. Ten seconds catches the trigger. Two minutes catches the build-up, which is usually the part in dispute.
The VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 keep a rolling buffer too and add post-record: after stop is pressed they keep recording for 5 seconds to 5 minutes, so an early press does not cut off how an incident ended.
Fleet and Multi-Officer Deployment
Everything above concerns one camera on one person. Running a team of them across several sites is a different problem, and only the four cellular units solve it: the three 4G cameras and the 5G VIM-PC2-5G.
What 4G actually buys you
Three things, and they are worth separating.
Live view lets a supervisor see what an officer sees, in real time, from anywhere with coverage. It counts when a situation is escalating and the decision belongs to someone who is not there.
GPS puts every officer on a map, and lets a recording carry coordinates as well as a time. The second half is what matters when footage is challenged: a clip that can be placed at a time and a location is far harder to argue with.
Push-to-talk, on the VIM-POLICECAM4G3, VIM-PC2-5G and VIM-PC-4G, is a two-way intercom over the mobile network that reaches anywhere with coverage. For teams spread across sites it genuinely replaces a radio system, and it changes the total cost of a deployment rather than just adding to it.
One thing the SOS key is not: a call to Triple Zero. On these cameras it alerts your own control room with the wearer's position, so in an emergency someone still needs to call 000.
Coverage is the constraint, so check it first
Live streaming works only where there is mobile data at that moment. Basement car parks, plant rooms, fire stairs, loading docks and older concrete buildings are often dead, and so is plenty of regional and rural Australia. Australia no longer has a 3G network, so there is nothing slower to drop back to: it is 4G or nothing. The 5G camera is no different. 5G gives it the bandwidth for a 4K live picture where Telstra, Optus or Vodafone have built it, it falls back to 4G everywhere else, and a site with no 4G is a site with no stream for any of the four.
Before committing to a fleet, walk the actual sites with a phone on the network you plan to use and test data, not bars. Outside the cities Telstra covers the largest area, but the network that is strongest at your sites is the one to choose, and every camera here takes a SIM from any Australian provider. Where a site has no coverage, the camera still records everything locally and the footage comes off at the dock, so nothing is lost. Just do not build a procedure around a stream that will not exist.
Practical rollout notes
- Buy one more camera than you have officers. One is always charging, being repaired or left in someone's locker.
- Order cards with the cameras if you choose the VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 or VIM-PC-03. All three are card-only with no card supplied, and a fleet of them without cards records nothing on day one.
- Set user IDs before day one. Most cameras here stamp the date, time and user ID onto footage. That stamp is what makes a recording attributable, and a fleet all stamped with the factory default is a fleet of anonymous footage.
- Decide the recording rule and write it down. Always on, on at the officer's discretion, or on for defined interactions. Each can be defended; having no rule cannot.
- Dock at the end of every shift, without exception. Make it the last step of handover rather than one person's job, and choose a model with a dock so there is something to dock into.
- Set retention now. How long footage is kept, and what triggers keeping a clip longer. Businesses covered by the Privacy Act 1988 must not keep personal information once it is no longer needed.
- Keep cameras out of hot vehicles. Between shifts they go back on the dock, not on a dashboard or a back seat in the sun.
Key Specs Explained
Resolution, and why 2K is not a downgrade
4K at 3840x2160 leaves detail to zoom into later, which is how a number plate or a lanyard ID gets read. 2K is roughly 2304x1296 or 2560x1440 and still comfortably identifies a face at conversational distance. None of the 4G cameras records 4K: the VIM-POLICECAM4G2 and VIM-POLICECAM4G3 record 2K, and the VIM-PC-4G records 1080p, still enough for a face at conversational distance with less to zoom into afterwards. That is a deliberate trade: streaming 4K over 4G data is not practical, so those units spend their bandwidth on getting the footage out live. The 5G VIM-PC2-5G is the exception, recording 4K and leaning on 5G bandwidth for the live feed where the network has it.
Field of view
110 degrees on the VIM-POLICECAM12, 120 on the VIM-PC-02 and VIM-PC-4G, 140 on the VIM-POLICECAM10, 13, 16 and 17, and 144 on the VIM-POLICECAM18. At chest height and conversational distance, 140 degrees keeps someone in frame when they step to your side, which happens constantly in a real interaction. That is a bigger practical difference than 2K against 4K.
Infrared, and how far it really reaches
The figures here are honest and short. Where a range is quoted it is mostly about 10 metres. The VIM-POLICECAM10 reaches about 14, with faces recognisable to about 8, and the VIM-PC-02 and VIM-PC-4G quote 5. Past the quoted range the picture goes black rather than grainy. The 850nm LEDs on several models give a faint red glow at the lens, which on an openly worn camera is no problem and arguably helps.
Wide Dynamic Range
On the VIM-POLICECAM16. WDR captures the bright and the dark parts of a scene in the same frame, the difference between a usable face and a black silhouette when someone stands in a doorway or in front of a sunlit shop window. For retail and reception work, where people are backlit all day, it matters more than the resolution figure.
IP ratings and drop ratings
IP54 resists splashes and dust. IP65 and IP66 handle sustained rain. IP67 and IP68 survive immersion. For outdoor patrol work in Australia, which can mean a tropical downpour in Cairns or red dust in the Pilbara, IP66 or better is the sensible floor, and that covers most of this range. The VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC2-5G, VIM-PC-4G, VIM-PC-01, VIM-PC-02 and VIM-PC-03 are IP68, and the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 is IP67. Drop ratings run from 1.5m to 2.5m, with the VIM-POLICECAM10 the toughest at 2.5m and the only model with anti-fog protection.
Storage, sealed versus expandable
Three approaches. The VIM-POLICECAM17 seals 128GB inside with no removable media, so nothing can be swapped, ejected or lost, and its files are encrypted. The VIM-PC-02 also keeps 128GB inside with no card slot, so there is no card to lose, though its files are not encrypted. The VIM-POLICECAM16 takes microSD up to 512GB on top of 128GB internal, so a card can be handed to someone or a long deployment archived. The VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 are card-only to 512GB with no card included, so each needs one bought with it.
Choose by whether your risk is tampering or running out of room. Sealed storage is the stronger evidence position, because there is no point at which anyone could have removed the media. Removable storage is the more practical choice for long deployments and for passing footage to someone who needs it.
The VIM-POLICECAM4G3 sits in between: we fit a 128GB card before it ships, and it takes up to 256GB. The VIM-PC2-5G arrives the same way with a 128GB card fitted, and so does the VIM-PC-4G, which takes cards up to 512GB.
Where you need to supply a card, buy it with the camera and format it in the camera before the first shift. Loop recording writes to the card all day, every day, so treat it as a consumable and replace it at the first card error. Our microSD cards run from $39 for 64GB to $99 for 256GB.
Encryption
RSA and AES256 on the VIM-POLICECAM17 mean recordings cannot be opened or edited on the device, and unauthorised access is blocked before files leave it. For a business holding the personal information of everyone it records, that is also a security control it can point to. The VIM-PC2-5G and VIM-PC-4G offer AES-256 video encryption as a menu setting; on the VIM-PC-4G it ships switched off, so turn it on before the cameras go out. The VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 lock settings and playback behind a password, but their files are not encrypted, so anyone holding the card can copy them: collect cards at the end of each shift. The VIM-PC-02 has a password lock and no file encryption either, and with no card to remove, the camera itself is what to collect.
Operating temperature
Eight cameras here publish a figure. The VIM-POLICECAM10 has the widest range at -40C to 60C, the VIM-POLICECAM18 is rated -30C to 55C, the VIM-POLICECAM17 -20C to 65C, and the VIM-PC2-5G, VIM-PC-4G, VIM-PC-01, VIM-PC-02 and VIM-PC-03 -20C to 55C. Lithium batteries lose capacity in the cold, so a published low-temperature rating tells you the camera has been tested for winter night work.
In Australia the upper figure deserves more attention. A parked car can get 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the air outside, and the RACV has measured more than 70C inside within minutes on a 30C day, beyond every rating in this range. Cameras come out of the vehicle at the end of a shift, and none should sit on a dashboard or a seat in the sun.
What is in the box, and what is not
Read the box contents rather than the headline description, because the two do not always agree. Docking stations come with eight of the thirteen. Storage is supplied on all but the VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03: built in on most, and a 128GB card fitted on the VIM-POLICECAM4G3, VIM-PC2-5G and VIM-PC-4G. Spare batteries come with the VIM-POLICECAM10, VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-POLICECAM4G3 and VIM-PC2-5G. SIM cards are never included with the 4G and 5G models, and a SIM from any Australian provider works.
Warranty
Every body camera carries our 12-month warranty from the date of purchase, the same as everything we sell. Your guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law apply on top of it and can last longer than it.
Audio
Every camera here records sound, and for most incidents the audio is the evidence. The VIM-POLICECAM16 is the only one with dual microphones and noise reduction. The VIM-POLICECAM4G2 adds a speaker for two-way audio, and the VIM-POLICECAM4G3, VIM-PC2-5G and VIM-PC-4G turn that into full push-to-talk, the 5G unit through a 2W speaker that also reads out text messages from the control room. The VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 can record sound alone as well as with video, each with a 1W speaker for the siren and voice prompts, and the VIM-PC-02 records sound alone too, its speaker carrying the siren and voice prompts. Because the cameras record conversations, the state rules on recording them apply: see responsible use.
Choose by Role
Security guard, single site
Long shifts, unpredictable people, mostly outdoors and often at night, so runtime and build are what you are buying. The VIM-POLICECAM18 at $400 gives 18 hours on hot-swap batteries and IP68, or the VIM-POLICECAM10 at $340 suits a site that is hard on equipment, since it takes a 2.5m drop and has anti-fog. For rounds walked alone at night, the VIM-PC-01 at $299 gives about 15 hours of 4K, IP68, a white torch, and red and blue strobes with a siren, with a microSD card added to the order. The VIM-PC-03 at $270 has the strobes, siren and torch too, without the phone app or a dock, for about 13 hours at 1080p, and the VIM-PC-02 at the same $270 has them with 128GB built in and up to 15 hours at 1080p. Add the harness. Paid security work needs a licence from the state or territory you work in.
Retail, hospitality and reception
Short confrontations, indoors, and nearly always backlit by a shopfront window. Body cameras on retail staff are now a familiar sight in Australian supermarkets and department stores, worn as much to calm a situation as to record it. Wide dynamic range and good audio beat resolution here: the VIM-POLICECAM16 at $350 brings WDR, 3D de-noise and dual noise-reduced microphones. For a loss prevention team on a budget, the VIM-PC-03 at $270 pre-records on standby, and its 2.4 inch screen lets a manager review a clip on the spot. The visible camera does much of the work on its own, and a de-escalation policy that starts with pointing at it works better than any specification.
Healthcare, aged care and community support
Allegations here are hard to disprove, and footage protects both sides, so evidence integrity comes first. The VIM-POLICECAM17 at $440 has sealed storage, encrypted files, over 16 hours of battery, and WiFi so a supervisor can review one specific recording within minutes rather than after a formal process. Privacy obligations are heaviest in this setting, because health information is sensitive, so write the policy before the cameras arrive. For NDIS and community support workers visiting clients at home, get the client's consent before recording there. For hospital security on 12-hour rosters, the VIM-PC-02 at $270 runs up to 15 hours at 1080p, and its stealth mode keeps lights and tones off on night wards.
Delivery, courier and field service
Proof of delivery and proof of conduct, all day, in and out of a vehicle. The VIM-POLICECAM18 at $400 covers a full run on hot-swap, and its 54MP stills read a label or a house number clearly. Pair it with a dash cam in the vehicle so the drive and the doorstep are both covered, and bring the body camera inside at the end of the day rather than leaving it in a hot van.
Private investigation and process serving
Documentation is the product. The VIM-POLICECAM16 at $350 takes a card of up to 512GB on top of its 128GB built in, for long jobs, and the VIM-POLICECAM17 at $440 suits work where the chain of custody will be challenged. Licensing for investigators differs between the states and territories, so check yours before taking paid work.
Events, crowd control and licensed premises
Situations escalate in seconds and change in the retelling, so pre-record is the feature. The VIM-POLICECAM18 at $400 buffers 10 seconds and streams over WiFi to a control room. The VIM-PC-01 at $299 pre-records too, and if a camera is knocked off in a crush, its impact sensor records the fall. For a large venue or a festival site with people spread out, the VIM-PC-4G at $390 puts every guard on the control room's map with push-to-talk and SOS, and the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 at $590 adds a rear lens and hot-swap batteries.
Multi-site operations and fleet
Guards across several locations, with one person accountable for all of them. The VIM-PC2-5G at $690 per unit gives a 4K live feed over 5G with 4G fallback and push-to-talk, the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 at $590 suits a team where the rear lens matters more than 4K, the VIM-POLICECAM4G2 at $530 gives live view and GPS without push-to-talk, and the VIM-PC-4G at $390 gives live view, GPS, push-to-talk and SOS where a shift runs to about eight hours. Read Fleet and Multi-Officer Deployment before ordering, particularly the part about walking the sites to test data coverage.
Sites with no network at all
Remote work, client sites where you may not use the WiFi, or anywhere the footage should simply stay put until you collect it. The VIM-POLICECAM13 at $350 records to 128GB, charges on a magnetic dock, and has no connectivity to set up or worry about. The VIM-PC-03 at $270 is the same idea for less, with no WiFi, Bluetooth or app at all, a card slot instead of built-in memory, and USB-C charging instead of a dock. The VIM-PC-02, also $270, keeps 128GB built in like the VIM-POLICECAM13 and charges over USB-C.
FAQs
Is it legal to wear a body camera in Australia?
Yes. Worn openly, a body camera can film in public places and on premises you control in every state and territory. Because it also records sound, the state rules on recording conversations apply, and telling people the camera is recording keeps you within them everywhere.
Do I have to tell people I am recording?
Telling them is the simplest way to stay within the law in every state and territory. In Victoria, Queensland and the NT you can record a conversation you are part of without telling the others, though sharing the recording is restricted. In NSW, Tasmania, the ACT, WA and SA you generally need consent, unless the recording is reasonably necessary to protect your lawful interests or falls within another narrow exception. A visible camera and a sentence at the start of an interaction cover it.
Do I need a licence to work as a security guard in Australia?
Yes. Paid security work needs a security licence from the state or territory you work in, and the licence classes and training differ between them. The camera needs no licence; the work does.
Can I wear a body camera at work?
With your employer's agreement, yes, and many employers now issue them. An employer introducing cameras should consult staff first, explain the purpose, and put a written policy in place covering when the cameras record and who watches the footage. NSW and the ACT also require written notice before workplace cameras or tracking start.
Can I buy a police body camera?
Yes. The word police in a product name describes the build and the features, not who may buy it, and any adult can buy one and wear it openly. A camera gives no authority, though, and red and blue lights or a siren must never be used to pass yourself off as police.
Do the 4G cameras need a subscription?
No subscription from us. You supply a SIM with a data plan from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or any provider on their networks, and that plan is the only ongoing cost. On the VIM-PC2-5G a fleet order has its platform set up for you under a one-time licence fee with no renewal, and the VIM-PC-4G fleet platform is also a one-time licence.
Will a 4G camera work in a basement or out in the country?
Only where there is mobile data. Streaming fails without coverage, though the camera keeps recording locally regardless, so the footage is still there when you dock it. Australia no longer has a 3G network, so there is nothing slower to fall back to, and coverage maps predict outdoor coverage for a phone rather than the inside of a building, so test the actual spots.
Does the SOS button call Triple Zero?
No. On the VIM-PC-4G, VIM-POLICECAM4G3 and VIM-PC2-5G the SOS key alerts your own control room with the wearer's position, and on the offline cameras it sets off the lights and siren on the camera itself. In an emergency, call 000 from a phone.
Does the docking station come with the camera?
With eight of the thirteen, yes: the POLICECAM10, 13, 17, 18, 4G2, 4G3, PC2-5G and PC-01 all include one. The POLICECAM12, POLICECAM16, PC-02, PC-03 and PC-4G charge by USB cable and come without a dock. The box contents on each product page list exactly what is included.
What is the warranty?
12 months from the date of purchase, the same as everything we sell. The guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law apply on top of it and can last longer than it.
Do these come with a memory card?
Most have storage built in, from 64GB to 128GB, and need nothing added. Six are different: the VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 are card-only up to 512GB with no card supplied, so order one with any of them; the VIM-POLICECAM4G3 ships with a 128GB card already fitted and takes up to 256GB; and the VIM-PC2-5G and VIM-PC-4G also arrive with a 128GB card fitted.
How long does a body camera actually last on a charge?
Between about 6 and 18 hours in this range, depending on the model. Real runtime falls short of the quoted figure whenever you record in 4K, run infrared at night, hold a mobile connection or work in the cold. Budget about a third more than your shift, or buy hot-swap.
What is pre-record and do I need it?
The camera buffers footage continuously and keeps discarding it, so pressing record also saves what happened just before. Published buffers here run from 5 seconds to 2 minutes. If the disputes you expect are about how an incident started, it is the most useful feature on the camera.
Can body camera footage be used as evidence?
Yes, and it often is, in workplace investigations, insurance claims, tribunal hearings and prosecutions. Keep the original file unedited, note the date, the time and who wore the camera, and do not crop or re-encode the copy you plan to rely on. A court can refuse evidence that was obtained unlawfully, so how a recording was made matters as much as what it shows.
How long is body camera footage kept?
On the camera, until the memory fills and loop recording begins overwriting the oldest files. Once it is copied off, keep it only as long as you need it for the purpose you recorded it: set a retention period, write it down, apply it consistently, and keep clips longer only where an actual incident or complaint is attached to them.
Responsible Use in Australia
Worn openly, a body camera stands on firm ground. A few plain rules cover the rest.
Video. Filming in a public place or on premises you control is generally fine across Australia. The camera comes off before you go into a bathroom, toilet, change room or anywhere people undress: filming people there without consent is a criminal offence in every state and territory.
Sound. Every camera here records audio, and the rules on recording conversations differ by state. Victoria, Queensland and the NT allow you to record a conversation you are part of, though sharing it is restricted. NSW, Tasmania, the ACT, WA and SA allow it without consent only in limited cases, such as protecting your lawful interests. Telling people the camera is recording keeps you within the rules everywhere.
Staff. NSW and the ACT require written notice before workplace cameras or tracking start, and Victoria and the ACT ban cameras in workplace toilets and change rooms. Consult before the rollout, and write down when the cameras record, who sees the footage and how long it is kept. Businesses covered by the Privacy Act 1988 must keep footage secure and delete it once it is no longer needed. A camera can be part of how a business manages the risks its staff face, alongside procedures rather than instead of them.
Licences and authority. Paid security work needs a licence from your state or territory. A camera gives no powers, and red and blue lights or a siren carry no authority: never use them to pass yourself off as police.
Sharing footage. Footage goes to the police, an employer, an insurer or a tribunal, not to social media. Every state restricts passing on recordings of private conversations, and posting identifiable people online can amount to a serious invasion of privacy.
This is general information, not legal advice. The rules differ between states and territories and can change, so if a recording is likely to end up in a dispute or a court, get advice for your situation.
Related Guides
Body cameras are worn openly. These guides cover the rest of the range.
- Wearable Cameras for the everyday-object versions: buttons, caps, watches and bags, for a person recording their own interactions without a uniform camera.
- Dash Cams for the vehicle half of the same job. Most people who need a body camera for field work need one of these too.
- Voice Recorders if sound is all you need: smaller, cheaper, longer runtime, and the same state rules on recording conversations.
- Hidden Cameras for fixed cameras that stay in a room rather than moving with a person.
- Counter-Surveillance if your concern is being recorded rather than doing the recording.
Shop Body Cameras
The shortest route is three questions: how long is the shift, does anyone need to watch it live, and will the footage be disputed. Those three answers choose the camera before you compare a single specification.
Thirteen cameras and one harness, $39 to $690, and the whole range is above. Only the VIM-POLICECAM18, VIM-PC-01 and VIM-PC-03 need a memory card added to the order.
Browse all Body Cameras, add a card from Memory Cards, or see the everyday-object alternatives in Wearable Cameras.
Last reviewed October 2026.