Spy Cameras
How to choose a spy camera
Fixed or carried
For a room in your own home or business, a hidden camera built into a clock, a charger or a speaker sits in plain sight and records for as long as it stays plugged in. For footage while you are moving, a wearable camera in a pen, a pair of glasses or a watch records what you are looking at, hands free.
Battery, mains, or both
A battery camera the size of a matchbox runs one to three hours of continuous recording. On motion detection it sleeps until something moves and lasts days in a quiet room. Mains power removes the limit altogether, which is why chargers, clocks, speakers and smoke alarms are the practical choice for anything long term.
Compare the types
 Hidden cameras |  Mini spy cameras |  Wearable cameras |  DIY modules | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Looks like | A clock, charger, speaker or smoke alarm | A matchbox or smaller | A pen, glasses or a watch | A bare lens and board |
| Power | Mains, runs indefinitely | Battery: hours continuous, days on motion | Battery: about 30 minutes to three hours, by model | Your choice |
| Live view | WiFi or 4G on most | WiFi on some | WiFi on some | WiFi or 4G modules |
| Suits | A room you own, long term | A shelf or cupboard, short term | Meetings and site visits you attend | Building into your own housing |
| Range | Hidden cameras | Mini spy cameras | Wearable cameras | DIY spy cameras |
Buying guides
Hidden Camera Buying Guide AustraliaThe object decides everything
Wearable Camera Buying Guide AustraliaPens, glasses, watches and caps
DIY Spy Camera Buying Guide AustraliaBuild a camera into your own housing
Counter-Surveillance Buying Guide AustraliaIf you want to check a room rather than watch one
Related
Hidden cameras Mini spy cameras Nanny cameras DIY spy cameras Wearable cameras Spy pen cameras Spy camera glasses Spy camera detectors
Common questions
Do spy cameras record sound?
Many do. Sound is the part with rules attached: recording private conversations you are not part of is generally not allowed, and the rules for your own conversations differ by state and territory. For a camera that runs while you are away, switch audio off and let it record video only.
Do I need WiFi?
Only for live viewing. Offline models record to a memory card and you review the footage afterwards. If there is no WiFi where the camera goes, a 4G model with a SIM slot streams over the mobile network instead.
How long do they record?
Battery models run one to three hours of continuous recording, or days in motion triggered standby. Mains powered models run without limit and loop over the oldest footage when the card fills.
Will it work in the dark?
Models with infrared see a dark room without lighting it up. The listing says whether a camera has it and roughly how far it reaches.
Is it legal to use a hidden camera in Australia? Australian law
On your own property, to protect your home, vehicle and family, yes, with limits. Surveillance devices laws differ by state and territory, and filming people where they expect privacy, such as a bathroom, a bedroom or a changing area, is not allowed. Recording private conversations you are not part of is generally not allowed either, so switch audio off for anything that records while you are away. A business using cameras should tell people they are being recorded.