Wireless mini cameras for covert video surveillance are installed in apartments and office premises. The compact size allows you to record from any convenient point in the room.
Varieties of mini cameras for covert surveillance
Mini camcorders differ in device, method of execution and principle of operation. Wired models require the use of cable products (such as twisted pairs or fiber optic products). For hidden installation, they are used infrequently due to the difficulty of organizing inconspicuous passage of conductors. Basically, wireless cameras are purchased for these tasks.
Analog
In small analog models, image transmission is realized by means of an electric television signal. They are susceptible to interference, which can even be caused by weather events. Now such devices are not popular due to the proliferation of miniature digital models that give good picture quality at an affordable price.
Digital
A wireless mini-camera for video surveillance is installed in the area of availability of mobile signals. Usually these are models for use in a home or organization: outdoor installation is rarely practiced. Wall barriers slow down signal transmission. Reducing the speed of transmission can create network interference, while they practically do not affect the quality of shooting.
With internal memory
Some devices have a slot for a removable drive, others only work from internal memory. Copying the record obtained as a result of tracking to a computer or laptop in this case is realized via a USB cable.
Mini Wi-Fi cameras
A hidden surveillance camera for a home with remote access transmits a signal to a PC via a router. The record can be stored on a computer or in a cloud service. The user can view what is being done in his home from any device that has Internet access. The model can work from a network or the battery. Some wireless mini cameras for covert surveillance are equipped with a motion sensor. Initiating a recording when this indicator is triggered allows the device to consume memory more economically. You can configure the sending of a mobile message to the user when the sensor is triggered, which will help to respond to threats more quickly.
Mini webcams
For home installation, such cameras work via the Internet and WiFi. The user can connect to it from his device anywhere. On trips, the device acts as a DVR.
Spy Mini Camcorders
Such devices for covert video surveillance can be disguised as objects or devices or installed inside them. The camcorder can take the form of a car key fob, pens, brooches, hide in a badge. For home use, the device is placed, for example, inside a security sensor.
Key Features of Mini Cameras
Small cameras consist of a lens, a viewfinder, a sensitive sensor. Devices can be made in the case or frameless version. The second type is suitable only for indoor installation (at the same time there should be no high humidity).
Cameras are used for the following purposes:
- security control at home or office in the absence of people;
- monitoring staff activities - for example, housekeepers or nannies;
- control over the work of the organization’s employees;
- performing the function of a DVR for a car;
- recording seminars and lectures.
Battery power and other types of batteries are used for power. There is an option to connect to the mains. Special miniature batteries are available for microcameras.
Despite the size, many modern devices are capable of recording video in HD and even Full HD quality. The resulting image may be monochrome or color.
Advantages and disadvantages of mini cameras
The main advantages of mini-video cameras are portability and compactness. The design allows you to install the device at any point from which a favorable view of the room or object is provided, as well as transfer it from place to place. However, you need to consider - the closer the router is located, the faster the signal is caught. Since the field of view of the micro-video camera is unknown to others, on recording their behavior appears in a natural way. If an unpleasant incident has occurred, the recorded material can be used as confirmation (this also applies to use as a car registrar).
Wireless connection makes it possible to monitor the situation at the guarded object remotely at any time. The highly sensitive matrices available in some devices allow you to achieve high-definition images, as well as shoot in the dark. The cameras are easy to install and configure.
The downside is the low battery power: on their own resources, they are able to continuously take only a few hours. However, in observation mode, the instruments can operate up to two weeks. To save battery power (as well as memory) allows the function to enable recording only when the motion sensor is triggered.
Criterias of choice
The viewing angle of the device is chosen in accordance with the objectives of its acquisition. To cover a large area requires a large angle. However, in this state of affairs, high definition images are not always achieved. If detailing a picture has high priority, you need a model with a small angle. When mounted near a window or above a door, such a camera can be directed to the gate.
The resolution matters: the larger the number, the clearer and better the video will turn out. For wider coverage, zoom and other accessories are used. There are miniature cameras that can ensure the quality of shooting, allowing to identify a human face at a distance of 50 m.
The sensitivity of the devices, measured in lux, determines the minimum level of illumination perceived by the matrix. Camcorders are often equipped with backlight diodes, which allows for night shooting.
A microphone will be helpful. A legible recording of audio signals is obtained within a few meters of the device.
Models that work with Wi-Fi signals are preferably mounted inside the room. This is due to the high probability of a decrease in the transmission speed when passing through walls and similar obstacles. This effect is especially pronounced in buildings made of concrete with metal fittings. Also, signal distortion can be introduced by household appliances that work with microwave waves. The distance to the receiver recorded in the technical documentation indicates the limit of direct visibility. GSM camcorders are equally suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
How and where to install
When performing installation work, you must adhere to the instructions given in the accompanying documents. It is important to consider where the camera will be located. For covert shooting, it can be placed in a suspended ceiling structure or wall niche. The viewing angle of the device itself and the optimal area of controlled space are also taken into account.
For the camera you will need to buy a DVR.When choosing, you need to pay attention to device compatibility. Optimally, if they are from the same manufacturer. When buying, the video recording format, the number of channels for sound and image, and the speed of the process are taken into account. You will need to configure the parameters with which the device will work: contrast, brightness and sensitivity.
To configure the equipment, you will need a monitor and a special cable with connectors for connection. Having placed all the equipment in the designated places, connect the wires to the devices for video recording. Then connect the connecting cable and power supply (the polarity must be observed). The monitor is connected to the recorder and plugged in. Now you can start the video recording.
A series of legislative prohibitions
The law prohibits the installation of hidden cameras in public places. When installing such equipment, it is necessary to place a warning sign in the controlled area. Otherwise, the camera may be seized and the owner fined. If such a device is mounted in an office or other institution, this should be reported to all employees. It is advisable to conclude an agreement on the collection of information and familiarize employees with it against signature.
Shooting in the home is permitted if the video is not going to be distributed in the future. At the same time, it is forbidden to mask equipment for household items (such as lamps and watches) or place it in them. Even for the purchase or sale of a tracking device designed as a daily use item, the law provides for imprisonment of up to 4 years. It is not forbidden to place the camera in a security or fire detector, but it is recommended to hang a sign next to it.
The law does not allow the use of models with very high sensitivity (in numbers - 0.001 lux or less) and with the shape of a lens in the form of a needle eye. Such devices are spyware.
The presence of a camera in the home must be warned to everyone who visits it. If a nanny or other maintenance personnel work in the house, they must also be notified.
