Hiding a camera is not as easy as hiding anything else.
That’s because you need the lens to still be visible. If it isn’t, the camera obviously won’t be able to see what you want it to see.
This means that you essentially need to hide your security cameras in plain sight.
Is this even possible?
It is. There are actually a few different options for hiding a camera in plain sight.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
How To Hide A Camera In Plain Sight Indoors
There are many creative ways in which you can hide a camera in plain sight. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ones.
Place The Camera Behind Décor Items
This is an easy way to hide your camera without having to jump through lots of hoops. Place the camera behind items in the home that are already present in the room, like a potted plant or a mantelpiece.
If you’re only looking to record audio, this is easy. If you want video footage, you need to make sure the camera has a clear view of the area you want to record.
In this case, you can often place it between several decor items. A good example is putting it between statues, picture frames, or books on a bookshelf.
Put The Camera Inside Items
You can also find ways to place the camera inside various items. For example, you could put the security camera inside a tissue box and then cut a small hole in the front of the box so that the camera lens is able to record footage.
Another idea is to put the camera inside a stuffed toy. You can also place a small camera in a hanging potted plant, hiding it between the plant’s leaves.
Choose Cameras That Look Like Other Items
It’s not always easy to find the perfect spot to place a hidden camera, even if you’re trying to disguise it by placing it behind, between, or inside items.
This sometimes takes a bit of work, and if you don’t have time for that you can make use of a much easier alternative: buying cameras that are disguised to look like completely different items.
You can find a ton of these hidden cameras online. Here are some of the best spy cam products that you can purchase which will make sure that no one detects them in your home.
Spy Cam Clock
Looks and works like a regular nightstand clock, but it’s actually a spy cam. Most have a night vision feature so that you can capture video recordings even when the lighting is poor.
Check out our review of a good alarm clock with hidden camera.
Spy Camera Notebook
What’s more ordinary than a notebook? You can leave this lying around and the person you’re hoping to capture on camera won’t have a clue that the book is actually a camera in disguise.
This spy cam can record 1080p continuous or motion-activated video footage. It also has night vision capability and can store up to 32 GB of footage. The SD card is not included, so you’ll have to buy it separately.
Amazon has a few of these. This one is the best value for money.
Hidden Camera Smoke Detector
If you don’t want to leave a spy cam lying around, even if it looks like an everyday, ordinary object, you might want to install it right into one of the fixtures in your home so it’s even less noticeable.
If this sounds good, a spy cam smoke detector ticks all the right boxes. It has a motion detection feature and can take videos as well as pictures.
Read our review of our favorite spy cam smoke detector.
Hide A Camera In Plain Sight Outdoors
When you are placing cameras outdoors, we are generally talking about surveillance cameras. Sometimes you want your security cameras to be visible, because this can deter criminals.
Other times it is better to have hidden security cameras to catch people in the act of a crime. This might be the case if you want to monitor employees or people who are entering your home on a regular basis.
It’s also good to remember that hidden cameras means criminals won’t be able to disable them. If they don’t see the camera, you’ll be sure to get the incriminating video evidence that you need.
If you want to keep your security cameras concealed, try to find a hiding spot where they won’t be easily noticeable. But it obviously shouldn’t be so well hidden that its view is obstructed by objects.
With that in mind, let’s check out some of the best places to hide a security camera in plain sight.
Place The Camera In Trees
As long as you make sure that the camera lens isn’t obstructed by foliage, a tree is the perfect place to hide a security camera. People won’t expect that it’s there.
Place The Camera In Garden Items
You can be creative with outdoor cameras. You can put them in birdhouses or dog kennels, for example. Again, these are places where people won’t expect there to be security cameras.
Place The Camera In A High Position
People won’t usually look very far up in order to spot security cameras. You can use this to your advantage by placing the camera high on an exterior wall of your home. An alternative is to place it in an exterior light fitting.
Tips For Ensuring Camera Performance
- If you’re hiding a camera in plain sight indoors, for example placing it on furniture, ensure that the camera’s lens isn’t obstructed by anything. The camera will also need to be close to a power source so that its cord isn’t visible.
- If you’re using a wireless camera, make sure it’s in a spot where it will have a strong internet connection.
- A battery-operated camera will need to be fully charged and monitored on a regular basis so that it doesn’t let you down.
- If you’re installing a camera outdoors, you need to be sure that it’s resistant to weather conditions like extreme temperatures or rain. You might need to protect it from weather damage, by positioning it underneath a cover of some kind.
- You need to test the camera to ensure that it works well in different light conditions. If you’re recording audio, make sure that external sounds, such as traffic, don’t interfere.
Make Your Own Waterproof Camera Enclosure
You can make easy DIY enclosures for your camera in order to better camouflage it. This is especially useful for outdoor security cameras because it also serves to protect them against the elements.
An example worth trying is making your own birdhouse enclosure. Here is a DIY birdhouse camera enclosure tutorial that could come in handy if you want to conceal a camera in the garden.
It might inspire you to make enclosures for hidden cameras with other types of items you have lying around the home.
Extra Tips For Hiding A Camera In Plain Sight
Here are a few more tips to help you hide a camera in plain sight.
Position Your Camera As Far As Possible From The Target
This not only ensures a wider field of view, but it guarantees that your camera won’t be easily detected. Just make sure that you’ve checked the camera’s specs to be sure that it’s still within range to perform well.
Test Indoor Lighting Conditions
The natural light from the sun can create shadows in a room, or become so strong in one particular area of the home that it strikes the camera lens and makes it noticeable.
Therefore, once you’ve positioned your camera, make sure that you pay attention to how the light in the room changes throughout the day and how this affects the camera. Also check the recording, to see how effectively it records in all lighting conditions.
If the lighting has caused shadows to form in an area of the room where you’re recording, it could result in poor-quality views, so you should find a better place for your camera.
Hide A Camera In Plain Sight: Related Questions
Is using camera skins useful?
Camera skins can help to camouflage cameras that you wish to use indoors or outdoors. You can find skins that look like flower petals or toys, which are perfect for hiding your camera in plain sight.
Should you hide a camera behind glass?
If you want to put a camera on a windowsill, bear in mind that the glass could affect the camera’s motion detection and night vision features. It could also create glare.
Hiding Cam In Plain Sight: Conclusion
Having security cameras installed inside or outside your can help to improve the general safety of your home. Sometimes you will want to hide those cameras.
Hiding your camera allows you to capture video footage of criminals in your home or on your property without giving them the chance to notice and destroy the cameras. It also works to catch employees or contractors doing something they’re not supposed to.
Hopefully you now have a good idea where and how to best hide your cameras in plain sight.
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