More and more often, people are looking into buying security cameras for their homes, offices, or similar. This means that there’s been an increase in options available in the market, to suit the different needs and preferences.
It’s important to feel secure and in control of your own home, whether it be that you want to keep an eye on things or have peace of mind, or even monitor your dog while you’re away from the house. A light bulb security camera is an excellent option, as it looks just like any other normal lightbulb! Nobody will even know it’s there, and it won’t look awkward or out of place whatsoever, so your house still feels like a home.
Light bulb security cameras aren’t only easy to hide and blend in as a normal household object, they’re also really easy to install and have a great camera angle to monitor the room they are placed in.
It is no wonder they’re becoming more and more popular, maybe someone you know already has one and you haven’t noticed! Maybe look a little closer to light bulbs from now on huh?
However, even amongst light bulb security cameras, there can be variations and different things on offer, varying from brand to brand and product to product.
To help you buy the best option for your surveillance needs, we’ve compiled a list with our top five picks for best light bulb security cameras!
In a hurry? Here is our top pick…
| Rank | Name | Key Features | Ratings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |   | • Ultra-bright dimmable floodlights • Full-color night-vision • Two-way audio • Works With Alexa • Auto Off in 60s after • Motion Ceased • Waterproof • Motion sensors up to 30ft • Enhanced wireless antennas for strong WIFI connection | 5 | $$ |
| #2 |  | • Night vision • 2 way audio communication • 360 degree panoramic view angle • HD quality • Connects to the app for settings | 4.5 | $ |
| #3 |  | • Can have an SD card added for video storage • 360 degree panoramic view with no blind spots • Intelligent AI mode and smart sensors • 2 way audio communication | 4 | $ |
| #4 |  | • Also functions as a normal light bulb • 360 degree fisheye view • Excellent night vision, with IR lights • 2 way audio communication | 4 | $ |
| #5 |  | • 360 degree viewing angle • Easy to install with friendly user app • 5 different viewing modes • 18-month warranty | 4 | $ |
Sengled Floodlight Camera
The best overall light bulb security camera, which we’ve placed at the top of this list, is the Sengled Floodlight Camera.
Super easy to install, as it is wireless, and can be used both indoors and outdoors thanks to its waterproof outer-casing. It has two-way audio, which means that apart from seeing and hearing what the camera records live, you can speak through it from your mobile or tablet.
Great way to spook the guests! It features motion-activated alerts within 30 feet, with a floodlight sensor that has ultra-bright dimmable floodlight, and you can set it to notify you anytime it senses movement.
Nighttime isn’t an issue, as it has a full-color night vision with a 140-degree wide-angle. The WIFI connection is strong and stable, thanks to the enhanced wireless antennas on the camera.
And with the Sengled Floodlight, you can also get optional subscription plans to gain access to unlimited cloud storage for your 24 hour live security recordings.
- Best overall option
- Two-way audio
- Motion sensors
- Floodlights
- Full-color night-vision
- Optional subscription to cloud storage
- Enhanced wireless antennas
- No downsides
Rayolon Home Camera
The Rayolon Home Camera doesn’t have as many features as our top pick, but it’s got excellent quality and it’s a favorite among customers, being highly efficient and budget-friendly.
It’s the perfect security camera for monitoring an entire room, with 360 degrees of panoramic view and a highly HD video quality. It also has a night vision function with clear images, so this camera can be used 24 hours a day and night. It also has a 2 way audio communication, meaning you can hear what’s going on in real live time, and you can talk back.
Ideal for talking to your guests even when not in the room, or for soothing your baby if you’re using the camera as a baby monitor.
Easy to install, it’s supported by WIFI and connects to an app you can download onto any device, so you can always keep track of your security. When the motion sensors catch movement or a change in light in the room, they send an alert notification to your app.
You can also control the floodlights from your app, and set different alarms or recording options.
- 360 degree panoramic view angle
- HD quality
- Night vision
- 2 way audio communication
- Connects to the app for settings
- Not waterproof – can only be used indoors
Besdersec Home Camera
The Besdersec Home Camera is a great affordable option that offers full monitoring of a room, indoors or outdoors, with no blind spots whatsoever. This is thanks to its 360 degree panoramic view that is enhanced to cover every single area.
It features an intelligent AI mode and a smart motion alarm, which makes the light bulb camera light up whenever someone walks by, in the same way a normal sensor light would on a porch. The sensors activate the recording, and an alert is sent to your device with live footage for you to monitor the situation.
It also has a two way audio communication system, meaning you could give out instructions or warnings as well as hearing the responses.
A good quality color video during the day, and a decent night vision at night, the camera is good to go any time. You can add an SD card into your light bulb camera to save the videos it records if you want to keep them.
- 360 degree panoramic view with no blind spots
- Intelligent AI mode and smart sensors
- 2 way audio communication
- Can have an SD card added for video storage
- Video quality could be better
JBonest Light Bulb Camera
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For those using a budget-friendly, easy to use and high quality camera, the JBonest Light Bulb is another excellent choice.
It has a wide angle camera, with a 360 degree fisheye view, to monitor the entire room. It also has an excellent night vision, with three IR LED lights that will turn on when detecting movement in darkness, to better record and capture live footage of the situation.
The two way audio communication system is a handy feature that allows you to communicate with the room you are monitoring live. This security camera also sends you push notifications every time it detects movement, so you can be alerted that something is happening or someone is there, and you can immediately log into your device to view the footage.
And as it is a light bulb security camera, it can also function as a normal light bulb, with adjustable brightness that you can set up through the app! Nobody will suspect a thing, and it’s practical!
- 360 degree fisheye view
- Excellent night vision, with IR lights
- 2 way audio communication
- Also functions as a normal light bulb
- Not waterproof
Hijunmi Light Bulb Camera
The Hijunmi Light Bulb Camera is another great option, as it is super easy to install, by inserting into a light bulb fixture, and the set up is done through the app, with step by step instructions that show you everything you need to know.
This camera has a 360 degree viewing angle, with no blind spots, and features 5 different viewing modes to suit your preferences and needs. It has a high HD day vision, and a night vision powered by LED lights, and you can insert an SD card into the camera to loop your videos and store them to view again.
The motion sensors will send you a push notification on the app any time they detect movement, and you can play back the clips of footage from the alert to check as many times as you want. A great feature that Hijunmi offers is the 18-month warranty on the light bulb camera, so you can rest assured you’ll be taken care of if anything happens to the camera.
- Easy to install with friendly user app
- 360 degree viewing angle
- 5 different viewing modes
- 18-month warranty
- Night vision could be better
- The light is a bit dim
Best Light bulb Security Camera Buyer’s Guide
A light bulb security camera might sound a little weird, but that’s exactly what it is: a security camera in the shape of a light bulb!
Not only does it look like a normal household object, therefore being unidentifiable as a security camera, it also actually works as a lightbulb and can be adjusted to be a bright light in the room.
Most of them have a really good viewing angle, and the positioning of the camera allows for it to monitor an entire room, including during night time, so you can keep an eye on things.
They’re an excellent choice and really easy to set up, as you can simply install them into a normal light bulb socket, and can monitor the setting through a WIFI supported app.
However, despite being a lot easier to use than other cameras, the light bulb security camera is still a technical device, with different features that might be a little harder to understand if you have no camera or security knowledge at all.
So, what should you look out for when choosing your own? You want your security camera to be as efficient as possible, with as many helpful features for a budget-friendly price as possible, and of good quality.
To help you understand what you should keep an eye out for, we’ve summed up the main features and traits that a good security camera should have, in this little buyer’s guide.
Image quality:
Since a security camera is used to monitor a place, you need the image quality to be as HD as possible, and clear enough for you to properly see what is going on at every moment.
You need to check the quality of the night vision recording, and whether it is also HD and clear enough, as some cameras might struggle. The best cameras will even have full color night vision, so it’s definitely something to look for if that’s what you want.
Coverage:
The coverage of the camera is the amount of space and angles it can record in its footage.
A lot of light bulb cameras have a 360 degree panoramic view, which does a great job at covering the entire room. Some cameras will also claim to have a no blind spot feature, which ensures there’s no area left unwatched.
A good thing to check is whether or not the camera is waterproof, as that will determine whether it can be used in outdoors areas or not, which always gives you the option of more coverage around your house.
Lighting:
A light bulb security camera also doubles up as a normal light bulb, and most of them have adjustable brightness levels to function as a good light within the room they are in.
However, it’s good to read the customer reviews of products, as some light bulb cameras are a little too dim and don’t function as a light as well.
It’s also good to check if the lighting can be controlled through the app, or what kind of lighting activates when the motion sensors detect movement. A lot of cameras automatically light up when someone walks past, so this is something you need to be aware of and choose depending on what you want.
Audio System:
Apart from being able to visually monitor a room, it’s extra helpful to be able to receive live audio, so you can also hear what’s going on.
It’s even better when you can also speak through the camera yourself, either to respond to a situation or to narrate specific instructions to the person you’re seeing through the camera.
This is possible through a two way audio communication system, and it’s something that a lot of light bulb security cameras have. It’s good to check that it’s a feature, as it would be a shame if you chose a camera that didn’t have it.
Memory capacity:
Different types of light bulb security cameras will store the footage in different ways. A lot of cameras will have the option of inserting an SD memory card into the bulb, so that the footage can be stored and viewed again when retrieved.
Other cameras send the footage straight to a cloud storage service that can be accessed through the app, meaning you have to ensure you have a strong and reliable WIFI connection at home.
There are cameras, like our top pick, that offer cloud subscriptions for that extra amount of storage, so you can keep all the recordings safe and organized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are light bulb security cameras legal?
Laws and regulations vary from state to state, so please make sure to check the legality in your area, to make sure it’s allowed. As a general rule, it’s perfectly legal to install security cameras in your own home.
However, there are certain things that aren’t legal to be recorded. Try and avoid placing security cameras in places that might violate individual and personal privacy, such as bathrooms or bedrooms.
Also take into account that some people might not want to be recorded, and it could cause issues if you have done so without their permission.
How do I install a light bulb camera?
One of the reasons why light bulb cameras are so popular is because they are really easy and quick to install.
You can install them by simply screwing them into any normal light bulb socket, as they have the same attachments as a normal light bulb. That way, anywhere in the room where you have a light bulb is an optional placement for your security camera.
Are light bulb security cameras wireless?
Light bulb security cameras are really easy to use, install, and upkeep. They are completely wireless, as they function through a WIFI connection. They share their 24 live security streams with a device of your choice, so you always have eyes on the room, where you are.
Make sure you have a strong WIFI service at home to allow for the usage of the light bulb security camera and take into account that not all light bulb security cameras will be able to use more advanced WIFI options such as 5G.