A security camera earns its keep the first time a courier claims they knocked, and the current crop needs no subscriptions, no installers and often no wiring at all. The three below cover the main ways Australians actually set them up.
1. Best Overall: eufy Floodlight Camera E30
eufy's E30 pairs a 2K camera with proper motion-triggered floodlights, and its 974 owners average 4.5 stars. Footage stays on the device rather than a paid cloud, AI tells people from possums, and the floodlights alone end the side-path fumble.
At around $280 it replaces an existing outdoor light fitting, which is how it gets mains power, so it suits the spot where a floodlight already lives. Hard-wiring into a new position is an electrician job.
What We Like:
- Floodlights built in
- No subscription needed
- Local storage
What We Don't Like:
- Needs a wired light point
2. Best Wired: Reolink RLC-520A PoE
The Reolink is the CCTV-proper option: one Ethernet cable carries power and footage, the 5MP image beats most wireless units, and 799 owners average 4.5 stars. It records continuously to a network recorder or SD card rather than only on motion.
At around $85 a camera it's the cheapest path to a multi-camera setup that never needs charging. The trade is the cable run, which is roof-crawling DIY or a data cabler's visit.
What We Like:
- Around $85 a camera
- Continuous recording
- No batteries ever
What We Don't Like:
- Cable runs required
3. Best Budget Solar: TMEZON Solar PTZ
The TMEZON straps to a fence post, tops itself up from a small solar panel, and pans 360 degrees on command, with 869 owners averaging 4.3 stars at around $76. For sheds, gates and rentals it removes every installation excuse.
Like all battery cameras it wakes on motion rather than recording continuously, and a string of cloudy weeks can still want a top-up charge.
What We Like:
- Solar keeps it charged
- Pans on command
- Strap-on install
What We Don't Like:
- Motion-wake only
Other options worth a look
- Ring and Google Nest — the doorbell-first ecosystems at electronics retailers; polished apps, with subscriptions doing the heavy storage lifting.
How to pick a security camera
Power is the real decision. Battery units install anywhere and wake on motion; wired units record everything, always. Where footage matters legally, continuous beats clips.
Storage fees are the hidden price. Cloud plans run $5 to $15 monthly per camera forever. The eufy and Reolink route stores locally for free, which is why both dominate owner reviews here.
Night quality varies wildly. Colour night vision needs either a spotlight, like the E30's, or a bigger sensor, like the Reolink's. Grainy grey footage of a hoodie helps nobody.
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FAQs
Do I need council or landlord permission?
Renters generally need landlord sign-off for anything screwed to the building, which is exactly why the strap-and-solar class exists. Pointing any camera into a neighbour's private space breaches surveillance rules in most states.
Will they work with the NBN dropouts?
Local-storage cameras keep recording through internet outages; only remote viewing pauses. Cloud-dependent cameras record nothing while the connection is down, which owners discover at the worst moment.
