A security camera is only as useful as the footage you can actually retrieve, which makes storage the first thing to settle. Cameras that record to a microSD card in the camera keep working with no monthly fee, while cameras that record only to the cloud stop being useful the moment a subscription lapses.

Power is the second decision. Wired cameras never need charging and record continuously, but have to reach a plug. Battery cameras go anywhere and typically record only on motion to preserve charge, which suits a gate or a driveway better than a permanently busy area.

Night performance is where cheap and good cameras separate most visibly. Infrared gives usable monochrome images in complete darkness, while colour night vision needs either a very sensitive sensor or a built-in spotlight.