Join ConsumerLoginDonate
  • Consumer NZ
  • About us
  • Consumer rights and advice
  • Subscribe to our newsletters
  • Media releases
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Community guidelines
  • Contact us
  • Membership
  • Join
  • Membership support
  • Consumer magazine
  • Consumer Advice Line
  • Top tests and reviews
  • Other sites
  • Campaigns
  • Stop misleading supermarket pricing
  • Fix the broken electricity market
  • Sign the flight rights petition
  • Stamp out scams
  • Right to repair
  • End greenwashing now

Follow us

© Copyright Consumer NZ. All rights reserved.

How we test security cameras

Find the best security camera for your home with our buying guide and test results for 18 new and 26 discontinued models.

December 2025
  • Compare (44)
  • Buying guide
  • How we test

Whether it’s designed for inside or out, a security camera needs to offer a clear picture, reliable detection and a good user experience. But you also need to be confident a criminal can’t use it to see inside your house.

Our independent testing covers indoor cameras, outdoor cameras and video doorbells. We test them all to the same criteria so they’re as comparable as possible. They all have the same job, after all – to give you a clear view of what’s happening on your property.

Overall score breakdown

Our overall rating is comprised of 5 subscores.

  • Video quality is measured both indoor and outdoor, during the day and at night.

  • Detection and notifications covers how reliably the camera detects motion, both day and night, and at multiple sensitivity settings. Also rates the quality of phone and email notifications.

  • Ease of use covers mounting and setup, use from smartphones and desktops, as well as changing settings and receiving updates.

  • Security and privacy measures how well the service protects against potential attacks, and how much data it collects from you.

  • Audio quality mostly concerns how well the microphone picks up sound, but also rates the speakers if applicable.

Was this page helpful?

More from Consumer

20sep smart appliances and privacy promo

Smart appliances: convenient or creepy?

8 September 2020
13dec homesecurity hero

Home security

2 December 2013

Baby monitor reviews

September 2024
Wedges in an air fryer.

Air fryers

Updated October 2025