The Mabnol : How to Hide a Security Camera Outside

Installing outdoor security cameras are a great way to keep an eye on your property when you’re not there. If there's a risk someone will destroy or damage the cameras, you may want to hide them. Fortunately, there are a variety of different products and methods you can use to obscure the appearance of your cameras.

EditSteps

EditConcealing Your Camera

Place your camera inside of a birdhouse or bird feeder. Point your security camera so the lens is facing out of the small opening in the front of the birdhouse or feeder.^[1]
- Point the feeder or house in the direction you want to monitor.
Hide your camera in a bush or tree. Thick leaves and shrubbery can hide the appearance of a security camera. Place your camera inside of a bush or tree and check the camera’s video feed to make sure that the lens isn’t obscured.^[2]
Conceal your camera in a fake rock or garden gnome. You can purchase a hollowed out garden gnome or rock online. Use a drill bit that’s as big as the lens on your camera and drill a hole in the fake rock or garden gnome. You can then place your camera inside of the fake rock or gnome and point the lens of the camera out of the hole.^[3]
- You can also place the camera on the inside of a clay pot.
- Attach the camera to the inside of the object with electrical tape to hold it in place.
Purchase a camera designed to look like a light fixture or doorbell. Some security cameras are designed to look like other things, like a light or doorbell. Look online for security or spy camera lights or lamps, and find one that fits your budget and need.^[4]
Put your camera inside of your mailbox. Hide your camera inside of your mailbox or the mailbox post. Drill a hole through the mailbox so that your camera can record what's happening outside of the mailbox.^[5]
Use PVC pipe to hide the wires on a wired camera. Leaving exposed or visible wires leading up to your camera will make the placement obvious to other people. If you plan on using a security camera that has wires, you need to dig a trench so that you can bury the PVC pipe that will house the wires.^[6]
- You may need to install a metal conduit or PVC pipe to hide the wires from an elevated camera.
Install a fake camera to take attention off your real camera. You can purchase a fake or "dummy" security camera online or at hardware stores. These will serve as a visible deterrent and will take attention off of your actual security cameras. Put these cameras in an area that people are able to see.^[7]
- Fake security cameras are usually $10-$30 USD per camera.

EditPurchasing the Ideal Equipment

Buy a smaller sized security camera. Large bulky cameras will be harder to conceal in plain sight. The smaller your camera, the easier it will be to hide. When considering your options, look for cameras that are smaller in size.^[8]
- Smaller sized cameras include the Netgear Arlo Pro, LG Smart Security Wireless Camera, and Nest Cam IQ.^[9]
Purchase a wireless security camera. Getting a wireless camera will prevent you from having to hide the wires that come with a wired camera. Wireless cameras are usually more expensive but will be much easier to hide.^[10]
- Popular brands of wireless security cameras include the Netgear Arlo Q, Belkin Netcam HD+, and the Amazon Cloud Cam.^[11]
Buy a camera that uploads to cloud storage. Purchasing a camera that automatically uploads video to cloud storage will ensure that you won’t lose important footage if your camera is tampered with or gets destroyed.
- Popular brands of security cameras that can upload to the cloud include the D-Link Day/Night Network Cloud Camera, Logitech Alert 750n Indoor Master System, and Netgear VueZone Video Monitoring System.^[12]