So I have some Logitech outdoor cameras and use Apple HomeKit and have been having some issues and am looking at getting some new cameras. I like the security of Apple, just not the price of the hardware.
Question is what other cameras and apps do others use and how do you like;
Cameras
App
Price if you use their cloud storage
Any thing else you can think of
Thanks for the input.
I like Blink pretty well. They’ve got a few options from doorbell cam to outdoor wired and wireless, with or without motion lights. $5/month for cloud service. Plus, you get a discount on hardware with the service. Also, Prime discounts from time to time if you are a Prime member.
I use Blink as well but local storage and not the service. I’m not a big fan of my videos sitting on a Blink server (which I think was purchased by Amazon recently). I’ve been looking for a closed system but just haven’t found one within my price range.
I have Night owl, Swann, and Arlo cameras. I’m not crazy about the Swann app, I like the Night Owl app better. The Arlo Essential camera is a neat solution if you want true wireless. It has a built in rechargeable battery that lasts for months. I use it just to monitor my 3D printers. It has a 1/4-20 mount so I have it on a cheap tripod.
@GamecockOperator and I both use Wyze. They take good video, are cheap and easy to use on the app.
I wish I could use Ubiquiti for my outdoor cameras but I don’t have the time or feel like paying someone to setup Ethernet throughout the house. I have the wifi doorbell and use Reolink for my outdoor cameras. They work well and aren’t too expensive.
depending on your area install can be very affordable 
but ubiquiti does offer wifi solutions as well. a real camera system is totally worth having if companies are willing to use it to protect themselves against lawsuits i feel confident using it to protect my twinbed sized futon
Blink is ok but not great quality at night. If you would like to see some “real life” night videos from a Blink camera, and not something they include with their listing, let me know. Even with the IR on high and video quality on high, the video is terrible. During the day it’s not bad.
I still have a caveman setup. For some reason my brain tells me if I could sit at work and watch my front porch anybody in the world can sit where they are sitting and watch my front porch and anything else my cameras are pointed at. So I leave my cameras to recording to SD card and that’s it. If anybody wants to see the footage you have to come through me LOL
I used trail cams until this Blink stuff. Thinking about going back to them 
I use Blink and the Ring door bell. The Ring is basically a bait camera since everyone expects camera’s now. Most people don’t look for more camera’s when they see it.
Some of the more versed salesmen and ghetto rats will look straight at a Blink I positioned up out of reaching distance that has to be looked for. Some people step back out of view of both cameras but I catch them on other cameras.
Both types require internet to be functioning and cost around $10 a month for storage. I like the mobile alerts that internet connected cameras provide.
Would like to add in something that has local storage, not connected to the internet and has a legit battery backup though.
I use Blink with local storage instead of paying for the cloud storage.
I’ve got 5 cameras, I believe I can add three more…
I have Google and Wyze. The Google cams are better quality but the Wyze are decent and have a great price point. They have some interesting options too, like a camera connected to a garage door opener, a 3x optical zoom camera you can stack with a normal cam. Although I have some of their outdoor battery cams,I stick with wired powered for the majority. Google has no local storage, but impressive quality and image analysis for alerts, along with a battery for temporary power outages.
If you have other smart home devices, such as from Google or Amazon, stay in that ecosystem for best results. Lots of these smaller this party cameras work with both, but the ones from the company itself really integrate well.
I use Simplisafe. It works for me.
I use Lorex 16 camera systems. Storage is at my home and i can control and review things on my phone
if your camera has wifi option that isn’t setup because you only use SD card im already watching everything if im your neighbor across the street
i look right at the cameras, i don’t care what they think my intent is but, im not a criminal just cranky sometimes
I don’t assume someone looking at an obviously placed camera is a baddy. It’s a different story when they look at tucked away “hidden” cameras. I believe they are looking for cameras at that point. But it works all the same because I get their face.
Situational awareness can get a person a long ways but there aren’t any ninja’s waiting to drop out from under my eaves on unsuspecting folks. There is zero reason to visually search where I have a couple cameras and yet it still happens.
I have had the Wyze cameras on porches for years, at least 6 years. They back up to a TF card. Inexpensive. They now have a suite of products but the basic cameras are still under $40 and work great on wifi.
