Traditional outdoor floodlights that broadcast intense light with a wide beam are ideal for lighting up driveways, pools, and every other part of your property. Most floodlight fixtures use a motion sensor to automatically turn the lights on when they detect motion, but if you want to see who or what triggered them, you need a smart floodlight camera.
As their name implies, these devices combine a floodlight and a security camera into a single outdoor fixture. They typically use Wi-Fi to connect to your home network and allow you to control them with your phone, and in some cases, your voice. Most sport durable designs that can handle any type of weather.
However, not all floodlight cams offer the same features. For example, some pricier models have smart detection and recognition capabilities. Others offer broad support for third-party smart home devices and platforms.
We cover everything you need to know about choosing a smart floodlight camera below our top picks, but make sure to check out our reviews for more specific information on each option.
How Bright Do Floodlight Cameras Get?
Most smart floodlight cameras use dual-LED lamps to light the way. A typical bulb in a smart floodlight puts out anywhere from about 500 to 3,000 lumens; the combined brightness of the two bulbs in dual-LED configurations typically outshines single-bulb models. For context, a 3,000-lumen LED bulb is roughly equivalent to a 200-watt incandescent bulb.
Smart floodlight cameras typically don't use replaceable bulbs, but you can expect them to last anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 hours of use.
Blink Wired Floodlight Camera (Credit: Amazon)Any model worth its salt can respond to motion and sound events, but some fixtures even let you dim the lights or create custom lighting effects. If you use Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri voice commands to control your smart home devices, make sure your floodlight cam supports independent voice controls for the lights and camera. You should also ensure that it is capable of streaming video feeds to an indoor smart display such as an Amazon Echo Show or a Google Nest Hub.
What Resolution Floodlight Camera Do You Need?
The camera component of a smart floodlight is just as important as the light source, as it enables you to see what's going on outside. Many offer the same features that you get with standalone outdoor security cameras, including the ability to respond to motion detection events by turning on the lights, sending an alert, or recording the event.
The cameras typically house Wi-Fi or Bluetooth radios to connect the fixture to your home network and feature weather-resistant enclosures that protect them from the elements. If you have a lot of smart devices on your network, consider choosing a dual-band camera that can connect to either the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi or 5GHz bands.
Most floodlight cameras record 1080p video, but a handful can go up to 2K. Although you get a sharper image from a 2K camera, streaming video smoothly at that resolution requires a strong network connection. Moreover, higher-resolution video requires more storage space and might result in more expensive cloud storage fees; we detail these fees in each of our reviews. Look for a camera that offers a wide field of view and uses high dynamic range (HDR) technology to enhance contrast, too.
Many cameras use infrared LEDs for black-and-white night vision, but some employ special sensors that use low ambient light to capture color video at night. Either way, you should make sure your floodlight cam can record clear video out to around 30 feet.
Do Floodlight Cameras Have Alarms?
Shining a light on potential thieves and intruders can be a good deterrent, but some situations call for more drastic measures. If you live in an area where package thefts or car break-ins are common, look for a floodlight camera that has a built-in siren that you can activate from the app or program to go off when it detects motion. You should look for a siren with a volume somewhere in the 100dB range (or louder if you live near a busy roadway). Flashing lights are also ideal for letting visitors know that you're aware of their presence.
Make sure your floodlight camera has a two-way talk option that lets you converse with whoever is out there. And if you want to play a personalized audio message, look for a model that lets you prerecord messages. Doing so can help make it appear like you're home even if you’re not.
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera (Credit: Arlo)Do You Need an Electrician to Install a Floodlight Camera?
If you use Alexa, Google, or HomeKit to control your smart home, pick a floodlight camera that works with your platform of choice so you can run routines and set it to interact with your other smart home devices. Or, look for a model that supports IFTTT, a service that enables you to set up integrations with lots of third-party apps and smart devices. If you want to future-proof your setup, be sure your choice supports Matter, a newer standard that bridges multiple platforms.
Some floodlight cameras contain a microSD card slot that you can use to store local video recordings, but others require you to pay for a cloud subscription to access them. If you require access to your video from anywhere then cloud storage is the way to go, but otherwise, you can get away with local storage. Better yet, look for a model that offers both options.
Finally, installing a floodlight camera is fairly easy, but wired fixtures require you to deal with high-voltage electrical wiring. If you’re not comfortable with that, then consider hiring a professional for the installation. Or you can opt for a battery-powered fixture; they don’t require any wiring whatsoever, but you likely need to charge them frequently depending on their recording resolution and amount of use.
For more, check out our Readers' Choice Awards to see which security cameras and brands other PCMag readers trust most.
Once you find the right camera, head over to our tips for setting it up. And for an even more advanced way to keep a set of eyes on your home, both indoors and out, see our picks for the best smart home security systems. Finally, check out our story on how to set up a DIY home security system if you want to save on subscription fees.
