Some cameras are stand-alone and go off of batteries, while others are hardwired into a main electrical system that also can take the camera image and put it on a video or computer screen. Standalone systems are those that have the video in the camera itself that must be removed before you can see what the camera saw.

A few hidden security cameras use regular SD memory cards that can be sent to your home computer in order to review the camera shots. The SD memory cards are removed from the camera after it has taken the video stream and the card is put into the computer in a special slot for SD memory cards. This prevents the owner from setting up and wiring a fancy security setup.

You can even wear a video camera discretely. They can be put into neckties, hats or any other easily replaceable item of clothing. You need to have a separate recording device that the person wears in order to catch the audio stream. You can find cameras small enough to record harassment at the workplace or theft in your home. You can hook up the camera to the internet so you can see what’s happening in your home even when you’re at the office. Nanny cams also do the same thing. You can hook up a small camera and have it linked to your computer so you can see what’s happening with your baby at all times on the computer. Whoever is being watched won’t even know they are being watched.

You can have a camera system that includes audio so you can see what is happening and hear what is happening all at the same time. Most people don’t need audio, however, so they just have a silent camera system or stand-alone camera that records the visuals of what you want to monitor but there is no audio associated with it.

They make dome cameras which operate in black and white and let you see a wide angle picture. An infrared camera is also possible, which records things seen in the dark or near darkness. A bullet camera faces just one direction but is cheaper than a dome camera. You can get infrared cameras in a bullet or dome shaped mode. A C-mount camera allows for changing of the lens at any time. If you want a color camera, choose a C-mount camera that can allow for zoom lensing and good resolution, depending on the type of lens you choose. These are just a sampling of the types of cameras you can choose from.