Best small outdoor security cameras

Top pick: eufy SoloCam S220. It's the one I'd put up first — a genuinely compact, fully wireless outdoor cam with sharp 2K video, human/face detection so you're not woken by every moth, and a strong 4.8-of-5 record across thousands of ratings. It works with the eufy app and Alexa/Google, and stores footage on the camera itself, so no subscription is needed to record.

Who the others suit:

• Tapo C402 SolarCam kit — if the camera spot has no easy power or Wi-Fi reach, the solar panel keeps it topped up and it's rated well by owners.
• Blink Outdoor 4 — if you want the simplest app and a big-name ecosystem; it's the priciest of the bunch and bulkier.
• Dzees 2K spotlight cam — if you want a siren and colour night vision on a tight budget; it's the least polished of the group.

Skip the no-name mini cams: several list no night vision or no app at all.