A floodlight camera combines a smart camera with motion activated flood lights. Modern floodlight cameras using super bright LED panels which will last a very long time and they also feature smart motion alerts. This means the lights won’t keep turning on randomly.
The Best Floodlight Cameras in Australia
I took a look at a number of smart floodlight cameras that are currently available in Australia. Most of these cameras are hard-wired and need to be installed by an electrician,
but I’ve also included a battery powered option. All of these floodlight cams work in Australia on Australian voltage and the cloud storage options are available here as well.
In terms of build quality all of these cameras are similar. They are all rated to be weather resistant. I haven’t come across any issues in terms of build quality from any of these cameras.
Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus (and Pro)
The Ring Floodlight Wired Plus Cam has 2 motion activated LED floodlights and 1080p video recording. The Ring Floodlight Cam has smart alerts and you can setup custom motion zones. Ring Cam’s were one of the first smart camera devices. The app has had many updates and is one of the best to use. You will need a Ring Subscription if you want to record any of the motion alerts. You can view the video feed without a subscription but recordings won’t be saved.
Amazon also sells the Ring Floodlight Wired Pro Camera. From my tests, the Pro version had better alerts with fewer false alarms. The pro model also has 5ghz Wifi (in addition to 2.4ghz) which means it will be more reliable and I found I was able to connect to the video feed slightly faster.
Both the Ring Floodlight Cams offer excellent video quality. They both feature an alarm that you can set off to deter intruders.
Eufy Floodlight Pro 2k
The Eufy Floodlight Pro 2k is a wired floodlight cam that requires no subscription. If you’re looking for a floodlight camera that doesn’t require any ongoing subscription fees this is for you. I currently use the Eufy Indoor Camera in my smart home as it doesn’t require any subscriptions.
The Floodlight Pro 2k has three LED floodlight panels which are all adjustable and provide 3000 lumens of brightness. You can turn the lighting panels to light up specific areas and you can change the brightness and colour temperature within the Eufy app.
The Eufy Floodlight Pro 2k records to it’s own built in storage and isn’t compatible with the Eufy Homebase.
The Camera is a 360° pan camera and rotate and automatically track movement. If you’re looking to cover a larger field of view, such as an entire backyard, this camera can do that.
The one downside of the Eufy Camera is it doesn’t offer the same smart alerts as the Ring or Google cams. While it can detect a person, the alerts aren’t quite as intelligent and the Eufy app isn’t as polished as the Google or Ring Apps.
Eve Outdoor Cam (HomeKit Option)
The Eve Outdoor Cam is a HomeKit compatible floodlight Camera. This camera has been designed exclusively to work with HomeKit Secure Video. HKSV is a feature offered by Apple and is included for free with iCloud+ plans. If you’re already paying for more iCloud storage, you also have access to HomeKit Secure Video.
HomeKit Secure Video stores your recordings in the cloud but unlike Google’s Nest or Amazon’s Ring, the recordings are end-to-end encrypted. No one can view the video apart from you – not even Apple. If you’re concerned about privacy, this is currently the best option.
The Eve Cam works with HomeKit and will show up in the Home App on your iPhone or other Apple Device. You don’t need to sign up with Eve to install this cam.
If you currently use HomeKit and Apple Devices, this is the best camera for you because of the HomeKit integration. You will need an Apple TV, HomePod or HomePod mini to use this camera (away from home) as they act as a Home Hub.
I mainly use HomeKit in my smart home, so this camera integrates perfectly, but if you’re not already using Apple devices and have a home hub like HomePod, this camera might not be for you.
Google Nest Cam with Floodlight
If you currently use a Google Nest video doorbell or indoor Camera, then your best bet will be to also use the Google Nest Cam with Floodlight.
Google Nest Camera’s tend to have the best smart notifications. It can tell the difference between a person and a pet and you can also setup alerts for known people (i.e “Jim the dog walker is here”).
The Google Nest Cam with Floodlight has two adjustable floodlights. The brightness can be set within the Google Home App and you can also setup custom schedules to automatically turn the lights on and off.
If you currently use the Google Home ecosystem this camera offers the best integration.
This Google Nest Cam does support 24/7 recording with a Nest Aware Subscription. Without a subscription the camera will still work and I have found the free version of Nest Aware to offer more than the free version of Ring’s subscription.
Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera (Battery Option)
The Arlo Pro 3 is a battery powered floodlight camera. This is the only smart floodlight camera on this list that doesn’t need to be installed by a licensed electrician. The camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery.
Arlo says that battery will last 3-6 months. In my experience with Arlo cams, it will only last 3 months. It is dependent on how often it detects motion and starts recording. You can also but a solar panel accessory for this Camera so it doesn’t need to be charged.
The Arlo Pro 3 does work without a subscription but you will need an Arlo Secure Subscription to store recordings. Without a subscription you can view the camera live feed, but the recordings aren’t saved.
The Arlo Pro 3 does work with HomeKit. This means the video feed will show up in the Home App. It doesn’t work with HomeKit Secure Video as Arlo wants you to pay for their subscription.
Other Options
I keep this section updated with other floodlight cams that are available in Australia but don’t make my list of top picks.
Orion Floodlight Camera
The Orion Floodlight Camera is an Australian Grid Connect smart camera. I currently don’t recommend it for a couple of reasons. I’ve found Grid Connect products to be a bit hit and miss. Because most of the devices are Tuya products rebadged with “Orion” or “Arlec” branding, the quality and overall user experience isn’t on par with the other cameras I’ve tested. The Orion Floodlight Camera had multiple dropout issues when I tested it and looking at online reviews, others have had similar issues.
Installing a Floodlight Camera in Australia
Most of these floodlight cameras are wired. They don’t plug into a power point and are mains hard wired. You will need a licensed electrician to install these floodlight cams in Australia. Once the light has be wired by an electrician you’ll be able to setup the camera using your phone.
If you want an LED floodlight camera that doesn’t require an electrician choose the Arlo Pro Cam 3 which is battery powered and can be installed anywhere.
Solving Connection Issues with Floodlight Cameras
Smart Floodlight Cameras tend to have more connection issues than other smart home devices. This is because they are located outside, further away from your Wifi Router and also require quite a bit of bandwidth for video streaming. A wifi extender may help if you’re getting connection dropouts and the router is located far from the camera. The best solution is a mesh wifi router setup which will blanket your entire property with Wifi. However these are more expensive to setup.
I currently use the Google Mesh Wifi routers, and it has been super reliable with my smart cameras and other smart devices.
