Thursday, September 26, 2013

JLM Security Products Becomes Our Newest Market Pro Dealer

We're happy to give a Market Pro high five to JLM Security Products. After creating a nice video for the redesigned Zone Shield Clock Radio hidden camera DVR, they also participated the most in our #zoneshield Twitter campaign.

Check out their blog for up to date articles on surveillance and covert security.

• Follow their branded Twitter, You Tube, and Facebook feeds for special news about SleuthGear® products.

• Watch their video about the Zone Shield Clock Radio. Simple, but hits the high notes:


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Lighting conditions for optimal video quality

If you’re the first time owner of a hidden camera, there are several things you should know about lighting conditions and camera positioning before you begin recording footage.

Hidden surveillance cameras feature a pinhole camera, which due to the physical size of the lens, require well lit rooms for optimal image quality.

The good news is that many hidden cameras feature night vision technology, which is best when lighting conditions are not monitored and controlled, such as when you are away and lights are turned off, or overnight. Overall, night vision works better than non-night vision options even under typical household lighting conditions.

And when it comes to the positioning of a night vision camera, think of it like a flashlight. You aim your flashlight beam directly towards what you want to see. You may still see what is just on the edges of the beam, though it is more difficult to see. So, if you’re recording in the dark, be sure to point the camera lens’ “beam” to the area you wish to view best.

So, while night vision offers the best video quality in all lighting environments, keep in mind that while hidden surveillance cameras by their nature may not pick up the finest details of a subject, they will pick up the most important ones like male vs. female, ethnicity, type of clothing, physical activity of the person being recorded, etc.

Let’s take a look at a few images pulled from video footage. The images below show color video taken in well-lit and low light conditions using both non-night vision and night vision cameras. Notice the dramatic improvement in quality on the images done in house, especially the “well lit” conditions.

Non Night Vision recording in average lighting, notice the halo on the package:














Recording in average lighting with Night Vision:






















Night Vision recording in complete darkness:




















Lighting conditions are just one factor to consider when selecting the best hidden camera for your business or personal surveillance needs. The overall quality of the camera itself will play a large role in video quality – no matter the lighting conditions. If you want to ensure you’re selecting a higher quality device, we highly recommend looking for products designed in the U.S.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Meet our first Market Pro Dealer

We are happy to introduce our Market Pro Dealer program. As a wholesale distributor of spy and surveillance equipment, we depend on Dealers understanding our products enough to create engaging and timely content them. Home Security Store has done just that with a video blog detailing why you should choose a SleuthGear® hidden camera over the cheaper Chinese-made variety.

Click below to watch the video, then stay on their site to shop all the different SleuthGear cameras available.


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Honest Reviews calls the Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio DVR “a great product”

Tech expert Tony Tran with The Honest Reviews recently reviewed our new Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio DVR and we’re pleased that he rated the camera four out of five stars – and even higher on the design and ease of use. We’ve pulled out a few excerpts from the review below.

Here’s what Tony had to say about the design:
“The clock radio is light and the design is very stylish which makes it great to look at. It feels and weight similar to my real alarm clock, so there is no way to tell that it’s a hidden camera unless you open it up and look inside.”

And the video quality:
“I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the video in complete darkness. You can even read some of the text on the box shown in the image” 

Screen capture from video in a well lit room.
Screen capture from video with Night Vision working in total darkness.

Tony’s final thoughts:
“Overall, the Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio DVR is a great product as it was easy to setup, easy to use, very stylish design, and comes with a lot of features. If you are shopping for a nanny camera or hidden camera that is built into a working household appliances, then the Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio DVR SC8000 is definitely recommended. This device was assembled in America using high quality video surveillance components which makes it even more reliable as a hidden camera.”

Visit The Honest Review and read the full review as well as see pictures from the review process and enter for a chance to win a Clock Radio DVR!