Since the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, many people have had questions about doorbell camera footage -- especially after the FBI released video recovered from the camera outside her home.
The case has sparked new interest in how doorbell cameras store recordings, how long that footage lasts, and who can access it. Consumer Reports says those are important questions for anyone shopping for a video doorbell, especially when deciding between a camera with cloud storage and one with local storage.
Most video doorbells record footage where they’re mounted and send it to the manufacturer’s cloud-based servers. In many cases, saving and reviewing those recordings requires a monthly subscription. Consumer Reports’ Dan Wroclawski says that with most cameras, if footage is recorded to the cloud without a subscription, it may be temporarily stored on the company’s servers but is eventually deleted.
In unusual situations, companies may still be able to recover footage that was set to be deleted, but Consumer Reports says that process can take time and effort and isn’t something consumers should count on. That’s why it matters to understand exactly where your recordings are going and what kind of access you’ll have before you buy a device.
For many shoppers, cloud storage is appealing because it’s convenient and often includes extra features. But others prefer local storage because it can offer more privacy and control. Most locally stored systems save video to a microSD card inside the camera, but Consumer Reports says an even better option is a model with a separate hub or base station that holds the card. That way, the storage device can be placed elsewhere in the house, away from the camera itself.
Local storage can also help homeowners avoid monthly subscription fees. And because the footage is stored in your home rather than on a company’s servers, law enforcement would typically need to come directly to you to request access, rather than obtaining it from the manufacturer.
If you do decide on a camera with local storage, Consumer Reports says it’s important to use a high-speed microSD card designed specifically for security cameras -- not the kind typically used in smartphones or standard cameras.
More: Consumer Reports