Start with where it's going
A camera at a house with WiFi and mains power has a different answer from one at a gate a kilometre from the nearest socket. If there is power and a router, a WiFi security camera is the simplest and cheapest option. If there is neither, a 4G security camera with a solar panel runs on its own.
Two things in this range are not cameras at all: listening devices for audio, and Geiger counters for checking radiation in materials, imported goods or the ground itself.
For rural blocks, hunting and wildlife, trail cameras trigger on movement and either store to a card or send photos straight to your phone. For vehicles, dash cams record continuously and many keep watching while parked. For seeing in the dark at distance, see night vision.
New Zealand's 3G shutdown
All three New Zealand networks completed their 3G shutdowns on 31 March 2026, with 2degrees in February and Spark and One NZ at the end of March. Any 3G camera or tracker bought before then no longer connects anywhere in the country. Everything here that uses a mobile network is 4G.
Common questions
Do I need internet at the site? Only for WiFi models. A 4G camera uses a mobile SIM and needs no broadband.
Will solar work through a New Zealand winter? In most of the country, yes, provided the panel faces north and is clear of shade. Further south the daylight hours are short enough through June and July that a camera with a larger battery reserve is worth the extra cost, particularly on a site you cannot easily reach to recharge.
What about a bach left empty for months? That is the case 4G and solar were made for. No power, no broadband, no one visiting to change a battery, and an alert on your phone the moment something moves.