Wearable Spy Cameras
How to choose a wearable camera
Pick the one that suits where you will be
A button camera sits on a shirt front at chest height and points wherever you face, the most natural framing indoors. A wrist watch camera is the easiest to carry all day, though the angle is lower. A cap camera gives an eye level view with nothing in your hands, which suits working outdoors. A bag camera has room for a bigger battery.
Recording time matters more here
Battery capacity is limited by the size of the object, so a button runs shorter than a bag. Expect about 45 minutes to two hours of continuous video on most, and check the stated time against how long you actually need. Everything here records what you are facing: your own site visits, deliveries, inspections and days on the tools. For audio only with far longer battery life, see voice recorders.
Compare the types
 Button |  Watch |  Cap |  Bag | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Chest height, faces forward | Wrist, lower and variable | Eye level | Waist, faces forward |
| Battery | Shortest of the group | Short | Check the listing | Longest of the group |
| Live view | WiFi on some | No | WiFi on some | WiFi |
| Suits | Indoors, meetings, deliveries | All day carry | Outdoors, working | Long days, bigger battery |
Buying guides
Wearable Camera Buying Guide NZHow to choose the right one
Spy Pen Camera Buying Guide NZWhich one to buy
Spy Camera Glasses Buying Guide NZHow to choose the right pair
Body Camera Buying Guide NZHow to choose the right one
Related
Spy Pen Cameras Spy Camera Glasses Bodycams Fishing & Sports Cameras Spy Cameras Voice Recorders
Common questions
How long do they record?
Typically 45 minutes to two hours of continuous video, depending on the size of the device. Bag cameras run longest.
How does the button camera attach?
It replaces one button on a shirt front, with the lens in the centre. Depending on the model the recorder is built in or sits in a pocket on a short lead.
Is a body camera the same thing?
No. A body camera is worn visibly on the chest for a full shift and is built to be seen. See bodycams for those.
Is it legal to record with a camera I am wearing in New Zealand? NZ law
Yes, in the places you are allowed to be. You are part of any conversation you have on camera, so recording the sound of it is lawful under the Crimes Act 1961 (section 216B), and filming in public or in your own dealings with people is not restricted. The limits are the same as for any camera: no recording of anyone where they would expect privacy while undressed or in a bathroom, bedroom or changing room (sections 216G to 216J, up to three years), and no repeatedly recording a particular person in a way you know is likely to cause fear or distress, which the Crimes Act has treated as stalking since 26 May 2026 (sections 216O to 216Q, up to five years). If you wear it for work, the Privacy Act 2020 applies to the footage and people should know they are being recorded.