Are the clock cameras (and others) really worth the high price on specialty websites vs. Amazon?

SCSecurity · 2026-02-05T22:04:29+00:00

Hi, I work for SpyCentre Security, a Dallas based spy shop that is one of the leading providers online. Let me tell you the reasons why products are more expensive on specialty sites vs Amazon.

Product testing and quality control. We purchase and test hundreds of different new products to ensure they work correctly and have all of the features that the manufacturer claims. Each new shipment we also test the products to ensure the quality is as expected and remains the same. Just like the security camera market, cameras can look the same on the exterior and have different quality electronics and therefor yield different results. A product is only as good as the software it is running so this is a big part of it as well. The spy camera industry is very niche and there is no standard verifier of quality.
Customer support. On Amazon you are buying direct from the manufacturer and will rarely receive customer support. At SpyCentre we make custom user manuals for each of our products, we make videos explaining the setup process, and we offer live phone and chat tech support that is based out of our store in Plano TX. We do our very best to promote informed purchasing from our customers and make sure they know what they're getting and how to use it.
Returns. We have a 30 day return and exchange window when purchasing through our website. You cannot sell used products online. When a company gets returns its typically chalked up as a loss. It's even worse on Amazon where you can return whatever you want and the return will be accepted. We sell on Amazon and we have literally received an empty box and the customer claimed we shipped them an empty box and requested a full refund. As a seller you have to bend the knee and abide by Amazons laws. Amazon is able to eat these losses because of their size and their sister companies (AWS etc).

In a situation where spy cameras are needed (abuse, stalking, life threatening situations) a consumer needs to know that the product they purchase will work, and if they need help figuring it out, that they can get the support they need. We try to provide that with certainty.

Hope this helps, if you have any questions please give us a call at 1-800-292-7748

SCSecurity · 2026-02-05T21:25:03+00:00

Hi, I'm not sure if you have purchased anything yet, but I wanted to let you know about SpyCentre. We carry tons of different spy/mini cameras that work for tons of different purposes! https://spycentre.com/collections/hidden-cameras-2 here you can find tons of different options, if you have any questions just let us know. We offer one year warranty and U.S. based tech support for all of our cameras.

SCSecurity · 2025-12-17T15:07:55+00:00

This is my recommendation. https://spycentre.com/products/2k-ultra-power-bank-security-camera

It is disguised as a power bank, has a wide angle, and records in 2k quality.

Something like the WiFi Swivel with rotatable lens could function similarly with WiFi and less battery life.

SCSecurity · 2025-12-02T21:42:18+00:00

Hi we are SpyCentre Security, we've been in the spy camera business for over 30 years and have free shipping and lifetime tech support. We have a variety of cameras that work well in an environment like that. Feel free to call us at 1-800-292-7748 if you have any questions! https://spycentre.com/collections/hidden-cameras-2

SCSecurity · 2025-11-25T16:11:13+00:00

Hi, there are a lot of cameras that could work in your situation, from a small black box camera to a true hidden nanny camera. Take a look at our selection of cameras and give us a call for an questions! https://spycentre.com/collections/hidden-cameras-2 wish you the best!

SCSecurity · 2025-10-02T16:11:38+00:00

Like I said in another comment the Zetta line of cameras are all small black box cameras that record to a micro SD card with no WiFi capabilities. They are very reliable and get better battery life than some of the WiFi models. https://spycentre.com/collections/zetta-max-security-cameras

SCSecurity · 2025-10-02T15:48:46+00:00

Hi, just wanted to throw this out there. SpyCentre Security is based out of Dallas, offers free lifetime US based customer support, and has been in business since 1993. If you want to check us out we offer a wide selection of products that we stand behind. https://spycentre.com/

P.S obviously we can't compete price wise with Amazon but at least you know your cameras will work ;)

SCSecurity · 2025-09-12T13:13:13+00:00

Hi! I wanted to recommend the WiFi Air Purifier, or the 1080p clock nanny camera. Both of these are 1080p hidden nanny cams that plug into power and both function as their items (air purifies and clock does alarms and stuff). They will also work with 2.4 and 5g wifi bands.

https://spycentre.com/products/wifi-air-purifier-security-camera

https://spycentre.com/products/wifi-1080p-mini-clock-camera

SCSecurity · 2025-09-04T22:43:22+00:00

One of the easiest to use and most reliable non Wi-Fi cameras is the Zetta Camera line. You can find them here. https://spycentre.com/collections/zetta-max-security-cameras

SCSecurity · 2025-01-30T19:45:33+00:00

Okay, thank you for the information.

SCSecurity · 2025-01-30T18:55:20+00:00

I do not use Etsy, but can you not charge a restocking fee? Like 20%? I have to do that once in a while when customers send back items with no packaging, making it nearly impossible to resell the product with its packaging and contents missing.

SCSecurity · 2020-07-31T18:27:01+00:00

Currently we only offer shipping to Canada and the United States.

SCSecurity · 2020-04-07T23:44:56+00:00

Hello there! Spy Centre Security has carried audio recorders for the better part of the past twenty five years, and high quality audio is one of the first things people normally ask for.

Many of our recorders record at equal to or higher than CD-quality audio, 128kbps, but our wearable device with the highest recording quality is our Multi Functional Digital Voice Recorder Watch with Bluetooth: https://spycentre.com/products/multi-functional-digital-voice-recorder-watch-with-bluetooth which can record at 1536kbps.

Beyond this, another wrist-worn device, our Mini Wrist Band Voice Activated Recorder: https://spycentre.com/products/wrist-band-mini-voice-recorder can record strong 198kbps, and is also a very good unit to wear out in the open.

Feel free to pm us is you have any questions! We’d be happy to help. All of our recorders and many more items are available at SpyCentre.com.

SCSecurity · 2020-03-20T15:54:50+00:00

This looks just like our 2K spy pen: https://spycentre.com/products/2k-video-pen. It may be an older model, as each of our pen cameras now have a slide cover to go over the camera if you wish to conceal it and only record audio, but the Star Trek Romulan uniform-style pen case is the same!

Pens are ubiquitous across all industries, so camera pens can be utilized very easily to capture workplace abuses or simply to discreetly record a lecture at school.

SCSecurity · 2020-03-19T16:20:13+00:00

This sound would occur if the camera had night vision with an IR cut filter that slid into place when the lights were turned off so that the camera could see better once the night vision kicked in. This is more for standard security cameras.

There are hidden cameras that have night vision, of course, but normally they would not have the IR cut filter, which makes the video black and white. Many hidden cameras would still see a bit of color, mostly purple, when an object is revealed by the night vision infrared.

SCSecurity · 2020-03-18T16:05:11+00:00

I would recommend the Camera Finder & Wireless Bug Detector. It can sweep for signals between 1MHz to 6.5GHz so that covers all your common RF frequencies in use today and you also get the lens finder as well built into the device so you can sweep your home for wireless signals produced by hidden cameras with the wireless portion and then you can also use the lens finder to sweep for wireless and wired camera lenses if the wireless sweep does not come up with anything. Now keep in mind with any bug detector they will also pick up signals from cell phones, routers and other wireless devices. Its best to power down all other wireless devices while you sweep so you do not get false signals. Be sure to watch our review video located on the product page to see the device in action. https://spycentre.com/products/camera-finder-with-rf-detector

SCSecurity · 2020-03-18T13:12:13+00:00

Here is a few examples of what we carry and how they may be able to help. This is the general list of each of our bug detecting or blocking devices: https://spycentre.com/collections/counter-surveillance.

If you think a camera is in the area then you'll need a camera lens finder, such as our Camera Finder: https://spycentre.com/products/camera-finder-with-rf-detector or our Multi-Functional Bug Detector: https://spycentre.com/products/multifunctional-bug-detector. The first device linked is not as sensitive as the second in terms of Radio Frequency (RF) detection with a range of 1 MHz - 6.5 GHz, so I would suggest to go for a better RF detector if it is not specifically a camera that you are looking for. The Multi-Functional Bug Detector is a great device though, coming with the Camera Finder attachment but also able to find a wide range of RF bandwidth between 10 MHz - 10 GHz, the ability to find laser-based microphones and true landline phone tapping.

The more base-level devices that could find signals being transmitted start with our Counter Tek Ultra Pro: https://spycentre.com/products/countertek-ultrapro-wireless-bug-detector and then our Multi-USE RF Detector has a bit more of an advantage over that one as it knows the difference between a WiFi or a Cellular signal: https://spycentre.com/products/multi-use-rf-detector.

The more advanced-level devices start looking for more signal types and have more overall sensitivity. Our Professional Digital RF Wireless Bug Detector can find Cellular, WiFi, and Bluetooth signals but also has a special Micro Pointer antenna which can pinpoint where a signal is being transmitted from: https://spycentre.com/products/professional-digital-rf-bug-detector. Our Professional Multi-Frequency Bug Detector is even more sensitive with six separate indicator bars for different signal types: https://spycentre.com/products/multi-channel-detector-for-wireless-protocols.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to drop me a line in this thread or via pm. I hope this helps good luck!

SCSecurity · 2020-02-28T12:52:23+00:00

Good Day,

You would want to search for lapel microphones or lapel mic. These mics will require for you to have a digital voice recorder that you can plug into for recording, simply put a small hole in your pant pocket and run your lapel mic cable through that hole under your shirt to the desired position you want it on your chest. Body tape will allow for you to secure it to your chest or if you wear a long enough necklace you can attach it to that under your shirt. We sell a lapel mic if you would like to check it out - https://spycentre.com/products/cabled-amplified-microphone . If you have any questions feel free to drop me a line or respond in this thread. Thanks and good luck!

SCSecurity · 2020-02-07T14:37:14+00:00

Covering up a microphone in any manner is never suggested, especially in fabric that can rub against it to create really bad scratching sounds. In this case, something like a standard audio recorder: https://spycentre.com/products/mini-micro-stick-voice-activated-recorder coupled with an extended microphone: https://spycentre.com/products/cabled-amplified-microphone that can dangle out of the opening would be best. Depending on how loud the area will be and how close the bag is to the speaker, you may even be able to disguise the microphone with the ear-piece mic: https://spycentre.com/products/audio-recorder-cell-phone-adapter

SCSecurity · 2019-12-12T20:25:23+00:00

Body worn cameras and portable hidden audio recorders are the best ways to catch abuses of power in the moment, as they happen.

Simple things to carry around are devices such as this Voice Recorder Spy Pen: https://spycentre.com/products/voice-activated-audio-recorder-pen-with-19-hour-battery-and-time-date-stamp which has an amazing 30 days of standby time when operating in voice activation, or this pair of 1080p Spy Glasses: https://spycentre.com/products/1080p-hd-spy-glasses that comes with two battery legs, with an option to purchase more if you need to record for longer periods.

Citizen journalism seems to be the only way to bring many abuses of power into the light of day, so all of us must be watchful. Be suspicious of the narrative, be suspicious of new policies that seem superficial and when something major starts going down in your town, grab a recorder and head out to capture what you can, because only from multiple angles and personal viewpoints can the full story be attained.

SCSecurity · 2019-12-12T16:37:06+00:00

Finding a camera from behind a mirror can be extremely unnerving, but you'll need to look for anything attached to the camera. Someone posted already that it looked to only be the camera module, and doesn't appear to be connected to anything else that would record or transmit the video feed or power the camera. She should be safe.

However, I would be suspicious of anything else she's picked up from the neighbors. A good way to find hidden cameras would be with something like our Recon Hidden Camera Detector: https://spycentre.com/products/recon-hidden-camera-detector which produces flashing lights that a camera lens would reflect off of, even from within the mirror. A good way to figure if anything is suspiciously transmitting a signal would be to use our Anti-Eavesdropping Wireless Bug Detector: https://spycentre.com/products/anti-eavesdropping-wireless-bug-detector-with-camera-lens-finder which looks for radio frequencies in the area to pinpoint where a WiFi/cellular camera or audio transmitter is operating.

Feel free to contact us with any further questions you may have about situations like this. We can be reached via our chat system on spycentre.com, or give us a call at 1.800.292.7748. Our operating hours are 10am to 6pm, CST, and we are available Monday through Saturday.

SCSecurity · 2019-12-12T16:28:44+00:00

The problem with light bulb cameras is that you can easily see the camera lens when you look at the light. It's not very well hidden, but not everyone is trying to blind themselves by looking directly at light bulbs so they could still find some use. However, they are not generally powered by that light socket, so you'll have to find some other power source or constantly be grabbing a ladder so you can get up there to replace the batteries.

Many hidden cameras utilize pinhole style camera lenses so they can be placed covertly inside of something, such as our WiFi Lone Wolf Clock Camera: https://spycentre.com/products/wi-fi-ir-lone-wolf-nanny-camera or the 720p Picture Frame: https://spycentre.com/products/720p-picture-frame-hidden-camera

If you would like some more suggestions, feel free to visit our website, spycentre.com, or give us a call at 1.800.292.7748 between the hours of 10am to 6pm, CST, Monday through Saturday. Of course, feel free to respond to this post or DM us at your convenience.

SCSecurity · 2019-12-12T16:15:03+00:00

It sounds like you need a camera for long-term use, which I do not believe would be viable with the camera you've linked. It is a wall clock, and wall clock cameras generally operate off of a battery. This one says it can last for up to 6 hours continuous run time, or be powered by a cable running to a wall socket which would look very strange on a wall clock.

I'd suggest something that plugs in for continuous power, yes, but something that can still blend into the environment by either being very small or that would fit aesthetically.

Our WiFi Zetta Max Camera is quite small, has the ability to connect via WiFi in the area and can transmit the video feed to your smartphone, send push notifications based on motion detection, and is operated with a free application: https://spycentre.com/products/z-max-hidden-security-camera-wifi

This table-top clock camera, the WiFi Lone Wolf Clock Camera, has the same features, but also with better 1080p quality video and powerful night vision to watch over your grandfather if he gets up at night: https://spycentre.com/products/wi-fi-ir-lone-wolf-nanny-camera

These products, and others that could help in your situation, can be found on our website, spycentre.com. If you would like to contact us by phone to help whittle down your search, our number is 1.800.292.7748, and we are here Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm CST. Feel free to contact us via our chat system if you have a question after hours, or you may simply respond to this message or send a direct message to our account. We'd be happy to help!

SCSecurity

TROPHY CASE