(Pocket-lint) – If you’re looking to install a smart camera somewhere outdoors on your property, you might have already thought about picking up a model that includes floodlighting.

These powerful lights can light up when the camera detects motion and make it far easier to get clear footage of whatever’s being recorded, reducing your reliance on night-vision modes. We’ve tested a wide range of smart home cameras, including many with floodlights, so have gathered some of the very best options for you right here.

Ring Floodlight Cam

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Pros

• Powerful spotlights
• Great camera quality
• Easy installation

Against

• Sometimes flaky Wi-Fi
• No battery-powered option

This camera from Ring is exactly what you imagine when you hear “floodlight camera”, with its huge twin floodlights, each of which you can pose independently. This means you can get it arranged just right for whatever area you’re point in towards.

The camera quality is superb, with a really good wide-angle lens, and Ring’s suite of software is extremely easy to use, making the setup process a doddle as well. We think this will work perfectly for what most people need from a floodlight camera.

• Ring Floodlight Cam review: The best protection for your home?

Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren

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For

• Distinctive looks
• Simple to use
• Nice and bright

Against

• Expensive
• Install is a bit fiddly

A camera that looks a little bit more stylish than Ring’s option, we think the Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren is a great pick, too. It’s got a great design that’s nice and modern and builds the floodlight right into the camera itself.

The installation process is actually a little more complicated than we’d like, but once you have the camera installed it’s really easy to use and control, while the recording quality is excellent. That floodlight is nice and bright, and the siren is also hugely loud as a deterrent.

• Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren review: Floodlight, camera, action!

Google Nest Cam with floodlight

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For

• Funky looks
• Great with Google Home
• Tight Google Assistant integration

Against

• Not the cheapest

Google’s lineup of Nest cameras includes this great option with dual floodlights that we think is really nicely designed. It’s got a rounded, futuristic look but still a clear sense of deterrent for any potential thieves.

The floodlighting is nice and bright, and the camera is perfect for Google Home users thanks to its really tight integration with that platform, unsurprisingly.

Arlo Pro 3 Outdoor Floodlight Camera

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For

• Unique looks
• Great camera
• Really bright

Against

• Chunky
• Subscription costs

Another pretty unique-looking floodlight camera, this piece from Arlo looks like something from the space race, with a curved LED panel surrounding its excellent camera’s actual lenses.

You get really bright illumination and clear video, although it’s worth noting that Arlo’s subscriptions are a little pricy, adding some extra costs to your package. It’s also a pretty chunk unit to mount!

• Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera review: Illuminating home security

Ring Spotlight Cam

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For

• Great camera quality
• Lights work in a pinch
• Decent price

Against

• Obviously not powerful floodlighting

This is basically the camera at the heart of Ring’s floodlight system in our top spot, but without the dedicated floodlights. Instead, you get some impressively bright built-in LED spotlighting.

It’s not the same, of course, but you might find that it’s enough to illuminate a smaller area without needing to flood it in light, and your neighbours and wallet might just thank you. We definitely think it’s one to consider if you don’t necessarily need the brightest lights out there.

• Ring Spotlight Cam review: Battery-powered security

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Britta O’Boyle.