Labs

Swann's Day Night Camera comes in a metal housing with a visor and an adjustable mount. It's the cheapest wired camera in our test that's suitable for outside use, and it comes with a huge bundle of cable. A power adaptor is included, and the video lead connects to your TV.

The camera performed well in daylight. Its picture was a little too bright, resulting in washed-out colours, but it gave a clear picture of our thief. It switched into night mode as soon as we turned out the lights, but its infrared LEDs lit only the centre of our room. It took a picture of our thief, but it wasn't very good quality.

For the best day and night pictures from a wired camera, we recommend the XV300E. Having said that, this kit is the easiest to install.