Hidden Camera Detectors

How to Locate a Hidden Camera

The first thing before we begin is to ensure the right tool for the job is being used. These devices are fully capable of locating even the most miniature camera from 50 to 60 feet away, and the viewfinder area is large enough that even someone with less than perfect vision can easily use it without straining their eyes.

 You will quickly notice that the IR lights are powerful and capable of detection from a good distance away. When you are too close, the light disperses, making it more challenging to see the lens with the blinking mode enabled. Camera Finders operate best when you are 3 feet or more away from the area you're checking. This actually works to your advantage because you can first scan from a distance in blinking mode, and then switch to the solid light mode to get closer and inspect the location. Start from a good distance away and stand directly in front of the camera lens. The refracted IR light will blink at the lens location. Next, move around a little and familiarize yourself with what happens when you're moving left, right, up, and down. This will help you notice cameras and how the refracted light plays off them.

• What does the person who installed the camera want? This is the most essential question to begin with and is often ignored. If a person installed a hidden camera to capture someone in the shower, then to find the hidden camera, stand in the shower and look around with the camera lens finder. It’s unlikely to locate a small camera pointed at a shower if you're standing in the door frame, so put yourself directly in front of where the camera would be pointed and follow this same principle for every location you check. Be in the position where the camera would be pointed.

• If you see something, do something: If you see any reflection, your next step is determining if it’s a hidden camera lens refracting, or just a reflection of light. There's an easy way to do this: simply move left, right, up, and down while using the camera finder. If the light remains, it’s more likely a reflection, resulting in a false positive. However, if the light disappears and returns when you return to the original position, you have likely found a camera. It’s a good idea to inspect even potential false positives, but this is to confirm that they are indeed false positives. Switch the device to solid light mode and get closer, paying attention to what the light does when you move around. 

• Inspect the location: This part can be simple or more complicated depending on where you are and what object/ location you are dealing with. If the refracted light is spotted on something like a clock, then it is relatively easy to take a closer look at it. However, if the refracted light is on something too large to move, such as the ceiling, or it's behind a wall-mounted mirror, then it would be challenging to inspect those objects safely. If you compound this issue by also being at a hotel or rental location, then I would highly suggest not causing any damage to the place, since we have yet to confirm if it is a camera or not at this point. 

• What to do if the potential camera is inside something that you can’t move/remove: If there is no feasible way for you to access the camera, and you can’t reasonably inspect the area any further, I would recommend blocking the camera lens and documenting the information you gathered, including how you obtained it. This will minimize the risk of property damage and allow you to feel more secure while occupying the space. Pinhole cameras are no larger than the camera on your smartphone, so simply use something like electrical tape to cover the area where the refracted light occurred, obscuring the lens location.

• What to do if the potential camera is in something you can move/remove: So the device you found is in your hand, and you need to know what to do next. The first step would be to determine if there are any telltale signs that the object is not what it appears to be. Look for features such as memory card ports, on/off buttons, and other markings that may indicate that something is off. Some devices are pre-built to resemble everyday items, while others are more custom-made by the person who created them. Custom devices are significantly more challenging to determine if they are cameras or not, but all cameras require the same three basic things. A camera lens. A board to process the information. And a power source, such as a battery or a consistent source. Some cameras are self-contained devices, so they likely have a memory card or the ability to access memory through a port. Other cameras could be remotely accessible. These cameras may not require internal memory and are storing the information somewhere else. They may function off of Wi-Fi or over another wireless network, such as Cellular, Bluetooth, or WiMAX. If you have the device in hand, but are unable to determine 100% it's a camera and/or are in a position or location where you could be held financially liable for property damage, I would suggest the electrical tape method as mentioned before, and testing to see if you can see the refraction afterwards.

• Make a police report before you do anything else: This part is critical if you are planning on potentially pressing charges. If you are 100% sure it's a camera, you need to make a police report before any other actions are taken. By taking actions such as removing the memory card and attempting to review it on your own, you may be tampering with evidence that could harm your case in the future.