You could do this exact same project using a regular Raspberry Pi 3, the only difference is that the Pi and Pi Zero use DIFFERENT video cables. Basically, all we need to do is write the MotionEyeOS image to the memory card, set your Wi-Fi router info, and then just boot it up. No matter which option you choose (night vision or regular camera) the Pi Zero W setup with MotionEyeOS is the same. I couldn’t find a case specifically for the night vision camera, so I just bought the starter kit so I could have the extra adapters for future projects: I also used an Anker Battery Pack which allowed the camera to be a bit more mobile:įor the Night Vision Camera, I used a Raspberry Pi Night Vision Camera with 2 Infrared LEDs and a Vilros Pi Zero W Complete Starter Kit. Though this camera has great resolution, it does draw a bit more power and can run a little on the hot side. Raspberry Pi Camera or Night Vision Camera (for the Pi Zero W)įor the regular camera setup, I used an Adafruit Pi Zero W Camera kit that included the Pi Zero W, the Pi Camera v2 (8 Megapixels), and a case.Even at the lowest resolution there seemed to be a couple second lag between recording and viewing the stream on another PC. All of these options do come at a price, as of the 4 methods that we will cover, this option produced one of the slowest video captures. Using MotioEyeOS you have a plethora of options for setup, recording, even streaming the video to another location. I started with using MotionEyeOS as it is a fairly easy install and hands down the most feature packed method. This will be part one of a four-part article series on using Raspberry Pi products as security cameras.

In this article, we will cover how to use a Pi Zero W as a surveillance cam, using a regular or a Night Vision camera and MotionEyeOS. It is the smaller relative of the Raspberry Pi, but in many ways functions exactly like the original Pi. The Raspberry Pi Zero W is a perfect choice for many projects.

Pi zero camera setup