Best Spy Pen Cameras

The Releetech W8 is subtle, which is not something that we can usually say about pen cameras. Normally, these pen cams are fairly bulky and not especially comfortable to hold. In contrast, this device is pretty slim. You'll be able to take notes, jot down schedules, and write with relative comfort. Emphasis is on the relative part though since there's no rubberized padding/inserts next to the tip, so you'll probably be experiencing somewhat unpleasant sensations when using the pen for an extended period of time. Also, though quite slim, the pen is pretty heavy, so you'll be feeling the weight too, making prolonged use relatively fatigue-inducing. These are not huge downsides though, more like minor issues that most pen cameras suffer from.

Most pen cams do not support MicroSD cards up to 128 gigabytes though. Sure, you'll have to purchase the card separately but it is nice to have that option. Generally speaking, one-hour long videos will usually add up to 8 gigabytes, so you'll be able to record ample footage without having to move the files every time you film something. The supplied USB card reader will let you easily transfer these files from the pen to any third-party USB-enabled device though. The camera is more than compatible with Macs and PCs, so you should face no compatibility challenges.

From most perspectives, the Amyway GB66035 is as complete as pen cameras come. More often than not, these devices are not especially great pens or particularly impressive cameras, failing to meet both needs. Fortunately enough, we cannot extend the same sentiment towards this product.

From the camera standpoint, this device is awesome. First things first, it is able to provide up to 80 minutes of recording time, much more than most spy cameras. We're talking about non-stop Full HD recording here. You can extend the working life to 150 minutes when taking photos (yeah, the device is able to do that too). Not only that, the battery usually takes even less time to recharge, usually done within 60-90 minutes. That being said, the housing starts to heat up during use, so extending the footage to 70-80 minutes can make things uncomfortable sometimes, especially when you're holding the pen. When clipped onto notebooks/into shirt pockets though, the heated housing is not an issue.

The pen lets you loop videos but that's not something we haven't seen before so we won't be highlighting this part. There's enough to highlight here without any gimmicks. You can highlight the USB card reader that lets you easily move the recorded footage and captured pictures between the pen camera and most USB-enabled devices. You can highlight the five ink cartridges that also come with the device so that you do not have to purchase them separately. These cartridges should last you years. You can even highlight the 90-degree viewing angles, which is, again, not something we haven't seen before but something that lets you capture entire whiteboards without rotating the pen. Something similar can be said about the supplied 32-gigabyte MicroSD card but enough about that. Let's address the pen's design.

The Yumfond UTOPB (008) is a pretty good product for a bagful of different reasons. The price makes first though. Considering the specs and the pen's solid design, less than 25 bucks is a steal. Sure, some sacrifices have been made here. Before anything else, the pen is pretty chunky, not necessarily as slim as most ordinary pens and not as lean as high-end pen cameras.

The weight is alright though, measuring four ounces and distributed relatively evenly with a slight nod to the tip to emulate standard pens' weight distribution. Plus, despite its bulky profile, the grip and the barrel are grooved, making the device comfortable to hold and pretty comfortable to write with. More than that, the grooved finish makes the pen look tasteful and even somewhat nuanced, which's pretty cool given that the price does not suggest that at all. The supplied two ink cartridges will not last though, so you'll have to purchase replacement ones relatively soon. Having said that, they're not especially difficult to find and the price is usually not too steep.

The device's operation is as straightforward as these pen cameras usually are. The one-click operation will enable you to press the button on top of the cap and that will be enough to activate the camera.

The Yieye (PNCAM-1080DVR) has been designed with noticeable precision and solid attention to detail. It is the little things that make the difference here.

First, there's the high-quality alloy body that makes the device shock- and drop-resistant from ~6-8 feet. The construction is also good at heat dissipation, so the pen won't be heating up during use even when approaching that 60-minute mark. That mark marks (pardon the pun) the camera's maximum footage capacity, nothing to brag about but also nothing to complain about since most mid-range pen cams are unable to record more than 60 minutes at a time.

The device can absolutely brag about these little grooves across the entire body though, making the pen comfortable to use and also somewhat hiding the video camera. Even the clip here has been made using high-strength metal(s), with this nice little notch/incision that adds aesthetics points and with enough backbone to hold the pen when clipped onto notebooks, boards, and so on.

Both the body and the battery here are resistant to high temperatures, so we would not recommend microwaving the pen but, other than that, don't hesitate to put the device into any space. The battery does not start losing its capacity and will be able to last 60 minutes/120 minutes (standby time) even when put through years of long-term work. It is able to record Full HD (1920 x 1080p) footage and take QHD (2560 x 1440p) pictures, so you'll be able to capture the most detailed photos.

The PANNOVO Pen Camera is different, we can say that much. The biggest difference is the pen's type. Unlike most pen cams, this pen uses ink. There are upsides and downsides to pens that are not ball-point, that goes without saying. The ink looks classy, you cannot argue that. The nib looks much more elegant than any ball-point tip.

That being said, that classic ink also runs out relatively quickly. Plus, you cannot replace the cartridge here since there's no cartridge. You have to use the supplied ink bottles to fill up the chamber. That's more time-consuming than replacing the cartridges but that's also the price you pay for class and elegance. Also, the three supplied bottles are pretty large and will last you more than you'd expect.

Setting the nib aside, the pen looks relatively standard, coupling chrome and black to create this stern and mature profile, not too understated but also not especially nuanced. The clean lines and smooth surface make the pen camera really easy to confuse with any ordinary pen.

The people behind this product haven't added any grooves to make sure the finish is sleek and smooth, less comfortable to hold and use but that's usually the case with fountain pens, trading comfort for aesthetics. The pen is fairly thin though, so we're not saying that it is necessarily uncomfortable. Also, it is about as lightweight as most pen cams.