A modern pinhole camera might be observing you.
Spy cameras and recorders have been a staple of espionage technology in movies, TV shows and books for decades. These cameras and recorders are typically very small and easily concealable, making them useful for spying on unsuspecting subjects. They have undergone numerous innovations over the years, and are available from a variety of retailers for use in the home or for security.
Types
Spy cameras and recorders come in a variety of types. Most spy cameras use pinhole technology, according to VedoSoft.com. They do not use lenses or use very small lenses (small enough to see through a pinhole, which is approximately 1/8 of an inch), and are tiny and concealable in objects such as soda cans, toys, books, or even jacket pockets. They come as both wired and wireless devices. Audio recorders typically come in two varieties: a standard recorder can be hidden in a room and record audio using a sensitive microphone onto a tiny tape or memory card. Later, you can retrieve the device and examine the audio. Some recorders, however, known popularly as "bugs," transmit a live feed via a radio transmission to a receiver.
Wired and Wireless
In terms of spy cameras, there are really two different types. The wired camera is typically implemented in homes where it and its wiring can easily be hidden from view. It contains a camera, but must be hooked up directly to a VCR or other recording device that can record the video it captures. A wireless camera transmits its images via a radio signal, which can be captured using a receiver hooked up to either a VCR (for recording the images) or a monitor, where the viewer can witness a live feed. Wireless spy cameras are popular as portable espionage devices, as you can conceal them in numerous objects, like a breast pocket or even a stick of gum or a pen, and transmit the images to a monitor or recorder somewhere off in the distance, away from view.
Nanny Cams
Spy cameras have become popular as "nanny cams," according to Home Security Information. These cameras are often put in household objects like teddy bears or tissue boxes to keep an eye on children while parents are away or even to monitor a house guest like a babysitter to make sure the house is being respected. Different localities, however, may have different regulations pertaining to the use of such spy cameras and the respective privacy laws.
Sound Recorders
Sound recorders, or "bugs," come in a variety of styles. Some popularly seen bugs are simple microphones that transmit sounds over a radio signal, where a receiver can pick the sounds. Other recording devices, like ones for personal use in schools or during seminars to record lectures, can operate as spy devices by setting them to record, hiding them near a subject and retrieving them later to analyze any sounds picked up.
Media
Spy cameras and recorders have been featured throughout film, television and literary media. In the popular James Bond series, the title character uses a tiny Minolta Spy Camera in the film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" to photograph maps and documents, reports the MI6 Q Branch website. Bugs are used in various police and espionage shows, particularly as undercover aids to catch criminals. In the film "Never Been Kissed," the protagonist infiltrates a high school with a tiny pinhole camera and microphone attached to her shirt, which transmits images and sound to her partner's receiver, who monitors everything from a van outside.
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