If you need to catch someone in an illegal act, a spy camera can be constructed with an inexpensive camera and a few household objects.
Instructions
Decoy
1. Consider the size of your camera. The size of the camera will determine the size of the object you use to hide it. There are several cameras that are designed specifically to work as spy cameras and have a slim profile.
2. Choose the object you would like to use to hide your spy camera. When choosing an object, it is best to choose something that belongs in the room where you intend to set up the camera. Also, choosing an object that is already hollowed out or empty will make it easier to prepare the object to hide the camera.
3. Prepare your decoy object so you can insert the camera. Depending on which object you choose, you will need to find a tool that will help you fit the camera inside of or behind the object.
Spy Book
4. Pick a thick book with a dark spine that is at least 2 inches thicker and 4 inches taller than your spy camera.
5. Hollow out the book pages in the shape of the camera using a precision cutting tool such as an X-acto blade. If it helps, use a magic marker to trace the shape of the camera on the book pages. Keep in mind the camera lens should face the binding.
6. Cut a hole in the binding of the book. To make sure you have the right size hole, position the camera in the hollowed-out hole and draw a guide for a hole where the camera lens meets the binding. The hole should be smaller than the camera lens so the lens stays hiding behind the binding of the book.
7. After drawing the hole guide on the binding, remove the camera and cut the hole with your precision blade. When cutting your lens hole, it is better to err on the small side to keep the lens hidden. You can always remove more of the binding later if it obscures the view of the camera.
Hole Cover
8. Cut out a square of pantyhose fabric that will cover the hole in the binding.
9. From inside of the book, apply fabric glue around the outside of the hole in the binding.
10. Stretch the pantyhose over the hole enough to where you can reasonably see through it and secure it on top of the hole with pushpins.
11. Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours. Remove the pushpins.
12. Place the camera into the book to test your image to make sure you can get a good shot. Adjust the focus and light settings. When the image is clear enough to get a good shot of the area you wish to monitor, the spy book is ready to go.
