Most cameras (and all networked ones) contain full fledged embedded boards that draw some serious power. If you need to continuously capture video, a cheaper so

Most cameras (and all networked ones) contain full fledged embedded boards that draw some serious power. If you need to continuously capture video, a cheaper solution in terms of energy could involve the use of a analog camera plus a RF transmitter, and a receiver on the other side, but this would work only at short to medium distance and of course no obstacles in between would be allowed. If you can't or don't want to go the analog solution, you could attempt to limit the current draw by placing sensors (PIR, contacts, etc) that turn on the camera only when some conditions are met, so that the system would spend most of the time in a off or low power state.