Swann PenCam

The convenience of a camera, matched with an always-useful ballpoint pen. The pen is pretty good too. Novel idea. Footage is decent if pen is held still enough.

Recording light can be visible during filming. Ability to be used as an actual spy camera is debatable. Sound quality is terrible.

Channel your inner Maxwell Smart, Agent 99 or John Steed with this pen that doubles as a camera. But don't expect to be as undercover as the real deal.

Looks and writes like a pen; real use hard to detect

Hard-to-remove stickers; too-fine thread; Windows-only date setup

Spy gear is polarising at the best of times. Is a camera pen a cool gadget for private investigators, lawyers, mystery shoppers and the like; or is it an easy way for sickos and perverts to get their jollies? I won’t make that judgment call, but if you...

Can be used to write and record basically at the same time

The legal and privacy implications are a bit hazy to say the least

Oh, and for the record, it writes quite well too.