I looking at cameras, maybe a pack of 2 or 3, that dont force you to use their garbage chinese backdoor spyware software. What brands/models just work as wifi cameras that you can access yourself directly with open source “ring” type software? By cheap, I mean about 50-100 for a pack of 2 or 3. I have one that I bought for like $25 that works well as far as quality, but it ONLY works if you use their proprietary crap (their own garbage app, and you need to make an account on their website and login in order to use it on a local network. Yea, no thanks.)

I have a Ubiquity Dream Machine in case there are non-uniquity devices that “just work” (uniquity cameras are expensive).

Maybe there are cameras that simply work with some protocol (and no software) where I can handle the rest (whip up a frontend to view the feeds, or use open source software that handles the “motion alert”, “record the past 2 weeks” etc)?

So far, it unfortunately seems like there is no straightforward option. The suggestions involve hacking firmware, or things like "it does phone home and require internet, but it also lets you do local network stuff". Lots to think about as far as which route to take.