The EZVIZ HD Home Security Camera is a low priced camera that gives you the basics. It’s one of those models that won’t blow you away but provides enough functionality for those wanting to keep an eye on things and not spend too much.
There are a lot of low priced budget cameras this competes with that we have looked at before including the Wyze Cam and Yi Home Camera. We’ll come back to this comparison at the end. Let’s see how the EZVIZ HD Home Security Camera shakes out.
Software
You can access the EZVIZ HD Indoor Security Camera with your Apple iOS or Android smartphone. There is no web portal. Mobile phones only.
The iOS or Android app is used to setup the camera. It’s not the easiest to get started. The first issue is that it only works on 2.4 Ghz, Be sure your router can support this. Once you get past that, it’s a matter of scanning the UPC code on the bottom of the camera base. You will be prompted for a WiFi password.
After that, and this is where it gets interesting, you are prompted for an encryption password. Now, I’ve setup dozens of cameras for this site, this is a first for me. Turns out there is an encryption password on the camera base right where the UPC is found. Type that in. The nice part is once that’s entered, you should not need to do it again.
So this is where I begin to see an interesting theme with EZVIZ. They are very security conscious. You will see a few more options that govern security as we dig deeper.
Night vision is supported with a stated coverage of up to 40 feet. There are numerous controls for Backlight Mode which allows you to emphasize different parts of the video frame such as upper, lower, left, right and central. I set it to central and that definitely provides a clearer video at night.
There are also settings for color saturation with vivid providing the best video.
Alarms for motion can be turned off or controlled on a schedule which is a handy feature. That will allow you to turn off motion during the day but back on when everyone is asleep (for example).
An optional cloud plan is available at a cost. As of the time of writing this article, it’s free for the first 30-days, it starts $5.99 monthly with progressive discounts for an annual subscription or multiple cameras.
EZVIZ integrates with IFTTT. You can get an email when the camera senses motion, control sleep mode or even integrate other third party devices with the camera such as WeMo.
Hardware
The EZVIZ HD Indoor Security Camera is an average size for an indoor device measuring 4 inches high by 2.5 inches wide.
A 10-foot micro USB cable is included. That’s long enough for most situations but can be lengthened with an extension cable.
The status light is found in the front of the camera and can be turned off through the app.
The EZVIZ HD Indoor Security Camera is an indoor camera. Sometimes you can get away with using an indoor camera outside. Not this one. Too many places for moisture to get in.
Two way audio is supported. A conversation can be held by pressing the microphone in the app. Audio quality is good. We could hear what’s taking place in the room where the camera was located and you could hear someone speaking to you via the app.
There is an onboard micro SD slot and it will handle up to 256 MB. This is the only way to capture motion events if you don’t want to pay for a cloud plan. Micro SD cards are inexpensive and we wrote about how to select the right SD Card.
The day and night image quality is good. The manufacturer claims 33 feet at night and with the video optimization settings, it comes pretty close. Excellent video quality for an inexpensive camera.
This camera provides a 110 degree wide angle lens which should cover most rooms if placed in a corner.
Connectivity
The EZVIZ HD Indoor Security Camera connects via 802.11b/g/n at 2.4 GHz frequency so be sure your home router is not a 5 GHz only model.
Mounts
The bottom of the camera is magnetic. This allows it to be attached to a variety of appliances or surfaces. EZVIZ also includes metal disks with adhesive backs. This allows attachment to non-metallic surfaces. There is no apparent way to detach the camera so there’s little opportunity to use a third party mount that deploys the 1/4″ – 20 threaded tripod pattern.
Fun and Different
The EZVIZ app is one of the to optionally implement a fingerprint for logon. Hard to believe other manufacturers have not done this yet but there are very few that support it.
Summary
The EZVIZ HD Indoor Security Camera is a surprisingly good camera. The strengths are a low price, good video quality, a very feature rich app and more security available than most other camera apps.
The weaknesses are two-fold. Setup is one of the more difficult. You can easily get past that with patience. The other weakness is complete lack of a free cloud plan.
The lack of a free cloud plan isn’t a show stopper given the availability of the micro SD slot. Competitors like Wyze provide a free cloud plan at a similar price point so if this is critical, consider Wyze, otherwise the EZVIZ HD Home Security Camera is a good choice.
Quick Specs:
| Video Quality | Field of View | Cloud Support | SD Support | Night Vision | Mobile/Web App | Alerts | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 110 Degrees | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes/No | Yes | No |
Manufacturer Link: EZVIZ