We seem to have as many “how to” articles on this site than anything else. That’s because home security cameras come with minimal documentation. I had to figure most of this out myself and figured I would share it so save others some time. That’s the reason for this article about how to remove a DropCam Pro or Nest Cam from the stand.
First, why would you want to remove a DropCam Pro or Nest Cam from the stand?
The most prominent reason is because you don’t want to use the stand that comes with the camera. That makes sense. Alternative stands such as the Wasserstein Nest Cam AC Outlet Mount is an accessory that provides abilities that the provided stand does not. This alternative stand completely replaces the one that comes with the Nest Cam or DropCam Pro. You can get ride of the extra long cable and use your AC outlet as the mounting point for your camera. The Nest Cam or DropCam Pro stays out of site where a bad guy may not easily see it.
There are lots of alternative stands out there. The other one worth mentioning is the ElHook Stick-On Nest Cam Security Video Wall Mount. It’s a handy way to perch a camera onto a window. This is a clever mount that uses temporary adhesive strips to attach a shelf against the window. Your Nest Cam sits atop the shelf just like it would on your shelf or counter. You can stick it anywhere that’s smooth and flat like a window or metal filing cabinet.
Another reason for wanting to remove a DropCam or Nest Cam from the stand is to access the camera internals. While I haven’t personally tried it, I have seen tutorials on disabling the microphone from a hardware perspective. If you don’t believe the software is really turning off the microphone, then the best thing to do is open the case and disable the microphone. You will need to remove the DropCam or Nest Cam from the stand to do that.
The photo that accompanies this article is my DropCam Pro separated from the stand. It gives you an idea as to what you will be left with once successfully decoupled. The instructions are the same for the Nest Cam as they are for the DropCam Pro. The hardware didn’t change too much. Sure, the Nest Cam stand is a slightly different design, but the camera itself isn’t very different at all. In fact the stands are interchangeable.
First, remove the power cable from the camera. It’s going to get in the way of removal.
Take a close look at the camera. You will notice two small tabs located on the camera toward the front. These tabs are what keeps the camera stable within the stand. You will need to pusgh both in simultaneously then push it through the opening on the stand.
I found that big fingers and removing a DropCam or Nest Cam from the stand didn’t work too well. I improvised and used a pen cap to push one tab down was able to access the other with forefinger. Once I did that, the camera easily separated from the stand without a problem. By the way, do it over something with a cushion. Don’t do this over a hard surface. You can easily drop the camera while doing this.
To insert the camera back into the stand, it’s even easier. Just insert the camera into the round part of the stand and push until both tabs snap into place.
It’s worth noting that the Nest Cam stand is built a bit differently than the DropCam Pro. While the DropCam Pro cannot be dismantled in any way, that’s not the case for the Nest Cam stand. You can unscrew the camera from the magnetic base. That exposes a standard tripod screw hole and opens up an entire line of possibilities where you can use a tripod to hold the Nest Cam.
So that’s it. Removing a DropCam or Nest Cam from the stand is easy. Just need to know where those magic tabs are located.