The Wyze Cam v3 is the third iteration of the company’s very well priced home security camera line. It may look very similar to the previous generations but it’s vastly improved specs and outdoor usability make this a steal.
We’ve looked at several Wyze Cams in the past including the original Wyze Cam, Wyze Cam v2 and Wyze Cam Pan. Each had little to complain about, especially given the price point of each camera.
Software
You can access the Wyze Cam v3 through an iOS or Android device. The video cannot be accessed from a web browser.
The trend over the past few years has been little to no documentation in the box, and that’s the case here too. Fortunately, it’s fairly intuitive and our review should give you most of what you need to know.
Setup of the Wyze Cam v3 remains unchanged from the method used four years ago. Download the app. Now, plug the camera in and hit the plus sign in the app. You are walked through setup by a combination of app prompts and camera voice instructions. Finally, hold the UPC code from the app in front of the camera lens and you’re all set. Setup is very easy.
Motion and sounds alerts can be activated within the app as well as sensitivity settings. The Wyze Cam v3 now offers Detection Zones. This is very useful, for example, in excluding the lower three feet of a room so that a pet walking by doesn’t set off an alarm. Very glad to see Wyze add this important feature.
The Wyze Cam v3 includes a free cloud service that stores up to 14 days of events. The events are stored as 12 second clips every time it detects an alert such as motion or sound. These are short clips only. Viewing of a cloud video isn’t through the cloud. The video is recalled from cloud storage then stored on your phone. You will probably want to delete the video from your phone after your viewing or it will chew up your storage. Not an optimal implementation of cloud viewing. Constant video recording will require a micro SD card.
Video quality selection is available through the toggle just above the live video with the ability to select HD, SD or 360p.
Wyze has come a long way with their third party integration. They are compatible with IFTTT, Google Assistant and Alexa.
Hardware
The form factor of all three generations of this camera has remained relatively unchanged checking in at 2.20 inches tall, 2.1 inches wide, 2.1 inches deep. It weighs in at 3.5 ounces.
It’s still strangely shaped. The camera continues to remind us of us of the Star Wars All Terrain Scout Transport. Two legs that bend in the middle with a big head at the top. The camera raises and lowers via the bending of these legs. It also tilts forward and back and pivots to the left or right.
A 6-foot micro USB cable is used for power. If it’s too short, consider this 25 ft Power Cable.
A faster processor has been added and can be noticed when getting into a live view from within the app.
The status light has been moved to the front of the camera. It cn be toggled off from the app.
The Wyze Cam v3 is rated IP65 and has a supported temperature range of -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be used indoors or outdoors. The only caveat for outdoor use is to pay attention to the A/C adapter connection. That needs to be shielded from the elements as it appears to be no different than what is typically used for indoor use. Not sure that part is rated IP65.
Audio is fully supported. Tap the microphone in the Wyze app to have a two-way conversation. Audio quality isn’t great. We could hear what’s taking place in the room where the camera was located however the small speaker made it difficult to hear people speaking from the app.
A 130 degree wide angle lens is a vast improvement and will cover a lot of real estate. Place it in a corner and you will capture most of the room.
The 1080p (1920 x 1080) lens renders video at 20 frames per second. This is another vast improvement over older generations and provides a real improvement in fluidity.
Very clear night vision is provided with 8 IR lamps. Wyze has added a starlight CMOS sensor for ultra-low light conditions.
Continuous recording to an on-board SD card is fully supported and it supplements the cloud service nicely. The camera’s micro SD slot can be found underneath he camera and can accept up to a 32GB card. We wrote a detailed article on selecting the right micro SD card which is worth reading as not every card will work well in a home security camera. Deploying a micro SD card allows you to see video history beyond the short ten second clip found in the cloud alert.
Connectivity
The Wyze Cam v3 only supports connectivity at 2.4 GHz using 802.11 b/g/n. The 5 GHz band is not supported.
Mounts
Wyze made a huge improvement in this area. The Wyze Cam v3 utilizes a base magnet to attach to any metal surface. This nicely supplements the integrated stand that allows the camera to pivot and tilt.
But here’s the secret trick that elevates this camera to another level. Remove the metal screw to remove the integrated stand and it uncovers a 1/4″ – 20 threaded tripod screw. This opens up an entire selection of standard mounts and tripods for this camera. We looked at several good camera mounts in an article that helps in selecting the right security camera mount.
Fun and Different
An integrated siren can be activated form within the app or when it hears a smoke or CO alarm. The camera can generate a phone alert and record a 12-second video.
Summary
The Wyze Cam v3 is a bargain. Wyze has stepped up their game. The camera is rated for outdoor use with vastly improved hardware specs. The Wyze app now includes functionality that is found in much more expensive competition. These options include motion detection zones, free cloud storage and third party integration.
We give this camera a thumbs up.
Quick Specs:
| Video Quality | Field of View | Cloud Support | SD Support | Night Vision | Mobile/Web App | Alerts | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 x 1080 | 130 Degrees | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes | Yes |
Manufacturer Link: Wyze Labs