Nothing is worse than not feeling safe in one’s own home and one of the easiest ways to add security is with the addition of security cameras. There are many different types of security cameras out on the market and each has its own unique features and specs. It’s best to lay out what you’re looking for first and then find the right camera that suits your needs. For instance, if you’re looking for a security camera that has a full 360° of coverage, you might want to check out the new IMILAB C20 security camera. The IMILAB C20 features a full 360° panoramic view as well as 105° of vertical viewing allowing you to view an entire room with just one camera.
What makes the IMILAB C20 unique is its dual motor capabilities. One motor at the base allows the IMILAB C20 to rotate a full 360° while another motor tilts the camera up and down at a full 105°. That means if you set this camera up in the right place, you can view an entire room with just one camera where normally a stationary camera isn’t able to view all angles and would require multiple ones to get a complete picture.
The optimal place for an installation could be on your ceiling or on a corner table. It comes with installation hardware if you want to mount it upside down. I took the easy route and put it on a table that was near an outlet. And yes, you need to mount this near a power source as this camera does not have a rechargeable battery and can only be powered via external power.
Once you figure out where to put it, you’ll need to download the IMILAB Home app to your phone. I was a bit disappointed that I had to download yet another app instead of using the existing Mi Home app that older IMILAB devices used. This new app seems to be only for the IMILAB C20 as that is the only product it searches for and can add. Aside from that little criticism, the app works quite well and is simple to use once you have it set up.
What you can do in the app is check the IMILAB C20 in real-time as well as control the direction in which the camera points. You also use the app to adjust settings such as being able to get notifications if the camera detects motion. Speaking of which, the camera can even follow a person if it detects motion from a human or animal. To record video, however, you’ll need to insert an SD Card into the camera or subscribe to the premium service to save the video to the cloud. You do get photos though when it detects motion, so there’s at least that.
Overall, the IMILAB C20 captures pretty good video at 1080p HD and can also switch to night vision mode. If you’re an Amazon Alexa connected smart home user, you can even connect this to Alexa as well.
So would I recommend the IMILAB C20? Yeah, I would. It’s a great functioning security camera that captures good videos and photos and even picks up sound. I didn’t mention it above, but you can also transmit your own voice to the camera as well. Aside from the fact that this does make you download yet another app, the app is pretty good and if this is your first security camera, it’s no big deal. With that said, the IMILAB C20 is fairly inexpensive as well at only $33.99 which is a great value for what this camera can do.
It is however currently not available at most local retailers or Amazon and you’ll need to order it directly from their official website, here.
