You may or may not have heard of the EZVIZ brand before, and that’s most likely because most of their products are only sold on Amazon. EZVIZ is a global smart security company that creates easy-to-use smart home devices for visual protection and monitoring. Their products feature such technologies as advanced AI, cloud computing, and deep learning which makes their products a step above the norm. Their newest home security camera is the EZVIZ C3W Pro Color Night Vision camera that features 2MP streaming, AI-powered person detection, vivid color night vision, IP67 dust and water protection, and more.
For starters, the EZVIZ C3W Pro looks a bit different from your standard outdoor camera. It has a more rounded appearance and resembles that of a one-eyed robotic head. This is mainly because of the two antennas sticking out of the sides that make them look like ears and the large cyclopean camera on the center of the face. With two antennas, I’ll assume that we’ll get better network reception since the camera will be sitting outside. The camera also has a long neck that can be twisted, turned, and bent so it should be able to twist into any position that you need it to be in. The base is round and attached to the wall via screws and wall anchors. You will need tools to install this and if you’re not handy, maybe get someone to help you.
In terms of power needed, you will need to attach the camera to a power cable (included) and into a wall outlet. The only issue I foresee is that the cable isn’t quite as long as I would like it to be so you should consider that when you’re looking for a place to install this camera at. Either that or you can run some kind of extension cord if needed.
Other than that, the build quality on the EZVIZ C3W Pro is very good. The entire body of the camera is made of metal and all the hardware seems solid and strong. The camera should last most weather conditions and is IP67-rated for dust and water protection.
The setup of the EZVIZ C3W Pro is surprisingly simple. You mainly install the main hardware and then download the EZVIZ app (iOS/Android). What’s great here is that there’s only one app for all their hardware. Unlike some other security cameras I’ve checked out that seem to have their own app for each camera, this one can control every single EZVIZ camera you purchase. The setup just requires some basic permissions and account creation, along with the type of device you’re setting up. You will also have to attach your network settings to the camera and it only connects via a 2.4Ghz connection.
In terms of saving video events, you can store events in the cloud, however that requires an EZVIZ subscription. You can also save videos to an SD card, but you’ll have to install one into the camera. This is the recommended method if you don’t want to subscribe. You can also record videos from your phone on the app, but that only records live video. Back to the cloud storage, if you go this route, note that your data will be protected with AES 128-bit encryption, TLS encryption protocol, and multiple authentication steps.
Aside from that, the EZVIZ C3W Pro has really good features, pretty much everything you’d want in an outdoor security camera. It records video in HD quality (1080p), has Color Night Vision mode (though you’ll need to disable that if you plan on using the floodlight feature), H.265 video compression, AI-powered person detection, voice alerts, active defense, and two-way talk. Back to the color night vision mode, this is great if you prefer a more stealthy install and rather than the traditional black and white night vision cameras of the past, color allows you to see things like the color of cars passing by or clothing people wear. If you use black-and-white night vision, you won’t be able to use the spotlight. I would leave it on the smart night vision mode which will automatically turn on the spotlights when it detects motion.
Like any good smart camera, you get a notification whenever the camera detects motion and you can choose to view what’s going on live at the time. Two-way voice allows you to communicate with whoever is on the other end which is great for your safety so you don’t have to go outside. not only that, but intruders will also think you are home and won’t try anything.
So with that all that said, the EZVIZ C3W Pro is a pretty good outdoor security camera. Whether or not you buy it depends solely on what you have already. If you’re just starting out with your smart home buildout, I suggest picking one brand and sticking to that so you won’t have to install a ton of different apps on your smartphone. If you choose to go EZVIZ, just know that you only need to use one app for all their cameras, so if you pick this up, also pick up their doorbell camera, indoor cameras, etc. I wouldn’t really suggest mixing and matching camera brands unless the ones you are using don’t have what you need.
You can pick up the EZVIZ C3W Pro Outdoor Camera here on Amazon.
