Now with expandable storage through the HomeBase 3 and new superior AI face detection

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I reviewed the eufyCam 2C over two years in the past, and it’s most likely among the best battery-powered cameras I’ve reviewed (I by no means reviewed the Professional variant).

It was the primary battery-powered digicam that I used to be proud of to make use of on my house due to the wonderful battery life and color night time time footage due to the highlight.

A few months in the past, Eufy launched the brand new S300 eufyCam (eufyCam 3C). I don’t know what they’re doing with the naming of this digicam. I suppose they’re phasing out older naming conventions in favour of the brand new S300 and S330 of the three Professional.

This new mannequin brings with it some massive enhancements from the earlier technology, but in addition an enormous worth hike. Eufy is certainly focusing on the premium finish of the market now.

Similar to its predecessor, that is an distinctive battery-powered outside safety digicam system.

eufyCam 3C vs eufyCam 3 vs eufyCam 2c Specification

With the earlier technology, the eufyCam 2 had a 365-day battery life however lacked the highlight. I, due to this fact, most popular the eufyCam 2c. With this technology, the 3C and three are nearly similar; aside from the eufyCam 3 has a bigger battery with a 365 day battery life, which is then prolonged with a built-in photo voltaic panel.

Set Up

I have already got a Eufy account and a number of safety merchandise inside the app. I simply wanted so as to add the brand new HomeBase after which pair the cameras.

For the HomeBase, on the time of writing, this must be wired into Ethernet. That is my customary manner of connecting base items, so it is not an issue for me.

Pairing the cameras is straightforward, observe the steps inside the app after which the HomeBase will let loose a high-pitched pairing sound and connect with the cameras.

HomeBase 3

The HomeBase 3 has had a much-needed improve and now contains the choice to insert a 2.5″ drive. For some odd motive, they declare it has as much as 16TB compatibility, however you may solely get 2.5″ drives as much as 5TB or 8TB for SSD.

Regardless, including a 2TB drive will enhance the storage capability by about 120 fold. Within the two weeks of recordings I’ve had, it has solely used 6GB of regular native storage and hasn’t touched my HDD but.

I assume the HomeBase 3 can also be accountable for the brand new superior AI empowerment. This claims to supply superior object detection, together with acquainted and unfamiliar faces.

Eufy states that HomeBase 3 is suitable with all eufyCam fashions, eufy Battery Doorbells (besides E8213), and eufy Sensors. Will probably be suitable with all eufy Safety gadgets by the tip of 2022.

I tried so as to add the Eufy Twin Digicam Doorbell and the SmartDrop parcel field to the HomeBase 3, however neither labored.

In the mean time, the HomeBase 3 can solely be linked to your community utilizing an ethernet cable presently. Will probably be ready to connect with your community through Wi-Fi after a software program replace anticipated on the finish of December 2022.

Day Time Recordings

For a battery-powered digicam, the day time recordings are wonderful.

Native movies are recorded at 3840×2160 with an general bit fee of 1893 kb/s utilizing HEVC.

In case you use the cloud recording, footage is recorded at 1920×1080 pixels with a variable bit fee that averages out at 821 kb/s and a body fee of 15fps utilizing the AVC video codec. I’d due to this fact keep away from utilizing this if you’d like good-quality footage. I by chance set this up for all my cameras when reviewing the SmartDrop parcel field.

A recording of 9 seconds takes up simply 1.9MB, so you probably have upgraded the storage on the HomeBase, you’re going to have the ability to retailer many months’ price of recordings. If it did not have a damaging impression on the battery, I might crank the recording time up as a lot as potential.

Night time time Recordings & Highlight

Because of the built-in highlight, night time time footage can also be wonderful. I’ve numerous shiny streetlights close to by, so I most likely might get away with out the highlight, however it does assist.

As at all times, with low mild footage, you lose a little bit of element, however the benefit of the color recording is you can make out extra defining options of anybody coming into your property.

Like all cameras, however particularly battery-powered cameras, these work higher when positioned as near the topic as potential. My digicam, which is positioned on the 1^st flooring, is nice for getting a normal thought of who has entered the property, however you lose numerous definition on the face.

Movement Detection

The HomeBase 3 claims to have a brand new superior object detection utilizing AI empowerment.

This now has facial recognition, and you may add your photograph to the system, and it provides you as a well-recognized face. It is going to then robotically establish your physique form and permit you to add this.

It ought to recognise unfamiliar faces after which provide the possibility so as to add these to the acquainted face part. Nonetheless, I’ve had combined outcomes with this. Facial recognition wants the digicam situated fairly near the article. The Eufy documentation says it must be 2-4 metres away for facial recognition, 2-7 meters for physique form and 2-8m for human detection.

4 meters shouldn’t be a really lengthy distance. It’s a bit longer than twice my top. So, you have to issue this in when putting your cameras.

With my face uploaded, the digicam was in a position to establish my physique. It additionally efficiently recognized me when strolling previous. Nonetheless, it hasn’t correctly recognized unfamiliar faces but.

I’ve at all times discovered Eufy good with the superior object detection options, however it’s price noting that these are hardly ever excellent. It’s not unusual for cameras to be a bit sluggish at recording an occasion and solely partially seize an individual. From what I can inform, this has not occurred but with the eufyCam 3C, and I’ve so many cameras on my home it isn’t an enormous difficulty for me.

Battery Life

The 180-day battery life is an exaggeration, as at all times with these gadgets. I’ve my cameras on the default settings. That is optimum battery life with the medium highlight setting. I’ve human and face detection enabled with a movement zone set for my backyard.

The digicam pointing right down to the gate has been operating 18 days and has had 374 detected occasions and 86 recorded actions.

The digicam situated on my fence has been on for 18 days and has 350 occasions however 99 recorded occasions.

So, I’ll get properly over 2 months. That will appear poor for the quoted score, but when we have a look at the Arlo Important XL I simply reviewed, which has a 365-day score, that was prone to run flat after about 50 days. Trying on the info from my evaluate, that was recording about 8 occasions per day whereas the eufy has been recording 6. So possibly about the identical battery life, however the Arlo data at 1080P and claims twice the battery life.

Vary

The vary of the eufyCam 3C cameras connecting to the Homebase is great. There appears to be a major benefit in comparison with cameras that join on to Wi-Fi.

I’ve fairly giant rooms, and it is a typical UK brick-built home.

I’ve the HomeBase situated in my foremost front room, which is central to my house. One digicam is situated exterior the bed room window which is up one flooring after which two rooms over.

The digicam on the fence is then situated throughout the backyard. I’m pretty certain that 2.4GHz Wi-Fi would not usually prolong this far, so I’m not actually certain how they obtain this. I suppose the low bit fee solely wants the weakest of connections.

Worth and Various Choices

The eufy Security S300 eufyCam 3C with two cameras is priced at £469.99 RRP and is presently on Amazon with 30% off for £329.99 ending on Cyber Monday 2022.

The eufy Safety S330 eufyCam 3 2-Cam Package has an RRP of £499 and no present reductions.

On the RRP, I’m not solely certain why you’d get the 3C over the three. I might fortunately pay £30 for the huge enhance in battery.

The earlier technology eufyCam 2c is £220 RRP and presently simply £130 with the Black Friday gross sales, which is a little bit of a cut price. After I reviewed the eufyCam 2c, the RRP was £250.

With the upper costs of those new eufyCam programs, they’re now at an analogous worth level as Arlo.

The Arlo Extremely 2 two-pack system is £380, although the XL mannequin is £670. Or you will get a three-pack Arlo Pro4 for £340 throughout Black Friday or the two pack + hub for £400.

I do just like the Arlo merchandise, however I choose eufy as a result of superior battery life and native recordings with no month-to-month charge.

General

The eufy Safety S300 eufyCam 3C is an outstanding battery-powered outside safety digicam. Similar to its predecessor, I might say that is the very best digicam in its class that I’ve reviewed. I’ll probably proceed utilizing this method as a everlasting characteristic in my house.

The large soar within the RRP is a troublesome tablet to swallow, however you get a major enchancment in options and efficiency. The present Black Friday deal brings it right down to a way more cheap worth.

It’s odd that there’s such a small distinction within the RRP between the S300/3C and the S330/3. When trying on the RRP, I might most likely go for the S330 as a result of superior battery life, however you’ll need to verify on costs and discover what reductions can be found on the time.

Final replace on 2022-11-24 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API