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WYZE CAM PAN REVIEW
Are you looking for an easy to use good quality affordable security camera?
Maybe you need a nanny cam or baby monitor camera. I was looking for a camera that would allow me to watch my grandmother during the day when she was alone.
I wanted one that I could get notified of movements and one that I could live view from anywhere.
My friend recently bought a few Ring security cameras and I loved the quality and how easy they were to set up and use but I didn’t love the price.
After seeing those I wondered if there were any affordable home cameras out there that were comparable for a fraction of the price.
After doing some research I came across the Wyze Cam Pan Security Camera.
What sparked my interest was the super low price (under $40 on Amazon including S&H) and the high number of great reviews.
*Note this camera is only $29.99 on the Wyze website but with shipping of $7.99 it comes out to be the same price as on Amazon.
Could this $30 camera really be that great?
I ordered it seeing it was so cheap and I was so impressed with it I decided to write a review of my own.
This review is NOT sponsored by Wyze and I purchased the camera with my own money.
Note there is a cheaper smaller version of this camera called just Wyze Cam but it doesn’t rotate or move so I paid a little extra for the newer version.
If you want a camera for around $25 then definitely check out the original Wyze Cam. But for this review, I am reviewing the Wyze Cam Pan camera.
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Wyze Camera Review
QUALITY
My first impression of the Wyze Cam Pan was that it was very nicely packaged and looked and felt like a nice quality camera.
It was a little bigger than I thought it would be but I could have easily just looked at the description to find that out.
It’s 2.4 x 2.4 x 5 inches which isn’t huge but I think I was expecting it to be flimsy for the price.
This wasn’t a problem for me as I wasn’t using it as a hidden security camera. If you’re looking to hide it as a nanny cam or something like that this may be an issue.
It also does have a cord and needs to be plugged in so keep that in mind if you’re planning on hanging it up or putting it somewhere not near an outlet.
SETUP
Setup was super easy.
You basically:
- Unpack it and put it where you want it to go (within reach of an outlet, the cord is 6 feet long)
- Download the Wyze App from Google Play or the Apple Store
- Open the Wyze app and create an account (simple)
- Go to the section of the app where it says “add a device and select Wyze Cam Pan
- Plug in your Wyze Cam and wait for a yellow blinking light then hold the setup button on the camera until you hear a beep and it say “Ready to Connect”
- Setup the camera to your WI-Fi Network through the app and follow the instructions
That’s it! It’s really easy and anyone can set it up in minutes.
This is a picture of it at my grandmother’s apartment (excuse the bad lighting). It’s on top of a small TV monitor she has set up to see the lobby in her building.
FUCTIONALITY
Once the camera is setup you can access a live stream at any time by opening the app on your phone and clicking on live stream.
You can hear audio and also move the camera around which is a great feature for such an inexpensive home security camera.
You will also get notified every time the camera detects movement. The videos will be saved for 14 days for free in the secure AWS cloud for no monthly fees and you can see them right in the app.
You can also save the videos by downloading them. I ended up ordering the SD Card so that I could save my videos there.
The quality of the video is outstanding, especially for the price. I was very impressed.
NIGHT VISION
It has night vision! Below is a picture of how it looks with the night vision. Great right? Especially for a security camera at this price.
You can also see a little bit of the app in this screenshot. I had my phone upright but if you tilt your phone you can view a full screen video.
TWO WAY AUDIO
The Wyze Cam Pan also has two-way audio! This is a feature I thought only high-end camera’s like the RING or Nest would have but the Wyze camera has it.
This is great for talking to family members or even the household pet when you’re away.
I did have issues with some echoing but I am not sure if maybe its because I have it set up on top of a TV monitor and near another TV (its the best spot to view my grandmother’s apartment).
WORKS WITH ALEXA
I haven’t set this part up yet. I do have an Echo Dot setup at my grandmothers so she can easily control her lighting but I am not sure I will need this feature for the camera.
VIDEO REVIEW
I found this awesome YouTube Video from Smart Home Solver that I think gives a great review and look at the Wyze Cam Pan.
I decided to add it because it shows you the video and how clear it is and goes over a lot of the details that I was unable to show you in this article.
OTHER AFFORDABLE HOME SECURITY CAMERA OPTIONS
I wanted to share with you two other options I came across when doing research. There are tons of options out there but these two were in my top choices.
I have not personally tested these but they had good reviews on Amazon that you could check out.
NetVue Camera
This NetVue Home Security Camera sells for around $40 at the time of writing this. This is an option if maybe you didn’t like the look of the Wyze Cam Pan.
It has similar features like 1080P, motion detection and night vision. It doesn’t include free cloud storage though but it says it supports an SD card.
You can check it out here.
BLINK XT
The Blink XT Home Security Camera System is a bit pricier at around $79 but it is wireless (it comes with a 2-year battery) and it’s weather resistant.
It has other great features such as Motion Detection, HD Video, and No Monthly Fees for cloud storage.
This is a great option if you need a wireless camera or if you want to use it outside.
You can check it out here.
If you’re looking for an affordable home security camera definitely keep the Wyze Cam Pan in mind. I may test out the Blink in the future as I like that its weather resistant and wireless but for $37 I am loving the Wyze Camera right now.
What are your thoughts? Have you bought one of these? Do you have one you prefer? Leave your comments below!
