WYZE Cam V2 Review

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Let’s face it. Unless we are all working from home (pre-COVID-19), there’s no way we could keep track of what’s going on in our house. At least not without some help from technology. Having a home security camera installed in your house will let you check on your kids, your pets, and other stuff around the house. Like some expensive jewelry or some other important collection. With the help of this you can monitor your house from your workplace or somewhere else. You can see what’s happening in your house without even being physically present there. For all these and many other reasons, you should consider investing in a full-fledged home security system or at least a Home Security Camera. Today we are going to review one of the cheapest Home Security cameras available. Just like expensive doesn’t always mean good, cheap doesn’t mean it is bad. In fact, it’s far from that. We are talking about the Wyze Cam V2 Home Security Camera. So let’s begin the review.

Wyze Cam V2 Review

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Wyze was founded a couple of years back by former Amazon engineers. Their first product was the Wyze Cam which cost $20 and was one the cheapest Home Security Cameras at that time. It can be safe to say that their first product was a hit. Wyze Cam V2 is their successor to the original Wyze Cam.

WYZE Cam V2 Specs

• Dimensions: 2.20″ (56mm) X 1.97″ (50mm) X 1.97″ (50mm)
• Weight: 3.53 oz (100g)
• Power Cable Length: 6 feet (1.8m)
• Mounting Method: Magnetic
• Ports: 1 Type-A USB, 1 micro USB
• CPU: 1.0GHz
• Memory: 128MB
• Resolution: 1920 X 1080 (1080p)
• Field of View: 110° lens
• Night Vision: 4 IR LEDs (850nm); Illuminates up to 29.6 feet (9m)
• Video: H.264 encoding; Day time video: 15 FPS; Night vision: 10 FPS
• Audio: Built-in speaker and microphone
• Integrations: Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT
• Operating Systems: Supports iOS 9.0 and Android 5.0 or later

WYZE Cam V2 – In the Box

Alongside the Wyze Cam v2, there are a few other items that come with the box. These include a Quick Start Guide, a USB cable and a power adapter to charge it. There’s also a Wall plate and a Mounting tape so that you can mount the camera properly. That’s everything that came with the Wyze Cam V2.

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WYZE Cam V2 Features Overview

• 1080p Full HD: The Wyze Cam V2 has a camera with a 2.8mm focal length and 110º wide-angle lens. It also includes a 1/2.9″ CMOS sensor. It is capable of shooting up to 1920×1080 (1080p) full HD resolution so that you don’t miss anything.
• Live streaming: Sometimes one might have to monitor their house in realtime. The Wyze Cam V2 lets you do exactly that. You can stream live footage from your house from anywhere you want as long as you have an internet connection. The live stream option of the Wyze app let’s monitor your home and that to great quality. The app allows you to zoom up to 8 times so that you don’t miss out on any details.
• Motion & Sound Detection: The Wyze Cam V2 comes with custom zone detection and sensitivity settings that you can customize. Enabling this means that whenever the camera detects any motion or sound, it will send you a notification. You can check the video clip and see whether everything’s normal and as expected. You can also customize the settings if you want. It lets you increase or decrease the motion & sound sensitivity so that it suits you better. You can set the camera to record only when there’s any activity in a particular area, which you can set beforehand.
• CO2 & Smoke alarms detection: The Wyze Cam V2 includes a smart sound alert which has an advanced algorithm. This algorithm recognizes the unique sound patterns of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide monitors. So when the camera detects either of the two, it will send you a notification on your phone. You can also disable that if you want.
• Night Vision: The Wyze Cam V2 is equipped with a very capable night vision. It has an F2.0 aperture and IR-CUT filter. There are a total of four 850nm infrared LEDs which deliver pretty good quality night footage. Even in a completely dark environment, the Wyze Cam V2 is capable of capturing clear footage.
• Flexible Design: The Wyze Cam V2 has, what can be called as, a unique, and flexible design. It consists of a 3-axis design. The 3 axises allow you to point the Wyze Cam V2 in almost every direction. You can mount the camera anywhere you want thanks to the metal plate and adhesive tape that are included with the camera. You can attach these to the magnetic base of the camera. This lets you mount it anywhere without requiring any screws.
• 2-Way Audio: There’s a built-in speaker and microphone in the Wyze Cam V2. This not only allows you to listen to what those near the camera are speaking but also talk to them. This is also known as 2-Way Audio and it lets you interact with your loved ones or your visitors and vice versa.
• Alexa and Google Assistant Support: The Wyze Cam V2 is compatible and completely integrates with Alexa or Google Assistant. You can use your voice to control the Wyze Cam. It lets you stream the footage on any Alexa or Google Assistant device that has a screen. There are multiple voice commands that you can use to control the Wyze Cam using Alexa or Google Assistant.
• Continuous Recording: The Wyze Cam V2 camera has a microSD card slot where you can insert any microSD card to extend the storage. This will allow the Wyze Cam V2 to continuously record and store the footage. You can store upto 4 days of 1080p videos in a 32 GB sd card. In case the micro Sd card is filled, the camera will automatically free up some space by overwriting the oldest files. So it can continue storing the footage without taking out and replacing the sd card.
• Time Lapse: The Wyze Cam V2 also allows you to record a Time Lapse video. So you can capture all the events of a day and create a short time lapse video with it. The camera lets you automate the whole process as you can schedule it and set the start and end times. You can also set how often you want the camera to take a picture. The result is a beautiful timelapse video.
• Free 14-day cloud storage: Other than storing videos on the sd card you can also store it in the cloud. Everytime the Wyze Cam detects any motion or sounds it automatically records a 12-second Event Video. These videos are uploaded to the AWS cloud via end-to-end encryption. There’s no monthly fees or subscription required for this. It is totally free and the videos are accessible for upto 14 days.

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WYZE Cam V2 Design

The Wyze Cam V2 has a very minimal design and looks a lot like its predecessor, the Wyze Cam. The Wyze Cam V2 has a cube-shaped structure and has a very tiny form-factor. Instead of having the same glossy white finish like the Wyze Cam, the Wyze Cam V2 white matte finish. Dimension wise, it is pretty much the same. its measurements are as follows: Height: 2.20″ (56mm) X Width: 1.97″ (50mm) X Depth: 1.97″ (50mm). It consists of a 3-axis design. The 3 axises allow you to point the Wyze Cam V2 in almost every direction. You can mount the camera anywhere you want thanks to the metal plate and adhesive tape that are included with the camera. You can attach these to the magnetic base of the camera. This let’s you mount it anywhere without requiring any screws. It comes with an additional inch of height adjustability thanks to its flexible hinge and swivel base. The magnetic base lets you attach the camera to any metal surface. To attach it to non-metal surfaces you can use the metal disc and adhesive strip that are included with the camera.

WYZE Cam V2 Setup Process

The first thing you need to do after buying a new home security camera is to set it up. This includes mounting it in the proper place, making sure it captures the correct method and then finally connecting it to your smartphone to control it. This is something where a few cameras make it a bit complex which turns the whole process into a bit more difficult than it should be. Well, the Wyze Cam V2 is nothing like that. In fact it has one of the most natural flow of installation than most other devices. You don’t have to make any compromises whatsoever.

The first step that is mounting the camera is very easy and straightforward. You can mount the camera anywhere you want thanks to the metal plate and adhesive tape that are included with the camera. You can attach these to the magnetic base of the camera. This let’s you mount it anywhere without requiring any screws. It comes with an additional inch of height adjustability thanks to its flexible hinge and swivel base. The magnetic base lets you attach the camera to any metal surface. To attach it to non-metal surfaces you can use the metal disc and adhesive strip that are included with the camera.

While the included metal plate and adhesive tape take care of mounting the camera, connecting it is done mostly through the mobile app. To begin with, you just need to download the Wyze app on your smartphone. If this is the first time you are using WYZE, then you’ll have to create an account. Once that is done, you need to power on the camera. You’ll hear a voice say the camera is ready to connect. Now you have to enter your Wifi details to get it online. The final step is to scan the QR code and you are all done. You’ll need to wait for a few seconds once you scan the QR code after which the same voice will tell you that the QR code was scanned. The camera will take a few more seconds to be connected. You can give your camera a name here, if you want. Once connected, it will upgrade the firmware after which the installation will be completed. The camera will automatically link the camera with your device. The app is also very simple and easy to use. In case you had any hiccups, there is a tour guide of the app to help you out. However, we doubt that you will face that given how simple and intuitive the app is.

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WYZE Cam V2 Storage

There are two ways you can store the camera footage in the Wyze cam V2. The first option is to store it in the cloud. So, how it works is that everytime the Wyze Cam detects any motion or sounds it automatically records a 12-second Event Video. These videos are uploaded to the AWS cloud via end-to-end encryption. There’s no monthly fees or subscription required for this. It is totally free and the videos are accessible for upto 14 days.

But if you want more control and longer footage you can store them offline, in the device itself.

Other than storing videos on the sd card you can also store it in the cloud. The Wyze Cam V2 camera has a microSD card slot where you can insert any microSD card to extend the storage. This will allow the Wyze Cam V2 to continuously record and store the footage. You can store upto 4 days of 1080p videos in a 32 GB sd card. In case the micro Sd card is filled, the camera will automatically free up some space by overwriting the oldest files. So it can continue storing the footage without taking out and replacing the sd card.

WYZE Cam V2 Performance

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Video Quality

If anyone were to make an assumption of the video quality of the based on the pricing of the V2, they would assume it to be of poor quality. However, that is far from its truth. The Wyze Cam V2 offers high quality that matches the quality of those found in devices much more expensive than it.

The daytime footage quality of the Wyze Cam V2 is very impressive. It comes with a 2.8mm focal length and 110º wide angle lens. It also includes a 1/2.9″ CMOS sensor. It is capable of shooting upto 1920×1080 (1080p) full HD resolution so that you don’t miss anything. The footage is very crisp and doesn’t lack any type of clarity whatsoever. The1080p video records a good image with great details and the colors are also nicely saturated. Anyone will have a hard time trying to tell the footage of the V2 from any of the other expensive cameras.

Unless you are an expert and really familiar with these things, you will hardly notice any difference. The one place where you might have some complaints, would be the night time video quality. The Wyze Cam V2 is equipped with somewhat decent night vision. It has an F2.0 aperture and IR-CUT filter. There are a total of four 850nm infrared LEDs on the camera. The resulting videos don’t have the same amount of clarity as you will find in the daytime footage. The videos are also slightly grainy in nature and you will find a lot of noise in it.

But to its credit, this only happens if there isn’t any ambient light around it. This is where it lags behind. But if there were to be even a little amount of ambient light, the quality increases a lot. You shouldn’t be worrying a lot about this, unless this is your top most priority. In that case you should go for a different camera. But for most, this is enough.The night vision footage is somewhat sharp and moderately lit up to an extent. There is some distortion around the edges, but that isn’t that noticeable. And if it bothers someone, having a little ambient light increases the quality significantly.

Another aspect where it was a little limited in what it can do, is its field of view. Compared to others, the field of view of the Wyze Cam V2 is a bit narrow. It has a 110˚ field of view. This is somewhat narrow as compared to other cameras which have a 130˚ or a 135˚ field of view. But then again, you should consider the prices and you would be more than happy with what you are getting. In fact, in most scenarios, the 110˚ field of view would be more than enough and you wouldn’t require the additional field of view. You won’t be bothered that much about it. However having the additional field of view would have been better.

Time Lapse

The Wyze Cam V2 also allows you to record a Time Lapse video. So you can capture all the events of a day and create a short time lapse video with it. The camera lets you automate the whole process as you can schedule it and set the start and end times. You can also set how often you want the camera to take a picture. The result is a beautiful timelapse video.

2-Way Audio

There’s a built-in speaker and microphone in the Wyze Cam V2. This not only allows you to listen to what those near the camera are speaking but also talk to them. This is also known as 2-Way Audio and it lets you interact with your loved ones or your visitors and vice versa. The audio quality was good and it sounded clean. Both parties can easily hear and understand each other.

Motion & Sound Detection

The motion and sound detection worked pretty well here. In case you didn’t know it, Wyze Cam V2 comes with custom zone detection and sensitivity settings that you can customize. Enabling this means that whenever the camera detects any motion or sound, it will send you a notification. You can check the video clip and see whether everything’s normal and as expected. You can also customize the settings if you want. It lets you Increase or decrease the motion & sound sensitivity so that it suits you better. You can set the camera to record only when there’s any activity in a particular area, which you can set beforehand. There’s also a smart sound alert with an advanced algorithm that recognizes the unique sound patterns of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide monitors. So when the camera detects either of the two, it will send you a notification on your phone. The push notifications work as expected and you recieve them as soon as the camera is triggered by something.

IFTTT support

The Wyze Cam V2 also supports IFTTT (If This Then That) service. Using IFTTT, you can automate a lot of things which can make your life a lot easier. Since most of the smart home devices can work with IFTTT, you can easily do a lot of things by triggering IFTTT Applets in response to triggers on the Wyze Cam V2. So, you can make your other smart devices do something based on the triggers on the

Wyze Cam. Like you can turn on the smart bulbs, when the Wyze cam detects motion. This is just an example and there’s tons of more useful and powerful stuff you can do with the IFTTT and the Wyze Cam V2.

Bottomline is that the WYZE cam had a pretty decent performance in all aspects. It also integrated very nicely with other smart products and which gives you the complete smart home experience.

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Wyze Cam V2 vs Wyze Cam

The first thing we mentioned in the article was how the Wyze Cam V2 is the successor to the original Wyze Cam. So. Let’s see what are the improvements in the newer variant and is it better than its predecessor.

Motion Tagging: The Wyze Cam V2 is now capable of tagging objects in the footage. What this means is that it will highlight any moving object in the footage by marking a green box around it and following it across the room or screen. So, there’s a less chance of missing any activities going around the rooms in your home.

Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT integration: The Wyze Cam V2 finally comes with Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. You can use your voice to control the Wyze Cam. It lets you stream the footage on any Alexa or Google Assistant device with a screen. It is also compatible with IFTTT (If This Then That) service. This lets you integrate all your smart devices and give you the best smart home experience.

Better Sound Quality: The Wyze Cam V2 comes with a completely new audio chip and a Class-K power amplifier. This results in an even clearer sound than before. Not only will this help you hear better sound, it will also have a better capability of identifying activity that happens outside the camera’s field of view. So, if some activity isn’t caught by the camera, there’s a better chance you can hear it at least.

Improved Video Quality: The Wyze Cam v2 comes with a more powerful 1/2.7″ CMOS sensor. So you get better quality footage in both day and night-vision modes. The videos are more smooth and have better clarity on the V2. However, it still captures at a maximum of upto 1080p resolution.

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WYZE Cam V2 Review Verdict

Given its price point, the Wyze Cam V2 is surprisingly good. You get decent 1080p video recording with clear and sharp pictures. It has 2-way audio as well. You also get upto 14 days of free cloud storage. In case you want more storage, there’s a Micro Sd card Slot. The Motion & Sound Detection also works very well. The night vision mode could have a little less grainy footages but other than that, everything’s great. So, if you are in the look out for an expensive and feature packed home security camera, the Wyze Cam V2 is the device for you.

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Last update on 2022-06-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API