This is our Eufy Security Camera (eufyCam) review. We discuss setting up The eufyCam video surveillance system, and also setting up the Eufy Doorbell.
An important part of our Smart Home setup was the installation of smart security cameras and a smart doorbell. We were advised to check out the Eufy Security Cameras (eufyCam), and the Eufy Video Doorbell. This is our review of our Eufy Security Camera (eufyCam) and Eufy Doorbell installation, showing how easy it is to setup and use.
One of the main reasons we decided on the Eufy Security Camera (eufyCam) and Eufy Doorbell was that it didn't require any ongoing monthly subscription to use it. So it was just a single one-time purchase. It can send real-time notifications to any of our mobile devices, wherever we are in the world. The video recordings are stored on the Eufy Hub inside the home, but the recording are accessible from anywhere in the world using the Eufy App. The Eufy app also allows for live views from each of the cameras around the home. So you can check in at anytime to see what is happening at home, even if you are on the other side of the world.
Setting up the Eufy Security Cameras (eufyCam) and Eufy Base Station (Eufy Hub)
The setup of the eufyCam was very easy and intuitive. It came with two eufyCams and the Eufy base Station. Our eufyCams were the 2C 1080p resolution cameras, but you can now also get these same eufyCams with 2k resolution. Also included was a security sticker for the window, to show potential intruders that it is under video surveillance, which is a good deterrent.
Our first step was to charge the two eufyCams using the included micro USB cable, which plugged into the eufyHub.
Once both cameras were charged, all we had to do was download the App from either Apple App store or the Google Play store for our mobile device. Then follow the setup guide and add each Eufy component to our account in the app by scanning in each devices QR code.
The Eufy App installed on an iPhone showing the eufyCam cameras
The beauty of cameras like the eufyCam, is that they connect wirelessly to the Eufy Hub base station using Wifi. They also have an long life internal battery inside them, which is advertised to last 180 days. So there is no need for any wiring between the cameras and the base station for either power or connectivity.
The Eufy base station (Eufy Hub) comes with a power brick that plugs into the wall. It also connects to the internet via ethernet, and we plugged the Eufy Hub directly into the back of the router. We installed our Eufy Hub inside our network cupboard, which is centrally located in our home. This was important, as the hub also serves as the speaker for the doorbell as discussed below.
The Eufy Hub / Eufy Base Station. It also has a built in speaker for the alarm and doorbell.
The EufyCam cameras are designed to be used outside, and also include exterior mounting fixtures. However we decided to initially use them inside. We may purchase additional cameras later on for external use, or we may move these cameras outside eventually.
We also purchased a set of the black silicon Eufy Protective Skins. These simply slide over the back of each camera to make them less visible. This is especially important if installing them outside and you want them to be less noticeable, as white cameras can stand out against the buildings cladding. They should also help minimise the white plastic on the cameras from yellowing over time.
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Eufy Cam with its Black Silicon Eufy Protective Skin on
Setting up the Eufy Doorbell
We purchased the Eufy doorbell a few weeks after we purchased the eufyCam plus Eufy Hub kit. So Eufy Doorbell was setup separately at a later date. As we already had the Eufy Base Station, we only purchased the doorbell as a standalone product without any base station or bell unit. The model we purchased was the Eufy Security 2k Video Doorbell. However there is now also a new model of Eufy Doorbell that has two cameras.
On the new model of the Eufy Video Doorbell, the main camera is for videoing the person approaching the door, and a secondary camera is angled towards the ground. The secondary camera is to video the area directly in front of the door. This secondary camera is called the Package Detection camera and is designed to provide video coverage of the doorstep, for when you have courier parcels dropped off. Our Eufy Video Doorbell however just comes with the single main camera for videoing the person approaching the door.
The Eufy Doorbell uses the base station speaker to play the doorbell alert inside the house. The Eufy Doorbell unit also makes a basic doorbell sound when the doorbell button is pressed. But this sound is solely for the benefit of the person that pressed the doorbell, so they know that the press was registered. You can select from a range of different doorbell sounds for the internal doorbell alarm on the hub, using the app.
When someone approaches the door, the camera will automatically detect them, and it can be setup to send a detection notification to the homeowner on their phone. The doorbell button will also pulsate blue, showing the visitor where the doorbell button is. When the Eufy Doorbell button is pressed, the blue light activates and rotates showing it has been pressed, and makes a doorbell sound, as shown by the video below.
Video of the Eufy Doorbell in Operation
Eufy Cloud Storage Subscription
Although no paid subscription is required, Eufy do sell online cloud storage if you want keep a rolling 30 day backup of videos. We decided not to purchase this as we don't need it, and the online storage can store a reasonable amount of video. One of the main reasons we purchased into the Eufy Security Camera eco system was because we didn't want to pay an ongoing subscription.
Conclusion
We have now had the Eufy Security Cameras and Eufy Doorbell in full operation for over 6 months. During this time we have had to recharge the cameras once and doorbell twice. We have been happy with their performance so far.
One of the good things about the Eufy Security system is that it can also be used as a wireless security alarm, as the cameras also work as motion detectors. Although our Smart Home already includes a professionally installed wired security system, this is a good backup system, and can cover areas of the property that may not be covered by the wired system.
As the Eufy system is all totally configurable, you can set it up exactly how you want it to work, and you can change the configuration whenever you want to. It is all done from inside the app. This is unlike a many conventional alarm systems that are often not user-friendly and intuitive and complex to understand. They can also be locked down by the installer who has the installer codes, so the configuration can be quite limited without full access to the installer codes.
Eufy App installed on an iPhone SE3
If you are planning to use these cameras for live extended camera feeds, then these cameras are probably not for you. Viewing a live feed for a prolonged period of time will run down the EufyCam battery , and the app will display an alert after a few minutes warning about this. The cameras can also be a bit laggy due to them being wifi, so you do need to keep this in mind if you want to use them for live viewing.
Eufy do have a range of different cameras that can be added to the hub, including ones with longer life batteries that don't need to be charged as often. We may look at adding more cameras in the future.
The Eufy system has so far been very reliable and we haven't had any problems. There aren't really any negatives with the Eufy Security Cameras or Doorbell. It just seems to work. Even though our eufyCam cameras are 1080p and not 2K, apart from the doorbell with is a 2k camera, we didn't really notice any issues with the video quality.
We would also suggest looking at other brands like Arlo. However some of these do require an ongoing monthly subscription. But if you don't mind paying for an ongoing monthly subscription, then other brands maybe well worth looking into. We have also installed a wired POE Amcrest Turret Camera NZ on the property for additional redundancy, and this also allows for extended live feeds. We will be posting a review on this at some point.
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