Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera
Excellent range of view & video quality
Excellent digital zoom.
Advanced Zone detection.
Expensive subscription plans.
False alarm notification.
Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera Features
The Nest Cam Outdoor security camera is no doubt a best outdoor security cameras with upgraded features that have a weatherized outer built. Nest came into the market when it brought to the world a reinvented thermostat and since then this company has never looked back. This weatherproof IP camera manufactured by Nest not only has a strong picture quality but also a strong built which is a very necessary element for outdoor cameras. The continuous streaming capacity and the 1080p recording capability are commendable. It works perfectly at temperatures ranging from minus 4 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. The powerful motion detection and easy installation are some other factors which have made this camera stand out in the crowd. The Nest Cam Outdoor security camera is not wireless, which comes as a drawback considering its high price. However it is loaded with some useful features and supports Bluetooth 4.0, which makes it one of the enduring security cameras in the market.
The magnetic mount of the camera is also added to its list of advantages. However, it does not have any local storage and the subscription fee for nominal cloud storage becomes quite a burden. Remote viewing is easier with the user-friendly apps. This camera also integrates with Amazon Alexa, so you can control it via audio commands. Read the nest cam outdoor security camera review to know all its pros and cons.
Field of View -Nest Cam Outdoor security camera is a still camera, whose 130-degree wide lens can capture every detail in both day and night. All you need to do is fix it up in a perfect position and everything will be recorded effectively. This is a still camera and have no movement flexibility so it is very important to place it in the right place and position.
Design & Setup -Most security cameras are not much aesthetically appealing but the Nest Cam Outdoor security camera has a sleek design coupled with a strong waterproof outer shell. After all, it is an outdoor camera so it has to be waterproof. With its black face and white sides, the camera is of conical shape. It is quite large weighing 11 ounces and its size is approximately 2.8 x 3.5 inches. It has a rounded magnetic base which can be fixed to any surface. The camera is rated at IP65 which certifies it to be not only dustproof but also waterproof in nature; it can withstand even medium to heavy downpour.
Even more important than the design is its ease of installation. You would not require any personnel to set it up for you and can easily do it yourself. The ease of setup also lies in the fact that the camera comes with a 25-foot power cord which is not present in the other security cameras. This power cord can be plugged into the USB port to provide it with the power it needs. You can easily secure the camera to the wall with the help of cable clips. However, prior to everything you must make sure you have the proper outlet for plugging in the camera otherwise an extension cord may be required. Keep in mind that a long cable emerging from the camera may not be a pleasing view for your guests or your eyes as well.
Detection of Motion -The camera has a very good motion and sound detection feature beyond any doubts but the feature works only when you have cleared your subscription fee which in this case is a bit high as you have to pay a $10 for a cloud storage, which needless to say is quite basic and does not offer any extra feature. However, if you have subscribed to the Nest Aware, then you will get the privilege of four irregular zones in which you can enjoy the service of motion detection. You can also turn the feature on or off at your will.
The new upgrade that the Nest Cam Outdoor security camera has brought to its users is the person-detection feature. As the name suggests, the camera will automatically let you know as soon as it recognizes a person in the frame. However the results are not always correct as the camera sometime identifies animals as persons.
Resolution - The camera has a 1/3 inch CMOS sensor which is of 3-megapixel. It can record the footage fully at 1080p. Keeping in mind the 130-degree field of view of the camera, the resolution is quite appreciable. You can easily recognize the faces in daylight even at a zoom of 8x, you would be clearly able to identify faces till a distance of 8 feet from the camera. The camera also has the ability to detect any objects or person beyond the 8 feet field of view, but the features of the object or the face of the person will appear blurred. You will not face any problems regarding fish-eye distortion at the edges. Sometimes, when the light is low on a cloudy day or at dawn you may find it difficult to recognize faces clearly so it is always recommended to put up a light near this camera.
In the default settings, the resolution of the camera is always set to auto. This means change in the speed of the internet will automatically change the resolutions and it will vary in the ranges 1080p, 720p and 360p. But if you want a specific range to be maintained at all times, you can simply set the range in the settings.
Sound - The audio capturing capability of the Nest Cam outdoor security camera is quite good. The audio that it records is very clear and audible even when the person whose voice is recorded is about 10-15 feet away from the camera.
With the two-way-talk feature you can easily speak with your pets or your baby when you are not at home and in that feature too the sound transmitted is very clear.The clear audible zone of this feature is about 9 feet around the camera. So try to be within this radius to let your voice be clearly audible.
Storage - The Nest Cam outdoor security camera does not have its own local storage in the form of memory card slot so you have to be entirely dependent on the cloud for your storage requirements. For the first 30 days, you can enjoy the free plan but after that you will have to subscribe to the Nest Aware plan otherwise all your history will be lost. You will also lose your personal alerts and practically almost everything.
Without the subscription you will get access to live feeds and alerts but the luxury of storage won’t be available and it is indeed a grave problem. You can only enjoy the archive of images that were recorded when the camera was triggered by any sudden sound or motion.
Night Vision - The night vision is also quite good and the camera switches to IR mode. However, sometimes it so happens that when you have too much light in the frame of the camera at night, the camera may not turn on the night mode automatically and that would lead to recording of blurred faces and details. Another drawback is that sometimes the objects that are in motion cannot be seen clearly at night and appear to be blurred.
Wi-Fi Capability - It is very easy to get the camera connected to your Wi-Fi at home by just following the simple instructions that are shown on the app. If you have installed the camera a bit far away then you must ensure that your Wi-Fi strength is strong enough to support it.
Among Wi-Fi networks, this camera supports 802.11 a/b/g/n and that too at 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz. It uses TLS/SSL standards to encrypt the data, so you do not need to bother about video security. To ensure proper working of the camera, you must have a broadband connection of 2Mbps and you can connect the camera to your Wi-Fi just by scanning the QR code that comes with the camera. If you wish to control the camera through your smart phone or your tablet, make sure that they have the proper configuration to support Bluetooth 4.0 or Bluetooth Low Energy, as the camera is Bluetooth enabled.
Notification/Alert - Notifications are very advanced with the Nest Cam outdoor security camera. It not only gives you a simple notification but also a still image of the disturbance. If you want to cut down the notifications, you can just specify the zones using the web portal for which you want to receive the notifications. Although there are several complaints regarding this options saying that users receive unnecessary notifications.
Zone Detection - With the subscribed cloud storage you can have the access to four irregular zones. Any disturbance in that zone will send you a notification although you can’t be sure of getting the right notifications.
Cost - The cost of the Nest Cam Outdoor security camera is $199 but the cost increases due to the subscription plan which requires $10 only for a 10-day video history. This is quite a high price, compared to other products with similar or same features. This is perhaps its biggest drawback. Apart from high cost the camera also faces some issues with false alarm notification. Go beyond these problems and you will have a stable, feature rich camera for your home or office security.
