Again in 2017, Wyze made a reputation for itself with the launch of its authentic $20 safety digital camera. Over time, it launched its fair proportion of iterations of the Wyze Cam, with model 3 launching in 2020. At present, it’s launching each a brand new iteration of the unique Wyze Cam, dubbed the Wyze Cam OG, with a launch worth of $20 (later $24) in addition to a brand new member of the household, Wyze’s first telephoto digital camera, the aptly named Wyze Cam OG Telephoto.
The Wyze Cam OG Telephoto will retail for $30 at launch, with the value going as much as $34 later. Whereas the common digital camera supplies a 120-degree area of view, the Telephoto model has a 3x zoom and a 27-degree area of view. In any other case, they’re just about similar. These are 1080p HD cameras that function Wyze’s colour night time imaginative and prescient, two-way audio assist and movement detection, together with assist for its Cam Plus subscription with options like an internet view and AI-powered bundle, automobile and pet detection. Of their daytime mode, these cameras file as much as 20 frames per second, whereas at night time, that drops right down to 10 frames.
Picture Credit: Wyze
Each cameras are IP65 rated, so they need to be fairly usable in most outside settings (although Wyze recommends you employ its $14 outside energy adapter for this). Each additionally nonetheless use a micro-USB plug. You’re not going to maneuver these cameras round rather a lot, in order that’s not going a difficulty. Nonetheless, it will be good to see USB-C right here, given that almost all gadgets are transferring this fashion.
The one main distinction right here is that the Wyze Cam OG options an built-in 40 lumen highlight, which may routinely activate when the digital camera detects movement in very low gentle.
Due to up to date chips, each cameras can now detect movement and ship out notifications 3 times sooner than the corporate’s different cameras, and an upgraded mic and speaker ought to make two-way audio clearer. Stay video within the Wyze app from these cameras additionally now hundreds considerably sooner.
Picture Credit: Wyze
Whereas you need to use the OG Telephoto digital camera as a standalone system, lots of people will seemingly use it to reinforce an present Wyze digital camera, perhaps to particularly zoom in on a door. For these customers, Wyze is launching a brand new equipment with a mount and dual-power cable that permits you to stack each OG cameras on high of one another (in any mixture). To allow this, the brand new cameras now function a easy scorching shoe-like indentation on their tops. On the software program facet, that is enhanced with Wyze’s new Image-in-Image view. Sadly, this PiP view isn’t out there for older Wyze cameras.
As for the general design, Wyze switched issues up right here a bit, going from the unique folding base to a extra fundamental pole the digital camera now screws into. It makes the digital camera look a bit extra pedestrian however I believe it’s a worthwhile tradeoff since it can enable for extra equipment and makes the stand simply replaceable.
I’ve examined each cameras for the final week or so and there haven’t been any actual surprises. Setup is about as straightforward as it may be. Certainly, it’s simpler than earlier than, because you don’t have to carry any QR code in entrance of the cameras anymore to attach them to your Wi-Fi community. As an alternative, the app now finds the brand new digital camera for you, you choose the community within the app, enter your Wi-Fi password and the digital camera connects. All of that takes perhaps 30 seconds, whereas with earlier Wyze cameras, it might be a couple of minutes. That’s not precisely a gamechanger, however a pleasant function nonetheless.
General, video from each cameras is greater than sharp sufficient and the 3x zoom makes for a pleasant addition, although no less than for my use case (watching over my yard and entrance porch), it’s not a large improve — extra of a nice-to-have. And that’s about all there may be. Each cameras labored precisely as anticipated, and whereas its cellular app isn’t flashy, it by no means will get in my approach. I do want I might use the PiP view for any random digital camera mixture, although.
It’s price noting that the unique model 1 Wyze Cam had some safety points that — due to {hardware} limitations — Wyze wasn’t capable of patch. Safety points are nearly inevitable, however the principle problem right here was that Wyze was very gradual to acknowledge this. That’s one thing price retaining in thoughts — and I believe it’s a good suggestion to maintain your IoT gadgets on a unique community from the remainder of your private home anyway.
