Wyze Cam Pan v3 review

Summary

Wyze undertook a redesign process for the third iteration of its Wyze Cam Pan, a home security camera operating at 1080p resolution. This camera, as its name suggests, employs a pan and scan motion to detect and document any potential activities within its vicinity. The device has a comprehensive horizontal rotation of 360 degrees and a vertical panning of 180 degrees, enabling it to effectively record a wide range of visual stimuli.

Wyze Cam Pan v3 review

I positioned the Wyze Cam Pan v3 inside my residence for a duration of many weeks, observing a highly frequented section in my basement and on my rear porch, monitoring the activities of my canines and my everyday drive to work. The intended outcome has been successfully achieved at a cost of $34. When considering the optimal choice for home security cameras, it is difficult to surpass the aforementioned cost. Please peruse the whole evaluation to determine the suitability of the Wyze Cam Pan v3 for your needs.

Wyze Cam Pan v3 review: Design

The first two iterations of the Wyze Cam Pan resembled a towering, rectangular container used for carbonated beverages. The camera’s base was spherical to enable it to rotate 360 degrees.

The Wyze Cam Pan v3 seems to be a reimagined version of the conventional Wyze Cam, including a white square positioned above it, with an arm connecting the two components. The revised design has the advantage of retaining 360-degree rotation while including 180-degree tilt rotation. The final outcome is a camera that has the ability to track an item in almost any location within its immediate vicinity.

The package contains a 6-foot microUSB cable with a 90-degree connection at one end, which may be inserted into the housing’s base to provide a seamless bottom surface. The base of the camera is equipped with a 1/4″-20 mounting screw, which may be used in conjunction with the accompanying gear and bracket to affix the camera under an overhang on the outside of one’s home or on the inside ceiling.

Located on the posterior aspect of the base are many apertures designed to accommodate the speaker, so enabling bidirectional communication between the mobile application and those in close proximity to the camera.

When the camera’s face is oriented vertically, it has a Setup button that is only used during the first setup process or to reset the camera. Additionally, it includes a microSD card slot for the purpose of local storage.

The Wyze Cam Pan v3 has an IP65 classification, indicating its ability to withstand dust and water, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. However, it should be noted that the power adapter and cable provided are not designed for outside usage. If you want to use the camera in that location, it is advisable to get the $15 Wyze Outdoor Power adaptor v1 + L-shaped adaptor.

Wyze Cam Pan v3 review: Price and availability

Similar to Wyze’s other products, the Wyze Cam Pan v3 is very cost-effective. The current price for one item is $33.99, or if you purchase two units together, you may save a few dollars and have the total cost reduced to $65.98 when buying them straight from Wyze.

The camera may be purchased on the Amazon platform for a price of $40. This principle also extends to its placement on Walmart.

To save money, it is advisable to get it straight from Wyze if you are not in a hurry.

Wyze Cam Pan v3 review: Video quality and features

The Wyze Cam Pan v3 has the capability to capture video at a maximum resolution of 1080p, with the number of frames per second (FPS) being adjusted according to the lighting conditions. Daytime video is recorded at a frame rate of 20 frames per second (FPS), whereas low-light or nighttime video is produced at a frame rate of 15 FPS.

As stated before, the base has a rotational range of 360 degrees, while the camera has a vertical rotation range of 180 degrees at a speed of 110 degrees per second.

In order to maximize the available range, one may use the Wyze mobile application to establish up to four waypoints, which will be automatically tracked by the camera at regular intervals of 10 seconds. This implies that the duration of the round journey is 40 seconds, a fair duration considering the camera’s 120-degree field of vision. The camera scan is an elective functionality known as Pan Scan, which may be activated or off with a simple touch.

If the camera detects any motion or movement, you have the choice to enable the camera to track and record that motion. While passing past the camera or watching old movies of my children playing, I have seen that the camera takes a brief moment to detect motion and then adjusts its position to capture the moving subject in the middle of the picture. Once the camera starts the tracking of a person or object, it exhibits a maximum movement speed of 110 degrees per second.

Occasionally, there was a perception that the camera’s motion was insufficient to match the pace of the subject, particularly while seeing the camera while traversing its path. However, while examining the recorded video, it effectively maintains the person in the frame consistently, even somewhat outpacing the camera’s motion.

The Wyze Cam Pan v3 produces high-quality clips when there is minimum or no movement, either from the person in the frame or the camera. The 1080p resolution provides satisfactory visual clarity for identifying individuals or objects inside the screen, exhibiting suitable color saturation and exposure, even during nighttime conditions.

When motion is included into a video clip, it leads to the occurrence of pixelation in the vicinity of the moving elements. I saw it in recorded footage from both indoor and outdoor settings, therefore rendering lighting and environmental conditions irrelevant. The footage now shown on Wyze Cam Pan v3’s homepage, which depicts a UPS truck driving down a driveway and emptying garbage cans, exemplifies the concept I am referring about. Observe the indistinct areas that dominate the whole image, with particular emphasis on the truck and driver when they start motion. As the vehicle approaches and decelerates, the footage becomes more distinct.

In the end, you can still perceive the content and individuals shown in the video, despite the lack of clarity. Undoubtedly, this is not a problem exclusive to Wyze cameras. The primary cause may be attributed to the decreased frame rate of home security cameras.

Wyze Cam Pan v3 review: Video storage

Regarding video storage, the Wyze Cam Pan v3 offers two alternatives. The microSD card storage has the capacity to accommodate a maximum of 256GB of video files. Alternatively, users have the option to subscribe to Wyze’s Cam Plus service at a monthly cost of $1.99 or an annual cost of $19.99. The cost is applicable to a solitary camera. The unlimited camera option is available for a monthly subscription fee of $9.99.

Commencing on June 20th, there will be a monthly price hike to $2.99 for individual cameras inside the Cam Plus package. The Cam Plus membership will be equivalent to that of Ring and Blink. To assess the comparative merits of Wyze’s plans, please refer to our article on the home security camera with the most advantageous cloud storage plan.

The Cam Plus membership provides a 14-day period of event recordings, as well as the ability to recognize people, pets, packages, and vehicles. Additionally, it grants access to supplementary services such as consecutive recordings, camera access via the Wyze website, and fast-forwarding capabilities.

By using a microSD card, you may activate continuous recording around the clock, with all recorded clips kept on the memory card. A 32GB card has the capacity to hold a maximum of four days’ worth of film.

My strategy for Wyze cameras, which I believe is often adopted, involves use both a microSD card and Cam Plus. By doing so, you may enjoy round-the-clock recording, as well as the ability to recognize individuals and objects, and access the web, among other functionalities.

Review of Wyze Cam Pan v3: Smart home

According to the firm, the Wyze Cam Pan v3 is now compatible with Alexa and IFTTT, and is expected to be compatible with Google Assistant by the end of June. The use of Alexa enables users to access real-time camera footage on a smart display, such as the Echo Show 15 or Echo Show 10.

Review of Wyze Cam Pan v3: Final Decision

Every side of my property is equipped with a Ring security camera, yet there are still areas where the cameras are not fully visible. I really like the concept of a mobile camera that can cover a larger area and track any objects inside its field of view. The Wyze Cam Pan v3 effectively achieves this objective, demonstrating remarkable performance at a very affordable price.