ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The EufyCam S3 Professional is accessible individually for $220 or in a two-pack with the HomeBase 3 for $550.
- This EufyCam is a wonderful 4K outside safety digicam that delivers on its evening imaginative and prescient guarantees, options no month-to-month charges, and has twin movement detection to scale back false alerts.
- The most important downsides are that the digicam is dear, particularly once you bundle it with HomeBase 3, and its decision drops to 1080p with HomeKit.
Observe ZDNET: Add us as a most well-liked supply on Google.
It has been greater than a yr since I changed my EufyCam S330 (and Ring cameras within the yard) with its succesful successor, and since then, that is remained on ZDNET’s greatest safety cameras record. The newer EufyCam S3 Professional has one large benefit over different high-end safety cameras: Eufy’s MaxColor Imaginative and prescient.
Additionally: I spent weeks with Alexa on the Echo Present 11, and it was superior (till I began fact-checking)
Fairly than being the title of a Nineteen Eighties TV channel, MaxColor Imaginative and prescient captures detailed pictures, even at evening. This expertise produces evening imaginative and prescient footage that appears like daytime with beautiful readability, due to synthetic intelligence (AI).
The EufyCam S3 Professional additionally has a pair of spotlights for further mild to seize extra element in low-light circumstances. These spotlights weren’t at all times obligatory, however may very well be useful in sure conditions.
Additionally: Lastly, a self-cleaning robotic vacuum that may deal with my messy flooring like a champ
As quickly as I arrange my EufyCam S3 Professional, I put in it rather than my older S330 solar-powered cameras, which can now get a brand new house, surveilling the edges of my home. The distinction within the footage was instantly evident. The most recent EufyCam S3 performs stunningly at evening, even in my yard, which has no lights on in a single day.
The EufyCam gives putting coloration pictures with evening imaginative and prescient, powered by AI that processes the picture in actual time to boost and sharpen it. {Hardware} additionally performs a key position — except for being a 4K-resolution digicam, the EufyCam S3 Professional options an aperture of f/1.0 and a 1/1.8″ sensor for elevated mild sensitivity.
This was taken at 9:41pm, when it was pitch dark and cloudy.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
Setting the technology up with HomeKit was a bit disconcerting. The image quality drops to 1080p in HomeKit, which can be a letdown when you’ve paid for a 4K device. Because you’re using Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video (HSV), the footage is stored in iCloud, not HomeBase 3.
This setup requires an iCloud subscription, which ranges from $1 to $10 monthly for plans from 50 GB to 2 TB. Apple’s HSV features support end-to-end encryption, aligning with Apple’s commitment to user privacy.
Also: Smart home hacking is a serious threat – but here’s how experts actually stop it
After trying the camera with HomeKit, I kept the device with the rest of our Eufy security cameras and alarm system in the HomeBase 3 hub with an external HDD. This keeps footage local, as the cameras connect to the HomeBase and all the video is stored on the hub.
The EufyCam S3 Pro has a large solar panel on the top, which Eufy has improved since the EufyCam S330. The technology, called SolarPlus 2.0, offers up to 365 days of battery life with its large 13,000mAh battery. The company claims just one hour a day of direct sunlight can keep it running without you having to intervene to charge it.
My older S330 security cameras, which feature SolarPlus 1.0, were installed on my north-facing driveway and south-facing backyard. While I have to charge the driveway camera every six months or so, I never have to charge the backyard camera since it gets direct sunlight.
As a result, I recommend installing these cameras where they can get at least one hour of sunlight a day year-round, though it can be under partial shade, as just 2,500 lx initiates charging. If you can’t get this sunlight, you’ll need to take the cameras home to charge them.
Also: Better than Ring? This video doorbell has similar features and none of the monthly fees
Like other cameras, the EufyCam S3 Pro features two-way talk, customizable motion detection zones, weather resistance, and face, human, pet, and vehicle detection.
Facial recognition is one of my favorite features of the HomeBase 3. When the cameras capture footage, the Eufy Security app can identify who was seen, let you add them as people you know, and give them names. Once you’ve named a family member, your notifications will say who was seen when the camera captures them again.
The EufyCam S3 Pro is not prone to false alerts. Its alerts are accurate when motion is detected, but it can see so well that I’ve had to remove the street about 200 feet away from its motion detection zone so it doesn’t send an alert to every car that passes by.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The EufyCam S3 Pro captures impressive footage, no matter the light conditions. I’d recommend the device to anyone looking for a security camera for dark areas, especially when you need a lot of detail, like by a side door or your driveway.
Also: I tested a palm recognition lock that doubles as a video doorbell – and it’s stylish and smart
Aside from extraordinary night vision capabilities, the bundled EufyCam S3 Professional 2-pack and HomeBase 3 package deal, although costly, is nice sufficient to operate as a full safety system. The HomeBase 3 sounds a siren when the system is armed and detects motion. It really works as a hub for all Eufy Safety gadgets. The hub’s capabilities additionally allow you to retailer your movies regionally, so that you by no means have to fret about month-to-month cloud storage charges.
