Tech talk: Peace of mind with the EZVIZ EB3 Smart Home Battery Camera

A big fan of home security specialists EZVIZ, I recently reviewed their eLife BC1C 2K+ battery-powered home security camera which now sits proudly on my back garden wall, so far successfully deterring any ne'er-do-wells with its powerful lights and my booming 'get off moy laand!' personally-recorded message should anyone set an unsolicited toe across my threshold. So for the front of my property I was keen to assess the similar-looking EB3, which EZVIZ says is a step-up from its predecessor with ultra-clear 2K vision for advanced detail capturing and its night vision with far-reaching colour nocturnal views of up to 15 metres. But before going into the tech side of things, just a few words about set-up. Like its sister cam, I deemed it important to site it well above head height to deter any interference, so ideally it should be fixed at least level with your upstairs windows. A one-off bit of wall-drilling is necessary, but before you do so, it makes sense to first test that the camera can access your wifi clearly from your chosen spot. Ensure you've given your camera that extra bit of juice via the included cable and your own charger plug, as you never know the amount of power the camera already has. Mine was only at one per cent so needed a good half-day to fully charge. Once you accessed the settings and checked the battery level is at 100% you can now download the EZVIZ app from the iPhone App Store or Play Store for Android phones, press the large '+' sign top right to add a device, scan the QR code on the camera or included quick-start manual, and then follow the wifi connecting prompts. Once connected and you can see the camera's images on your phone, you can mount the camera base to your outside wall which will need affixing with two screws (6mm drill bit did the job for me). I have to say at this point that with its predecessor there was also a magnetic half-sphere mount option which the metallic base on that camera could then attach to. This has been dropped in favour of a plastic camera base and the screw thread which is more secure, but not as handy for quick release. So with set-up complete after only a few minutes, what can this camera do? Thanks again to its two spotlights, nothing will be missed, however dark it may be. What's even better, homeowners can choose between the colour mode or the infrared mode, as preferred. Integrating a PIR sensor, the EB3 camera can distinguish people from pets or even a flurry of autumn leaves, notifying the connected mobile device of any significant activity. No intruder would stay undetected and would be be loth to return to the property as the camera also benefits from active defence, setting off a loud siren with two flashing spotlights when intruders are seen. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the PIR detection, so you can get the device to ignore people walking along the pavement outside (or your neighbour in his back garden), and there is also two-way audio, allowing communication whether at home or away, ideal for verbally scaring off an unwanted visitor or instructing a delivery driver. The two-way audio can be utilised on a smartphone or, by pre-recording a 10 second voice message that automatically plays upon human motion detection. The EB3 is easy to use with no base station and can essentially be sited anywhere near a home without complex wiring or expensive installation fees. It has a very reliable 5200 mAh battery, which only needs to be recharged every 120 days, but if it means your having to get the ladders out you might wish to avail yourself of the EZVIZ solar panel which can be purchased separately for £29.99. I easily sited this just above the EB3 to keep it permanently powered, but there is plenty of cable should the panel need to be placed in a more sun-prominent position. The EZVIZ solar panels are made to efficiently transform sunlight into free, green power to make home security sustainable and keep costs lower. The EB3 can also be easily managed via the EZVIZ App, on site or remotely. What’s more, live viewing can be voice-enabled with “Hey Google” or “Alexa” to check what’s happening on a bigger screen. It is highly weather-resistant, working efficiently, however severe the weather conditions, come rain or snow. It also offers an enhanced viewing experience with smaller files. Compared to the prevailing H.264 video compression technology, H.265 creates a more fluid viewing experience with recorded 2K videos and reduces the size of video files by up to 50% , so meaning lower storage requirements. The pictures/videos on my phone are pleasingly sharp with the 2K video resolution, but the app also allows you to choose between Quad HD, Full HD and Hi-Def to again save on storage space. The app also lets you choose between four different working modes (power plugged-in, high performance, power saving and super power saving) plus an extra 'configure working mode' where you can customise the working mode over different periods via a calendar. You can also choose between human shape detection if you only want your camera to pick up unwanted two-legged intruders, or opt for PIR Infrared Detection, which sees the device passively absorb the heat energy of animal or human and sound the alarm. EZVIZ also offers its users the option to store any recordings on a local microSD card of up to 256GB (card not included) so no subscription charges are involved. However, for those who would like the security of extra data protection, there is the option to subscribe to the EZVIZ CloudPlay for fully encrypted cloud storage. In short this a very good camera with crystal clear pictures and videos and a very good selection of features. With a good 64gb sd card now costing under a tenner, this is a good all-round security option for less than £100. The EB3 is now available from Very and EZVIZ in grey for an RRP of £89.99 with free delivery. What's in the boxes? EB3 Camera Screw Base Power Adapter USB Cable Mounting plate Drill Template Screw Kit Regulatory Information Quick Start Guide Certifications CE / FCC / UKCA / WEEE / RoSH / REACH EZVIZ Solar Panel Adjustable mounting bracket Drill template and screw fixings Quick start guide Specs EB3 Image Sensor 1/2.8” 3-Megapixel Progressive Scan CMOS Sensor Minimum Illumination 0.01 Lux @(F2.0, AGC ON), 0 Lux with IR Shutter Speed Self-adaptive shutter Lens 2.8mm@ F2.0; 131° (Diagonal), 110° (Horizontal), 58° (Vertical) Day & Night IR-Cut filter with auto-switching DNR 3D DNR Night Vision IR Distance:15m, Color Night Vision Distance:15m Video & Audio Max. Resolution 2304 × 1296 Frame Rate 15fps. Self-Adaptive during network transmission Video Compression H.265 / H.264 Video Bit Rate Quad HD; Full HD, Hi-Def. Adaptive bit rate Audio Bit Rate Self-Adaptive Max. Bitrate 1.5 Mbps Network Wi-Fi Standard IEEE802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n Frequency Range 2.4 GHz ~ 2.4835 GHz Channel Bandwidth Supports 20 MHz Security 64/128-bit WEP, WPA/WPA2, WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK Transmission Rate 11b: 11 Mbps, 11g: 54 Mbps, 11n: 72 Mbps Wi-Fi Pairing AP pairing Protocol EZVIZ cloud proprietary protocol Interface Protocol EZVIZ cloud proprietary protocol Minimum Network Requirement 4Mbps Function Smart Alarm Smart Human Motion Detection Customized Alert Area Supports Two-way Talk Supports General Function Anti-Flicker, Heart Beat, Password Protection, Watermark Storage Local Storage Supports microSD Card (Up to 256 GB) Cloud Storage Supports EZVIZ CloudPlay storage (Subscription required) General Operating Conditions -20 °C to 50 °C (-4 °F to 122 °F ), humidity 95% or less (Non-condensing) IP Grade Weatherproof Design Power Supply DC 5V / 2A (Purchased Separately) Battery Capacity 5200 mAh Power Consumption Max. 10W Product Dimensions 105.9 × 62.8 × 62.8 mm (4.17 × 2.47 × 2.47 inch) Packaging Dimensions 103 × 103 × 186 mm (4.06 × 4.06 × 7.32 inch) Weight 522 g ( 18.41 oz ) EZVIZ Solar Panel Open Circuit Voltage 7.2V±5% Short Circuit Current 740mA±5% Power Voltage 6.0V±5% Max. Power 4.2W Max. Power Current 700mA±5% Solar Cell Efficiency 21.6% IP Grade IP65 Operation Temperature -20℃~60℃ (-4℉~140℉),Humidity 90% or less (non-condensing) Mechanical Data Solar Cell Type Monocrystalline solar cells Product Dimensions 222.6 × 155.9 × 14.9 mm (8.76 × 6.14 × 0.59 inch) Packaging Dimensions 230 × 161 × 78 mm (9.06 × 6.34 × 3.07 inch) Weight With package: 611 g (21.5 oz) Panel body without bracket: 334 g (11.78 oz)