Better Camera - EZVIZ or Blink?

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
1

This text will be blurredSo I’m interested in getting new cameras that will be compatible with both Alexa and SmartThings and found these two brands to be relatively affordable, but wondering what other people’s opinions/experiences have been like with them.

Blink Home Security Camera System with Motion Detection, HD Video, Battery and Cloud Storage for Smartphones - 2 Camera Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019S3ULQM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_liW4zbTMD91VS

EZVIZ Mini Trooper Wire-Free Indoor/Outdoor Security Camera System with 8GB MicroSD Card, Works with Alexa - 2 Camera Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748J63ND/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ElW4zb6GRCNNC

2

EZVIZ AFAIK only integrates through ST through IFTTT.

There are many things you need to consider wrt to SmartThings, what you are you looking for?

  • SHM integration?
  • Video integration?
  • arming/disarming?
  • motion notifications?
  • advanced controls?
  • battery life?
  • quality of pictures?
  • dynamic recording?
    etc

I guess the answer to your question will depend on what important to you.

3

Pretty much all of the above and then some. Looking at this customer device handler for Blink has me excited about that one.

1 Like
4

You won’t get any camera with all of the above, for e.g. ST doesn’t allow for third party integration for video streams with SHM. Similarly some cameras don’t allow for on demand video triggering, other don’t provide motion notification, some don’t work with batteries, some don’t provide continuous monitoring etc. You’re getting the point.

So it’s best to think about what’s most important to you and then work from there. Blink is a great choice for many users (personally I have over 15 Blink camera’s) but be aware of the pro’s and con’s.

5

Well one reason I’m looking for new cameras is because I’m going to be getting an Echo Show and Spot so Alexa compatibility is essential; as well would like to use the camera to trigger actions vise versa have contact & motion sensors trigger the camera. Blink has a feature that allows Alexa to turn the camera on/off which is nice, but it’d be awesome to have Alexa control PTZ cameras - not sure if SmartThings can do that or not.

6

Foscam is a great choice for wired cameras with PTZ control. You can use Ask Alexa I believe to send custom commands to devices in this case the Foscam which has commands for PTZ control.

8

As @RBoy states, there are pros and cons to all camera systems. I’ve got two outdoor Blink cameras. My opinion is this. I like the fact that they are completely wireless. As far as i know, they have no integration to ST. Depending on where you put the blink cameras, be prepared for a lot of false positives. i’ve got one of mine pointing down from my front door. I had to be careful to point it down enough so that it did not see the street. Every passing car would set it off. Thought my problems were solved. Then, when the weather started to get warmer, breezes have picked up. I’ve got a Japanese maple that sits close to my front porch. When the breeze blows it hard enough, the camera starts to record. I’ve tried lowering the sensitivity, but that caused another issue. The camera takes a second or two to start recording when it notices motion. That means by the time someone gets close enough to start recording, I’ve almost missed capturing their face. Someone moving fast enough would probably not be captured at all. I would recommend these cameras if you can put up with the down sides though. The resolution is really good and clear and i like the free storage capability.