Let's get the cons out of the way first, shall we?
This camera is fairly expensive, it costs money to use the recording service (*if* you use it - you don't have to), it eats a lot of bandwidth when it's running, and you can't use local storage (except if you pay for the recording service and then download clips). If you're technically savvy and invest the time, you can do basically what this does for a lot less money.
However, I *am* technically savvy and have set up streaming cameras before, and yet I am very happy to be using the Dropcam Pro. Why? Let me tell you by moving onto the pros:
First, setup could hardly be easier. You plug it into a computer (Windows or OS X, possibly Linux but I'm not sure) when you first get it in order to configure the WiFi password (yes, you'll need WiFi) and to set up a Dropcam account (or link it to one if you already have one). That takes all of a minute or two (literally). Then, you plug it into the wall adapter (or any other USB power supply). If you'd like, you can wall-mount it. That's it. You're done with setup. You can use any micro USB cable and any USB power source to power it, so you're not stuck with the included ones if you don't want to be. You can paint the cables and the camera mount if you want to help it blend in, but I'd not recommend painting the camera (it can be removed from the mount).
Second, yes, the monthly/annual fee for recording and associated inability to stream to local storage is a pain, but (a) it's core to the company's business model and so isn't likely to change, and, more importantly, (b) *it is worth it* - you don't need to set up streaming, you don't need to make sure you have sufficient disk storage, you don't need to worry that someone will break in and steal the camera *and* the device the footage is stored on, you don't need to worry about setting up a way to view the footage remotely, and you don't need to worry that a power outage will remove your ability to at least see what was recorded earlier when you're remote. Having set up my own monitoring system, I know how great it is that they do the heavy lifting for you, and, to me, it justifies the price of the camera as well as the annual fee (which, again, you don't need to pay if you only want to view the streaming video).
Third, while the bandwidth usage can be extreme, you can schedule when the camera is on, and you can remotely turn it on and off, so you can control how much you use. I would hope that Dropcam will soon make it possible to stream lower-resolution video until motion or audio is detected (that would significantly reduce bandwidth needs), but that hasn't yet happened.
Once you set it up, you can view the footage (live and recorded) as well as change settings from any modern browser and any reasonably up-to-date iOS or Android device. You get a two-week free subscription (note that the trial subscription only records 7 days at a time, so by the second week, you'll have lost part of the first) to see if you like the recording capability. I do. However, you could easily just use it to monitor without recording if you do desire, and that's free once you've bought the camera.
Video quality is quite good (see other reviews). The sensor on the camera is much higher resolution than the streamed video, so if you tell it to focus on an area and record/stream just that area, it's better than just expanding the footage - it actually streams from a smaller section of the sensor but at the same resolution, meaning that there actually *is* more detail in the zoomed section than if you'd just enlarged the video of the entire area. You can't zoom in to read a newspaper from 30' away, but you can definitely zoom in a fair bit.
The microphone is exceptional - I can hear at least as well as if I were standing by the camera, which means you can hear other rooms even if you can't see them.
Night vision is good, but limited by the IR LEDs. If you bought a separate IR bulb, you could probably illuminate a much larger area, but I've not tried that as I don't need that functionality.
The speaker (used if you talk to people/pets by the camera) is decent. There's a fair bit of lag, and because there is also lag when streaming, conversations are sort of like talking to astronauts on the moon - there's a delay each way. Still, it's mostly usable, but it's no speakerphone.
The light that indicates the camera is on can be turned off even while the camera is recording... this is a feature some will love and others will dislike.
The settings of the camera are easily accessible from both browsers and mobile devices.
You could buy this and set it up for less technically-savvy relatives if you (a) know their wifi name and password and so could temporarily set yours up the same way during the setup phase, or (b) buy a wifi router, set it up for them, and ship it with the camera.
I've not yet found a better camera/microphone combo for this price, and the additional functionality makes it a win in my book.
There is a newer model of this item:
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From the manufacturer
60-second setup
Open the box and remove the camera. Connect to your Wi-Fi network via your computer, iOS, or Android mobile phone. Name your camera and create an account. You're ready to stream!
Dropcam Pro
Meet Dropcam
Dropcam is a cloud-based Wi-Fi video monitoring service that helps you stay connected to places, people and pets. Receive activity alerts on your smartphone, tablet or computer. Add optional Cloud Video Recording (CVR) to access video from the past week or month.
Features
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Stunning Video—130° field of view, 8x zoom, and 720p HD Video. Night Vision—Keep an eye on things, even in the dark. Optional Sharing—Share your stream with friends or make it public. |
Two-way Talk—Talk directly to people and pets. Intelligent Alerts—Receive notifications for motion and sound. Scheduling—Set alerts based on time of day or your location. |
Mobile & Web Apps—Watch remotely from your devices. Live Secure Streaming—Stream safely with bank-level encryption. Automatic Updates—Get new features with camera and app updates. |
Dropcam + Nest Thermostat
When a user manually sets Away/Home mode:
> Alerts turn on or off, respectively
> Cameras turn on or off, respectively
Works with Nest
Dropcam + Nest Protect
When a safety event occurs (smoke or CO is detected):
> Cameras in your home turn on automatically
> A clip is generated and saved automatically during an event, even if you’re not a subscriber
> User receives a notification of the event on their mobile device
> Event is added to your activity feed and Cloud Recording timeline (as applicable)
Requirements
- High Speed Internet: DSL, Cable, FiOS
- Web Browser: Internet Explorer 7+, Firefox 3+, Safari 3+, Chrome
- Optional Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and/or Android Device
- Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n (WEP, WPA, WPA2 encryption supported)
- iOS Mobile Setup works with iPhone 4S (or later) including iPhone 5,5C, and 5S & iPad 3 or later
- Android Mobile Setup works with the Nexus 5 and all Samsung devices running Android 4.3 or later
Technical Specifications
In the box:
> Pro HD Camera
> Aluminum stand
> Wall mounting hardware
> 10-foot USB cable
> USB power adapter
- Product Dimensions:4.5" x 3.15" x 3.15"
- Weight: 5.7oz (162g)
- Power: 5V DC, 2.0A
- Camera: Color with digital zoom
- Video: H.264 encoding, up to 720p HD (1280 x 720) at 30 frames/sec
- Field of View: 130 degrees
- Audio: Speaker and microphone
- Night Vision: High-power infrared LEDs
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| Dropcam | Dropcam Pro | |
| Field of View | 107° | 130° |
| Zoom | 4x | 8x |
| Night Vision | Good | Excellent |
| Audio Quality | Solid | Superior |
| Mobile and Web Apps | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2-Way Talk | ✓ | ✓ |
| Intelligent Alerts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wi-Fi | 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz |
| Setup | Computer | Computer, iOS, or Android devices |
| Camera Color | Silver | Black |
Compare with similar items
This Item  Dropcam Pro indoor Wi-Fi Wireless Video Monitoring Security Camera 720p |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | -35% $25.99 List: $39.99 | -39% $42.39 List: $69.99 | $44.99 | -9% $36.42 List: $39.99 | $129.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Dec 20 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Dec 19 | Get it Jan 8 - 30 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Dec 21 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Dec 20 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Night vision | ||||||
| Motion detection | ||||||
| Picture quality | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | ReolinkDirect | MaiXin US | Amazon.com | EufyHome |
| power source | — | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Battery Powered | Battery Powered | Plug in |
| video resolution | 720p | 2K | 4 MP | 1080p | 720p | 4k |
| wireless tech | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| night vision range | — | 30 feet | 40 feet | — | — | 32 feet |
| mounting type | Wall Mount | Wall Mount | Ceiling Mount | Surface Mount | Wall Mount | Wall Mount/ Ceiling Mount / Stick up |
| alert type | — | Audio and Motion | Motion Only | Motion Only | — | Human, Pet, Motion Only |
| number of channels | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
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Please try again later.Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014
Style: NewProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2015
Style: NewProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase
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