When purchasing a security camera, your first decision may be between a wired and a wireless model. Both have their advantages. A wired camera offers security because once it is installed, you no longer have to worry about replacing and charging batteries. However, it may require professional installation. At the very least, you should be willing to put some time and effort into setting it up.
Wireless cameras, on the other hand, are often cheaper and easier to install.
The Cell 3C is a wireless outdoor camera designed to give the best of both worlds, for home security you can trust. It is created by IMOU, a smart home brand founded in 2015 that specializes in innovative home security technology. This is what the Cell 3C has to offer – and all for a phenomenal price.
Quick installation
The Cell 3C can be installed in just three minutes – and you don’t need any special tools or knowledge. All you have to do is screw on the camera bracket and then mount the camera. You can install it anywhere: roofs, walls or posts (the latter using nylon handlebar tape). All you need to do is make sure the camera is within range of your home Wi-Fi network.
The camera is waterproof enough to withstand a heavy rain shower, and IP66 weatherproof, meaning it’s completely sealed against dust. It can operate comfortably in temperatures ranging from -20°C to 50°C (-4°F-122°F).
There is room inside for an SD card, in case you don’t want to subscribe to IMOU’s cloud service. If you opt for the subscription, IMOU’s cloud storage package lets you filter alerts for vehicles, pets, and other targets.
A reassuringly detailed image
If you’re used to the image from a standard 1080-pixel camera, the Cell 3C’s 2K image quality (a much higher 2304 x 1296 pixels) will remove a lot of ambiguity and uncertainty. You can identify people much more easily and you can use the digital zoom to enlarge an image and see more details.
When it gets dark, you can choose from one of four night vision modes to tailor the view to your needs and ensure you maximize battery life without missing a thing.
In smart mode you get night vision in black and white, but when the sensors detect suspicious movement, the spotlights turn on and you get a color image of what’s happening. In color mode, the spotlights remain on, illuminating your outdoor space and giving you a constantly clear view of the events. There’s also an infrared mode that uses advanced IR algorithms to deliver clear black and white images even in total darkness. You can also choose to turn off the spotlights and night vision.
Fewer maintenance worries
The camera’s large 5000 mAh battery lasts up to 120 days, so you only need to charge it three times a year. The camera’s energy consumption is accurately monitored and you will receive a notification when the battery charge falls below 20%, 10% and 5%. This way you will receive a notification when the battery level is low. This gives you enough time to charge it so it’s ready to protect your home when you’re away.
The Cell 3C Kit will be available in August. This pairs the camera with a solar panel to provide an extra layer of protection and near-endless power, as the camera is always supported by solar charging. The kit helps make the Cell 3C more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Fewer false alarms
Thanks to the PIR technology (passive infrared) and the human detection system, you will not receive a warning every time a tree branch swings or a fox crosses the garden within range of the camera. Instead, the PIR wakes the camera when abnormal heat sources are first detected and then uses an algorithm to filter out non-human heat sources, alerting you only when necessary, and not when the camera catches a bird or insect. The detection distance is up to 9 meters after correct installation and the accuracy is more than 95%.
There are also options to customize what the camera sees – and what it doesn’t. If you want to protect your privacy, for example when your children are playing in the garden, simply turn on Privacy Mode. You won’t be flooded with alerts and your children’s activities won’t be recorded.
You can also adjust the camera’s detection zone in the app, so that you receive immediate alerts when these important areas are activated. For example, if you set your swimming pool as a detection zone, you will immediately receive a warning if someone breaks into the pool or falls into the water. If you set the gate and garage as a detection zone, you will be warned if someone approaches or breaks in.
There’s also the option to set the times of day when alerts occur, so you can receive alerts as soon as you’ve gone to work or after the kids have left for school.
Another layer of protection
The Cell 3C is more than just a camera. It features two-way conversation, so you can talk to visitors in your home or garden. You can use it to talk to your children in the garden or tell a courier where to leave a package. You can even use this feature remotely, so no one knows whether you are home or not.
But you don’t have to talk to visitors as yourself. Instead, you can choose a male or robotic voice to obscure your identity – a reassuring feature for everyone in the house alone.
You can also choose to pre-record a greeting to welcome visitors to your home or warn intruders to leave. The camera is also equipped with a loud 110dB siren and a spotlight to deter intruders.
Finally, we come to the price, which is very competitive for its feature set. You can buy the IMOU Cell 3C now from Amazon for just £39.99. The Cell 3C Kit with solar panel will be available from August.
