Ezviz C6 2K+ review: Take a look around
(Pocket-lint) – Ezviz has quite a comprehensive portfolio of smart cameras for the home, and the C6 2K+ is a very interesting addition to the lineup. With built-in pan and tilt controls, as well as some clever AI tracking features, the C6 promises to capture the action wherever it takes place. With an affordable price point and a wide array of features, it looks to be a very compelling option.
We’ve been using it over the last few weeks to see how it performs.
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Our quick take
The Ezviz C6 2K+ offers a huge amount of flexibility thanks to its almost 360-degree panning and wide range of tilting. If you have a large room to monitor and don’t want to invest in multiple cameras, this could be a solid choice. The image quality is good, and the IR night mode works well.
We also found human detection and tracking to work very reliably. The app could certainly use some polish, and we’d like to see better integration with services like Google Home, but it’s easy enough to live with on a daily basis. The microSD card support also means that you can avoid ongoing subscription costs, and the camera itself is pretty affordable, making it a cost-effective way to get started with home security.
Ezviz C6 2K+
For
- Wide coverage with pan and tilt
- Great image quality
- Human and pet detection and tracking
- Well implemented privacy mode
- Subscription-free recording with microSD
Against
- The app could use some improvements
- Cloud storage subscriptions are pricey
- Third-party integration is basic
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Design and installation
- Camera dimensions: 100 x 100 x 96.5mm
- Operating conditions: -30?C to 60?C
- Wall mount and screw kit included
- Finish: White only
The C6 2K+ has a bulbous design that reminds us of an Amazon Echo speaker.
When privacy mode is activated, the camera section has a cutesy sleeping face displayed on it and it’s here that you can insert your microSD card. When awoken, the interior section rotates, hiding the SD card slot from view and revealing the camera lens and status indicator.
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This camera is designed for indoor use only, and as such, it doesn’t come with waterproofing or a battery. So, you’ll have to position it somewhere near a power outlet, but it’s nice not to have to think about charging it up – you just plug it in and off you go.
It uses a micro USB cable for power and comes with a 5V 2A wall adapter included. We would have liked to see USB-C instead, as the Micro USB connection feels a bit dated, but, in reality, it functions perfectly well and beats a proprietary connector or non-removable cable.
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Most people will opt to sit their C6 on a desktop, and it is designed with this in mind. The base is flat with three grippy rubber feet and only the upper portion of the camera rotates when panning.
However, if you prefer, you can mount the C6 on a wall and you are supplied with everything you need to do so. This includes a bracket, template, screws and wall plugs. If you’re looking for optimum coverage, wall mounting is probably the way to go.
The camera can tilt upwards, but not down, so placing it on a desktop or cabinet will leave you with a blind spot directly below the camera.
Camera and image quality
- 1/3-inch, 3-megapixel CMOS sensor (2K resolution)
- IR night vision
- H.265 compression
- Movement: Pan: 353 degrees, Tilt: 133 degrees
The C6 has a 2K resolution (sometimes referred to as 1440p) and this provides lots of detail for monitoring your home. It has a 92-degree diagonal field of view, which is far from the widest that we’ve seen on a security camera, but it makes up for the lack of width with its pan and tilt functionality.
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The camera can rotate just shy of 360 degrees, allowing you to view every corner of a room, while it tilts upwards at up to 133 degrees. As we mentioned earlier, mounting the base onto a wall or ceiling will allow for the smallest blind spot, as the only area out of view will be a portion of the wall, which you’re unlikely to want to look at.
Images are sharp and contrasty, and it makes it very easy to spot what’s going on. We found the dynamic range to be sufficient, particularly if you enable WDR mode in the settings menu. Of course, you won’t be using this camera to shoot the next Hollywood blockbuster, but it’s more than good enough for monitoring your home.
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At night, you have two options.
You can either use the infrared night vision mode, which will give you black and white footage but works in complete darkness, or you can record in colour vision. Shooting in colour essentially just bumps up the gain, so it’s very grainy and will need at least some light in order for it to function. The majority of the time, you’ll want to stick with the IR mode in dark situations.
App and features
- Human shape and pet detection
- AI tracking and gesture control
- Long-distance video two-way talk
- AES-128 bit encrypted cloud storage
The C6 2k+ uses the same Ezviz app that we’ve used with the brand’s other products, and this is both a positive and a negative.
The app is fairly easy to navigate, and setting up the C6 with the on-screen instructions is easy as can be, but the app could use some refinements elsewhere. The most irritating is that it requires pixel-perfect taps in order to select an icon, which could easily be fixed, and we hope to see a change implemented in future versions.
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Like other Ezviz products, the C6 can be integrated into Google Home or Amazon Alexa systems, but the integration is extremely basic. With Google Home, you are able to view the camera’s live feed on a Nest Hub or Chromecast, but that’s all you can do – everything else is exclusively tweaked in the Ezviz app.
Thankfully, setting up automation is fairly easy in the app, it’s just a shame that you can’t tie it in with your primary ecosystem. One of the most exciting features offered by the C6 is its tracking capability, when it detects a person it can follow them around the room using its pan and tilt motions. The result is quite intimidating, and even more so when you enable its audible alerts, which can be either a simple beep or a full-on siren.
It’d definitely be effective in scaring off unwanted guests.
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The tracking functionality extends to pets, too, and, while you might not be so keen on alarming them, the camera can follow them about so you can keep an eye while you’re away from home. Unfortunately, we don’t have any free-roaming pets to try this out with, but if it works as advertised, it could certainly be handy. As you’d expect, most of the more common smart camera functions are here as well.
Including the ability to trigger recording and alerts based on sudden sounds like an alarm or baby crying, as well as two-way talk if you need to communicate with someone. A novel addition, though, is gesture control. This allows you to wave at the camera to make it call the owner, or take a picture.
It’s not something that we found particularly useful, but we can imagine that some users may find it convenient. squirrel_widget_12854335
To recap
The Ezviz C6 2K+ is a well-priced smart camera with a huge number of features. There’s room for improvements, particularly with the app, but it performs well in most regards.
If you’re looking for great viewing angle flexibility, you’ll be pleased with this camera.
A global leader in smart home security, EZVIZ is dedicated to building next-level security solutions powered by intelligent video, advanced AI and cloud infrastructure. With footprint in 130+ countries, we’ve been trusted by millions of families who enjoy visual protection and tangible joy provided by our products.
Writing by Luke Baker.
Editing by Conor Allison.
