This camera has worked well for me, a non-tech person. I have tried to answer as many of the common questions asked about this camera as I could.
I am not sure why, but there is a lot of misinformation out there, especially in some of the top reviews. Some of the problems have been fixed in software updates, but much of the information is just not correct. Hopefully these reviews will be updated at some point.
(Edit 8/11/2018 I have noticed many of those top reviews with bad info and most of those “camera caught the thief” video reviews are gone for some reason).
• You can download and watch videos on a PC with the free plan (in the last 24 hours)
• You can watch live stream on a computer via cloudcam.amazon.com
• You can turn off audio playback (from the app)
• You can invert the video (from the app)
• You can turn of the infrared night light (from the app)
UNPACKAGING
Package came on time and was without any damage, but there was no padding inside the shipping box. Included in the main box were the camera, USB cable, AC adaptor for 110 voltage, small setup manual, wall mount and two drywall screws (see photos).
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Camera seems well made and a little smaller than I thought it would be. All items were included and in good condition.
The image on the live view in daylight was good (see photo), images appeared sharp and easy to identify. Sound was crystal clear. I turned on the TV, went into another room and was easily able to watch the TV and hear the sound very clearly when it came through. There were some breakups of the sound at times though, making me miss some of the audio detail. But night vision is dark and grainy, it is not easy to make out items
SETUP
Set up took me less than 11 minutes which includes downloading the app and logging into all accounts. I am not a big tech guy but setup was quite easy. Basically you just plug the camera in to the AC adapter, download the Amazon Cloud Cam app to your phone, wait for the blue blinking light on the camera to change to a pulsating blue and green light, and you will hear a chime sound. This means the camera is ready for setup. Then you just hit the setup button on your phone and in about 3 minutes it is working. I am using a Moto E as my video source and for the app.
HOW IT WORKS
You can watch live view or see the video clips the camera took upon it detecting movement. It quickly took several short videos detecting movement when I walked around. I also received a sound and text notice on my phone of “Motion detected” every time it detected motion and took a video, and when I touch the notice it will play the video for me. I do seem to get a lot of “We were unable to play this video” error codes when I first try to play the video, but usually it will play when I hit the blue ‘replay’ button. I have not upgraded my plan so I will only get the last 24 hours of video. It does not take pictures but you can easily do this by just taking a screenshot (see photo) on your android phone, normally this is just hitting the power button and volume button at the same time. Or you could do a Print Screen on your computer when viewing recorded video clips. You can view the recorded videos AND download video clips from a PC with the free plan, just go to www.amazon.com/clouddrive, sign in, then when watching your videos in the upper right hand corner there is a download icon. You can also view live feed or videos up to 24 hours any time with the basic included plan on your cell phone or computer.
GLASS WINDOWS
It will take video through a window as it can detect movement. Image for me was still pretty good. But at night the infrared light will glare badly on the windows blurring your view almost completely. You can turn off the infrared light via the app though, and using just a porch light I captured cool videos of many animals at night.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE
In my opinion this camera has poor night vision. It does have the ability to see live view from a computer even though many reviews say you cannot do this. Just go to cloudcam.amazon.com to set it up.
I set this camera up to watch my car in my driveway as a test, but at night even at low sensitivity it goes constantly, recoding everything. OK, no problem yet. But when I go to Amazon Drive, I see a lot of recorded videos that I just want to delete. But as of now, I have to look at each one individually, and then hit the delete button each time. I would think this could be MUCH easier. I might take a star off for this in the future (maybe it is just something I do not see or have figured out?).
Edit: Thx to “Regolith” who gave me an option to quickly delete the videos, see his/her two comments under the “comments” section, they worked well for me. It can work for the phone or the computer.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ASKED
• You can download videos to a PC on the free plan in the last 24 hours
• You can view live stream on a PC via cloudcam.amazon.com
• It has no local SD storage
• Sound plays very clearly and loud
• You can turn off audio playback
• It only records if it detects movement
• This is an indoor camera only, it is not waterproof
• You can turn the camera on/off through the app
• When the camera detects motion, you receive a text and sound alert via a cell phone
• You can turn off the IR (infrared night light)
• It does not pan or zoom
• Night vision is dark and grainy, not easy to make out photos
• While camera viewing is wireless, it requires a wire to power it (it is not battery operated)
• You can have the camera image rotate 180 degrees for ceiling mounting
• Does not require a base station (some do, I have no idea what a base station is for)
THOUGHTS
I have not owned another camera to influence me one way or another.
I have continuously updated this review as I have used and tested this camera out. Sorry to write so much, I know most people do not like detailed long reviews but I always write what I would want to know about an item before I make a purchase. Any misinformation please let me know or if you have any questions please ask via comments, I will answer what I can.
We ordered this camera on thanksgiving just because it was on sale. It was delivered by Saturday and I installed it immediately. Sunday my family and I went out of town and I was excited to be able to watch our dog through the cloud cam app. On the way home Sunday evening, I received a notification that motion was detected. I open the app and see that my house had caught on fire and my dog was stuck inside. After calling 911 and a neighbor to break in to rescue our dog, I reopened the app to see the entire room filled with smoke and the fire blazing in the kitchen. Luckily this app saves videos for a week so I was able to share them with our fire department. I was also able to download the videos as well as zoom in to see what caused the fire (my dog hit the stove burner on). The camera is now melted and ruined, but I am forever grateful. I will order another one when we can live in our home again. Thank you Amazon for the sale and thank the universe nothing worse happened!
Not three weeks after installing the Amazon Cloud Cam I received an alert of motion at our hunting cabin. There should not have been anyone there and I was surprised to find video of someone breaking-in and collecting our tools and hunting gear to take with him. I was not able to catch him in real time, but I was able to alert the Sherriff Dpt. within minutes of him leaving. With the 25 separate videos of the suspect the cloud Cam provided, the Sherriff Dpt. were able to quickly find him, our property, and put him in jail. Well worth the price of admission to put a bad guy in jail.
Feature Product
- Stay connected 24/7 - Catch activities as they happen in 1080p Full HD. Watch, download, and share the last 24 hours of motion alert video clips for free.
- Notifications - Get notified when Cloud Cam sees activity. Check in anytime or watch motion clips on the Cloud Cam mobile app.
- See clearly in the dark - Night vision lets you detect what's happening around the clock. Turn on/off night vision LEDs in the Cloud Cam App.
- Two-way audio - Check in with the family or tell your dog to stop barking.
- 30-day free trial of Cloud Cam Plans - Get Smart Alerts and advanced features like person and audio detection, Zones, and see up to 30 days of video history.
- Works with Alexa - Just ask Alexa to show your live feed on your Amazon Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Echo Show, or Echo Spot.
- Cloud Cam is always getting smarter with more advanced notifications, detection, and features. Just announced: get notified when Cloud Cam detects specific sounds: glass breaking, a baby crying, a dog barking, or a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm.
- For Amazon Key, purchase the Amazon Key Home Kit, which includes Cloud Cam (Key Edition). You need Cloud Cam (Key Edition) that features a Key Edition power cable to enable Amazon Key.
Description
Catch every moment
Amazon Cloud Cam features everything you need to help keep your home safe. When Cloud Cam sees any activity you’ll receive a notification, allowing you to keep tabs on your home from anywhere. Our always-ready motion detection feature helps to capture activities right from the start.
Stay connected 24/7
Monitor your home, family, and pets in crisp 1080p Full HD, and catch activity as it happens. Use the Cloud Cam App to check in on your home anytime by viewing live video streams, replaying motion alert clips, and more. Watch 24 hours of motion alert video clips for free in the Cloud Cam App.
See clearly in the dark
Cloud Cam features eight infrared LEDs and Cloud Cam’s computer vision algorithms automatically activate night vision when lighting is dim. See the camera’s entire field of view at night—not just a spotlight. Turn on/off night vision LEDs in the Cloud Cam App.
Two-way audio
Cloud Cam's built-in mic and speaker let you stay in touch with your household. Check in with the kids after school, tell your dog to stop barking, or say hello through the Cloud Cam App.
Intelligent notifications
Cloud Cam’s motion detection, audio detection, and computer vision technology provides customizable notifications so you only get the notifications that matter. Get Smart Alerts like audio or person or detection with a Cloud Cam subscription.
Start your 30-day free trial today
Upgrade to a Cloud Cam subscription for advanced features like person detection and get notified when Cloud Cam sees a person. Or set Zones, which lets you select areas that Cloud Cam should ignore, like a fish tank or a tree outside a window. Cloud Cam subscriptions include up to 30 days of video history and support for up to 10 cameras.
See your entire home
With Cloud Cam, it's easy to see all the areas in your home that you want to cover. Place Cloud Cam inside your front door to see who's arriving or in the living room to keep tabs on your pets while you're away. You can manage all of your cameras from the Cloud Cam App, making it easier for you to see more at all times.
Works with Alexa
Just ask Alexa to show Cloud Cam's live view on your Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Echo Show, or Echo Spot for a quick way to see what's happening in another room. You can also speak or listen through Echo Show or Echo Spot using Cloud Cam's two-way audio-an easy way to let your kids know it's time for dinner. Cloud Cam is built in the same cloud as Alexa so it's always getting smarter with more advanced alerts, detection, and features.
Check in from anywhere
With the free Cloud Cam App on Fire OS, Android, and iOS, you can access your Cloud Cam feed, anywhere you go.
Use the Cloud Cam App to check in 24/7 and catch activity as it happens. Replay important motion detected activities that were captured throughout the day. Name your cameras to easily differentiate monitoring views, like Kitchen and Living Room. Check in with the family or let your kids know when it's time for bed with two-way audio. You can even customize alerts* and focus on areas that are most important by highlighting zones for Cloud Cam to ignore.
*Cloud Cam subscription plan required.
Find the right plan for you
Cloud Cam comes with notifications that let you know when activity is detected. With a Cloud Cam subscription plan, you can unlock advanced features that include:
* Person detection—notifies you when a person is detected.
* Zones—reduce unwanted alerts by specifying areas to ignore.
* Unlimited download & shares—for your video clips.
Introducing Amazon Key
Not at home? Not a problem.
As a Prime member, get your Amazon packages securely delivered just inside your front door. Plus, grant access to the people you trust, like your family, friends, dog walker, or house cleaner—no more leaving a key under the mat.
Amazon Key is exclusively for Prime members in select cities and surrounding areas. To get started, purchase the Amazon Key In-Home Kit, starting at $249.99. The kit includes: the Amazon Cloud Cam (Key Edition) indoor security camera and a compatible smart lock from Kwikset or Yale.
It’s a nice camera. Good quality and compact size. Capturing the sound is good, although not the best quality vs other cameras. The biggest issue and I think most important, is the camera will NOT send you a motion alert until AFTER the event has concluded. So if someone is in your home and the motion is constant, the camera will continue to capture the event, but NOT report it to you until motion has stopped. So that may when the person is leaving your place...
Oh so many negative reviews about this cam on here. I must say that I am a harsh critic and I *totally* disagree. Why?
1) Easy-peasy set-up. No drama like there is with other cams. A simple app, know your wi-fi passcode, and volia! You are connected.
2) Fast-load real-time imagery. I tried several other camera and they all had delays (Belkin was the worst). AWESOME response time. MINIMAL delay. (I use an iPhone 8 and Verizon Fios for home network.)
3) CRISP, high-quality, high-res video. FULL COLOR. Leaves the others in the dust.
4) Spot-on PERFECT IR that work in ALL lighting conditions (obviously - no natural light means 100% IR - and this means only black & white). SOLID images that are show even the smallest details.
5) Great sound pick-up. You can hear EVERYTHING. Even a whisper.
6) Includes a wall-mount! Thank you, Amazon. The product itself reminds me of the detailed-design-thinking that was there when Jobs was still alive!
7) You can use this WITHOUT the monthly service IF you don't want to save too many days of previous footage. I just want to keep a same-day archive and it costs nothing! Zero. Zilch. I was paying Belkin $10/month for the same service and it was horrible (and the app crashed constantly).
8) AWESOME notifications. Very few false notifications. Every other camera I tried had 25%-75% false notifications. This device is spot-on. I am guessing that it only has about 5% false notifications due to wind other movement (and I have sensitivity set to maximum). It has never failed to notify when a warm-blooded creature enters its viewing field.
So to all the naysayers, I have to respond with "huh?"
All I see is simplicity, utility, economy and ease-of-use.
UPDATED 5-3-18 -- Keeps getting better and better
I had first rated this camera 3-stars (November 2017) because of significant deficiencies. After a series of updates by Amazon I upgraded my review to 4-stars, and now again to 5-stars. Thank you Amazon for responding to user complaints quickly, and continuing to add features. Because of the updates, I have purchased more cameras.
I have been replacing my lower resolution security cameras with the new Amazon Cloud Cam. Several of the older cameras were pointed outside (through windows) and one indoors. They were recording to a single hard drive on a small computer hidden in my house. The Amazon Cloud Cam, offered higher resolution, a wider angle lens and free 24 hour cloud storage, making it a good replacement.
Things I like about this camera:
* Very good picture quality, even in marginal lighting conditions
* IR night recording not bad, and the IR LEDs are barely noticeable (see note below)
* Wide angle lens covers entire room. (I am using one of these to replace two of my older cameras.)
* Free app for monitoring one or more cameras and reviewing recorded video. App can be installed on multiple phones.
* LIVE monitoring of cameras from web browser (newly added feature)
* Good motion detection with settings high, med, low.
* 2-way audio intercom when using app
* Free cloud storage (24 hours). This is a big deal for me.
* Can access & download clips from the Amazon Cloud drive even with the free plan.
* Can view and download clips from the app.
* Proximity setting turns off interior cameras when I am home (based on my cell phone location)
* 10' USB power cord. (My other cameras have shorter 5' cords and all require extensions.)
Things that could be improved on this camera:
* Mounting stand/bracket. The plastic stand was designed primarily for setting on a flat surface, or optionally mounting on a wall or ceiling. A short arm has a swivel ball which extends into the camera. This cannot be disconnected. There is limited travel on the swivel. It works okay, but is not as flexible as other cameras that I have used (Sony, JVC, Axis, D-Link, etc.)
* Cloudy night vision with built-in IR LED's. The eight LEDs (night vision illuminators) are behind the dark front faceplate. They are barely noticeable when looking at the camera in the dark. If stealth is what you're looking for then this is fine, except for the fact that the green power LED ruins the stealth effect. As a test, I turned OFF the night vision illumination in the Cloud Cam, and used the IR illumination from one of my older cameras in a totally dark room and, WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Suddenly the Cloud Cam image was punchy and had much more contrast. So the trade-off is to use the built in night vision LEDs and have a cloudy picture that's okay, or use external illumination and have a picture with more punch and contrast. You can buy an external IR LED illuminator on Amazon for about $10-12. This allows me to illuminate an outside area (my deck) with the Cloud Cam in a fixture behind a glass panel.
* No way to disable the green power LED on the camera. There should be settings for ALWAYS ON, MOTION DETECTED, and ALWAYS OFF. (I have covered the LED on the cameras pointing outdoors with black tape.) I've kept the power LED on the indoor camera visible since it goes off when camera detects when we are home. (Based on my cel phone location) Bottom line: the camera shouldn't call attention to itself unless you want it to.
* No time/date overlay in the video window. Yes you can use the file time/date, but a video overlay would be much better--especially in court.
* No microSD on-board recording. In recent years this has become a must since networks can go down (or be intentionally disabled). It would be very nice to have a backup recording in each camera.
* App notifications available, but SMS notification might be better. (see note below)
REGARDING CLOUD STORAGE:
I find it a bargain that Amazon is giving us free cloud viewing and storage for 24 hours. If something happens during that time, I can view the video and do as many screen grabs from the app as I need, or download clips--even with the free plan.
Some people have asked for continuous 24 hour recording. That just wastes bandwidth. I only want the camera to record things that change in the video (motion, etc.)--which this camera does very nicely. And, if the microphone is enabled it should record when there are changes in the audio--which this camera does not.
Since I've added these 3 Cloud Cams, the typical upload data has been averaging about 250 GB more per month than previously.
REGARDING NOTIFICATIONS TO MY CELL PHONE:
When notifications are turned on, the mobile app sends a notification to my phone. Nice feature, but with it enabled I found that I was using a large amount of data on my cell plan (about 1GB in a few days) not from the app, but instead from an Android background service. When I turned off the notifications, the excessive data usage went away. I have to do more research on this problem before I can make recommendations, but buyers should keep an eye on data usage, even if it's just notifications and not live viewing. I would prefer to get the notifications from SMS and not have the app running in the background.
In summary I think the camera is an excellent security camera for many people. I now have 3 Cloud Cams--one outside in the housing (pictured.) A couple of my older, lower resolution, cameras are still operating but there seems to be little use for them anymore now that the Cloud Cams have taken over.
I have 2 cameras and they were very easy to set up on the Cloud app. I am using the cameras to peek in on my pets when I am not at home. I have no need for recorded or stored video clips, zones or any of the subscription services so the cost of the cameras is my total expense. The picture quality both in day light and night vision are very good and it only takes a few seconds for me to open the app, remotely turn on the camera I want to view (I don't leave them on 24/7) and get a peek. I have only had the cameras a week and a half but so far they have worked exactly as I need them to each time.
Ratings:
Camera: 10
Dog: 1
Me: 0
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