22 Nov
Blog

SwannBuddy Video Doorbell Review: Room for Improvement

The SwannBuddy video doorbell can be hard-wired or battery operated.

SwannBuddy video doorbell

RRP $ 150.00

"It's not perfect, but a few software patches could make the SwannBuddy Video Doorbell a far better option."

advantages

  • High definition streaming with color night vision

  • Including doorbell with six melodies

  • Impressive sensors

  • Great for apartments

disadvantage

  • The app needs to be reloaded every time you open it

  • Live view loads too slowly to capture visitors

  • Requires a screwdriver to set up

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell is an impressive piece of technology with high definition streams, a range of sensors, and a budget friendly price. It serves as a strong entry point into the world of smart home security, especially now at the beginning of the Christmas season.

It competes with other products that are similarly new to the market, such as the Blink Video Doorbell. The SwannBuddy is making a name for itself as a great option for people who live in apartments (or just those who are not that savvy with tools) as it doesn't have to be hard-wired. It can run on batteries alone while offering performance comparable to much higher quality video doorbells.

However, the SwannBuddy is not perfect. While I found it to be easy to set up and use, there are several places I think the video doorbell could be improved upon.

Installation and setup

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell isn't difficult to set up, but the instructions that come with it are a bit confusing. If you can't hardwire the doorbell to anything, such as For example, if you live in an apartment or your doorbell doesn't have a C-cable, don't worry – you can attach it directly to your door with the adhesive provided.

You'll need to charge the battery first, a process that can take up to six hours. An included USB charger means all you have to do is plug in the SwannBuddy, and a light on the front of the camera tells you when it's fully charged. The battery life is pretty impressive; after a week of frequent use with almost hourly triggers, the SwannBuddy was still 75%.

The SwannBuddy lights up red while recording.

You can also use screws to attach the bracket to your door. However, regardless of how you mount the doorbell, you will need a screwdriver. A tamper-evident screw is inserted through the bottom of the bracket into the video doorbell itself.

Although the hardware to hardwire the doorbell is included, there are no instructions that show how to perform this particular task. Of course, a short YouTube video could solve this problem too.

The SwannBuddy gong plays six different melodies.

In addition to the SwannBuddy, you will find a carillon in the box. This device runs on two AA batteries and automatically connects to your doorbell. As soon as someone rings the doorbell, the gong sounds – quite loud the first time if you have not already adjusted the volume in the settings.

Pairing your new SwannBuddy doorbell with the app is as easy as scanning the QR code and following the on-screen instructions. There's nothing to it, especially if you've already set up a smart device.

Software and performance

If someone rings your doorbell and you're not home, check your phone to see who it is. To the right? The main problem I had with the SwannBuddy is the loading time. It takes up to 15 seconds or more to load the camera into the app.

In nine out of ten cases, I look at the history in the app to see who has come to the door. It doesn't load fast enough to catch them while they're still at the door, especially if it's a delivery driver or someone in a rush. The SwannBuddy only notifies you when movement is detected. It doesn't actually warn you if someone rings the doorbell unless you've already configured this setting, but it seems like it should be on by default.

Even in minimal light, the camera is powerful enough to see finer details.

These two issues baffled me during my doorbell use, but both feel that software updates could easily fix them. A couple of patches could all but resolve my main complaints about this device. With these issues aside, the rest of the Swann app is intuitive. There are three modes to choose from: Home, Night and Away. You can configure the modes to have different levels of motion detection and whether you want to receive push notifications or not.

The Activity tab shows an overview of all warnings for the day, divided into two categories: Movement and System. Motion alerts appear whenever something happens on the doorbell, but system alerts only appear when you change modes. As far as I could tell, the SwannBuddy doesn't use geofencing, so there are no automatic mode changes when you leave the house.

On the Live View tab, you can check any Swann camera you have activated, whether it's a security camera or just the doorbell. It's an easy way to see all of your video feeds in one place, but again, it can take a few seconds for the video to load.

The Device Settings menu is where you can select your doorbell and change its settings, but this is another area where I think the performance is not optimal. Every time I loaded SwannBuddy, I got the warning “Some of the device information is out of date”. This would go away after a few seconds, but during that time I couldn't access any of the settings. I could only wait for the app to finish loading.

This menu allows you to change the name of the device, its time zone, the connected Wi-Fi network, and view the Wi-Fi strength and battery level. You can also adjust things like the camera's date format, whether or not color night vision is used, and the speaker and microphone volume.

The Swann app gives you access to most of the essentials you need, but I wish there were more options – like the ability to change the gong. It is currently playing a Christmas jingle that lasts for twenty seconds. I would love to change it to a simple doorbell from the app. Instead, changing the melody requires pressing a physical button on the bell unit itself. Yes, there are six options to choose from, but most of them just feel redundant.

characteristics

One area in which the SwannBuddy excels is motion detection. The doorbell uses True Detect technology and can record movement and heat for more reliable alarms. It can also differentiate between humans and animals.

With two-way conversations, you can speak to visitors or leave instructions for delivery staff (provided the app loads fast enough to chat with them) while viewing both your door and the floor in front of you through a 180-degree perspective can see of it. At this time of year it means that you can keep an eye on all the packages that are being delivered to your home.

The SwannBuddy video doorbell can be hard-wired or battery operated.

The SwannBuddy contains a 32 GB SD card with which you can store footage locally on the device. Clips are also stored in the cloud for easy access. The SwannBuddy can also be integrated with the Google Assistant and Alexa. You can view the feed on any of these devices by asking the Smart Assistant to show you the screen.

If your veranda light is switched off at night, the SwannBuddy can see up to 5 meters with infrared vision. Even in minimal light, the camera is powerful enough to see finer details about anyone who passes by your door.

Finally, the SwannBuddy has an IP56 rating. It can withstand almost all weather conditions. You don't have to worry that direct sunlight or a rain shower will damage the device.

Our opinion

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell is a great device that is tarnished by a few small but extremely annoying issues. At $ 150, it's cheap enough that I can easily overlook these issues in order to do anything that gets it right. The potential of the doorbell could easily be exploited with a few software patches. If I already had a full setup of Swann cameras, adding the SwannBuddy to the repertoire would be a breeze.

All in all, it's not a bad doorbell, but it's also not the best I've ever seen. Its ability to run on either batteries or hardwired and its impressive specifications save it from being just another video doorbell in the smart home blitzkrieg.

Are there alternatives?

If you're looking for the top-of-the-line, you can't go wrong with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. It's an expensive piece of hardware (priced at $ 250), but it gives you access to all of Ring's impressive technology, like bird's eye view and automatic, Alexa-powered responses.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Blink Video Doorbell costs just $ 35 but sacrifices features in the name of savings. It still streams and records in 1080p, but the connection to the device is a little less streamlined and requires the sync module 2 or membership with the Blink subscription.

How long it will take?

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell is made of a fairly sturdy material. It feels good and heavy in the hand and is bulky enough to give the impression of quality. With proper care, it should last for years. If something happens, Swann offers a one-year guarantee from the date of purchase.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. Despite its problems, the SwannBuddy Video Doorbell does well. I hope Swann releases updates that fix the issues I was having with it.

Editor's recommendations



01 Oct
Blog

Diablo II: Resurrected Review: The Best Video Game Remaster

Diablo 2 cover photo.

Diablo II: Risen

RRP $ 40.00

"Diablo II: Resurrected preserves the original game while showing why it was considered a legendary game in the first place."

advantages

  • Faithful remaster

  • Necessary changes in quality of life

  • Smoother graphics

  • Works for both casual and hardcore gamers

  • Still the king

disadvantage

  • Sometimes shows its age

  • Original editions are still available

When we talk about game remasters, Diablo II: Resurrected should be considered the gold standard. It achieves what many other remasters fail; It really captures what it felt like playing the original game all those years ago. While the game is certainly showing its age, it has the basic framework that so many action RPGs have revived for their own needs.

Since Diablo II: Resurrected is as strong as it is, it's a little tricky to verify. To get to the point, this is pretty much just the original Diablo II with a paint job. There are really few major – and I use the term loosely – changes that affect gameplay. In the remastered version of Diablo II, the stash size has been increased and it is now easier to share loot with other characters. Additionally, characters can now automatically pick up gold when they encounter it. The improved audio, graphics, and Battle.net implementation enriches the game, but it doesn't radically change it in any way. Anyone who played the original knows exactly what to expect from the remaster. And that's a very good thing.

Welcome to hell

For those who never played Diablo II in the early 2000s, Diablo II: Resurrected is the remaster of the ARPG that each subsequent ARPG, like Torchlight and Path of Exile, used as the basis for their gameplay. Picking a character, jumping into dungeons, collecting a wealth of loot, and unleashing a barrage of spells and guts, it all started here. Well, it probably started with the original game, but Diablo crawled in so that Diablo II could run. This reworked version focuses on small quality of life changes and keeps most of the original game intact.

A group of eight players in Tristram.

This can be a problem for gamers who are used to more modern ARPGs. Fans of the Torchlight franchise might find Diablo II: Resurrected daunting and complex, while Path of Exile fans might find it, ironically, superficial. Diablo II: Resurrected exists somewhere near the center of this game series and can please both of its fans.

Diablo II: Resurrected exists at the same time as a relic of old-school gaming and yet offers everything a modern game needs to be inviting and addicting.

Diablo II mastered the amalgamation of casual and hardcore gameplay years before these games were even conceived. A player can easily create a character and just go with the flow and still see everything the game has to offer. When I was 10 years old, I did Baal runs and immersed myself in the Secret Cow level in the original game. Or, you can really buckle your character down to min / max and routinely take out the final boss of the game in under three minutes.

ARPG game fans should definitely check out this game for no other reason than to see where this genre really took off. Even though the game is technically 20 years old, it still has an incredible loop for players to bite into. It's still incredibly fun to dive deep into dungeons and collect tons of loot, especially when you want to play with other players. Up to eight players can join in together to experience the entirety of this game, two more than the multiplayer modes Torchlight 2 and Paths of Exile. Diablo II: Resurrected exists at the same time as a relic of old-school gaming and yet offers everything a modern game needs to be inviting and addicting.

Welcome back (to hell)

I will turn my attention to the players who are returning to Tristram after such a long absence. Hello hope you are well. This game? This game here? It is exactly as you remembered it. Many gamers are cautious when they hear that their favorite game is getting a modern update. Sometimes this guttes the game and turns it into something unrecognizable. Sometimes it doesn't deliver what it says on the tin and you end up with a half-baked game full of rigid animations and broken dreams, like Blizzard's very own Warcraft III: Reforged.

In my head I thought the original Diablo II looked like the remastered version.

Diablo II: Resurrected is one of those remasters that manages to capture lightning in a bottle by simply following a simple mantra: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Aside from the graphics and audio tweaks, the game is largely unaffected by the original. It plays exactly how you remember it, and it looks exactly how you thought it would all those years ago. During the game, you can tap a button and restore the graphics of the original game. The original graphics are definitely out of date and incredibly pixelated on a 4K monitor. It almost feels like a mind game. In my head I thought the original Diablo II looked like the remastered version. It's just further proof of how nostalgia can mess up your head.

A fight ensues in Diablo 2: Resurrected.

If you still long for those days when you're frantically opening city portals to recover your body from an especially tough fight, or challenging your friends in player-versus-player battle for bragging rights and dismembered ears, then this remaster is meant for you. It's like no time has passed.

Those old bones hurt

For a game over 20 years old, it's still shocking how seamless the gameplay can be. All those years ago, Blizzard figured out what makes ARPGs so much fun: violence and treasure. There are plenty of times that Diablo II can be punch after punch with a lot of modern games, and the remaster just adds a shiny coat of paint to make it look more up-to-date.

Lightning strikes the battlefield in Diablo 2: Resurrected.

However, video games didn't just sit in a dark room and do nothing for the past 20 years. Many developers used the original Diablo II to learn from its mistakes. Diablo II can often feel monotonous when there is only room for room to fight enemies and nothing else. Loot management can also be a sore point, as the inexperienced is often completely overwhelmed with loot and is unsure what to do with it. There is no way to remove equipment from your inventory without taking a break from the dungeon and returning to town. This can be tiring and disrupt the momentum players are building.

It can sometimes feel like taking a tour of old school gaming and seeing what upset gamers decades ago.

Enemies can be pretty stupid too. The Army of Hell is technically terrifying, but you will see these horrific creatures standing there waiting to be hit without taking revenge or not understanding how to walk around a pile of urns. The remastered version does not fix these problems. All of that past pain is still there.

These problems are certainly not groundbreaking. After playing the game for a while, you will be able to bypass them. It can sometimes feel like taking a tour of old school gaming and seeing what upset gamers decades ago.

Lost in failure

With the perspective of where Blizzard is now – the publisher is currently embroiled in a company-wide scandal that sparked an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission – and what Diablo means to the gaming world, I can't help but think about the ongoing issue this series: failure.

These games are about failing despite the best efforts of the characters. The events of Diablo II's history are the aftermath of the mistakes made by the player characters in the first game, Diablo. Throughout the entire Diablo II campaign, you will see that the world and the people who live in it are not getting what they set out to do. Even Diablo III is full of the mistakes of the past and characters doing their best. All of this makes you, the gamer, fail again and again as you march through Sanctuary. If you fail to kill the Prime Evils, you will have to go through tons of funeral runs to get back what is yours. If you can't get exactly the equipment you need to make your class building worthwhile. Failure to get all of your friends together for a full night of Baal runs.

Marius in conversation with an "old friend".

To be perfectly clear, I'm not saying Diablo II: Resurrected is a failure. It's definitely a huge hit for a remaster. But the modern context that the game is releasing cannot be overlooked. Blizzard and its workplace culture failed because it was born and left a black mark on its legacy.

A lot of things have changed since the original game came out all those years ago. Blizzard was just a sloppy little developer with lots of ideas and ambition. Now part of Activision, one of the largest game development companies in the world, Blizzard is barely recognizable. With the recent lawsuits against Activision Blizzard, one cannot avoid wondering what this means for Diablo and its community. What place does it have in our world after we learn more about allegations of harassment and ill-treatment in the workplace?

Celebrating the original game along with its remaster can understandably make some feel uncomfortable. How can we praise a game when it is embedded in a system that continues abuse by its employees? Will condemning the game help us move into a world where game developers are treated fairly? There are no easy answers. I want to support the developers who had nothing to do with the pain that surrounds this company. I want the passion of these people, which comes into its own in this loving remaster, shine through this thick cloud and let them pave the way for a better future.

Our opinion

Diablo II: Resurrected is a great achievement for a remastered game. It preserves the original game in amber while showing why it was considered a legendary game in the first place. It's perfect for veterans to get back in and play like you've been playing for 20 years. It's also still open to new players who can finally see what all the hype is about.

Is there a better alternative?

Games like the Torchlight franchise and Path of Exile have learned a lot from the original Diablo II and have made efforts to modernize the ARPG genre, but Diablo II: Resurrected is still king.

How long it will take?

From start to finish, the story takes about 10 to 12 hours to complete, although the game doesn't end when the credits roll in. You can spend countless hours rushing bosses and perfecting your character builds until you're blue in the face.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. It's a must-see for fans of the genre and those interested in the game's history. However, we recommend researching the Activision Blizzard workplace scandal first as it can influence your purchase decision here.

Editor's recommendations



04 Jul
Blog

HP Elite Dragonfly Max Review: A Video Dream Machine

HP Elite Dragonfly Max Test 12

"The HP Elite Dragonfly Max is a beautiful 2-in-1 device for the business traveler on the go."

  • Excellent workmanship

  • Thin and light

  • Excellent keyboard and touchpad

  • Effective privacy protection

  • A number of valuable business functions

  • Overwhelming CPU performance

  • Expensive

The HP Elite Dragonfly has never been your average business laptop. The name alone suggests that this is not a ThinkPad clone. A unique design made the original Elite Dragonfly a fantastic 2-in-1 device for business people who didn't want to sacrifice design for business functions.

HP updated the machine to G2 in 2020 and then to the latest 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake CPUs in 2021. But now we have a specialized version, the Elite Dragonfly Max, which shares the same basic design and functionality as the G2, but with improved video conferencing capabilities – notably an improved webcam and an additional, outward-facing microphone.

I have a test configuration of the Elite Dragonfly Max with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 with vPro, 16 GB RAM, a 512 GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), HP's Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) Sure View Reflect- Privacy protection and 5G WWAN support. The configuration costs $ 2,792, a very steep price tag that is – once again – aimed at a specific type of business user. Does the Max offer added value compared to the G2?

design

In test mode, the HP Elite Dragonfly folds up as a 2-in-1.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

What stands out most about the design of the Elite Dragonfly Max is the attention to detail. HP has obviously put a lot of thought into making a laptop that not only meets the typical needs of business users, but also some things that many people may not have thought of. Consider the "cleanability" of the laptop. Not only can you clean and disinfect the laptop with regular household towels – up to 1,000 cycles – but HP has also developed a simple HP Easy Clean utility that turns off the touchscreen, keyboard and touchpad, so you can clean the device without pressing any keys and touched.

Then there are the "Context Aware" technologies from HP, of which there are two variants. The first, in-bag / out-of-bag detection, has been implemented on a few other HP laptops – the HP Specter x360 14, for example, and just like it sounds, it can detect when you put your laptop in a Put a bag or a backpack. When this condition is detected, the laptop will go to sleep to make sure it doesn't turn on. Then if you remove it and place it on a flat surface, the laptop will wake up and be up and running much faster.

The second contextual function is On Lap / On Table Detection, which can detect when you are using the laptop on a desktop machine temperature around 5 degrees Celsius.

The Elite Dragonfly Max is an incredibly well-designed laptop in the most important aspects.

But no fear. HP did not spend all of its resources on unusual features. The Elite Dragonfly Max is also an incredibly well-designed laptop in the most important aspects. It's made from a magnesium alloy, which gives it a solid construction that is compromised by just a tiny flex of the lid. The keyboard deck and underside of the case are strong and rigid, and the laptop has been tested to military specifications. If the Elite Dragonfly Max isn't in the same class as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano, the ThinkPad X13 Yoga 2-in-1, or the Dell XPS 13, then it's damn close. Hold it in your hand – and toggle it between the four modes of clamshell, tent, media, and tablet – and you get a real feeling of solid quality.

The Elite Dragonfly Max is also a thin and light laptop. It's 0.63 inches thick and 2.49 pounds, and ranges from the 0.67 inches and 1.99 pounds of the ThinkPad X1 Nano to the 0.58 inches and 2.8 pounds of the XPS 13. The ThinkPad X13 Yoga has it the same thickness but weighs a little more at 2.76 pounds. There aren't many 13-inch 2-in-1s in the business class, and so our direct comparison group is slim.

The Elite Dragonfly Max would benefit from smaller top and bottom bezels that would make for a smaller case and a more modern look. There is a reason for the thicker top bezel, however – HP needed space to fit into the higher resolution webcam. Speaking of looks, the Elite Dragonfly Max is designed conservatively, with clean lines and simple angles, but enough accents not to get boring. The hinges are the most elaborate design element; they do not protrude, but subtly enhance the overall look of the notebook. The Max version of the laptop is available in Brilliant Black instead of the blue of the G2 and looks good.

The ports of the HP Elite Dragonfly Max.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Connectivity is also a strength. On the left there is a USB-A-3.1 port, a nano lock slot and a nano SIM slot. On the right side you'll find a full-sized HDMI 2.0 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support (one of which is used for charging). Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, and either LTE 4G or 5G wireless WAN (WWAN) support is optional.

Speaking of the latter, my test device was equipped with 5G and came with an AT&T SIM card. I tested 5G connectivity at my home, and while both the laptop and AT & T's coverage map indicated I was getting a 5G connection, my download speed was around 70 megabits per second (Mbps). When I tested the Lenovo Flex 5G with Verizon's Ultra-Wideband 5G (the HP is limited to Sub6 5G), I saw almost 500Mbps. I haven't had a chance to drive around town looking for a faster AT&T 5G connection, but I'm sure it's possible to see faster speeds than I've experienced.

Security and privacy

HP Elite Dragonfly Max touchpad, keyboard and fingerprint reader.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

HP has carried over the various security and privacy features that we loved so much into the original Elite Dragonfly. It offers optional vPro support so that large companies can integrate the laptop into their management systems. It also features HP Sure Start, which features a security controller built right into the motherboard, providing an isolated and encrypted physical layer of protection for the BIOS and the boot process. As stated with the original model, the Elite Dragonfly Max outperforms most other business-class laptops in terms of the sheer number of business-oriented features, including Lenovo's ThinkPad range.

You can also find two ways to log in without a password – facial recognition via infrared cameras and a fingerprint reader on the top right of the palm rest. Both work quickly and reliably. There's a physical webcam cover for more privacy that displays an overlay to make it visible when it's activated, and a keyboard button turns the microphone off.

Finally, the Elite Dragonfly Max (and note that the G2 version has all of these features, too) has built-in tile support. The new models are different from the original, where the tile module was plugged into the same M.2 port as the WWAN, so it was either tile or always-on connectivity and not both. Tile is now built into the motherboard so you can now use the Tile system to locate your laptop if you leave it behind or if it is stolen and still enjoy 4G LTE or 5G support.

performance

The HP Elite Dragonfly is folded on its back.

The Elite Dragonfly Max I tested is equipped with an 11th generation Intel Core i7-1185G7 CPU with vPro support. This makes it an excellent choice for large organizations that use vPro for remote management and support. Although the laptop was equipped with a slightly faster version of the Tiger Lake Core i7, I suspected that the thin case could limit performance as the thermals need more careful control.

I was right. The Elite Dragonfly Max didn't do particularly well, but it was a bit disappointing compared to the competition.

The Elite Dragonfly Max felt very fast on typical productivity tasks.

In Geekbench 5, for example, the Elite Dragonfly Max came last in our comparison group. The difference wasn't pronounced when compared to the other Intel Tiger Lake laptops – the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U-based Asus ZenBook 13 OLED dominated all CPU-intensive benchmarks – but it was disappointing that the HP fell so low. In our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB video as H.265, the Elite Dragonfly Max again came last, and the difference was bigger than the HP Specter x360 14 (which was much faster in performance mode). The same was true for Cinebench R23, where the two HP laptops were close together and behind the rest of the pack (although the Specter x360 14 was much faster in performance mode).

I also tested the Elite Dragonfly Max using PCMark 10 where – you guessed it – it performed in line with the Specter x360 14 and slower than the rest of the field. However, the delta was lower in this test, except for the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED. Looking at the individual components of the PCMark 10 test, the Elite Dragonfly Max scores well in the Essentials section (web browsing, video conferencing, etc.), but falls behind in productivity and content creation.

In actual use, the Elite Dragonfly Max felt very fast on typical productivity tasks. And in fact, it's by no means a slow laptop. It just doesn't compare to its similarly configured competition.

Geekbench (single / multiple) Handbrake (seconds) Cinebench R23 (single / multiple) PCMark 10 3DMark time spy
HP Elite Dragonfly Max
(Core i7-1185G7)		 1570/5297 252 1385/3604 4724 1468
Asus ZenBook 13 OLED
(AMD-Ryzen7 5800U)		 1423/6758 124 1171/7824 6034 1342
Dell XPS 13 (Core i7-1185G7) 1549/5431 204 1399/4585 n / A 1380
HP Specter x360 14 (Core i7-1165G7) 1214/4117 236 1389/3941 4728 1457
Razer Book 13 (Core i7-1165G7) 1548/5374 210 1508/4519 4878 1776
Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (Core i7-1185G7) 1532/5415 207 1435/4409 4800 1648

It's not much of a gaming laptop either. It does well in the 3DMark Time Spy test and beats some of the devices in the comparison group.

But in Fortnite it fell back again, only reaching 22 frames per second (fps) in 1080p and high graphics, which is a few fps behind the typical Tiger Lake laptop with the same Intel Iris Xe graphics. In epic settings it fell to 18 fps, again a few fps below the Tiger Lake average.

Display and audio

The HP Elite Dragonfly Max's 1080p screen.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Elite Dragonfly Max has a display option, the Sure View Reflect privacy screen from HP with full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080) and an old-school aspect ratio of 16: 9. That's compared to the G2 version, which offers standard IPS Full HD and 4K options. This is an unusual ad that has two distinct personalities.

With privacy mode turned off, the display is incredibly bright at 1,000 nits. My test device "only" returned 417 nits, which is great, but I should see around 758 nits after HP tests a second device they sent because of the discrepancy. There seems to be something about the display technology that makes our usual colorimeter tests difficult, and as I tried, I couldn't get this brightness. The contrast was excellent at 1,380: 1 (anything above 1,000: 1 is very good) and black text appeared on a white background. Combined with the excellent keyboard, this is a great laptop for a writer. Plus, with its 458 nits of brightness and 1350: 1 contrast, the display does well with the Dell XPS 13 Full HD display, and it was brighter than the Specter x360 14's OLED display, which came in at 374 nits, however Was not comparable to the Specter's 374,200: 1 aspect ratio (that's OLED for you).

It's fine for an individual to use, but not a great screen to share.

The colors were average for premium productivity laptops, which means they were good but not the level creative types are looking for. The AdobeRGB coverage was 74% and the sRGB coverage was 97%, which are good values, but again not as broad as creatives would like. The colors were reasonably accurate with a Delta E of 2.49 (1.0 or less is considered excellent). The XPS 13 had 75% AdobeRGB and 98% sRGB coverage and an accuracy of 1.36, while the Specter x360 14 had very wide colors at 96% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB with a color accuracy of 0.69.

Overall, the display in standard mode is great for productivity and media consumption. The only negative is that the viewing angles are a bit narrow. Look from any angle other than straight ahead and the display will darken and lose fidelity. It's fine for an individual to use, but not a great screen to share.

Turn on privacy mode and everything will change. The brightness drops sharply – my colorimeter wasn't able to accurately measure the display in private mode – and while it's still usable, it won't overcome bright skylights. The colors stay decent, the accuracy seems good, and the contrast doesn't seem to let up much. It's still a good productivity display, but that's not its calling card. More importantly, it works perfectly as a privacy screen and is completely grayed out when you move away from direct view. For example, if you sit in the middle seat on an airplane, your screen will be completely illegible to those to your left and right.

I'm working on solving the brightness issue in standard mode, but it's not a big deal. This is a great display for both standard productivity work in any setting and for your work in relative privacy.

The upward-facing speakers on the HP Elite Dragonfly Max.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The audio quality is excellent thanks to four speakers tuned by Bang & Olufsen, two upward-facing speakers on each side of the keyboard and two downward-facing speakers on the bottom of the case. Each speaker is powered by its own dedicated intelligent amplifier. HP is promoting the laptop's bass, which is a valid boast – not only was the volume very loud and undistorted, with crisp and crisp mids and highs, but there was a noticeable hint of bass too.

These are excellent speakers for such a small laptop, and while they can't compete with the great audio on the MacBook Pro, they do better than most Windows 10 laptops. You can use them for most of your listening, including the noise of Netflix and listening to music. Headphones are optional.

Video conferencing

The 5 megapixel webcam of the HP Elite Dragonfly Max.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Where the Max version differs from the G2 version are the video conferencing functions. This starts with the webcam, which is not your typical, low-quality 720p laptop webcam that has nothing special to write about. This is a 5 megapixel webcam with a larger sensor, auto exposure for faces, and careful tuning for maximum performance. My house is in the process of being renovated so I don't have an attractive background to show off the quality of the camera. Still, it's noticeably improved over the previous model and the other laptops I have lying around. HP tested the webcam with several competitors and across the board achieved higher texture quality, better color accuracy, and more even colors in an image.

In terms of resolution, it's even better than the 1080p webcams that come out like those on some newer ThinkPads. The Elite Dragonfly Max can handle videos up to 1440p, using 4.15 MP of the available 5 MP.

The Max version also increases the G2's three microphones to four, with two facing forward and two facing the world. Artificial intelligence based noise cancellation is used to suppress background noise and improve the overall sound quality.

Simply put, the Elite Dragonfly Max is the dream video conferencing laptop that offers better pictures and sounds for more effective communication. If you work remotely and need the best video conferencing performance, this laptop should be on your shortlist.

Keyboard and touchpad

The HP Elite Dragonfly Max has an excellent keyboard.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

HP makes great keyboards. The Specter range, for example, has had my favorite keyboard on Windows 10 laptops for a while. The Elite line has followed closely, and now the Elite Dragonfly Max and G2 have a new and even better version.

First off, the keyboard is solid. that is, it is consistent across all keys. This is unusual and makes typing more efficient and less tiring because your fingers don't feel any different when they fly across the keyboard. The switches are firm, but not too tight, and provide just the right amount of feedback with a bouncy bottom motion that makes each key very precise. Although the laptop is small, I found the key spacing to be ample and the keycaps to be a comfortable size. I type faster and more accurately on this keyboard than any other I've used – with the exception of Apple's Magic Keyboard on the latest MacBooks. And I would say the Elite Dragonfly Max keyboard is right there with the excellent version from Apple.

The touchpad is as big as the frame size and the 16: 9 aspect ratio display (bigger displays have got bigger touchpads lately thanks to the extra vertical space), and it's extremely comfortable to use. The clicks are subtle and quiet, with a high quality feel. Of course, it's a Microsoft Precision touchpad, so multitouch gestures are safe and precise. Aside from its size, this touchpad rivals those of the Dell XPS 13 and HP Specter x360 14 which are excellent.

The display is of course touch-enabled and reacts as usual. It supports HP's Wacom AES 2.0 active pen with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt support and USB-C charging. One was not bundled with my review unit – it's a $ 74 option – so unfortunately I couldn't test it that way.

Battery life

The 360-degree hinge of the HP Elite Dragonfly Max.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Elite Dragonfly Max comes with a 56 watt-hour battery and a full HD display (but with two modes, which I'll go into in a moment). I was expecting battery life to be a strength, as was the case with the original version.

As it turned out, the battery life wasn't quite up to the same standards. While the first generation Elite Dragonfly reached 10.5 hours in our web browsing test, the Max reached 9.75 hours. Well, anything close to 10 hours on this test should be considered a good score, but more laptops recently have hit this number and beyond. The Elite Dragonfly Max score is now more average than outstanding, and while it promises a full business day of battery life, some other newer laptops are stronger. For example, the HP Envy 14 managed over 12.5 hours, while the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED managed a very strong 15.75 hours. The Dell XPS 13 Full HD was not as competitive with only 8.5 hours, while the HP Specter x360 14 with its power-hungry OLED display only lasted 6.95 hours.

In our video test replaying a 1080p movie trailer, the Elite Dragonfly Max achieved 13.5 hours, which is a decent result, but not much better than average. The Envy 14 lasted almost an hour longer and the ZenBook 13 OLED reached 15.5 hours, while the XPS 13 lagged behind with 12 hours and the Specter x360 14 came last in this group with just over 10 hours.

I ran the PCMark 10 gaming test to see how the laptop performed under load on the CPU and GPU and it lasted 4.9 hours, which is almost the longest we've seen. Only the LG Gram 16 lasted longer, by just seven minutes. Of course, this probably indicates that the Elite Dragonfly Max isn't really trying to put itself under extreme strain on battery power – something to keep in mind when working without a power outlet. Finally, I ran the PCMark 10 application test, which is the best indicator of productivity on battery life, and the Elite Dragonfly Max lasted a little over 11 hours. That's a strong result in the top tier of the limited number of laptops we tested.

Interestingly, the battery life is better with data protection mode on than with it off. With the privacy screen activated, the Elite Dragonfly Max managed 11.5 hours in our web browsing test, 14.25 hours in our video test, and 14 hours in the PCMark 10 application test. Using the privacy mode not only doesn't harm your battery life, it also increases it significantly.

Overall, I would rate the battery life as good, but not great. Again, you can work the laptop for a full day without plugging it in, but it falls behind some of the competition. That's more a matter of laptop battery life improving further than an indictment against the Elite Dragonfly Max.

Our opinion

If you are a businessman who does a lot of videoconferencing and has a corporate budget, you will no doubt find the Elite Dragonfly Max a tempting option. It's incredibly well built, has several real value-added features, and has some of the best security and privacy features you can find on a laptop.

It's also expensive, offers average performance and battery life, and you might not be interested in some of the features it offers. That makes this a great laptop, but primarily for a specific audience.

Any alternatives?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga is another business-class 2-in-1 for you to consider. It's not that expensive, but it doesn't offer the same range of features. If your needs aren't that specific, this is a good option to consider.

If you don't care about business features, then the HP Specter x360 14 is in many ways a superior 2-in-1 with better performance, a better display for creative professionals but no privacy screens, and much a lower price tag. It would also be a viable alternative if you aren't that concerned about security and privacy.

Finally, if you aren't into 2-in-1 functionality or business-class features, the old standby mode is yours: the Dell XPS 13. It remains one of the best laptops you can buy, and you do get better performance and a smaller chassis for less money.

How long it will take?

The Elite Dragonfly Max is so well built that you will be using it for years to come. You will likely find that the 16: 9 aspect ratio display will appear increasingly dated, but that is the only component that is currently not up to date with the latest technology. However, you will surely appreciate the three year warranty we would like to see on all laptops.

Should you buy it?

Yes. You have to be a special breed to want the Elite Dragonfly Max, but if you are, then you really will want it.

Editor's recommendations



01 Apr
Blog

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 Review: Within Radar Range

Doorbell video doorbell guide

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

"Ring best rang the doorbell and added a bump to the key specs. Then there was radar! "

  • High resolution

  • High quality video day and night

  • User-friendly installation

  • Radar detection

Ring's latest video doorbell builds on previous successes and adds a new dimension to its bag of tricks: radar, which currently seems to be all the rage in the smart home industry. Ring hopes that with the addition of radar, motion tracking will be even more accurate and gaming more fun. It's a nice demonstration for sure, but how useful is it? I wanted to find out.

When you compare the Ring Video Doorbell Pro to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, there are few physical differences. They basically look the same. While the horizontal field of view is slightly limited on this newer generation (150 degrees out of 160 degrees), you get a much wider vertical field of view (150 degrees out of 90 degrees). You also get what Ring calls "3D motion detection," which I'll get into in a moment. Ring also increased the resolution of his camera to 1536p HD video. In short, Ring has selected an already outstanding performer and improved it with a new technology. So let's look at how "amplified" it is.

Minor upgrades

But first we should look at the doorbell as a whole. At first glance, most of the upgrades you'll get from the previous generation Ring Video Doorbell Pro are minor. You get more resolution and more field of view, but there isn't much beyond that. That's just because the Ring Doorbell Pro already sets a very high bar. It's not surprising that Ring built radar into this generation as anything else would be hard to top.

Ring video doorbell guide image

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 still gives you an immersive installation experience with voice prompts as opposed to cryptic beeps or messages displayed on your phone. You get the great experience with the Ring software including the Neighbors app, the cameras provide great clarity during the day and night, and the reduced horizontal field of view is not that much reduced so you can still see everything outside your door.

The video quality is still pretty clear. This generation increased the resolution to 1536p, which is the highest ever. During the day, the videos are crisp and hardly have a fish-eye effect at the edges. Color rendering is good if a touch on the cool side. The picture is very balanced even in bright sunshine. At night, the camera is able to generate colors in poor lighting conditions that switch to IR if necessary. In short, the camera is very good.

Alexa as a concierge

One feature that isn't new to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro range (but was new to me) was using Alexa to open the door. When someone rings your doorbell, Alexa can enter after a set time and greet your visitor for you. Alexa is quite limited in this capacity; You can choose from a number of pre-selected messages. For example, Alexa can instruct a parcel handler where to leave the delivery, or she can ask your neighbor to leave a message.

I would have liked a little more artificial intelligence (A.I.) to be involved here. Stir in facial recognition and parcel recognition and you can get yourself a nice virtual butler on your doorstep. As much as Amazon wants to bring Alexa to any device under the sun, I would expect Alexa to be a little smarter here.

You don't even need Alexa to say, "Please leave the package at the door." It's just a recorded message. In fact, I'd argue that recording a message that says, "I can't get to the door, but can you leave the package in the garage" is more secure than a generic Alexa message. I think after all this time I just want Alexa to be a lot smarter.

Your front door in 3D

One of the highlights of the latest generation of doorbells from Amazon is the so-called "3D motion detection". It uses radar built into the doorbell to let you know where the action you see on your video feed is actually taking place. If you watch the live feed or a replay of a previous event, you will see a bird's eye view of your home (read: satellite view) with dots on the map showing where the action took place. Amazon claims it can detect movement up to 30 feet. I clocked it closer to 20, but that's still pretty impressive. In some cases, the radar detected my dog ​​before she jumped onto the quarterdeck and could be seen clearly. Rings radar knew something was back there.

It works like this: While your subject is moving in the frame, a trace of dots is displayed on the small map in the corner of the image. The map can be moved, but its size cannot be changed. This does not necessarily have to be the case, since the card only serves to provide the context for the image moving on the screen. The dots disappear as your subject moves, giving you a sense of movement and direction. It is really very chic.

The key value here is frankly lost to me as I have a pretty good sense of direction and depth. If I watch a video of someone walking around my front yard, I can tell exactly where they are. This is not the case with all. Not everyone is wired to look at a 2D image and find out exactly where something is going on. The bird's eye view and a series of points showing where movement is taking place give the viewer much more context as to where the action is taking place.

This is one of the top three doorbells you can buy right now.

How useful this is ultimately depends on the user. It sure is a nice addition. But is it worth an extra $ 100? I'm not sure. I know exactly what Ring is doing here, and it can be interesting. However, I don't consider it a flagship nor a reason to upgrade from an earlier generation doorbell.

Our opinion

Overall, this is the best video doorbell Ring has made. It's a bit pricey at $ 250, and as I said in my review on the Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, video doorbell prices have been going down lately. That doorbell flies in the face of that. The main reason for purchasing this doorbell over the original Ring Video Doorbell Pro is its radar capability. While this does add some feature and context to your video, it's hard to say that it definitely adds value to the doorbell, let alone worth more than $ 100.

Fortunately, that's not all the new doorbell adds. You also get degradation in video resolution and field of view. When you put all of this together, it will be easier to see where your money is going. Ring already had one of the best video doorbells out there, and adding it makes everything even better. It's not enough to upgrade from the original Pro to the new one. However, if you are looking for a new video doorbell in the market, this is one you should consider.

Is there a better alternative?

There is no better doorbell that uses radar technology because there is no other doorbell. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro gives you a better field of view and the last generation Ring Video Doorbell Pro gives you better value for money when the radar isn't exciting for you. The Arlo Essential doorbell gives you a similar software experience, but it lacks the Neighbors app. Put it all together and this is one of the top three doorbells you can buy right now in terms of the total package.

How long it will take?

The construction of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is very robust. It is similar to previous generations and has the same operating temperature range and limited warranty. I wouldn't worry how that doorbell is going to hold. It will surely take you a while.

Should I buy it?

Yes. This is one of the best video doorbells you can buy today. They are expensive but cheaper alternatives that you may or may not be okay with. If you already have a bell, you probably don't need to upgrade to this one. If you want to save a few dollars, use the original Ring Video Doorbell Pro. Otherwise, this should be at the top of your list.

Editor's recommendations




27 Feb
Blog

Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell Review: Huge Decision

Arlo Essential Wireless doorbell mounted on brick

Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wireless

"A great software experience is compromised by cheap looking hardware that doesn't match the price."

  • Great software with lots of options

  • Good video quality, day and night

  • easy installation

  • Inexpensive looking hardware

  • Prominent fisheye effect

Package deliveries are becoming more and more common these days. I received two separate deliveries to my door on the day this was written. Arlo recognizes this and wants to help. The newest doorbell, the Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, has a 180 degree field of view and packet detection, and doesn't need any cables at all if you don't want them or you already have them. Arlo's successes are deeply rooted in its line of surveillance cameras like the mighty Arlo Pro 4. Does the new video doorbell have a chance of staying a relevant gamer in space?

This doorbell is all about choice

You can install the Essential Wireless doorbell with or without a cable. If you have a wired doorbell, the Essential button in your interior will ring. Otherwise, you can wirelessly mount this battery operated doorbell anywhere. Arlo claims this doorbell will last for six months on a single charge. My tests show a little closer to two or three, but in fairness it was crazy cold outside so battery efficiency can be affected. That said, it's nice to have a doorbell that you can easily place anywhere you need it.

Arlo Essential Wireless doorbell mounted on brick

When you set up the app, the doorbell needs to scan a QR code to get the Wi-Fi credentials. I only mention this because the process worked very well which is unusual in my experience. Well played, Arlo. During the set up process, you will be asked what type of subscription you would like to sign up for, which was a bit off-putting.

There's no other way to put it: it's huge

The Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell is a large piece of a doorbell. It's the biggest doorbell I've tested so far. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if your door invites you to a leaner offering, it's important to keep that in mind. The doorbell is 47mm x 143mm x 37mm which is pretty massive. For comparison: The Netatmo doorbell that I tested a few weeks ago is also huge, but smaller than this doorbell (45mm x 135mm x 29mm) in every dimension.

Size comparison between the Arlo Video doorbell and an iPhone 12 Pro

The doorbell hardware is a combination of matte and glossy polycarbonate that feels solid and sturdy, but exudes a cheap aesthetic. The camera protrudes a little from the top of the bell and gives it a diagonal field of view of 180 degrees. At the bottom is a round button with a ring of LEDs that light up when you approach. The LEDs are not bright enough to illuminate the area. They're only there to indicate where to push. The 6,500 mAh battery is located in the plastic housing. With the pen supplied, you can, similar to most telephones, detach the doorbell from the mounting plate, remove the battery and connect it to a micro-USB cable for charging.

The video feed (resolution 1536 x 1536) is pretty good during the day and night, although a very noticeable fisheye effect can be seen on the periphery of the feed. There is also a noticeable delay when the camera is transmitting audio and video, often up to three seconds. This can make conversations difficult, but not impossible.

The software lights up

On the software side, the app is very comprehensive. You get the usual options like activity zones, notification configurations and the like. What impresses me about Arlo software is the wealth of options it gives you. The doorbell can recognize people, animals, vehicles, movements and even the parcel delivery. This last option is limited to only one Arlo camera at a time for some reason. You can't let your front door camera and doorbell detect a package, which is an odd limitation.

You can also set up an E911 notification and phone friend option. If an intruder appears at your door, the doorbell can contact emergency services. If a package is displayed while you are on vacation, the app can choose a designated contact for you. You can also activate a built-in siren. The siren isn't particularly loud, but it's deafening. Passers-by on the sidewalk in front of your house will hear it. Your neighbors may or may not.

The Arlo Essential video doorbell also works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Samsung SmartThings and IFTTT. Silent mode bypasses app notifications and / or the physical chimes. This is valuable when young children are sleeping. There are call settings, video settings, motion detection sensitivity settings, and more. Overall, I am impressed with the software experience as it has a ton of features.

While the software is one of my favorite software to date, the hardware leaves a lot to be desired.

This can also be a weakness as the app contains two settings areas. There is one for device-specific settings and one for general settings for Arlo. It takes a while to wrap your head around everyone, but that also ensures that you can really make this doorbell your own.

Our opinion

Overall, this doorbell offers a great software experience with great video capabilities, but with less than impressive hardware. In the software, this doorbell really stands out. The audio and video lag, while not great, isn't terrible either. But the abundance of settings and functions that this bell has to offer makes it very convincing. It's also $ 200. The last two doorbells I checked were $ 30 and $ 60, respectively, and this doorbell seems to go against the grain in that regard.

Is there a better alternative?

The 180-degree diagonal field of view is great, but the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro has a 180-degree vertical and horizontal field of view, making it bigger and wider. Also, the Arlo Essential Wireless doorbell is just huge and difficult to place next to some doors. While the software is one of my favorite software to date, the hardware leaves a lot to be desired.

Will it take?

The Arlo Essential Video doorbell has a 30-day return policy and a one-year limited warranty. The construction is durable and solid. The operating temperature range is -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, which is good. You can even swap out the battery (for an additional $ 50) if the original battery runs out over time.

Should I buy it?

No. Video doorbell prices are falling. Considering that this doorbell costs $ 199 and requires a subscription, that's too high. For this price, I want a premium look and feel and software experience. In this case, I only get one of those three. The upcoming Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 offers radar sensors and a bird's eye view for a little more. The more economical Ring video doorbell with cable also offers you a first-class software experience and costs less than half the price. The software experience here is great, but the hardware really pulls it down.

Editor's recommendations




18 Feb
Blog

Ring Video Doorbell Wired: Delightful Value for the Money

Ring video doorbell wired mounted on brick

Ring video doorbell wired

"This is the best video doorbell value."

  • Magnificent installation

  • No need to recharge

  • Great app

  • Clear, clear video

  • Bypasses the wired carillon

  • Narrow field of view

Ring is arguably the company that brought video doorbells into the mainstream. That tradition continues with Amazon's brand new $ 60 Ring Video Doorbell in a very affordable space. This affordable video doorbell is a wake-up call for the video doorbell room. We've already seen an extremely (read: ridiculously) affordable doorbell from Wzye, and Ring is now showing us that if you double your money, you can quadruple your value. Simply put, this doorbell is no joke.

installation

Installation tools needed to wire the video doorbell.

When I think of the installation experience I had with this doorbell, the only word that really comes to mind is adorable. I've installed half a dozen doorbells in the past eight months, and while none have been particularly difficult for anyone with my skills (I'm your basic handyman), none have been particularly easy. The wired ring doorbell was very easy to install. I only had two hiccups and only one of them was Ring's fault.

The Ring Video Doorbell with Cable is one of my favorite doorbells that I have reviewed.

At first I had trouble figuring out how to expose the screw holes to mount the doorbell. As it turns out, I just didn't apply enough pressure to remove the cover. Then I had problems pairing the doorbell with the app. I was using a beta version of the software as it wasn't officially released and I just had to wait for the server side to turn things on for me. Once it was them, all I had to do was scan a barcode and head to the races.

What impressed me the most about the installation process was its simplicity. I had to scan a barcode with my phone to connect to the doorbell. During the setup process, verbal cues indicated when the doorbell was connected to WiFi and when the setup process was complete. It is far more satisfying when the element you are working with tells you in plain English that "you did this right" rather than a cryptic series of beeps or buzzes.

No chimes for you

One important hardware note that I have to mention is also the only real downside I found with this doorbell. During the installation I installed an included jumper wire on the transformer of my doorbell bell. This is to bypass the mechanical chimes completely so that the doorbell can get the power it needs. Previous ringtones had to be recharged regularly, even if they were connected to the ring tone. This jumper basically ensures that the doorbell gets the power it needs. But it will also render your mechanical chimes inoperable.

What that means as a homeowner: When a visitor presses the doorbell button, all you get is a notification on your phone or smart screen. That will be enough for many. Personally, I carry my cell phone around the house for this to work. But something doesn't seem right when a wired doorbell doesn't ring the chime it is wired to – "wired" is even in the name!

My Kindle Fire HD 8 Plus tablet with its wireless charging stand can announce someone is on the doorbell and it can show me the video feed from the doorbell, but the Kindle does not have two-way communication. You can also purchase an additional wireless bell that can be plugged into any power outlet. Ring currently bundles a wired doorbell and rings for an additional $ 20. This might be a good option if you don't factor in the added cost.

Surprisingly good video quality

The video feed from the doorbell is clear at 1080p in daylight and at night in infrared. The field of view is a very decent 155 degrees. When you receive a Ring Basic Protect Plan, you can access recordings for a single device for up to 60 days. This also brings with it "bulky notifications" which give you a thumbnail of what the camera will see when it sends a notification. I particularly liked that.

Bell door mounted on brick

The bidirectional communication on the device is great with very little delay, while the voices on both ends are loud and clear. The Ring app cannot broadcast sound from the doorbell when I am talking. In principle, a host and a guest cannot talk about each other. This is another minor limitation.

Setting detection zones is standard in video doorbells, and you can do that here, but Ring goes a step further by allowing you to set privacy zones. No data is recorded in a specific data protection zone. The camera can also detect movements and people. Another thing that is difficult to understand is that an Amazon company's doorbell does not offer package detection. What's wrong with it?

Our opinion

This is a small, nondescript video doorbell with a great price tag. It's not the cheapest on the market. This award goes to Wyze. In terms of money, this doorbell is just superb. There are some minor tradeoffs, but even if you buy a bundled wireless chime, you are still spending less than you would on the closest competitor.

In addition to a good doorbell, you get the Ring app and all the benefits that come with it, like the network of neighbors. It's good to know what's going on in your neighborhood, whether it's a person stealing packages or a random fox showing up in someone else's driveway. Overall, this doorbell offers you the best price-performance ratio in the video doorbell arena.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. There are better doorbells out there, but they all cost more. The 155-degree field of view is surpassed by most of the other doorbells on our scorecard. Ring's own video doorbell Pro, however, only knocks it by five degrees. Other doorbells like the Arlo Video Doorbell and Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro offer 180 degrees. However, when you weigh the value these other doorbells offer for the price, often three or even four times that of the Ring Video Doorbell Wired, dollar for dollar, Ring's offering is hard to beat.

How long it will take?

The Ring Video Doorbell with Cable comes with a one-year warranty. The doorbell is solidly constructed, although it is mostly made of polycarbonate. It seems very solid and should stand up to whatever Mother Nature is up to.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Ring Video Doorbell with Cable is one of my favorite doorbells that I have reviewed. The easy installation process, great app, and solid hardware make this a breeze. The Wyze video doorbell is half the price but a quarter of the experience. The Ring Video Doorbell with Cable has so much value that it is impossible to recommend it to anyone looking for a video doorbell.

Editor's recommendations




06 Feb
Blog

Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell Review: Aiming Too Hgh

Netatmo video doorbell mounted on brick

Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell

"The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell is a great video doorbell with a few small flaws and one big one – the price."

  • Intelligent A.I. Camera detection

  • Clear video day and night

  • Expensive

  • Narrow field of view

  • Blocky design collides with some decor

When asked to review the Netatmo security camera a few months ago, I was impressed with the functionality but not impressed with the design. Fortunately, Netatmo has made some progress in this category with its Smart Video Doorbell. The wired doorbell from Netatmo brings person recognition and the known functions of artificial intelligence (A.I.) to a thankfully smaller form factor.

Netatmo hasn't quite shaken off its blocky roots yet, however, as the design of this doorbell reminds me of something you might see in Minecraft. The doorbell consists of three squares stacked on top of each other. The top square has the camera and Netatmo branding, the middle square has a loudspeaker grille for bidirectional communication, and the bottom square has the button with a bell symbol. Overall, the aesthetic works for me. It looks modern so it looks a little different on a brick home, but you can go upstairs well.

Installation first

The installation is very easy. Netatmo even included a silicone lock that you slide the doorbell wires through for additional sealing. It's a nice touch that I haven't seen before. You can also use a 25 degree offset to see if your house is mine and the door is set back from the brick siding. A carillon module is included in the scope of delivery, which you must also connect to your transformer. So make sure you know where that is. Netatmo also includes an additional backup, which is a first in my career as a doorbell checker. Better to have it and not need it, I suppose.

Netatmo

The video feed is very good. My backyard in Chicago is currently a snowy landscape so I can't comment on the color rendering, but I can tell you the white balance is spot on. A fish-eye effect can be seen at the edges of the field of view with a diagonal of 140 degrees. The infrared image is also quite good at night. There's a lot of camera in this doorbell.

Netatmo has some work to do on its aesthetics, but this is a solid step in the right direction.

The speaker built into the camera is loud and clear. Netatmo doesn't list an official speaker volume specification, but it is certainly clear enough for a conversation to take place. Both the two-way conversation and the video feed are pretty lag-free, so you don't get those awkward pauses where you say something and then wait for the voice to go through.

Return home

The doorbell also works with Apple's HomeKit, although I mainly used the Netatmo Security app for my tests. After my review of the Logitech video doorbell, it was a nice change of pace. Netatmo is still doing smart things with A.I. like focusing and cropping on the motion themes in the thumbnails of saved events. In the first few days, of course, a floodlight in the frame was identified as a person, but that's why detection zones are important.

The software has some special features that are difficult to reconcile with one another. For example, to view the live camera, you need to press a phone icon in the middle of the screen. To terminate the connection, you must also press a hang-up key. While watching the live feed, you can unmute the speaker and microphone on the doorbell to have a conversation with whoever is there. I've got the thinking behind it – you "call" the camera to have a conversation with whoever is at the door.

Screenshot of the Netatmo Security App.

Netatmo doubles the "phone call" metaphor when the doorbell rings. The app not only rings your interior, but also initiates a call between you and the doorbell. Other doorbells, like our recently tested Wyze video doorbell, simply send you a notification and you can choose whether or not to respond. This feature follows the Netatmo video calling metaphor, but just because I can streamline it doesn't mean it's a good idea.

One of the few that support HomeKit

The addition of Apple's HomeKit brings a nice new level of automation that we explored in the Logitech video doorbell. You can use the motion sensor on the doorbell to trigger other actions around the house, although I haven't found one that makes sense yet. The video feed also works more intuitively through HomeKit. You don't have to ring the doorbell to see what's going on outside. With the Netatmo app, Android users can also enjoy the doorbell.

Our opinion

Overall, this is a solid entry into the video doorbell space. Netatmo has some work to do on its aesthetics, but this is a solid step in the right direction. To be honest, the blocky doorbell doesn't suit every type of home. Integration with Apple HomeKit is easy without excluding Android users. The video feed is great and has a slightly narrower field of view than others on the market.

As a stand-alone doorbell, this is exactly the right thing for you. It does everything a video doorbell needs and uses Smart A.I. to find out what's important in a particular clip. I would love to test this out in a non-winter month to see animals running across my deck so I could really say that A.I. Through my steps, however, my review of the Netatmo video camera gave me a good idea of ​​what to expect. When putting your smart home piece together piece by piece, this is a good addition as long as you like the look.

Is there a better alternative?

The Netatmo video doorbell does a lot of things right, but Netatmo is charging nearly $ 300, and there are other options worth considering. From a design perspective, I prefer the rounded look of the Arlo Video doorbell or the Nest Hello. From the point of view of the field of view, 140 degrees is the center of the road. Doorbells like the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro give you full 180-degree top, bottom, left, and right angles. Simply put, for its price point, the Netatmo should be the best of all, and it really isn't.

Will it take?

The Netatmo video doorbell works between -10 and 40 degrees Celsius and is IP44 compliant. Netatmo products are guaranteed for two years. The silicon barrier helps keep water out of the electronics, so I see no reason why this doorbell shouldn't last long.

Should you buy it?

No. At $ 300 there are other options that do a better job. See the Wyze Video Doorbell at 1/10 the price. It is true that Netatmo does not charge a subscription service and that all videos are stored locally on an included SD card. However, at this price point, it's hard to recommend, especially when video doorbell prices are generally falling.

Editor's recommendations




03 Jan
Blog

Wyze Video Doorbell Review: You Get What You Pay for

Wyze video doorbell rating lights on

“This doorbell is only $ 30. It's certainly not the best, but it beats its weight class well. "

  • The $ 30 cost is extremely affordable

  • Fun chime extenders included

  • Waterproof construction

  • Terrible field of vision

  • Building materials feel cheap

If you're interested in affordable smart home technology, there's a name to look out for. That name is Wyze. The company is on the rise with a variety of smart home products that are not only very good but also very inexpensive. That brings us to our review today – the Wyze doorbell, a $ 30 video doorbell. This is not a typo. I'm not missing a decimal place. It's $ 30.

In a world where video doorbells are $ 99 and up, $ 30 is incredibly affordable in this area. There are sure to be compromises. I also have to mention that I tested this device with a beta version of the Wyze app. That puts me in a difficult position as a reviewer. Isn't a feature set great because it's beta or because it costs $ 30? I'm pretty sure I cleared the two up, so let's get started!

A tiny plastic box

The Wyze doorbell camera is one of the smallest video doorbells I've ever seen, let alone worked. The inconspicuous hardware is a plastic box with a height of just eight centimeters, a width of four centimeters and a depth of almost two centimeters. It has a white case with a black camera module in the upper half and a rounded square button for the bell. The Wyze logo in between lights up when people approach, as does the bell icon on the button. It makes it very easy to know where to slide.

The bell also comes with a glockenspiel extender that can be plugged into any power outlet. This is important because the doorbell itself does not ring in the house. The doorbell rings to let your visitors know that it has rung. Then the doorbell rings in the house. It seems like an odd omission not to ring the mechanical chime it is connected to for power, but it's understandable since the chime extender comes with the package.

This won't be the last video doorbell you'll ever buy, but there's no reason it can't be your first.

This carillon extender is gorgeous. It creates a separate connection to the app within the doorbell settings. The glockenspiel extender offers 19 different sounds including normal chimes, door knocking and animal noises that drive my dogs crazy. It's pretty much fun. There is no noticeable delay between pressing the doorbell button and ringing the bell. The Glockenspiel Extender works wherever there is WiFi, so you can plug the Glockenspiel in wherever it's most convenient.

I ran into some problems setting up the carillon extender. Sometimes the change I made in the app didn't carry over to the carillon itself. Sometimes it was like that. It was very random. That could easily be a result of the beta app, or maybe less than ideal Wi-Fi. After a while, I managed to set up the right chimes and the problem never came back.

Restricted view

The camera itself has a very narrow field of view. You can see 120 degrees vertically and only 88 degrees horizontally. Wyze says this is because people are taller than they are wide. I understand, but these specs barely allow me to see an entire person horizontally or vertically. Compared to my normal Vivint Video Doorbell Pro, it almost feels like looking through a toilet paper tube. Did I mention this camera is $ 30?

What you can see is decent quality. You can set the camera to capture and stream in HD, SD, or 480p. During the day the picture is a bit washed out and you lose a lot of definition in cloudy clouds. It does a suitable job of identifying people and movement. At night, this time of the year is hard to tell as my front yard is filled with Christmas lights, making it difficult for the camera to decide whether or not to use infrared.

  • 1.
    Night, lights on
  • 2.
    Night, lights off
  • 3.
    During the day

The above Christmas lights are completely blown out and there are no details at all in the highlights. The camera does a good job and shows my front yard at night, which is reminiscent of the Panasonic Home Hawk camera I tested. However, this was due to the superior optics technology while this doorbell benefits from Griswold-grade Christmas lights.

Night vision, when not dealing with Christmas lights, still struggles to decide whether or not it wants to be on. The Wyze logo also lights up as a kind of mini flood light, which complicates matters. When this light is not on and there are no other light sources in the frame, night vision looks good. When you insert a light source, the doorbell freaks out a little.

installation

The installation is a little less than ideal. The doorbell comes with a mounting plate that you attach to the wall. Then attach the cables to the doorbell. The button slides down and clicks into place in the mounting plate. At first I worried about it. I was wondering if I could take the button off as the locking mechanism is in the mounting plate. As it turns out, the mounting plate is also pretty flexible (read: weak) and I was actually able to pull the doorbell out enough to get the clip back and slide the doorbell off. I don't know if it's supposed to work that way, but that's how it worked.

Wyze video doorbell mounted on the wall

Then you have to pair the doorbell with your WiFi. It uses the QR code method which is not one of my favorite implementations. If you're not familiar, connect the doorbell to your WiFi by entering your credentials into the app. This will generate a QR code that the camera will scan. It took well over five minutes to hold my phone at varying distances to the doorbell before I finally got a beep indicating everything was okay.

software

As I mentioned earlier, it's a beta, but overall, not much is missing here, despite being a beta product. Connecting to the camera is a little slow, but navigating within the app isn't slow at all. The clip memory is a little hard to find as you have to exit the device settings to get to the event list. I suspect this is an expectation of Wyze's larger home security system that they just released.

You can set times for the camera to record events or just keep recording motion events. You can subscribe to Wyze Cam Plus for a full 24/7 recording. You can share videos and save them locally. I couldn't find a place to take snapshots, which seems like a failure. Overall, however, the app performs well, especially for a beta.

When it comes to detection, it's a bit sensitive and I get bombarded by the notifications a lot. Smaller events trigger the Wyze video doorbell. So expect to see a preview of the footage, which is most likely filled with false warnings. Yes, it's obviously too liberal on surveillance, but I think that's better than completely missing out on an event.

Our opinion

What to watch out for here is the price. For $ 30, you can buy three of them, have two spares, and still not pay as much as the closest competitor. This video doorbell is so cheap that I should reach out to Wyze to make sure they are okay. If this video doorbell had only worked properly, I would have been amazed. The fact that it is actually good at this price is so amazing that I'm glad I had to sit down to write this review. This isn't the best video doorbell in the world, but I'd estimate you can get a $ 75 doorbell here for $ 30.

Is there a better alternative?

Sure! The field of view is ridiculous. The video quality isn't the best, and at night the sensor has to pick a track and stay in it instead of switching back and forth between IR and normal vision. The next cheapest alternative, however, costs more than three times as much. The Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) is one of those alternatives for $ 100.

Wyze is here to make its products as affordable as possible. This means plastic mounts, inexpensive buttons, and camera sensors that perform poorly.

How long it will take?

The doorbell feels cheap. As for the wear and tear, I'm not particularly optimistic that you will be working on this doorbell for years. The doorbell is weatherproof to IP65 and has an operating range of -4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicago winters are getting colder, so that's another problem. I suspect that more durable building materials could bring operating temperatures into a more comfortable operating range. But that would likely add to the cost as well.

In the event that something goes wrong, there is a one-year limited warranty that covers any defects.

Should I buy it?

Yes. It's $ 30. It's an extra trip to the ATM. Basically, you should almost buy it. Keep a few in your car as last minute gifts. It's crazy cheap. If that doorbell cost $ 75 or more, I'd say no. For a slightly larger investment, you can purchase a product that is likely to last longer and work better, like the Arlo video doorbell. However, at $ 30, this is almost a training video doorbell to see if you're ready for a real video doorbell. This won't be the last video doorbell you'll ever buy, but there's no reason it can't be your first. Remember, this is a $ 30 doorbell.

Editor's recommendations




01 Nov
Blog

Blue by ADT Video Doorbell Review: Not Done Cooking Yet

Photo of the doorbell on the wall.

Blue from ADT doorbell camera

"The boring hardware and an app that urgently needs redesigning make this experience uncomfortable."

  • Clear video, even at night

  • face recognition

  • View all of the video feeds on the main screen of the app

  • Boring hardware

  • Sluggish app

  • Buried camera controls

  • Late notifications

What do you do when you're an old security company constantly challenged by newbies to the DIY space? Smart Home Tech makes the installation of security systems from complex to rudimentary accessible to the everyday user. ADT recognized this and passed a "If you can't beat them, join them" policy. So Blue was born from ADT.

One of the main focuses of the Blue by ADT security system is that Blue doorbell camera. This is a doorbell camera with a 180 degree field of view and facial recognition that can see who is at your door. Your front door is the center of coming and going around your home. Therefore, camera cover is critical to any security system.

It's a gray box

The hardware for the doorbell isn't particularly exciting. I checked out the Pearl Gray version which has a modern, if a bit boring, look. Basically, it is a rounded rectangle. At the top is a large black camera lens that is set to 130 degrees by default. However, you can expand it to 180 degrees if you don't mind a little fisheye effect. Every Blue by ADT device has a diagonal slash on the bottom that glows blue when the device is in operation. This is a nice accent. The ring light around the doorbell is a nice addition to the aesthetic that shows people exactly where the button is so they don't smudge the camera lens thinking it is a button.

This isn't the bulky doorbell I've checked, but it sure is a chunky boy. You want to make sure that the look of the doorbell matches your current front door decor. We tested the Pearl Gray version. There is also a darker graphite option.

The doorbell is mounted in an unusual way. It comes with a power plate that you connect the wiring to. Then mount this power plate on your wall. The doorbell itself has a tiny on / off switch that you have to set to "on" before you click the doorbell onto the power plate. The doorbell also includes a small battery backup for times when you lose power. However, our tests have shown that this is measured in hours rather than days.

The video from the Blue Doorbell camera is crystal clear

After connecting the doorbell to the app, all the usual video doorbell tasks will be performed. You will receive motion notifications and when the bell rings. You can also purchase an additional carillon extender for around $ 50. This is a large gray box that you plug into an electrical outlet. The extender doubles as a doorbell, a Wi-Fi extender, or both. I loved having the extender plugged into a back room so I knew if someone was coming to the door and I couldn't hear our mechanical doorbell.

The doorbell also has facial recognition, which didn't seem to work very well for me. I only tested the doorbell for a few weeks, at a time when not too many people came to visit. It is possible that face recognition might show up on my face over time, but I give it the benefit of the doubt that I just haven't tested it long enough.

Crunchy video quality

The picture quality is quite good. The video is sharp with good detail, although there is a very noticeable fish-eye effect when the lens is set to 180 degrees. Even at night the video is crisp and clear. You can set the video quality between 720p and 1080p. Clips are recorded whenever an event occurs. However, these events are limited to movement and people. It would be great to see Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) step in here to interrupt the movements. I also want the doorbell to tell me if there is an animal or a package on my doorstep. You can get this from the Nest Hello doorbell. The app also lets you manually adjust the camera's brightness and contrast, which is lovely, but that leads to my biggest problem with the system.

Then everything falls apart because of the app

The app isn't that great. It certainly has some high points, but the overall experience is very slow. It takes 7-10 seconds for the doorbells to ring. Motion notifications can take minutes. So if someone takes Santa Claus off your front door, you will be too late to stop them. Videos take between 10 and 30 seconds to load. This is a very long time to stare at your phone and wait for it to take action. Switching between menu options started slowly, but that actually cleared up towards the end of our review period.

The first time you log into the app, each camera you set up will take a snapshot to refresh the main screen. Refreshing this snapshot can take up to 10 seconds, which makes it feel less like a guard guarding the base and more like a rent-a-cop trying to turn off the TV when the boss walks in. As I mentioned earlier, you can adjust the brightness and contrast, which is lovely, but the part of the app where you do the adjustments is four levels deep in a menu. Then you need to go back to the main screen and wait for another snapshot to be taken to see how your customizations have evolved.

Blue is constantly expanding the capabilities of this device so you should see upgrades in the future too.

The app isn't all bad. The first time you enter the app it will show all of the cameras you have set up and you can live stream them all at once which is lovely. The home page also has an up-to-date history of all recorded events, as well as a crime monitoring section similar to the Ring & # 39; s Neighbors app. You can also partition off parts of your porch that you don't want to detect movement from. When you use the talk feature to speak through the doorbell, your voice will be loud and clear.

However, when you factor in the app's sluggishness as well as some rare connectivity issues, it's not a good experience overall. I worked pretty hard with a product manager at Blue by ADT to resolve some of the connectivity issues and I think we resolved most of them. But in the days since that conversation, I still noticed the doorbell was occasionally disconnected from the WiFi. No other doorbell I have tested has such failures. ADT's Blue said there were more server-side changes released this week. Hence, it is possible that this will help clear up some issues.

Our opinion

There are some great ideas here. Not only is the hardware pretty uninspired, but it also checks a few boxes, including battery backup, easy installation, and crisp video quality. But the app, which is vital to the overall experience, is really making things sour. It needs to be revised. There are also some connectivity issues. It is very likely that updates to the app will fix most of the problems. However, for now, this is a doorbell that is difficult to recommend.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The blue doorbell camera doesn't do anything other doorbells don't. The 180 degree field of view is adjusted by the Vivint Doorbell Pro. The talk function is taken over by practically every other doorbell camera on the market. The doorbell doesn't record 24/7 footage so you no longer have to scrub through a timeline – like you would with a Nest Hello. Other than that, the motion detection is very accurate, so you basically get clips of everything that goes on outside your door. Unfortunately, the app and uninspired design hold that back.

How long it will take?

The Blue by ADT video doorbell is solidly built, so I can imagine it will last for several years. It's water resistant and can withstand temperatures of -40 ° to 104 ° F, or as we like to call it "September" in Chicago. In addition, the Blue by ADT video doorbell works with Google Assistant, IFTTT and Alexa and the offer is solid. Blue is constantly expanding the capabilities of this device so you should see upgrades in the future too. A one-year guarantee is given on Blue by ADT cameras.

Should you buy it?

No. In the video doorbell space, there are too many alternatives that work better than this one. The product costs $ 199, and while the video quality and expandable chimes are good, the app makes the entire experience untenable. There are just too many alternatives out there that do a better job.

Editor's recommendations




14 Oct
Blog

Panasonic Lumix S1H Review: Still the Video Champ

panasonic lumix s1h review dm 1

"It looks like a still camera, but the S1H is a camouflaged cinema camera – and a very good one."

  • 4K and 6K full screen video

  • 5.9K RAW output

  • Exceptional workmanship

  • Unlimited intake

  • Image stabilization in the body

  • Continuous AF often slow, imprecise

  • 4K / 60 is cropped

  • Big, heavy

One year in its life, the Panasonic Lumix S1H is no longer alone when it comes to professional mirrorless video cameras. Recently, the 8K shots Canon EOS R5 and 4K / 120p Sony A7S III stole headlines, but the world of pro video isn't all about high resolutions and frame rates. The Lumix S1H remains unique in its role as a true workhorse video camera.

In some ways, the S1H is even more noticeable today thanks to the presence of younger competitors from Sony and Canon. The comparatively modest performance – 6K / 24p or 4K / 30p in full screen format, 4K / 60p in full screen mode – is a signal of Panasonic’s focus on reliability. Sure, there are things the S1H can't, but for the filmmaker who just needs detailed, clean 24p footage, this camera is the obvious choice. Both in physical design and in software functionality, it is designed to meet the requirements of real production.

In fact, I'd argue that the S1H is less of a mirrorless hybrid camera than it is a small movie camera, despite having the form factor of the former. As such, it's definitely not for everyone – but the $ 4,000 price tag probably made that clear.

Designed for real life, not a datasheet

The S1H is based on the same platform as Panasonic's other S1 cameras such as the Lumix S1 and S1R and has a bulky, albeit ergonomic, design. Physically, it differs from the S1 in a key area with an additional fan between the back and the LCD screen. This fan is what makes the S1H so special. Where other mirrorless cameras can quickly overheat when recording high-resolution videos or videos with a high frame rate, the S1H can continue to tick indefinitely.

Also unique is the LCD screen, which rests in a double hinge mechanism with which it can be tilted directly up and down or folded to the side. The added flexibility makes it easy to maneuver around microphone and HDMI cables or anything else connected to the camera. The top LCD is also larger and shows more information than its counterpart on the S1 and S1R.

All of this makes the S1H even bigger and heavier than its cousin, the Lumix S1. At 2.56 pounds, it's not exactly in the same league as the 1.35 pound Sony A7S III. The S1H is a camera that you can best operate on a sturdy tripod. Again, it is better to think of a miniature cinema camera than a mirrorless hybrid camera. Yes, you can take great photos with it – but you probably won't want to.

Otherwise, the S1H carries over pretty much all of the design features of the S1, including weather protection, abundant physical controls, and the beautiful 5.7 million dot electronic viewfinder. There is an additional difference: if the S1 and S1R have an SD card slot and an XQD / CFexpress slot, the S1H uses two SD cards. High-speed V90 SD cards are perfectly fine for 6K videos too. However, this means that if you transfer footage to a computer, you are missing out on the insanely fast transfer speeds of CFexpress.

A mixture of resolutions and frame rates

Panasonic has provided the Lumix S1H with a plethora of resolution and frame rate options, many of which are sub-standard and all come with unique limitations. It's a bit of a mess, but I'll do my best to explain how it's used.

Let's start with 6K. The highest resolution that the S1H can offer with its 24 megapixel sensor, 6K, is recorded at 5952 x 3968 pixels, an aspect ratio of 3: 2 that uses the entire sensor area, a recording mode known as "open gate" becomes. That means you'll have to crop the footage in the post to achieve the standard 16: 9 aspect ratio. However, you have some space to customize the frame. If you're outputting to 4K, you can also crop flexibly.

Despite these freedoms, 6K is not the automatic choice. It is limited to 24 frames per second (24p) and uses the h.265 codec with 10-bit 4: 2: 2 colors and a data rate of 200 megabits per second (Mbit / s).

Next up is 5.9 KB (5888 x 3312). This corresponds to 6 KB with an aspect ratio of 16: 9. This uses the same codec as 6K, but the slightly lower resolution allows frame rates of up to 30 fps. If you're shooting a 24p project, you may want the added flexibility of the 3: 2 6K footage. However, on 30p projects, 5.9K is your limit.

Then there is 5.4K (5376 x 3584), another 3: 2 option. In contrast to 6K, this records a cropped area of ​​the sensor and enables frame rates of up to 30p.

Two flavors of full-width 4K are available: Standard Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) and DCI (4096 x 2160). Both can be recorded at 24 or 30 fps with 10-bit 4: 2: 2 colors at 400 Mbit / s. You can also capture cropped 4K images at up to 60 frames per second from an APS-C or Super 35 area of ​​the sensor. This reaches a maximum speed of 200 Mbit / s. There are also 4: 3-4K anamorphic modes (3328 x 2496) that can be reduced to cinematic aspect ratios when using anamorphic lenses. All of this makes 4K the sweet spot resolution for the S1H.

But Panasonic didn't stop there. Almost a year after its announcement, the S1H received a firmware update that added 5.9KB RAW video output over HDMI (and yes, the S1H has a full-size HDMI port). Using an Atomos Ninja V or other compatible recorder, the footage is saved in Apple ProRes RAW format. RAW video is not for the faint of heart, but this feature has made the S1H even more valuable to professional customers.

Interestingly, the same 5.9K RAW output is also used for the newer and much cheaper Lumix S5.

Recording experience and video quality

I recorded a mix of 4K / 24 full screen and 4K / 60 full screen and was really impressed with the results of both. The S1H offers the “real” Panasonic V-Log profile, not the GH5 series V-Log-l, which means that it should match a Panasonic VariCam cinema camera. The company claims to have 14 levels of dynamic range, which is just fantastic for internal non-RAW shooting. From skin tones to vivid details, I like the colors that come out of the S1H. Note: I couldn't get an Atomos recorder in time for this test, so I haven't tested the RAW output yet – although I'm not sure my 8 year old computer is even suitable for this task.

In fact, I don't think many people will need 6K mode. For most of us, it's an exaggeration. But I'm glad Panasonic picked it up. For one, some customers will love the 6K open-gate capture's crop and refresh capability. Also, by outputting 5.9 KB instead of 4 KB for RAW, Panasonic can avoid the line-skipping problems with the Nikon Z 6, another 24-megapixel camera with RAW output that has a Resolution is limited to 4 KB. When only 8 megapixels are needed and 4K is output from a 24MP sensor, many pixels are simply ignored, resulting in a softer image than 4K actually can.

Internally, the S1H uses the same codec as the GH5, but its larger sensor and use of the full V-Log profile allow you to get more out of it. Assuming you started with a reasonably decent exposure and white balance, you have no problem evaluating the footage to get the look you want.

I said the S1H is best used on a sturdy tripod, but I shot most of it with the handheld. Thanks to the stabilization in the body, the handheld material is fluid and natural, but the weight of the camera – especially with the large Lumix S 24-70mm f / 2.8 lens provided by Lensrentals for this test – certainly will excite Limit the use of handhelds as much as possible.

The large top LCD and the placement of the controls make for a great user experience. Buttons can be easily reprogrammed by holding them down and selecting a new option from the menu that appears. The user interface is one of the smarter designs of any camera and makes navigating the S1H's many settings and submenus a breeze.

If there's a possible red flag, it's auto focus. Panasonic's unique focusing system, Depth from Defocus, simply cannot compete with the phase detection systems from Sony and Canon. An upcoming firmware update will bring the improvements to the Lumix S5, which is certainly to be welcomed, but I've still found this camera to lag behind the competition.

To be clear, I don't think the kind of fast, accurate, eye-tracking autofocus needed by one-person YouTube crews in the world of professional video and cinema that Panasonic is targeting with the S1H aims really is a must. There is something to be aware of, however, as it will limit the situations in which the S1H can be effective.

Our opinion

The Lumix S1H is a camera that only Panasonic would make. Like the Micro Four Thirds Lumix GH5S, the S1H has a narrowly defined target customer in the video professional and yet takes over the entire photo functionality of a high-end hybrid camera. That makes it a little strange, and some filmmakers will no doubt be wondering why they shouldn't just invest in a movie camera – but where can you find a full frame 5.9K RAW camera with image stabilization for $ 4,000? You will not. Even after factoring in the cost of an external recorder, starting at around $ 600, the S1H is a steal for what you get.

There's a reason Panasonic hasn't cut the price of the S1H after a year in the market, even if the Sony A7S III is below that at $ 3,500. No other hybrid camera has placed such emphasis on reliability and practicality or mixed them with such a variety of standard and anamorphic frame sizes. I wish 4K / 60 could be shot without cropping, and Panasonic's autofocus leaves room for improvement, but that's not a problem in most of the production environments this camera is intended for.

If I were to start a YouTube channel, I'd reach for the A7S III – but if I were to produce a film, there wouldn't be a camera I'd rather have on set than the Lumix S1H.

Is there a better alternative?

Some developers may prefer the Sony A7S III if they need a higher frame rate 4K image or more reliable auto focus. The most fascinating alternative, however, comes from Panasonic's own warehouse. The Lumix S5 will get a RAW 5.9K output later this year, which should offer the same video quality as the S1H for those who don't mind using an external recorder. You'll have to settle for the pathetic micro-HDMI port, but at only $ 2,000, that's not bad business.

How long it will take?

The S1H is a professional machine that meets the needs of these customers. While 8K cameras are on the go – and no, you don't need one yet – 4K and 6K will continue to offer more than enough resolution for the foreseeable future. There's no reason the S1H won't be viable for many years to come.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Buy the Panasonic Lumix S1H when you need a video camera that offers not only excellent image quality, but also professional reliability and flexibility.

Editor's recommendations




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