Smart security options for your home or small business used to be the domain of the wealthy but thanks to companies like Imou you can now set yourself up without breaking the bank. Here, we tested out three of the specialist's most popular - and affordable - cameras.
All can be controlled remotely via a smartphone app, while you can also offer a cloud-based support system offering storage, enhanced Ai detection and security reports by signing up to Imou Protect. Prices start at £2.59 a month.
Versa
The Versa security camera is built for both outdoor and indoor use. It is also packed with features. It delivers 2MP live monitoring with a 2.8mm F1.6 wide-angle lens, offering 114° diagonal field of view and includes four smart night vision modes to provide clear full colour or black-and-white pictures even in complete darkness.
The modes are:
- Smart Night Vision Mode - Full colour night vision where the spotlights automatically turn on upon detection of suspicious motion, showing a vivid full colour image when something appears
- Infra-Red Night Vision Mode - Advanced AI algorithms provide clear black-and-white pictures even in darkness
- Colour Night Vision Mode - The two built-in spotlights are always on to offer full-colour mode.
- Off Mode - With infra-red and spotlights turned off
The Versa also includes advanced human detection algorithms which will immediately send alerts to a smartphone when a human target has been detected, allowing users to monitor what matters without receiving annoying false alerts. When the camera detects intrusion, the 110dB siren will start to alert as well as the spotlights turn on to keep unwelcome visitors away before anyone has even noticed them.
Additionally, it can detect unusual sounds in the environment and immediately send alerts via the mobile app, making it useful as a baby monitor as well.
The Versa is certified for use in extreme outdoor conditions, coping with windy, rainy, and sandy weather. Its compact design means it can be used in any room or space and, with two quick and easy installation methods (magnetic and sticker). For those who still wish to drill for a permanent fixture, this is also possible.
The Versa is available from B&Q for £39.99.
Cell Go
The Cell Go's main selling point is the hefty 5000mAh internal battery it has on board, meaning you don't have to run a power lead to it. It has a range of advanced features such as motion detection, 2K night vision from a 2-megapixel camera (3MP QHD Video), and two-way audio,
That battery should get you up to an amazing 120 days on one single charge, while allowing users to monitor their property from anywhere, at any time. Use the app to attach the camera to your wifi and away you go.
It can be installed in minutes by simply ‘snapping’ it in the yard, kitchen, or living room with a click. If no wifi s available, the Cell Go can be used as a hotspot to connect directly to a phone, allowing footage to be transmitted even in basements without signal or when using vlog mode (where the camera records continuously to capture family events or wild animals in the garden).
With IP65 certified weather resistance, the Cell Go can also handle any weather conditions including windy, rainy, and sandy weather and is compatible with Amazon Alexa. The camera was a winner at the Red Dot Awards, judged by an expert jury of over 50 design professionals who evaluated over 8,000 entries from 50 countries.
The Cell Go is also available with the Imou solar panel for an extra £20 which can be used to continuously charge the device. It is connected via a cable for a direct power supply, so the battery never needs to be charged again. It can be installed easily in vicinity of the IP camera by screwing it onto the mounting plate. It takes only a few hours of sunlight in order to provide power to the camera continuously.
The Imou Cell Go Smart Security Camera is available for £69.99 from Very and B&Q or £89.99 bundled with the solar panel.
Rex 3D
This smart pan and tilt indoor security camera is the first that is equipped with IMOU Sense, a self-developed AI algorithm , which together with Rex 3D’s crystal ball appearance, provides consumers with a stylish security experience.
The camera has a recognition accuracy of 99% for human figures and pets. It recognizes objects and processes data in 20 milliseconds (0.02 seconds) and quickly finds human and pet targets in images, immediately sending a notification to app within 0.6 seconds, allowing users to monitor what matters without receiving annoying false alerts.
It has two levels of image quality, 3MP and 5MP, and boasts an 8x digital zoom for crystal clear video both day and night. The lens automatically rotates between 355° horizontally to view every corner of users’ homes, with this full range ensuring there are no blind spots.
When the active deterrence mode is turned on, as soon as a moving object appears on the monitor, the Rex 3D will automatically emit a high-decibel alarm sound (100 dB) to deter the intruder, and at the same time push a notification to the app. You have three ways to store your video clips: cloud storage, SD card or mainstream NVR.
Users can set detection zones they want to monitor on the app, which helps avoid false alarms. You can also customise the alarm tone (the default tone is the siren tone, and the remaining three tones can be customized. Each tone lasts no more than 10 seconds).
It is also possible to rotate the lens of the Rex 3D to face down with one tap on the Imou Life App to disable recording and monitoring. The physical shield and technical cutting flow also provides users with more privacy.
The IMOU Rex 3D is available to buy from B&Q and Very for £49.99.
