Amcrest
PRH
49' for color night vision might appear to be a short distance but that's about the distance from the camera to the end of my driveway and man does it look great. If the LED night lights have any surfaces in view that light can reflect off of, you get an even brighter picture.
Phil
The camera is good and basically is a Dahua camera based on its hardware and firmware and rebranded by Amcrest. I like the fact that there is support via email and it works. I don't know how is it with Dahua directly. Installing PoE IP cameras is not easy for beginners so support plays an important rol. I have this camera plus 5 other Amcrest 5MP cameras wire connected (UTP Cat-6) to an Amcrest NVR. There is still some work to do with the app and the web interface.
GoingDeaf
This camera is great for purpose we bought it for. I'll probably replace one of the cameras with one that is made for capturing licence plates. Those are much more expensive.
The one issue is that the highest resolution sucks recording memory fast.
My goal is to be able to record 6-12 months of video on 4 cameras to a 32tb nvr. At 8k, I can only get 3 months of video. I have to reduce resolution to 5k ( I think) and can record for more than 7 months.
Recording speeds are ok through POE, and resolution is clear for security purposes.
Chuck Bolin
I wanted an inexpensive solution to capture the sky, particularly at night. ChatGPT, the AI program, actually suggested this camera.
In the photo, I have a DIY proof of concept non-penetrating camera mount on my garage roof. The Amcrest in in the forefront on the left side. I write programs in Python using OpenCV and ChatGPT. I worked yesterday to build the app (any program you have for IP cameras should work). I learned in the settings of the camera, accessible from a web browser, that I could configure day and night. I made adjustments to get the clearest picture possible and saved those settings. Of course, I waited until around 9 pm to verify them.
My app downloaded photos every 15 seconds. This morning, I made the time elapse video. About 10 seconds into the video the clouds arrive. It's really cool.
I like the wide angle and found a spot from roof with minimal obstruction by some tall trees. The video has the top and bottom pixels blanked so I could display data otherwise there is a larger height. The settings allow IR light or white light, and a gazillion settings on detection. If you're looking for security, then this will work nicely.
My next task is to improve the threshold to pickup fainter stars and then onto star mapping, have the program identify the constellation and/or its neighbor hood I am viewing.
boneless
This is my fourth Amcrest camera, and I think it is my new favorite.
It is the first "bullet style" camera I own, it makes pointing the camera a whole lot easier. I think the camera will be more susceptible for vandalism over a domed camera, but mounting it high enough should negate that fact.
This camera was easy to setup like my other Amcrest camera's, and easily integrated into my Blue Iris system. It is very simple to change the basic settings (FPS, bitrate, Frame Interval etc) of both the main and sub streams. I also appreciate the fact that it is easy to remove all factory overlays, without much issue,
I normally don't use object detection, or the trip wire feature, but I wanted to check out the spot light function. The settings may be a bit daunting, but Amcrest has posted an excellent tutorial right in the product listing. I was able to get it working pretty fast. The light will be a great deterrent and is pretty strong.
Attached a video in 4K with 15 FPS, as you can see, the camera is able to handle the very bright scene without much issue. The video was exported from my Blue Iris NVR.
I highly recommend this camera!
L. Fuller
I have the Amcrest UltraHD 4K IP PoE camera set up to keep an eye on my business workspace. It's connected to an Amcrest 4K 8CH POE NVR and powered by a iCreatin 48V35W Gigabit POE Injector. When I plugged this camera into the network, the camera popped up in the list and was easily added.
I have a few other cameras connected to my NVR, and this is by far the clearest, day or night. The settings can be tweaked for color, contrast, etc.
Remotely, I'm using the Amcrest ViewPro 2 app on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the connection is fast and easy to use over WiFi or cellular connection. The app lets you see live and recordings if you have the camera hooked up to your own NVR, or you install a MicroSD card into the camera. I'm not a fan of paying for subscriptions if I can host my own storage, so this is a great feature.
Overall, I'll keep buying Amcrest cameras as long as they keep putting out this kind of quality product. My experience with Blink, Arlo, and Nest has landed me happily in the Amcrest ecosystem.
Andy
Installation and Mounting - I ordered this camera with the intention of replacing an older lower resolution Amcrest camera (ASH42-W - similar bullet style), and I was very happy to see that the mounting holes aligned perfectly, so it made for a simple installation. Fortunately, I have used enough Amcrest cameras to know the process to setup and install on the app. I really like the fact that a barcode is provided that enables the SN to be loaded into Amcrest App. Installation was mostly effortless, and I was moving from a WiFi camera to a POE camera, so now I didn’t have to worry about a separate power source, which made my installation so much cleaner. I am a long-term user of Amcrest Surveillance Pro, and continued to use that application to access this camera.
Camera Resolution/Image Quality – I really really like the color night vision on this camera. I have this camera overlooking our pool and it picks up great at night with the pool lights on. Compared to the older 4mp camera that I was replacing, I also really like the wider FOV (101o vs 129o) which lets me capture a broader span of my back patio. Another big upgrade is the added mic, which has great sensitivity to listen in on audio in the area. It does pick up some wind noise, but no more than my other outdoor security cameras.
All in all, I am really impressed with this camera. Of the 10 or so Amcrest cameras, I feel that this is the highest quality camera of the bunch. I really like the clarity and resolution of the video (both day and night). The price point I think is fairly reasonable given the considerable features that this model offers. I really like that it has the AI features to help distinguish humans and vehicles. All in all I give this camera five out of five stars.
Jtech
The camera itself is decent and has a good quality picture both day and night. It does have audio capability too. This model also has an IR or white light on it for the camera itself the visible light is helpful but not very bright. The light has an auto mode which I thought would turn on the visible light when it saw motion but seems it is to switch from IR to visible for the camera.
The big dislike is that they claim that this has AI features but no sign of it in their apps, even did some research int this and others are saying the same thing regarding Amcrest cameras. The app feels kind of limited and dated in some ways as far as using with a camera like this. The app is also kind of clunky too in that icons, functions still show for cameras that can't even use the features like pan/tilt. Tried another amcrest app and tried a few different ways and times but could not get the camera to add to the other amcrest app and only worked with amcrest viewpro.
Ugur Ayan
This is a game changer for AI based 4K / 8MP Ultra HD resolution camera. I purchased this camera to update my previous security camera.
Pros:
- Unlimited lifetime technical support as well as limited domestic warranty
- IP67 Weatherproof: Record UHD footage in even the Amcrest weather conditions
- Crystal Clear 4k Video: You cannot miss any details by 8MP / 4K resolution. Video quality that's incredibly sharp and detailed.
- Easy Installation: Installation is very simple by using the quick-start guide. POE AI Camera initial Setup. You can setup your camera with Amcrest View Pro for POE Camera setup. Mobile app which can be downloaded for Apple and android phones.
- Secure Cloud Video backup
- Durabla and well made. It is hard thick metal.It is resistant to harsh weather conditions, which is a must for outdoor cameras.
- AI-based human detection: The AI features are awesome. This camera reduces false alarms, which has been a flaw with previous cameras. It's a relief for anyone tired of being alerted for minor movements.
- Color Night Vision: The night vision capabilities are some impressive. This camera provides full-color night vision. You can see all details in the dark.
- More secure connections: This camera applies a secure SSL/HTTPS connection, FCC and CE certificates
- Power over Ethernet (PoE): PoE simplifies installation. You don't need a separate power source.
Cons:
- Amcrest Cloud Service: I don't like cloud-based services. I don't want to pay for cloud services. Otherwise, the cloud service offers convenient remote access to your camera's live feed and recordings from anywhere, providing peace of mind.
- The mount is not great. You need a better version.
- The company can give additional connection parts other than standard plugs. If you want to use as a personal stuff, you need additional conversion part or plugs.
Customer
I upgraded from an older Amcrest camera IP5M-B1186EW-28MM that was still working great.
The video resolution, field of view, night color vision, and ai features are all great improvements.
Build
- All metal frame
- Paint and finish feels nice and durable
- Easy to replace my existing non night color Amcrest bullet camera with same mounting holes
- One potential improvement is a better design for the base. I found if I wanted to rotate the camera certain directions, it was not possible without remounting the base and drilling new holes.
Video
- LED light is very bright.
- Color night vision is amazing!
- Hard to beat this cam's value with night color vision and AI features.
- Great 4k picture quality.
Installation
- Easy mounting with 3 screws
- I think most users only use PoE. I'd like to see more compact / or modular cables.
Home Assistant
- Easily integrates with a couple of lines in your Home Assistant config and works with Frigate
- Add the stream as a card and you can view it in your layout
Profile_is_Hidden
I recently upgraded some cameras when I moved into my new place. For about six months beforehand I had been researching new candidates, eventually settling on two different Amcrest models that fit my needs. Setup was pretty straight forward and integrated into Blue Iris with ease. Immediately I was surprised by the image quality for both day and especially the night for this particular model. You can easily identify individuals out to 100' you can tweak the image pretty good for your needs. So far they have lasted though both weather extremes of the southern United States. For cameras around the $100 price these can't be beat.
Carl Douglas
This review is for the Amcrest UltraHD 4K (8MP) IP PoE AI Camera, FOV 129°, 49ft Color Nightvision, Security Outdoor Bullet Camera, Human & Vehicle Detection, Active Deterrent, 4K @15fps, IP8M-2796EB-AI (referred to henceforth as Color HD4K). I was previously using the Amcrest UltraHD 4K without the color nightvision (IP8M-249EB-V2 referred to henceforth as HD4K). See the photos for size and package comparisons.
If you are considering an upgrade from the HD4K (IP8M-249EB-V2) to the Color HD4K (IP8M-2796EB-AI), here are few things to keep in mind:
1. The color night vision on the Color HD4K is amazing and alone, well-worth the upgrade.
2. The Color HD4K has a wider field of view than the HD4K (105° vs. 129°)
3. The Color HD4K and the HD4K do NOT have the same screw patterns on their bases. This means that you will have to drill new holes to mount the camera new camera (See photo of bases).
Installation:
The installation using the AmcrestViewPro app was not the best experience, but is was fine. I did have one app crash when adding the camera, but that literally happens every time I add a camera with the app. After the crash, I just start over and it works the second time. The app isn't very polished but I've actually started using the web browser interface (just enter your camera IP address into the the web address bar in your browser) and it's pretty impressive. It's very intuitive and easy to use. You can adjust the video picture, add text to the video stream, and a lot more.
Why I'm Excited About This Camera:
APPLE HOMEKIT!! To be clear, there are currently no POE cameras with native Homekit support. BUT, those who know about Homebridge, Home Assistant (HASS), or Scypted understand that this camera can ABSOLUTELY be added to Apple Homekit (WITH APPLE SECURE VIDEO). In my home, I'm using Home Assistant with the Scrypted addon to bring this camera into Homekit. Amcrest cameras are ideal for this setup which is why they are recommended on the official Scrypted website.
Here's why the Color HD4K is perfect HASS/Scrypted/Homekit:
1. Quality of this camera is amazing for the price (lots of people use Unifi cameras but they are SO EXPENSIVE).
2. Great video quality, so the image is clear in Homekit.
3. Like most other POE cameras, the video loads instantly. Even in Homekit.
4. This camera supports multiple streams. This lets me have a low res and high stream to use in Scrypted. I can have the low res video play in Homekit when I stream video from outside of my home and use the high res stream for a NVR.
5. This camera natively streams to correct video format for Homekit (h.264)
Overall, I could not be happier with this camera. The quality is great, web interface is handy, and it works flawlessly in Apple Homekit w/ Homekit Secure Video. My next project will be to add an NVR to the setup for 24/7 recording. The NVR will likely be from Amcrest, along with any other cameras that I add in the future.
Terry Bowley
I purchased the IP8M-2796EB-AI to replace an aging IP8M-2496E camera that I use to monitor one side of my house and yard. I am very much impressed with the vast improvement of the new camera over the old. The Color Night Vision is awesome and I am including some images captured with the new camera at night. The 129 degree field of view is also a great improvement over the older camera as I now have a very good overlap of coverage with other cameras I have deployed. I truly have 360 degree coverage of my home and property. The night vision capability is so much better than the aging camera that was replaced. The AI functionality (Tripwire and Intrusion) is a huge plus over the older camera this one replaced. I am using the tripwire functionality and it works very well - almost too well as I get numerous alerts nightly as deer, racoons, cats, and foxes set it off regularly.
I unpacked the camera as soon as I received it and quickly installed it at it's new "home" which was very simple as I was replacing an older camera and therefore could using the same mounting holes. I connected the camera using the same Cat6e cabling to my 16 port Amcrest NVR and configuring the camera was easy and straight forward but I do admit that I have a number of Amcrest cameras and much practice setting them up and configuring them.
I quickly had the camera up and running and configured in the manner I desired and am using the Amcrest Surveillance Pro application installed on a Windows 11 based laptop computer and I also use the same app on my iPhone to monitor my home while I am away.
Tony F.
The Amcrest Bullet AI PoE IP Camera offers an excellent choice for monitoring both indoor and outdoor areas (waterproof! will update if anything changes). It is a POE camera which means you need an ethernet power injector somewhere in the network for easy installation (be aware if first time installing something like this). Does not have wifi but setting up the camera is still easy, and it can be done through an app or the web interface (the app was what I did) but has much more settings to play with in the web version. It's as easy as scanning the QR code at the bottom and I was up and ready to go.
Packaging does come with weather sealing gaskets as well as wall install screws. There's no included ethernet cable but you will need a longer cable from your POE port to the camera anyway.
The cloud app is free to use for viewing but recordings are not which is fine because it supports local storage easily via SD card. The camera's image quality is exceptional, with adjustable settings which includes a bright LED light as well as IR night vision, up to your preference. It also features AI detection for letting you know what passed by during replays. Overall, this camera feels pretty advanced and has a quality feel that reflects its valuable price point.
W Dennis
The camera is incredibly sharp and has a great wide field of view. The inclusion of the microphone to record audio is unexpected but a great value add. The night vision is clearer than any other camera I've used so far, and while the Spotlight is neat to have, I don't even think it's needed as the night vision is so clear. However I could definitely see it being useful to scare off anyone up to no good. I really like the flexibility offered in allowing Cloud, SD Card, or NVR connection, as a lot of makers are trying to push you into a subscription model. I'm personally using Blue Iris hosting on my computer. The AI person detection seems remarkably good so far, and I look forward to digging deeper with the face recognition function when I have more time. I would definitely recommend this camera.
Biggins48
Pros:
High-quality 4K video feed
Durable construction designed for outdoor use
Robust security features, including Active Deterrence and IVS
User-friendly operation with a well-designed quick-start guide
Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities for simplified installation
Cons:
Somewhat sensitive motion detection can produce noisy results
Lack of a power on/off light indicator can make it difficult to confirm if the camera is functioning
Introduction of another Amcrest application can be frustrating for users who prefer a consolidated platform
First Impressions
At first glance, the Amcrest 4K Outdoor bullet camera appears to be a high-quality product, designed with durability in mind. It is evident that this camera is built to withstand outdoor conditions, promising longevity. The construction quality is very good, with a few minor exceptions such as the mount design. Mount design appears to be straight forward, but as you will see I discuss later there is some difficulty positioning this when set to 90 degree
Instructions:
The instructions are straightforward, with a quick-start guide that helps get the camera up and running. However, like many of Amcrest's products, more complex features such as IVS, require a little more experience and tinkering to fully master. This process might be daunting for first-time users, but it also offers a high degree of customization for those seeking more than just basic functionality.
Camera Installation:
The installation process was relatively smooth and straightforward. The camera does not feature a power on/off light indicator, so the only way to confirm if it's functioning correctly is by checking the camera feed in the software. This absence of an immediate status indicator can make the setup process a bit tricky. This was installed at a 90 degree angle. Even with the screw loosened it seemed to be difficult to get the camera to swivel at the base. With force it moved to the desired adjusted position, but not without concern it would bread while doing it.
Setup/Functionality:
Setting up the Amcrest camera was a straightforward process, largely due to the well-designed quick-start guides provided with the product. Connecting it to the Amcrest app was also a breeze. This particular model comes with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities, which simplifies installation by combining power supply and video transmission into a single cable. This camera model was quickly recognized and integrated into the system without issue.
The camera is installed using a mount that is included in the box. Although the construction of the mount is robust, its adjustment is somewhat limited once it has been attached to a surface. This limitation can slightly hinder the camera's ability to capture a 90-degree angle view if it's mounted on a wall.
Once installed, the camera's App interface was navigable with multiple customization options. The web interface seems better as it offers a wide range of settings available for you to tweak, such as Face Detection, Smart Motion Detection, and SMTP (Email) configurations. While these settings add to the camera's appeal, they might also require additional time to understand fully and optimize to your liking.
The Active Deterrence and IVS features, such as tripwire and intrusion detection, were some of the advanced features that could enhance the camera's security capabilities. While understanding these features might be challenging initially, visual aids in the advertisement and the user guide greatly assist in comprehending and utilizing these functionalities.
A slight inconvenience during setup was the lack of a power on/off light indicator. Without it, users need to check the camera feed on the software to confirm that the camera is functioning after the initial power connection. Despite this, the setup process remains user-friendly and intuitive overall.
Lastly, the introduction of another Amcrest application is a bit frustrating. Managing different cameras across multiple apps can be challenging, and consolidation of these apps might streamline the user experience significantly.
Overall, the setup process for this Amcrest camera was relatively simple, with minor areas for improvement. The wide range of functionalities and settings, while requiring a bit of a learning curve, offers the potential for a highly customized and effective home security solution.
Issues:
While this camera is impressive with its feature set and overall performance, it's not without a few quirks. The motion detection, while useful, can be somewhat sensitive and occasionally produce noisy results. This means users may receive alerts for benign movement, such as tree branches swaying in the wind, or animals. This is a common item with all the Amcrest cameras I’ve installed. It requires a lot of tinkering to get things dialed in. Even then, things are still remain on the noisy alert side of things.
Furthermore, while the Intelligent Video System (IVS) technology is a great addition to the camera's feature list, it requires management via a web interface and can be a bit more complex to handle for the average user. I need to continue to play with this feature in the months to come.
One minor inconvenience observed during the setup process is the lack of a power on/off light indicator. This omission makes it tricky to determine if the camera is functioning or not after the initial power connection, necessitating users to check the camera feed on the software to ensure that it's working.
Also, introducing yet another app to the growing portfolio of Amcrest applications might be a little annoying for some users, who would prefer a consolidated platform for their devices.
Overall:
Overall, this camera is a commendable product that balances advanced features with user-friendly operation. It lives up to the Amcrest reputation of delivering high-quality, reliable, and technologically advanced security solutions. The camera's durability, excellent image quality, and robust security features make it a worthy investment for those seeking to enhance their home security systems.
The Intelligent Video System (IVS), Active Deterrent feature, and the high-quality 4K video feed are standout aspects of this camera. However, users should be aware that mastering these advanced features might require some additional time and patience.
The camera isn't without its quirks, with some aspects like the somewhat sensitive motion detection and the lack of a power on/off light indicator that may require adjustments or extra steps during setup and operation. Nonetheless, these are minor inconveniences when weighed against the camera's performance and functionality.
Junk
Well to save you all a headache do not buy this brand of camera I've spent days of troubleshooting with the company which none of them speak understandable English. Still doesn't work correctly to this day and it's been close to a year. No new updates for cameras no real technical support. read the manual over five times. So if you like to record hours and hours of rain and snow buy an amcrest camera. If not buy a lorex camera or a different brand. Another issue I'm having is the lens keep fogging up, and they don't want to do nothing about it. Horrible company extremely horrible support, very buggy software. Cameras may work better with a third party software but not with the OEM software.
Leo
Upgrading with this camera over the older first gen 4k IP8M-2496 and even the second gen IP8M-2696. This camera (IP8M-2796) offer much better night time performance. Where the 2496 would be stuck in black and white IR mode, the 2696 can remain in color mode longer but the color was very muted and eventually still go into IR mode. The 2796 was able to stay in color mode the entire night!
The flood light feature is also a nice touch. I configured it to only come on if the Smart AI detection detect human. hopefully it will get any suspicious person to get alerted and look up and thus offering a recording of at their face.
Overall, a very worthwhile upgrade for me to improve image quality and night time performance
Nikolai Hristov
This is the second camera that I have bought from this company. Three years after I purchased I tried to set it up finally because I now actually need to.
Setting up the first camera was not easy. I had set it up once and then forgotten the password. Why does a PoE camera that's physically wired to the network need a password? I don't know. To make your product more difficult to set up? After resetting the password in the first camera I finally manage to set it up and connect it to the cloud. It seems to be working.
But not the second camera. It won't let me set up the initial stupid password and this I cannot use it.
The hardware seems sturdy. Some aspects are well made. The mount is not great - after a year or so it loses its grip strength. The cameras are built like a tank though. I am pretty sure I can run it under my car and it will survive, hard thick metal.
All software aspects of the company though - the site, the "cloud", the mobile app were written by a high schooler. And a dumb one on top of that. So, overall assessment - avoid.
TL;DR: decent hardware but terrible software.
Michael M.
I’ve been using Amcrest for 7 years now, gone through 3 DVR/NVRs and over two dozen cameras.
5 of these have been 4k quality, and this is probably the 2nd to least impressive one when it comes to image quality.
I’ve messed with the settings and increased to max bitrate, max resolution, and it’s still very pixilated at only 30 feet out, regardless of viewing through the mainstream or sub stream (although mainstream does look a bit better).
The 15 frames per second also make it useless for getting a good image on passing cars going maybe 20-30mph.
Night vision does look nice, it does a good job taking the low ambient light and amplifying it.
I won’t criticize the poor detail of night vision, as that is pretty standard… you’re not going to be able to read anything at night.
I think maybe we are paying for the extra AI features and the light (neither of which are a priority for me), but I preferred the older 4k “dumb” camera I had up there before, as I value crisp image quality and frames the most.
I think I may just return this one and either try to find an old 4k one, or spend extra to buy one of the higher end ones
Thomas
The camera will not give you 30fps at 4k. It will allow you to set it to 4k 30fps, but it records at max of 25fps often going to 20fps even with "AI" features disabled. It flickers often, video attached showing this. Support is unhelpful.
David Long
This is crazy good image captured by this little camera! Setup is easy, as long as you of course have the PoE power source. Once simple ethernet cable later, run to your install point, and setup in the Amcrest App took all of about 2-minutes, and if you're a power user like me, a few more minutes of customization from your phone, via the config site on the camera itself to get things "just right." The AI functionality is nice in that it can automatically capture a good quality, zoomed in facial capture, versus just having the overall view you've come to expect from most security cameras.
Impossibly easy unboxing is a nice thing to have for products like this, so you don't have to destroy it to get it out of the box (unlike some competition).
The fact that this is a hybrid setup is very nice, having the ability to replace powered cameras with normal ethernet, or even wire into an alarm system (from the connections provided) is a bonus for those looking to upgrade their security cameras but still have access to what the older cameras could do.
Pros: Amazing quality captures, simple setup, ease of advanced setup configuration. All a WIN in my book.
Cons: Sun visor "feels" a little short to slip forward to cover the lens, for most installations, but thankfully have not had glare being an issue, so the cover must be polarized or other treatment to prevent glares being captured.
William M.
I was pleasantly surprised once I set this camera up but I will address that further down in this review.
4 stars because I do not like the mounting limitations.
The physical construction of this camera is also of very high quality with the exception of one aspect, the mount. It is constructed very well however the adjustment is limited once you have mounted it to your surface. If you have a straight forward mount where your camera is aimed straight ahead and only an up/down adjustment is required there is no issue. If you need the camera to be mounted on a wall but need to adjust it to view near a 90 degree angle to that wall you will need to ensure you have the base mount oriented correctly. Even so this still limits your adjustment capabilities for more accurate viewing angles. The Amcrest SmartHome 4MP Outdoor WiFi Camera Bullet 4MP Outdoor Security Camera (ASH-42) has the best mount I have seen so far and I hope they incorporate it into all of their future bullet camera designs.
Setting up this camera seemed to be easier than past cameras I have installed as it came up as soon as I connected it to my network and added it to Amcrest Surveillance Pro.
Once inside the set-up menu most of the settings are the same as their other cameras until you get into the Event settings. This setting is fairly extensive due to the AI aspect and I will need to do more changing/adjusting to see just how much a difference the AI makes but initially the Face Detection and Smart Motion Detection options make for a nice upgrade. There are a lot of settings to play with so this part of the set-up will be ongoing for a while.
Another nice change is the SMTP(Email) configuration. They have made it much easier to configure your desired email settings with the addition of popular providers to automatically retrieve the proper protocols.
So back to my initial statement about being pleasantly surprised. Although this model is not a night color camera it does seem to provide that in my current location. I have an Amcrest UltraHD 4K Outdoor Bullet Camera (IP8M-2496EB) mounted in the same area with an opposing view and it only shows black and white at night. Maybe the IP8M-2696EW-AI has better sensitivity due to its Starlight Technology CMOS and shorter night vision of 98.4 feet compared to the IP8M-2496EB and its Sony Starvis progressive image sensor and longer night vision of 131 feet. I have attached some photos to show the difference at exactly the same time. Either way I enjoy the color night vision without paying the higher cost for it. Another nice surprise is the added built in microphone and additional connections for a speaker to provide two-way communications.
One other thing I found interesting. In another review I read the individual stated this camera is not capable of 30fps show I looked into it. Apparently this is correct but only at a resolution higher than 2592x1944. Any resolution at or below this allows for 30fps.
In the end this is a nice camera. Priced higher than the other 4K bullets I have purchased in the past but the improvements make it worth it.
usmcgymnast
We bought this camera for an instant reply system for our circus training school. Coupled with an Apple TV 4K and a brand new 4K Visio TV, the image is just ok. Nothing earth-shattering. The biggest issue we’ve found so far is jumpy motion (poor refresh rate?). We can plug in the non-wide view camera that came with the system and we don’t have any issues with the jumpiness, so I can only image it’s the camera, but I have no way to prove that.
Customer
I've used previous generation Amcrest cameras in the past (4MP) and was pleased with the overall performance. These cameras offer standard RTSP streams and you can use this with a lot of different software packages or Amcrest's own NVRs. Additionally, you can have data stored on the Amcrest cloud (cheapest plan at the time of this review is $6/month for storing 7 days of motion video). Out of the box you can use the Amcrest App to view the real-time footage (no need for NVR or cloud fees).
I personally use the QNAP QVR Pro to store the camera footage (it is available on QNAP NAS devices). This camera is not yet listed in the supported cameras list, however, it can be configured under the "ONVIF ProfileS" type.
The motion detection on the camera is pretty standard for cameras in this price range. It offers the ability to set different zones with different levels of motion allowed. This motion detection is based simply on changes in what the camera sees, not on objects. As a result, a bug flying in front of it (common on outdoor setups) or lighting will trigger alerts. I don't find this level of motion detection very satisfying, since my primary concern is actual objects (people or cars). You may want to consider NVR software that can do additional motion classification.
This particular camera has a 6mm lens with a 55 degree viewing angle. I use this to look out from above my door to see folks walking down the path to the front door. If you want a view of everything outside your door, look for a wider viewing angle. You may wonder why you wouldn't just get the largest viewing angle -- and the difference is that you will lose some detail as you get wider.
PoE (Power over Ethernet) is great, but keep in mind you will need to get a switch that has that or purchase an injector. Having one cable and not needing to bother with batteries is great.
Tim Holman
Amcrest offers this PoE (power over Ethernet) camera with three different lens focal lengths: 2.8 mm, 4.0 mm, and 6.0 mm. I purchased the 6.0 mm model because I needed a narrower field of view with some optical magnification as part of a camera upgrade. The attached images show the difference between an older Amcrest IP4M-1025E (3.6 mm lens) versus the IP8M-2597E (6.0 mm lens) that replaced it. You can see how the larger focal length eliminates "wasted pixels" on the edges of the image.
Overall I'm very happy with the IP8M-2597E. Compared to the older IP4M-1025E, it has twice the resolution, higher frame rate, and improved night vision. The improved sensor is also capable of operating in color mode with only minimal illumination. It's a significant improvement over what Amcrest was selling just a few years ago. I can almost make out licenses plates with this camera during the daytime. If it were positioned 20 feet closer to the road, it could probably be used for limited LPR (license plate recognition) applications.
Short of purchasing a more expensive varifocal or PTZ camera, this is probably about the best you can do in terms of a fixed focal length camera in a mini-bullet form factor. If you're serious about recording more than a distant human figure in a Ring or Nest video, you should consider purchasing the IP8M-2597E. I hope that Amcrest will make a point of offering multiple lens focal lengths in future PoE cameras.
Zachary
I purchased this camera to replace an old analog weather camera that was feeding into a Axis video server. Although the quality at 4K is amazing weather underground wont accept such a high quality image size, so I had to turn the quality down to 720P. I attached a copy of snapshots and video from the camera. The video has WDR enabled which causes a bit of washout, but still quality video.
Justin Reynolds
This is the forth Amcrest POE camera I have installed to monitor my house. It is by far one of the best cameras I own. It was easy to set up and connect with my Amcrest NVR. It has POE, so I don't have to worry about running power to the camera, as it is provided via the ethernet cable. Installation was simple, and the provided directions are very helpful and easy to read! The attached screen shot is from my Amcrest NVR showing the quality of the video feed. Keep in mind this was shot in really low light, however night vision was not active, and it is still great! The night vision is great as well, the second picture attached is from complete darkness, with no ambient light. As you can see, I can see majority of my backyard from the corner of my house. In the future, I will look first to Amcrest as their series of POE IP camera rank up there with the best!
Mike Baney
The Camera itself is nice. It has a built-in web page so that you can configure it, as well as the ability to configure it via the Amcrest App. If you want to view the camera outside of your network, you need to make sure you turn on DDNS for Amcrest and add the camera into the app using the serial number (not the IP address).
I should get more of these cameras and get a DVR -- That being said, you must have some sort of DVR setup in order to capture video (I believe). Although I did not have Amcrest's cloud service (as it cost extra), having the camera setup to send a picture upon motion did not work. It would send a notification that it detected motion, but no picture. :(
Since I do not have the camera mounted outside, I had to turn off night vision so that the IR would not reflect off the window and blind the camera.
I really like the wide angle view on the camera.
C. R. Hatfield
I love these cameras, the video quality is head and shoulders above my previous cams (IP8M-T2499EW), the video quality is just amazing, the low light capability is greatly improved, the smoothness of video is better than my 15fps 4k cameras and the 6mm option is great too, though not as zoomed in as I had imagined but I can't complain. The only downside (for me) and reason I haven't already bought a second pair is the lack of audio recording, I like having at least 1 set of cams with audio on the front side of my house, so I'll have to wait for a model that includes that to get a second pair there but might get a more zoomed out pair for back side of the house soon. For the price range, these are the best bang for your buck, you won't be disappointed!
Pros:
+ Improved visuals in low light, even in Color Mode
+ Smoother video than any 15FPS I've seen
+ Few more configuration options than older models
+ All around crisper image than older models in this price range.
Cons:
- No Micro-SD card option
- No Audio
- Not as "zoomed" in as you might expect.
I attached 2 images, of the same center-point, one is of my older 2.8mm model (IP8M-T2499EW) and the other is this 6MM model, its only a few second apart and I should point out, it's lightly snowing at the time as well as taken after 9pm at night, the newer camera just cuts-through the snow and shows a clear image where as the other one is grainy and you can see the snow falling in the darker areas. Both are in the same mode and settings. BLC enabled and Color mode. oh and in case you're wondering, the weather details at the bottom of videos are using a program called Blue Iris Tools along with the Blue Iris software.
