Testing Eufy 2K Pan and Tilt, an excellent camera at a great price

Setting up a video surveillance system is easier than ever thanks to HomeKit Secure Video, and also very cheap without we do it with the very interesting 2K Pan and Tilt camera from Eufy that we analyze in this article with video.

Design and Specifications

Eufy has not been complicated when it comes to deciding on the design of this camera, which does not have to be a bad thing either. In the end, a security camera should look like it, since part of its mission is to deter any possible threat. Its conventional design includes the basic elements of any camera: a status LED, a speaker on the back, the microUSB connector and the reset button, as well as the moving lens and the rotating head that allows the camera to move in the vertical and horizontal axes, either automatically or manually using the app.

The box includes the charger and the microUSB cable, and the base to be able to place it on the ceiling, with a standard thread that we can use to place it on a wall (using an adapter that is not included). We can place the camera vertically on any surface or inverted on the ceiling, it cannot be placed horizontally. The connection to our WiFi network is done through the 2,4GHz network, and it does not have an integrated battery, so it will always be necessary to have a plug nearby. Another detail to take into account is that it is not designed for outdoor use, so we must choose an area well protected from direct sun, rain and cold if we want to place it outside the home, or directly indoors.

We are facing a camera with 2K resolution, that is, twice FullHD, although if we use it with HomeKit Secure Video it will be limited to FullHD (things from HomeKit). The image quality is very good, with a viewing angle of 125 degrees, which may seem small, but we cannot forget that it's a motorized camera so it more than makes up for that lack of viewing angle. Of course it includes night vision, a microphone to listen to everything that happens on the other side and a speaker so you can speak through it, as well as manual or automatic alarm. Storage can be done directly in a microSD card (up to 128GB) or in the cloud, either in HomeKit Secure Video or in the cloud service that Eufy offers us (the only payment service that we will find in this camera).

Eufy Security, an excellent app.

A security camera is nothing without a good app to accompany it, and here Eufy has done an excellent job, offering an application (link) with very advanced options that other services charge in the form of monthly fees, and that Eufy offers completely free when you buy your camera. Facial recognition, artificial intelligence that allows you to distinguish between humans or animals, change of state depending on your location (inside or outside the home), cry detection, activity zones, movement tracking… There is really nothing I miss. Eufy only charges for cloud storage, which is completely optional because you can opt for local storage via microSD.

Something that surprised me when testing the camera is that it even offers you the function of recording an audio that will automatically play when it detects an animal entering an area that you have set. Imagine that you are tired of your dog getting on the sofa, because when the camera detects it, it will automatically play your audio ordering it to get off the sofa. I'd like to see the dog's face. Control of the camera is total from the application, allows us to control movement, even panning thanks to its 360º horizontal rotation. The smart notifications and the alert system works very well, I have not had any false alerts since I have used it.

HomeKit Secure Video

There are so many options that Eufy Security offers us that you can almost forget the compatibility with HomeKit Secure Video. This Apple service let us remember that offers single camera storage for the 200GB plan and up to 5 cameras for the 2TB plan, video storage that will not count towards your space limit. In addition to cloud storage, Apple offers us smart notifications depending on location on all its compatible cameras, intelligent detection of humans, animals or vehicles, facial recognition, activity zones ... most of the functions that I previously told you about in the app Eufy. But with HomeKit Secure Video we don't care about the camera and the brand, we can combine different cameras from different brands, while in the Eufy app we can only handle compatible Eufy cameras. In addition, the integration with all Apple devices is total from the Home app.

With HomeKit Secure Video we lose control of the movement of the camera, but since we can continue to maintain the Eufy Security app, it is not a major problem either. To add the camera to HomeKit we must first configure it with Eufy Security and then, from the app itself, pass it to HomeKit. Maintaining the two applications is perfectly possible and also the most recommended, thus we maintain the best of the two services.

Editor's opinion

Eufy has bet very strongly on its security cameras, and it does so by offering an excellent hardware-software package at a very interesting price, and without any type of monthly fee to enjoy the most advanced security options. Compatibility with HomeKit Secure Video is also a bonus for those who want to use Apple's home automation platform. And I've saved the best for last: a price of € 49,99 on Amazon (link)