Home Security is vital and with a new home office, I was on the lookout for a new indoor security camera. We have been lucky to have been sent the Calex Holland Smart PTZ security camera. 

First Impressions

This camera is affordable costing only £40 via Tesco.com and I can now always know my office is safe even on the move. This camera allows the user via the app to pan, tilt and zoom remotely. You are provided with an image resolution of 2k regardless of if it’s day or light. 

The mains power the camera so you won’t need to worry about charging the battery but you will need to consider where you position this camera. 

Want to store images or video recordings this can be done via a micro SD card (not Included) or via the cloud by the Calex Smart App. This camera allows you to view what is happening 24 hours a day and you can use the video function and built-in microphone & speakers to communicate with anyone who enters that space. 

Design/Build

The PTZ camera is matte white and features a round enclosure on the top of a motorised base that gives the camera its 360-degree panning ability. The motorised black lens also provides you with 114 degrees of tilt. Size it measures 4.6 x 3.4 x 3.3 inches (HWD) so having it sit on one of my shelves in the office it did not look out of place. 

Move to the back of the camera and you will find the microSD card slot and reset button are positioned. This is also the area where the power jack and you are also provided with a mounting kit if you want to position the camera on a wall in this review we chose against doing that. 

In terms of the pixel resolution you are provided with 2,304 x 1,296 and it captures 2k video at 15fps. The camera also sports a microphone and speaker ideal for two-way audio and a small LED. 

The LED flashes red and green during setup and then stays a solid red when the camera has a stable connection. You are also provided with 4 infrared LEDs that provide black-and-white night vision out to about 10 meters. 

When the camera detects motion the camera will then notify you and by default the device stores video recordings of each event locally on the microSD card for up to 21 days. However, you can subscribe to cloud storage with plans for 7, 14 or 30-day recordings and prices starting from £3.99 per month. 

The camera uses a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio to connect to your router and will link up to your smart assistant. Unfortunately, the camera won’t support the Apple HomeKit platform.  

Setup / Performance

Setting up the Smart PTZ Camera is very easy to do simply plug it in and download the Calex app which is compatible on both iOS & Android. The app opens to the home screen which shows panels for each Calex device you have in your home. Follow the online steps and it will pick up the camera as long as your phone is close and once connected that when you can customize it. 

The home screen has 4 navigation buttons: 

  • Home
  • Room
  •  Smart 
  •  Me

The home button will simply bring you to the main screen which displays the weather and shows you the devices you have active. The room button will show you a list of devices you have per room. 

The smart action button lets you create routines, shortcuts and automations on compatible devices. Tap the Me button and you have access to update the firmware, connect to your smart home assistant and even your Apple Watch. 

When you click on the camera icon on the home screen it will launch a live stream from the camera feed.

You will then see a mini-control panel with buttons such as taking a snapshot, manually recording a video, and using the built-in microphone there is also a button that creates a full-screen mode. When you are in full-screen mode there is also a large round job dial that allows you to adjust the Pan & Tilt.

Verdict

The Calex Holland Smart PTZ security camera comes in at just £40 and offers the user some interesting features such as mechanical pan & tilt controls, 2K video, local storage and even voice control. Set up was very easy to do It is a plug-in and go and the app does not take long to connect with the camera and then allow you to customise the settings for you.

Night Vision

I was pleased with the overall performance but I would have liked it to support Apple’s HomeKit Platform where I have 90% of all my smart home devices under one roof. However, the fact you can link it to your Alexa or Google Assistant solved my Homekit issue. 

If you are looking for a budget-friendly indoor security camera then Calex offers you a suitable solution. 

 

Product Rating    

 Design: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

Features: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

Setup/Performance: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Value for Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

 

Overall ranking: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars – 4.5 stars

Calex Holland Smart PTZ Indoor Security Camera Available for £40 via Tesco.com

 

Thanks for reading this review, please continue to support us and check out our other reviews and follow us on Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter below.