The Eve Outdoor Floodlight camera is one of the only HomeKit secure video cameras on the market. I've been testing the camera for a long time to see if it's worth the money.
Part of the reason that this review has taken so long is that the Eve Camera has some installation pitfalls that potential buyers should know about. Unless you're going to install a new electrical connection, this is a wall-mounted camera, so it needs to replace either an outdoor light or an existing camera.
My house has a lot of wide-angle downward-facing lights/cameras mounted just below my gutter which are positioned in a way to see the yard. It's not possible to install the Eve Camera in the downward orientation that's common for security cameras. It needs to be a straight-on position. The tilt can be adjusted, but not enough to replace a Ring floodlight camera.
The Eve Camera has a smaller base than the Ring, so I decided to remove the Ring camera from the wall. If this is the only setup you have, the base is too small to fit a typical junction box, which is a hassle. I had to replace some siding to get the camera set up and I'm not sure if it's waterproof. If you're replacing an existing camera, be aware that there may be some extra work that needs to be done to make it look right, and this is likely going to be an issue for a lot of people.
The camera needs to be wired to a junction box. You can do it on your own, but you need some experience. I hired an electrician to install the camera and he said it was easy to install. The Eve outdoor camera is only able to use a 2.4 GHz internet connection.
The Eve outdoor cam works the same as any other HomeKit secure video camera. The Home app can be used to view the video feed, while the Eve app can be used to access it. HomeKit secure video requires an Apple subscription. The cheapest $1 plan has one camera, the $2.99/month plan has five cameras, and the $9.99 per month plan has unlimited cameras.
The Eve outdoor cam is capable of recording at night. I can see what's going on in my yard, but I can't see details from more than 8 to 10 feet away. It's not as crisp as my Ring cameras in areas with a lot of variation in light and dark, but at night, the feed is sharper with less noise than my other cameras.
HomeKit secure video gives you peace of mind that your video feed won't be seen by anyone else. You can only view it on your own devices, and the footage is in the cloud. I don't think the Eve outdoor cam is as easy to use as my Ring cameras, and I don't think it offers the same features and dependability.
Sometimes the Eve outdoor cam fails to record, and it's an issue that I haven't been able to pin down. It still happens even though it's gotten better with the new operating system. It records when motion is detected and is sensitive to motion. If I don't use activity zones and limit notifications, "Motion" will go off constantly.
There are a lot of options to choose from. The camera can record both when you're away and when you're home, but only when you're away. It can be turned off completely from the Home app.
When people are detected, you can either record all motion or only when it's happening. It can tell you when a specific person shows up on the camera. There is no way to record continuously, and footage is kept when motion is detected.
You can choose to receive notifications when motion is detected, when people are detected, or when a clip is recorded. The Eve cam can be used to detect people, animals, vehicles, and package delivery. You can see a preview of the feed if you tap one of the rich notifications, but I don't like that it brings me to the Home app instead of my camera feed.
It has been reliable in my testing, but there is a slight delay before the light comes on. After motion detection, it stays on for a short time and then shuts off. You can use the microphone to talk to someone who is near the camera with two-way audio, but it doesn't offer the same siren feature as other cameras.
You can look through the recorded footage in the app. The app can be used to save or remove clips. The Home app is buggy and hard to navigate compared to the Ring app. It is one of the major drawbacks to HomeKit Secure Video. Eve is not to blame since Apple designs the Home experience.
All of the recordings are limited to the Home app so I rarely open the Eve app. There are a few things that can be done in the Eve app, but nothing else.
The Home app isn't as easy to use as the Ring app, even though HomeKit cameras don't have the privacy concerns of other cameras. I like the Ring experience because I don't have to worry about Amazon's privacy practices since my cameras are mostly used to watch the local wildlife.
HomeKit Secure Video still works well despite the fact that I have more issues with it. I have mostly been satisfied with the performance of the Eve Camera. I haven't had any issues with motion detection, and the recording problem I have is likely a Home app problem.
One of the HomeKit-enabled outdoor camera options that has a light is the Eve, so there isn't a lot to choose from. The Eve outdoor camera is okay.
Potential buyers should be aware of the installation issues and prepared for some headaches getting the camera set up because the camera looks sleek on the wall and it doesn't take up too much space for those who are looking for something subdued. It can struggle with high variation in light and dark but it comes with unparalleled privacy.
You can buy the Eve outdoor camera from Amazon.com.
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