I am, by no means, a security camera expert. I am still learning, so when I found an offer to review this camera in exchange for a refund of the purchase price, it was a no lose proposition since there was no specific requirement that it be a positive review. This is my first “serious” night vision camera and I am blown away by the difference. As they asked for a review of the camera alone, I mounted it without any junction box, did not update the firmware, did not tweak any of the settings, just plug and play. I used the included mounting hardware, plastic anchors and wood screws, and this might be my biggest complaint: I couldn’t find the size of the plastic anchors or the correct sized drill bit listed anywhere, wouldn’t it just make sense to print it on the plastic bag they come in? For what it’s worth, I used a ¼” drill bit and it was almost perfect, just a little on the small side. After mounting the IP5M T1179EW and adding it to my system, I waited until dark and was rewarded with amazing footage. Finally, I have a camera that gives a full color and HD picture of our driveway at night. With a 2.8mm lens and 103 degree field of view, this camera isn’t going to capture great images 100 feet away, but that isn’t the application it is designed for nor the application I bought it for. A driveway, porch, or patio overview less than 30 feet deep is perfect for what this camera is designed to do.
The photos are taken from 10’, 20’, and 30’. The lettering on the box is about the same height as a license plate, with a broader stroke (and really, how can you not love a brand of TP called Who Gives A Crap. At night, the color still looks great with our lights on. With our lights off, the IR from the Amcrest IP5M T1179EW actually makes for a better picture IMO. Keep in mind, this is all straight out of the box, I have not made any adjustments to the camera.
The motion detection built in is almost perfect. Raccoon, check; cat, check; vehicles, check, check and check; tree limbs moving in the breeze, no; random leaf, no. It does false alarm when the concrete is drying after a rainstorm but it’s by far the best motion detection I have, and it’s the motion detection I’ve already come to rely on.
Overall, this is my favorite camera I currently own and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a sharp image from a short range camera. And to that point, I will absolutely be buying a second one with the refund I receive, making this a BOGO deal rather than a free camera (but I will probably try to get the 3.6mm version so I can reach out a little farther).
The photos are taken from 10’, 20’, and 30’. The lettering on the box is about the same height as a license plate, with a broader stroke (and really, how can you not love a brand of TP called Who Gives A Crap. At night, the color still looks great with our lights on. With our lights off, the IR from the Amcrest IP5M T1179EW actually makes for a better picture IMO. Keep in mind, this is all straight out of the box, I have not made any adjustments to the camera.
The motion detection built in is almost perfect. Raccoon, check; cat, check; vehicles, check, check and check; tree limbs moving in the breeze, no; random leaf, no. It does false alarm when the concrete is drying after a rainstorm but it’s by far the best motion detection I have, and it’s the motion detection I’ve already come to rely on.
Overall, this is my favorite camera I currently own and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a sharp image from a short range camera. And to that point, I will absolutely be buying a second one with the refund I receive, making this a BOGO deal rather than a free camera (but I will probably try to get the 3.6mm version so I can reach out a little farther).
