Ring has been churning out one dependable security camera after the other for years now. The latest to come out of its factory is the new Spotlight Cam that comes in two variants – Spotlight Cam Wired and Spotlight Cam Battery. The Wired version as the name suggests, is a camera that requires a wired power connection, while the Battery variant is a battery-operated unit.
The Spotlight Cam comes with a battery compartment for two batteries and on paper, each is said to last about six months with average use, so you won’t be changing them all that often. Because the Spotlight Cam is battery powered, you can mount the device anywhere. However, remember you will need to access it every so often to pull out and recharge the batteries.
The highlight of this device is that this outdoor camera illuminates the area and records video when its motion sensor is tripped. This means the Ring Spotlight Cam is suited for darker areas of your property that you want to monitor for intruders. Inside the box, the Ring Spotlight Cam comes with a security screw lock, screwdriver, drill bit, and an installation manual.
The Ring Spotlight Cam is equipped with an LED light strip on either side of a 140-degree wide-angle lens, which activates when motion is detected. The motion sensor is built into the dome at the bottom of the camera. It has a 270-degree detection range. The camera streams and records video in up to 1080p resolution and supports two-way talk with noise cancellation and night vision up to 30 feet.
The device is available in black or white colours and the overall build quality and design is quite brilliant. The Spotlight Cam also comes with an IPX5 rating – this means that the camera is protected from rain. Setting the camera up is a walk in the park. In order to operate and manage the Ring Spotlight Cam, you need to install and configure the Ring app on your smartphone or tablet. The app itself is available for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices.
The app also assists you in configuring the camera. Once the camera is connected to your Wi-Fi network, the app guides you through videos for installing the camera on the exterior of your property. The camera also offers voice instructions through its speaker. The camera once installed will tell you when it is connected to your wireless network, when there’s a firmware update available and so on.
The Spotlight Cam also comes with a 30-day free trial of the company’s cloud storage for recorded videos. Once the 30-day period is up, you can chose to upgrade to one of the paid plans. With the Ring Spotlight Cam, you can create and personalise your very own motion zones to focus on specific areas of your property.
I was impressed by the video quality of the device. The Spotlight Cam was able to offer crisp and clear videos during the day. During the night, we still were able to get clear footage, thanks to the device’s night vision feature which uses infrared technology. The spotlight function worked perfectly well – it activated instantly once its motion sensor senses unexpected movement on the property.
The Ring Spotlight Cam serves the requirements of those looking for an easy to install and maintain security camera with motion detection sensors.
Price: AED 799 (excluding VAT)
