Did you see Eufy's new wireless cameras?

For me, any sort of “smart” home security is a relatively new thing, in terms of what I consider installing at my house. I mean, it’s not like standard locks were causing me problems. But, ever since installing the touch smart lock, and having a camera up front in our doorbell, I do like the convenience and remote monitoring capabilities that it adds. Not to mention, the fact that Eufy stores the data all local (either on the device or on the hub) rather than a server somewhere else, that’s something I like. I thought I knew which cameras I would add to my setup, and then the Eufy SoloCam line was announced.

They’ve had a few different lines of cameras available to-date – the eufyCam 2, eufyCam 2 Pro, eufyCam 2C, and eufyCam 2C Pro (and those are still available) – that work with their Home Hub. The pro versions upgrade the resolution from 1080p to 2k, and the ‘C’ cameras bring LED spotlights to the mix. What if you’re not already invested in their home hub, and just want some simple cameras to setup around the house? That’s where this SoloCam series is looking to plug in. These are simpler devices that have their storage right on-board the camera. Convenient in terms of setup, but I suppose if someone steals the camera, there goes your footage (well, unless you’ve subscribed to their cloud backup solution, I suppose).

There are a few different cameras in the mix here, just as we saw up above in the 2 vs 2C, and standard vs Pro. At the entry level, you’ve got the SoloCam E20 (1080p) and SoloCam E40 (2k). These are basic cameras with motion detection (and the ability to tell if it’s a human there or not), and also adds in a 90 decibel alarm you can trigger to scare folks off. While these cameras don’t have any lights, they do have IR nightvision capabilities, which will get things done in a pinch. Both cameras should be available this month, with the E20 going at $99.99 and the E40 at $129.99.

Now, what if you didn’t want to rely on IR vision at night, and want to have something that kicks some light on the subject? That’s the SoloCam L20 (1080p) and L40 (2k) for you. With the lights, that means your night vision is in full color, as, well, you’re shining 600 lumens of tunable light (make it warmer or colder, your call) onto whatever triggered the camera. As with the E-series, you’ve got the 90 decibel alarm here, and the same (estimated) 4-month battery life (then it’s take it down to charge it up for a bit). The L20 steps the price up to $149.99 and the higher-resolution L40 is commanding $169.99; these should be available in July.

If you’re planning on installing the camera higher up (to keep it out of the reach of nefarious hands) then climbing up a ladder three to four times per year may not be your cup of tea. That brings us to what I feel is the most interesting camera of the bunch, the SoloCam S40. You get all of the features and specs of the L40, with the addition of one very cool thing – a solar panel plopped on top of it. That means – provided it’s getting enough sun – that the camera should run almost indefinitely (well, until the batteries inside have exhausted their charge cycles). It’s just a smart addition to a set it and forget it sort of a camera. Time will tell how efficient the solar panel is, however, and how long the batteries inside last with the constant charge/discharge. The S40 should be available in August for $199.99.

There was also one more camera that they announced, a Floodlight Cam 2 Pro. Rather than being wireless, this is a wired setup, as you can get pan-and-tilt functionality from the camera, along with 3000 lumens of light. This looks and feels like something you’d be mounting onto an outbuilding further back in your property, and will require a little more work to install. Still, no requirement for the HomeHub 2, so it can be it’s own $300 stand-alone situation when it comes out in July.

So, there you have it – the roundup of Eufy’s new camera systems. Pricing seems similar to what you’d pay for stand-alone add-ons of the existing cameras. So, if you’ve already got a HomeBase2, you’ve got a tougher choice, as you can add to your existing setup. However, if you’re not using the HomeBase2 already, getting into these SoloCam models looks to make a lot more sense, as you’re just getting the hardware you need to get up and going, without another base that needs to be setup. We’ve inquired if you DO have the HomeBase2 if there will be the capability to have the video moved from the SoloCams onto it, and we’ll update here once we know. eufylife.com

Specs and Comparison Data from Eufy

Pricing and Availability

The entire SoloCam series is available today for presale on eufylife.com, and will also be available for purchase through Amazon and other retail partners soon. (All prices listed are U.S. prices)

SoloCam 1080p Essential (E20) will be available in Mid-June for $99.99.

SoloCam 2K Essential (E40) will be available around late June for $129.99.
SoloCam 1080p Spotlight (L20) will be available through online channels in Mid-July for $149.99.
SoloCam 2K Spotlight (L40) will be available through retailer partners in late July for $169.99.