The surveillance camera (theme world) Ezviz C8W Pro 2K has a pan and tilt lens and thus covers an area of 340 degrees horizontally and 80 degrees vertically. It is therefore a so-called PTZ camera (Pan, Tilt & Zoom; panning, tilting and zooming). It can automatically track recognized objects. The camera finds its way into the network either via WLAN or via an Ethernet connection. However, it does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE). Instead, it is connected directly to the mains via a power supply unit supplied.
Thanks to Spotlight , the C8W Pro 2K also offers colored night vision with a maximum resolution of 2304 × 1296 pixels . It saves videos on a microSD card , which is not included in the scope of delivery, and optionally in the paid Ezviz cloud. Users can test the latter for free.
The AI-supported motion detection differentiates between people, vehicles and other objects . This is to prevent false alarms . The camera also offers an intercom function including an automatic answer based on previously recorded voice messages. When motion is detected, the camera can automatically trigger an alarm. This happens either acoustically with a loud siren sound and/or visually with a flashing spotlight . The test shows what else the C8W Pro 2K has to offer and how well it works in practice.
Scope of delivery and other features
The 605 gram C8W Pro 2K measures 112 × 171 × 156 mm and, according to the manufacturer, can be used in a temperature range between -30 and 60 degrees Celsius with a humidity of up to 95 percent. It is protected against the ingress of water and dust according to IP65 . The scope of delivery includes a power adapter (12 volts, 1 A), a drilling template, a set of screws, a waterproofing kit to protect the connection of an Ethernet cable from the weather and a quick start guide. The latter, which is also available in German, only offers the most necessary information for commissioning. Using the QR code printed there, users can download the complete manual ( PDF ), which is available inis available in all relevant languages and explains the functions and assembly of the camera in detail on a total of 16 pages. The technical data sheet ( PDF ) offers a brief overview of the camera features.
The lens, which records image data on a 1/2.7-inch CMOS sensor with a 3-megapixel resolution (2304 × 1296 pixels) , sits in a spherical housing, the upper part of which is black and the lower part is white. Next to the lens is a status LED on the right and a microphone on the left. The latter, together with the loudspeaker housed in the bracket, provides the intercom function .
Below the lens, behind a transparent cover, there is a PIR sensor to detect movement, two IR LEDs for black and white night vision and two white LEDs that become active in the dark and provide colored night vision.
Underneath, users will find a microSD card slot behind a screwed cover , which supports corresponding cards with a maximum capacity of 256 GB , so that the cameras can store videos locally. Optionally, Ezviz also offers a cloud subscription that can be tested free of charge for up to 30 days. A seven-day event-based video history for a camera costs EUR 4.99 per month, 30 days costs EUR 9.99. If you use several Ezviz cameras, the costs increase to 7.49 euros and 14.99 euros respectively. However, the higher-priced tariffs only include up to four cameras.
positioning of the camera
The camera body provides a bracket for mounting on a ceiling or on a wall . It is also possible to attach the camera to a pole with a cable tie. The holder has corresponding cut-outs on the back for this purpose. Before that, however, users should check the reception area of the WLAN at the planned installation site, unless they want to connect the C8W Pro 2K via Ethernet cable. To do this, you can check the WiFi signal in the app under General Settings .
Commissioning of the Ezviz Elife
The commissioning of the C8W Pro 2K is easy in principle, but requires a user account with Ezviz. Access to the app can also be secured with two-factor authentication . Instead of manually logging into the app every time by entering a user ID and password, users can use the biometric authentication options integrated in the smartphone, such as Face ID or fingerprint scanner.
After logging in, the Ezviz C8W Pro 2K is paired with the app. To do this, click on the plus symbol in the app and select Add device and then Camera . A QR code reader will then open, with which you can scan the QR code of the camera. This is located on top of the camera mount and on the quick start guide. The camera is then ready for use and can be controlled via a smartphone app. In addition to the app, there is also a desktop application available for macOS and Windows.
Ezviz CW8 Pro 2K: Pictures
However, mobile app and desktop application differ in the options for displaying the live images and in the configuration of the camera. The desktop application only supports changing the resolution and is otherwise of interest for displaying the live stream. If you have several Ezviz cameras in use, you can display up to 25 live streams at the same time. In principle, this can also be done with the mobile application, but this display option on the smartphone is not that interesting because of the smaller screen. There is also an app optimized for tablets.
After starting the app, the connected cameras are displayed with the last recorded live image. The large round button at the bottom allows users to toggle the alarm function on and off . Clicking on Library at the bottom center opens the history view of previous warnings including the associated video recordings. With the Intelligent links button , users can define routines, some of which are linked to smart home sensors, which are only available as an option.
The presence and absence of the user can also serve as a trigger for certain actions. The feature known as geofencing is currently only available for the iOS app. The Devices button activates the start page again. Clicking on the image last taken by the camera takes you to the live view. Snapshot , Record , PTZ , Talk , Resolution , 360° Image , Alarm and Floodlight options are located at the bottom of the screen to control the camera. If you click on the live image, further setting options will appear there. So you can pause the video or turn off the sound transmission. The settings can be accessed via the symbol at the top right. Here users can configure smart detection , notifications , audio and image settings , status light (light settings) and PTZ settings .
Alarm zones and settings
The camera transmits alarm messages via e-mail or push messages . Users configure email notifications in the app under General Settings , while they turn push alerts on or off under Settings of the respective camera. There you can also specify under Intelligent detection whether the camera warns of all movements ( image change detection ) or only when people and/or vehicles are detected. In the test it works perfectly. If detection is limited to people or vehicles, pets such as a cat will not be alarmed.
If the Image change detection option is active, zones for motion detection and the detection sensitivity can be defined under Detection area . If there is movement outside this zone, the camera will not send a notification. This restriction option is also a prerequisite for operating the camera in compliance with data protection regulations when it is aimed at someone else’s property or a public area. Unlike the Elife 2K+, the C8W Pro 2K does not offer the option of blackening certain parts of the field of view.
In addition, users can control the device alarm . Under Settings – Notification – Acoustic notification , the options Audio Off, Intensive , Weak and Custom sound are available , which can be configured according to weekdays and times under Acoustic warnings . If the Intensive option is active, a loud siren sounds when motion is detected. The Weak option plays a short beep. It is also possible to use Custom Sound to create personalized voice recordings, with a length of up to 10 seconds and to be configured as an alert message. Unlike the previously tested Ezviz cameras, the voice recordings on the C8W Pro 2K sound loud enough through the speaker. Even louder is the siren intended to scare off a potential thief. The optical notification option offers additional deterrent potential . If it is active, the LEDs integrated in the camera also flash when a movement is detected.
Practical use and video quality
The CMOS sensor integrated in the camera records videos with a maximum resolution of 2304 × 1296 pixels and up to 15 frames per second . The recording quality is as expected from a surveillance camera with a 3-megapixel sensor. The videos are rich in detail and the color reproduction is neutral. In contrast to other Ezviz cameras such as the Elife 2K+ (test report) , the color setting cannot be changed.
For the recording, the camera uses the data-saving codec HEVC aka H.265 , regardless of the selected resolution (Full HD with 2304 × 1296, Hi-Def with 1280 × 720, standard with 768 × 432) . The data rate during recording automatically adapts to the performance of the network and can be a maximum of 2 MBit/s. In the test with full resolution, it is 1.5 MBit/s, regardless of whether the network connection is via WLAN or Ethernet. And like almost all other wireless surveillance cameras, it cannot be adjusted by the user. But there are also exceptions: Reolink allows its cameras like the Argus 3 Pro (test report) or the Argus PT (test report)an adjustment of the data rate.
The 8x digital zoom integrated in the C8W Pro 2K allows users to take a closer look at objects. The image quality is okay up to a zoom level of about four. If you need a surveillance camera for zooming, it is better to use a version with a higher resolution. 4K cameras with 8 megapixel resolution such as the Imou Knight 4K (test report) , the Trendnet TV-IP1318PI (test report) or the Arlo 2 Ultra (test report) are a good choice for this.
| Security Camera | Resolution (Width x Height) | pixel count | ratio to Full HD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlo 2 Ultra, Imou Knight 4K | 3840×2160 | 8,294,400 | + 300 percent |
| Reolink Argus 3 Pro, Go PT Plus | 2560×1440 | 3,686,400 | + 78 percent |
| Ezviz Elife 2K+ | 2560×1440 | 3,686,400 | + 78 percent |
| Eufy Solocam S40, Ezviz CB8, Ezviz C8W Pro | 2304×1296 | 2,985,984 | + 44 percent |
| Arlo Go 2 | 1920×1080 | 2,073,600 | Full HD |
The Ezviz app essentially offers easy operation of the camera: users can change the video resolution directly in the live view and also activate the spotlight manually or use the intercom function. The brightness control of the LED lighting offers potential for improvement . It is only accessible under Settings – Image . However, it would be desirable to be able to control the brightness directly in the live stream, like with the Arlo Ultra 2 (test report) .
With a weak WLAN connection , users sometimes have to wait several seconds until the live stream is displayed. With a good radio connection, on the other hand, it hardly takes more than two seconds. This problem essentially affects all other WLAN cameras as well. But the C8W Pro 2K also offers an Ethernet connection in addition to WiFi . This means that the live stream takes place almost without delay on the smartphone display.
A highlight of the C8W Pro 2K is the ability to no longer lose sight of captured people with the pan and tilt lens. Under Settings – PTZ settings , users can activate the so-called person tracking. In practice, this only works if you don’t get too close to the camera. At a distance of several meters, the AI has no problem aiming the lens at the person being captured. However, if you walk very close to the camera, the tracking stops. The configuration options for the PTZ mode are also still expandable.
Unlike the Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro (test report) , for example, the C8W Pro 2K does not offer the option of configuring a specific surveillance area. At Eufy, the feature is called Auto-Cruise. This allows users to define four positions that the camera checks at specific times. But maybe the feature will come again: After all, there is already the option in the live view under PTZ to save certain positions under preset locations . This allows the lens to be aimed at specific areas faster than using the postcode cursor control.
The Ezviz C8W Pro 2K offers additional options with the manufacturer’s smart home solution. If you use them, you can link sensors such as motion detectors to the camera, which the lens focuses on when they trigger an alarm, for example when there is movement or when a window is opened or closed.
How to change the network connection
The reset button is in the cover of the microSD card slot . Press this for four seconds with a small screwdriver or a SIM needle to reset the device to the factory settings. This is necessary, for example, if you change the type of network connection, from Ethernet to WLAN or vice versa. This is annoying because, as expected, the settings of the device are lost as a result of the reset , so that after a network change you have to reconfigure the C8W Pro 2K, including entering the security code that is on the device sticker.
Speaking of network switching, those wanting to switch the camera from Ethernet to WiFi will need to unplug the Ethernet cable from the C8W Pro 2K before doing a factory reset. The reset takes about a minute and when the blue LED flashes, the camera is ready to connect to WiFi. However, if the Ethernet cable is connected, it will not pair with a WiFi router.
Smart home: Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
The Ezviz C8W Pro 2K is compatible with the voice assistants Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa . In conjunction with a smart display (adviser) , users can also output the camera live stream to a compatible device such as Nest Hub or Echo Show . However, the output to an Echo Show 8 and Google Nest Hub does not work in the test when video encryption is activated.
Otherwise, users cannot directly integrate the C8W Pro 2K into common smart home systems such as Aqara (guide) , Bosch (test report) , Elesion (guide) , Homekit (guide) , Homey Pro (test) , Tuya (guide) or Smartthings ( Include test report) . However, it is compatible with the Ezviz smart home solution and with Homematic IP (test report) . It can also be indirectly connected to other smart home solutions via IFTTT.
appearance and price
Despite the plastic housing, the Ezviz C8W Pro 2K makes a good impression both visually and haptically. The RRP is just under 130 euros . There is currently a discount of 5 percent on Amazon, so it changes hands for about 122 euros.
Conclusion
Overall, Ezviz offers a good PTZ surveillance camera with the CW8 2K , which monitors a very large area thanks to a pan and tilt lens and which also impresses in terms of image quality with 2K resolution and colored night vision . With the ability to store videos locally, users don’t need a paid cloud subscription . If you are interested, you can still book it.
Thanks to the ability to distinguish between movements of all kinds, people and vehicles, false alarms are practically impossible . Users can view the live stream via the desktop application or on a smart display such as the Amazon Echo Show . Two-way audio communication is industry standard. In addition, users can output voice messages they have created themselves via the integrated loudspeaker and use this and the integrated siren and the flashing spotlight to deter uninvited guests.
But there is also room for improvement : The options for configuring movement tracking could be expanded so that the camera checks user-defined waypoints after a certain interval. The Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro (test report) can do this . The lack of support for 5 GHz WLANs limits the device a bit. But the CW8 2K offers an Ethernet interface on which the camera reacts much more quickly than with a WLAN connection. As far as the installation location is concerned, as a powered version it is not as flexible as battery-operated models. But it is also significantly cheaper.
Unfortunately , when it comes to smart home support , it shares the fate of many other surveillance cameras, although it does a little better than the average with support for IFTTT and the possibilities of the in-house smart home solution.
TechStage readers can find more information on the subject in the Security Cameras section . Useful information on selecting a surveillance camera is provided in the article WLAN, cloud, solar: surveillance cameras for indoors and outdoors from 30 euros . In it we explain the most important purchase criteria and present the best surveillance cameras in the various categories with prices between 30 and 500 euros. And if you are interested in a more flexible battery surveillance camera, you will definitely find a suitable model in our list of the best WLAN, LTE, battery & solar: The five best self-sufficient surveillance cameras .
