Ring - Spotlight Cam 2K, Battery, Home or business security, Wide-Angle Retinal 2K Video, 6x Zoom, Motion-Activated - Black

I’ve said this with multiple things just as a starter, but battery life is all dependent on settings and usage situations. With everything this camera has to offer, that could mean recharging every few days or every few weeks. On the plus side, this one uses the same battery as their wireless doorbell and this one has 2 spots, so you can run two at the same time or hot swap and have no downtime. On the bad side, this battery is a bit of a pain to remove and uses micro-USB, which does come with a cable. With that said, I highly recommend buying extra batteries, the ultra ones at that, and possibly a charger station. The camera is rather big in size compared to most wireless cameras, however as mentioned, it can take 2 of the batteries, so that takes up the most space. Like their other camera systems, it all depends on settings depending on what you capture. At the default, it missed occasional people in the view as I knew I walked by there. However, up the settings as it suggested and now it is telling me the color of the cars driving by. The detailed descriptions only come with the pro service, which is a fair bit more than their solo or multi plans. However, the descriptions are usually spot on and they are a lot better to read than having to look at the video and see what it was. From something as simple as “A person is walking on the pathway” to details like “A person is walking on the pathway and placing a white envelope on the steps”. Again, depending on the settings, it can even identify the familiar face, tell you the color and type of animal in your yard or vehicle driving by. But, all that motion drains it down pretty fast. The “spotlight” is more of a flood light, but it does pretty decent at lighting up the nearby area and really makes itself obvious. If a passerby didn’t know there was a camera there at that time, they will certainly know now. You can also enable the feature to where it announces itself that “You are currently being recorded”. Overall, it is a good camera, just bulky and will eat through batteries if you want it at its best settings. Extra batteries is pretty much a must have and the standard ones are a bit of a pain to remove as there is extra space for the ultra battery packs. If you already use other ring cameras, getting the pro service is nice but twice as much as the multi. At least you get a 30 day free trial.

What’s in the box: • Spotlight Cam • Mounting bracket • Mounting hardware • Charge cable • Protected by Ring Sticker Setup: There is a QR code to download the app or if you already have the app, to get the install process started. First you need to take the battery pack out and charge it. You will also need to take the battery pack out to get the contact shield off. To do that, press the metal tab toward the battery and it will slip out of the case. Please note the charge port on the battery pack is a mini USB and not USB-C. If you use the included charge cable, you’re OK. Another alternative is to use the port on the back side of the camera case. Pull the little plastic plug out and you will see an externally accessible USB-C charging port. Yeah! Pair this with a small solar panel and you have the best of both worlds. Since I already had a Ring subscription that supports multiple devices, setup was easy. I just followed the prompts. The app already knew the password to my IOT network from previous installs. I mounted the camera over my garage to get a good view of my front yard. It works great. The wide viewing angle covers what previously took two cameras to capture. I can’t really speak to battery life since I hooked this up to a small solar panel. I need a 12 foot ladder to access the camera and just didn’t want to deal with that in the middle of the winter to retrieve and charge the battery. (Note this camera comes with one battery pack, but is built to accommodate two if you desire longer battery life.) The video is sharp and clear. Even though the camera is far from my router, the signal has been steady. Pros: • It’s battery operated so no wiring is needed and it will work with a solar panel. • It can be placed pretty much anywhere that it gets a WiFi signal. • It can be mounted multiple ways. • The video is sharp and clear • It works well in low light • Spotlight and siren • Two way voice • It works with Alexa Cons: • You are pretty much out of luck setting it up if the app doesn’t work. There are essentially no instructions outside of the process built into the app. • To get the most out of the camera you need a subscription. However, if you already have multiple Ring devices, you can just add this one without additional costs. Summary: It’s a nice camera, with lots of features. If you need a camera that can be placed just about anywhere, check this one out.

The Ring Spotlight Cam Battery is part of Ring’s latest Retinal 2k lineup featuring enhancing image quality, night vision, advanced motion detection with zone management, two-way audio, and more. As a Ring user for the past 4 years and testing several of their models, this Spotlight 2k camera has some benefits in terms of flexibility and is an improvement from older cameras with 1080p resolution, however, leaves a little to be desired. IN THE BOX: - Battery Spotlight Cam (Two Battery Slots, One Battery Included) - USB-C Power Adapter - Camera Mount + Hardware - Sticker - User Manual SETUP: Ring cameras are extremely easy to set up, especially if you’re a current Ring user. This camera comes with a 30 day trial of Ring Protect, one of their paid plans with additional benefits such as up to 180 Days of Video Event History, unlimited devices at one location, person, package, and vehicle notifications, extended warranties, and more. After scanning the QR code on the camera within the Ring app, it prompted for a software update to be performed which only took about 1 minute. BUILD QUALITY: The Battery Spotlight Cam is very similar in construction to their products from the last several years. It is larger in physical size than the wired version of their cameras due to the LED lights that flank the camera on either side as well as the dual battery slots for extra runtime. It has no mounting location on the button or top of the camera but there are two rear mounting locations. This allows for the camera to be hung from the side of a house, under an eve, or other similar locations. It is also equipped with a USB-C port for plug-in power if you have an outlet nearby. FEATURES/VIDEO QUALITY: With the new Retinal 2K lineup, Ring promises enhanced video quality, enhanced zoom capability up to 6x, and generally better performance. Most of their camera lineup can be equipped with either Battery, Plug-In/Wired, and POE options for different setups and use cases. The battery versions typically have slightly reduced performance (motion detection) in my experience due to energy saving measures vs their wired counterparts. The image quality of this 2k camera is acceptable but nowhere near their 4K lineup. This would be the new minimum resolution that I would recommend to anyone looking for a wireless security system. This resolution allows for capturing more details such as vehicle make/models (but likely not license plates) or people vs older 1080p cameras. The spotlight is rated at 550 Lumens of output at 3000k color temperature which is enough output for very small patios or similar areas but nowhere near enough light for backyards or larger areas. The throw of the light is roughly 12-15 feet in front of the camera, at most. One feature I really enjoy is the Lutron + Ring integration. This allows for the Ring cameras to activate Lutron smart switches (aka lights) whenever motion is detected by the cameras. If you have this system, I would recommend a Ring camera without the Spotlight and utilize larger wall lights or sconces on your house rather than lesser output Ring camera lights. If you don’t have a Lutron system, the Ring Spotlight cameras do add some flexibility for additional lighting or motion lighting. APP: After using the Ring app for over 4 years, I find it really great in some areas and really poor in others. I find the camera previews and accessory light controls very easy to access. The history and timelines for devices is pretty straightforward as well. When it comes to the different modes, scheduling devices, and things like this, it can be a little confusing. It is important to note that if you don’t want law enforcement being able to access your camera footage during investigations or other relevant searches that you must opt out of this function. This is also true for the lost pet feature recently introduced. Likes: - Dual Battery Slot - Lutron + Ring Integration - Design/Mounting Flexibility - Ring App Customization Dislikes: - Older Micro USB Battery Included - Motion Detection Consistency - LED Light Output OVERALL: The Ring Battery Spotlight Camera 2k is an acceptable camera for those that need flexibility in placement (battery) and want some sort of lighting around a door, patio, or garage but the light output is very limited. The motion detection was hit or miss with my testing vs wired/plug in models even with the sensitivity all the way up. If you’re using Ring hardware from several years ago AND are able to plug in the devices, I would recommend opting for the 4K lineup for the best performance and video quality. The 2k lineup offers a good entry point into the Ring ecosystem with competitive image quality and feature set.

My expectations I have many different ring camera types, so much expectations are always the same. I expect the camera to be well designed, easy to add to an existing subscription, easy to install, and easy to use. Initial Thoughts This is possibly the largest, non flood light camera I’ve seen so far. It’s so large in fact that it has two battery slots, but it only comes with one… I’m guessing unless I buy another battery, the battery lift won’t be as great as it would with two. What’s in the box? Out of the box you get the camera, a battery, the good ‘ol orange USB-A to micro USB cable, a back mount, wall anchors and screws. Try it out As I stated earlier, the Ring cameras are easy to add onto an existing subscription. If you don’t have a subscription, you will need one to take full advantages of the app that the camera is linked to. The best engineered part of the Ring cameras as always been how easy it is to mount one. If you know how to use a power drill, then you’ll be okay. This camera has a light on the front that goes off with motion activation. It is pretty bright. It’s not flood lights level bright, but if you’re putting it somewhere around your house, it will illuminate that area quite well. I really don’t like how they only provided one battery when there are two slots. You can always plug in a cable and make the camera wired as well. The only thing I cannot wrap my head around is the oblong shape of the bottom of the camera. You can’t really stand it up on its own, it HAS to be mounted. Thoughts The camera is nice and clear. 2K imaging/video is easy to see. Night vision works well too. The app is simple and responsive. You can see live feeds, control the motion detection zone, and use the mic and speaker to talk to people over the camera in real time. I have a suspicion that I will be recharging the battery on this camera quite often unless I buy another one or make this a wired camera. The likes I do like how big it is, and the bright lights. The dislikes I really don’t like the inclusion of one battery… Why Amazon, why not just include 2??? What’s one thing I would change? You know my answer is going to be the inclusion of 2 batteries, or just one big fat one. Verdict Despite, it’s one glaring flaw, I still like the camera, and I would recommend it anybody who needs a security camera.

OK, in my house, I have a mixture of Ring camera's and Google Nest cameras. Being a part of this program, I have a, you lot of experience testing many brands of camera's, and in my experience, you truly do get what you pay for. The premium is worth it with the Ring. My experience with battery camera's is mixed. With some battery camera's, maintaining the battery can feel like a part-time job. The cool feature with these camera's is two-fold: first, the batteries are big, and hold more charge than most. Second, these camera's have two battery slots. So when one goes low, the camera automatically switches to the other battery. Then you can replace the low battery with a previously charged one. Twice the life, half the time managing batteries. Great design. The mounting options for these cameras are great. You can put them almost anywhere, inside or out, basement, garage, pool, pool house, greenhouse... Pretty much anywhere. If you don't have the Ring app already, you'll need to get it and get an account. If you do have one, adding the unit is simple. The picture is great. The light is, well... It's bright enough. The app offers tons of control, is intuitive, and offers great options. End of the day, I would reccomend to a friend.