Ezviz C6 2K+ Smart Home Camera review

The Ezviz C6 2K+ Smart Home Camera is one of the best wireless security cameras but it's also quite a unique one thanks to its 360-degree mechanical pan and tilt. That makes this a great option for full room coverage.

This is a mains-powered camera which connects to the local WiFi network so you can then control it from your phone. This camera also stands out using its AI-detection features including smart pet recognition, hand gesture controls, and more.

Ezviz has been growing its range of cameras with smart indoor and outdoor options, all backed by cloud storage and the option to store locally on a memory card – something a lot of big name brands don't let you do.

So, is this the camera for you? Read our full review to find out.

Ezviz C6: Design

• Not small but compact enough
• Clean rounded edges with minimalism
• MicroSD card slot

The Ezviz C6 is larger than a lot of indoor smart cameras, but it offers a mechanical movement control where most don't. That taken into consideration, this is a relatively compact model, at 3.9-inches in diameter.

With its rounded finish, it looks attractive in most spaces. The outer casing is white with a black camera lens section for a two-tone look which also helps it to blend into most decor setups.

There is a helpful LED light on the front so you know there is power and that the camera is watching and, if you so wish, listening. The central column moves with up to 133-degree of tilt while the top swivels to give a full 360-degrees of visibility.

In the back are two ports: a microUSB for power and a LAN port for wired internet if you prefer that to WiFi. You can also see the speaker, which is capable of pretty powerful sound for its size. 

The included white microUSB cable is really long at over 10 feet, making it easy to setup wherever you need without too much worry about finding a power socket.

Ezviz C6: Set up and usability

• Useful QR code setup
• Helpful privacy shield
• Easy app

The Ezviz C6 is pretty straightforward to setup. Once out of the box and plugged in you simply scan the QR code on the device's base and install the app where you can begin setting up the camera.

A voice comes out of the camera telling you what is going on, even before you have the app, which is reassuring during the installation process. You need to input your WiFi network name and password to get going before connecting to the camera. We had a few goes before this eventually worked.

Once installed and connected to the WiFi, it's possible to start using the app right away. This comes with a 7-day free trial of the cloud storage platform, but you can also slip in a microSD card and that will do the job of recording footage as you need without a subscription cost.

There is a useful privacy shield which is down as a standard but lifts once you get started so you can see the lens of the camera and LED to know it is in action. More on that below.

Ezviz C6: Performance

• Top 2K quality visuals
• Decent AI-detection smarts
• Color night vision

The camera quality is worth shouting about as that 2K resolution is fantastic. This is backed by decent contrast for clear edges and rich colors all making for a super clear finish that can be zoomed into without losing much quality. 

Usefully, this applies at night as well, as you can have color night vision. It's not as good quality but it's a nice option to have for making out what's going on more clearly without daylight.

The pan and tilt system works really well with near-instant response from the smartphone controls. There's also a handy 360-degree picture option which will have the camera do all the moving itself to stitch together a photo which you can swipe and zoom in on to look about.

All that said, the downward angle is limited to mostly straightforward. So if you have this on a shelf with your child's bed below for example, you won't be able to see down without tilting the camera forward by resting it on something – or mounting it to the wall facing outwards. This is made to be mounted and would work well in that setup, but it would be nice to have the option to simply sit this on a side and have it record what's below it.

The privacy shield, even without that cute face, is a welcome addition that lets you feel at ease knowing it is off and not watching without having to unplug the device from the power and lose the option to remote control.

Once powered on, the AI-motion detection is great as it offers a host of options you can turn on or off. This includes pet detection tech, alerting you if your furry friend comes into shot. But you also have human form detection and a fun auto-zoom tracking that follows people as they move about the room. You can then two-way talk if you need to communicate with them – although the speaker is a bit muffled and could be clearer. Voice activation is useful when using this as a baby monitor, picking up even garbled audio and alerting you.

Voice activation is also great to allow you to use the likes of Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to command the C6. Hand wave recognition is another fun feature, which enables you to activate a video call to the app using a simple hand gesture. We're not really sure in what scenario you'd need this you'd want this, but it can be a bit of fun.

The only gripe we have is with the app, which is still a big rough. Spelling mistakes give you a hint early on that this is a rush build. Then the odd failure to open the privacy shield, inability to connect initially and general clutter make it feel a bit less refined than the apps offered by the competition. That said, it does have a lot of features on offer so for those that don't mind complexity and less finesse to the finish, this is still a decent app backing a very powerful camera.

Ezviz C6: Price

• $130 / £90

The Ezviz C6 is priced at $130 in the US and £90 in the UK, making it a little more expensive than some of the indoor camera competition. However, it's not much of a difference and for all the extra features and quality you get here, it seems worth it.

Also, if you take into account the fact you don't have to pay for a cloud storage subscription, thanks to microSD card storage, you could end up saving money with this option in the longer term.

Ezviz C6: User reviews

Amazon has an impressive five star rating for this camera with a massive 76% of ratings at five stars and 24% at four stars, with no lower level ratings at all. That said, this is from just 15 ratings in total.

A good review reads: "This is such a great camera and does everything I need it to plus some! I installed this camera in a far corner in my living room so I can see most of the living areas. My kids are getting to the age where they want to stay home alone more and I love how I can check in at any point and see how they’re doing- plus I can talk to them through it if need be. Also it’s very helpful to keep an eye on my animals and be sure they’re behaving most of the time as well."

One negative comment says "My only complaint is that the 'Waving Hand Recognition' and 'Abnormal Noise' detection doesn't work very well, and constantly notifies/calls with normal movements or sounds. It may get better as I continue to adjust settings and as new software is released, but these are two features I was hoping to take advantage of that have not worked out well for me."

Should you buy the Ezviz C6?

If you want an indoor wired camera with smart detection, 360-degree view, local storage and lots of features, including a privacy shield and pet detection, this is a standout choice.

However, if you want a more refined app, cheaper price or a simpler setup, then you may want to look elsewhere.