By Mindy Woodall Review Source
The Blink Indoor Camera is an upgrade on Blink’s previous XT2 model. The main difference is that the Blink Indoor Camera offers cloud storage and local storage through the Blink Sync Module 2.
The Blink Indoor Camera still gives you everything you loved about the XT2, including HD video resolution, night vision, two-way audio, and affordable pricing. Plus, the Blink Indoor Camera still has that sweet two-year-long battery life.
The Blink Indoor camera has all the standard security camera features.
The Blink Indoor Camera is very small—it will easily fit in your palm. But don’t let its small size fool you: this camera packs a punch with 1080p HD resolution, motion detection, and easy peasy wire-free installation.
Blink Indoor Camera features:
Has a 2-year-long battery life
Uses AA batteries
Records in 1080p resolution
Doesn’t use wires or power cords
Works with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT
Includes a wall/ceiling mount
Offers both cloud and local storage (with optional module)
High-quality video
In our tests, the Blink Indoor Camera churned out crisp, clear, HD images every time. The video lag and livestream load-up time were on par with other indoor security cameras, and we didn’t have any problems with slow-motion notifications or missed recordings. We didn’t expect much from the Blink Indoor Camera. With such a low price and such a long battery life, it wouldn’t have surprised us if the Blink Indoor produced grainy, laggy footage during everyday use. To find the opposite was a pleasant surprise.
Customizable settings
The Blink Home Monitor app gives you a bunch of different ways to customize your camera settings. You can schedule the camera to turn on or off depending on the day and the time. You can adjust motion detection sensitivity, lower video resolution, and download video clips. The best customization option is the adjustable activity zones. The Blink app overlays a grid on your camera’s view where you can block out the areas you don’t need to watch. This feature is crucial if you’re tired of getting notifications every time your neighbor walks by your window.
Cloud and local storage
Previous Blink camera iterations had free cloud storage but no local option. Now, Blink requires a subscription for cloud storage, but it offers local storage for no monthly fee as long as you have the Blink Sync Module 2.
The Sync Module comes with the camera if you order the Blink Indoor as part of a kit. If you only have the camera, then you’ll have to order the Sync Module separately to skip the cloud storage subscription fee.
Local storage doesn’t just save you a few bucks every month—it gives you a leg-up on privacy. Hackers can’t get to footage stores on a flash drive the way they can break into footage stored in the cloud.
Fuzzy night vision
We've talked about the things we liked, now let’s get to the downsides of the Blink Indoor Camera. The biggest issue with the Blink Indoor Camera is that its night vision isn’t . . . great. People tend to look either fuzzy or washed out. The night vision works somewhat well if you can position the Blink camera just right. But it’s not exactly our top pick for a night vision camera.
Is the Blink Indoor Camera good?
The Blink Indoor Camera could use more smart integrations, but it’s good for the price.
The Blink Indoor Camera is a pretty good deal for what you get. It’s small and lightweight but packs a punch with high-resolution video recording, motion detection, two-way audio, and motion detection.
Features: The Blink Indoor Camera has all the features we expect in a decent camera. Just know the night vision isn’t awesome, and Blink doesn’t work with Google speakers.
Pricing: Blink’s prices are great for the value.
Home automation: The Blink Indoor Camera doesn’t have a ton of smart home integrations. It’s really just Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.
Installation: Installation couldn’t be much easier with the Blink Indoor Camera. Just follow the instructions in the Blink app, then put the camera wherever you want it.
Many battery-powered cameras are much more expensive than the Blink Indoor Camera and with lower battery life. For a wire-free camera with good image quality and customizable settings, the Blink Indoor Camera is a solid choice.