We have spent hours talking to parents, read hundreds of reviews, and poured over technical descriptions of IP cameras, but we can now definitively say that the Wansview 1080P Q1 is the one to get! No other IP camera we reviewed offers so many extra features and excellent resolution, all in a tiny unit. If you are planning on getting an IP camera to watch over your little angel, and want a camera that really delivers, this is the one for you.
What is an IP Camera, and why use one for your baby?
For many years now, people have taken the security of their homes seriously, and have been investing in sophisticated surveillance systems to protect them.
The latest generation of cameras has really raised the bar in terms of image quality and features. Gone are the days of grainy black and white monitors.
Nowadays, cameras can capture and record in full HD, and see in the dark thanks to specially designed night vision equipment. Some even offer two-way audio feeds and extensive pan and tilt features.
Most modern cameras are also designed to take advantage of your already-existing Wifi network, and these are called IP cameras. They are able to send video and audio over the internet, so that with a downloadable app you are able to continually see what is happening in your home.
With all the technology now packed into these devices, it is not surprising than many people now use them to watch over their most precious treasure – their child.
Whilst many modern baby monitors offer great resolution and extra features, IP cameras are at the cutting edge of design in terms of image quality and innovative extra features.
So if you are looking for a baby monitor which is really state of the art, then these IP cameras are for you!
How we review
We review by listening to real parents. Nothing can beat their real-life experience of using these products, and when asked they are more than happy to divulge all the features and failings of their purchases!
For this review, we collected and read hundreds of product reviews, and talked to the parents who had written them. Sometimes, what a company sells as a feature can in reality become a major annoyance, something which new parents have enough of. And they tell us about these annoyances, at length.
And so all the reviews below, though written by us, are based on real experiences.
Reviews
Of course, your choice of IP Camera is yours, and it is worth shopping around for the best deal.
In our opinion, one of the most important things to look for in cameras such as these is the resolution offered by the camera. If you are spending a significant sum on a camera like this, you want to be sure that the images you are getting are of the highest possible quality.
In addition to resolution, one thing to look for is a camera with motion detection. This features was originally designed to detect intruders, but works equally well at picking up the movements of your child!
Beyond these basic differences, each monitor comes with its own features and drawbacks.
So without further ado, here are our top baby monitor choices!
Editor’s Pick: Wansview 1080P Q1
Quite simply, this camera offers the highest resolution of any such camera we have seen, incorporates many other state of the art features, and manages to do all this within a sleek, compact device.
The thing that really stands out here is the resolution. This is the only device we tested which can take and record video in true HD – up to 1920×1080 pixels. Many parents, in fact, felt that images of this quality were wasted when the camera was just used in their baby’s bedroom, and said that the moved the camera around to capture their child’s first steps or adorable eating habits!
Another great feature of this camera is its adaptability. Wansview have extensively tested the camera with a range of different systems and hardware, and the camera is quick and easy to set up no matter if you have a smart phone, mac or PC. None of the parents we spoke to had any problems with this camera, which on its own sets it apart from the competition!
Of course, in addition to the basics, this camera comes with a wide range of other features:
- The pan and tilt functions are this camera are really state of the art. It offers a full 340 degrees of pan, allowing the camera to swivel almost all the way around on its mount. The 90 degree vertical tilt is equally as impressive, and allows the camera to see almost everything that is happening in your child’s room.
- The camera also has a 4x digital zoom. Most parents we talked used this feature quite often – being able to get a really close-up view of your little one whilst they are sleeping gave them great peace of mind, and also allowed them to show their angel off to their friends even whilst they were asleep!
- The two-way audio on this device are also excellent – the sound is clean, clear, and crisp. When used as a baby monitor, this has great advantages, because half the time all baby needs to fall back asleep is to hear a parents voice!
- The night vision is equally excellent, with a great range and excellent quality even when the ambient light is extremely dim.
- And again, that resolution. No other camera we reviewed offers the image clarity that this one does. Even in dim light, the picture is sharp and bright, and when combined with the pan and tilt features of this camera, means that it will really bring out your inner movie director!
- In truth, very few. In fact, the only problem we can see with this camera is that your friends will start to envy all the high-definition movies you are posting to Facebook!
LeFun Wireless Camera
Don’t let the name of this device fool you – it is a serious contender for the best IP camera for monitoring your child.
LeFun have been developing cameras like this for some years now, and this really shows through in the design of this device. In fact, though primarily designed as a baby monitor, it matches the best surveillance cameras.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of this camera is the fact that the same camera feed can be monitored by multiple devices at the same time. What this means is that you are able to see your little one sleeping from your phone, your PC, and your tablet all at once!
You can even give the password to your mother-in-law, so that she can watch her little angel sleeping all day long.
The two-way audio on this camera also sets it apart. Whilst some of the microphone and speaker set-ups in cameras like this can sound harsh, the sound quality here is soothing and calming. Sometimes, all your child needs is to hear your voice, and they will go back to sleep. With this camera, you can be sure of that!
The LeFun Wireless Camera, of course, comes with all the features you would expect:
- LeFun have kindly considered those of us who are not so good with technology! The ease with which this camera can be set up is quite extraordinary.
- This camera also takes your security seriously, featuring financial-level Encryption on the video feed, so you can assured that your videos will stay private.
- The pan and tilt features of this camera match those of the best surveillance cameras. The camera will swivel a full 350 degrees, meaning that you can see everything that is going on in your child’s room. This is also ideal if you have multiple children, as you can easily set up one camera to look over them both, and simply pan and tilt it for the best view.
- The resolution offered by this camera, at 720 P, is not quite as high as some of it’s competitors, but the excellent lenses used in this camera go some way to making up for this. The picture is bright and sharp even in dim light – you may never have realized just how cute your little one looks when they are sleeping!
- This is a really solid performer, and delivers everything you would expect a modern IP camera to do. The only disadvantage that we can see, and the only reason why this camera did not win our test today, is that the resolution offered by it is not the best. If resolution is important to you, look elsewhere. If not, then this is the camera for you!
Tenvis JPT3815W-HD
This camera is an all-around solid performer, and most parents we talked to were really happy with it.
The biggest advantage with this camera is the range of automatic features that Tenvis have managed to fit into its sleek body.
The camera will automatically detect moving objects, and trigger an alarm. Whilst this system was originally designed to detect intruders in houses, it works equally well as a baby monitor – with a bit of careful set-up, the camera will automatically alert you when your little one wakes up and needs attention!
The set-up of this camera was also reported as being quick and easy enough that even the most techno-phobe parents will be able to do it!
In addition, of course, this monitor comes with a load of extra features:
- The wireless connection of this camera is great. With some other cameras, parents reported that they sometimes had problems keeping a reliable connection, which is a real problem when the camera is used as a baby monitor! This camera, however, is able to maintain a steady connection in most houses.
- When the lights dim, this camera automatically activates its infrared, night vision feature. A light which is invisible to baby (and to you) is emitted by special bulbs on the front of the camera, and can be seen by the camera.
- The camera also features two-way audio, which helps greatly when it is used as a baby monitor.
- Many parents also mentioned the durability of this camera as one of its advantages. Whilst we have not tested the cameras here destructively, the Tenvis does seem to be solidly built, which is a must for anything that will spend this amount of time close to babies!
- This device is great, but perhaps sacrifices too much in the name of simplicity. Whilst it offers all the features of the best IP cameras, the audio and image quality are not up to its competitors.
JOOAN 720P Network Camera
JOOAN are relatively new to the IP camera market, and this camera holds much promise. It combines many of the features found on more advanced cameras into a compact device.
That said, the image and audio quality of this camera are not as good as some of its competitors, and for this reason alone it is not among the best IP cameras today.
The sleek design, however, attracted many parents that we talked to, and many found this the cutest camera we reviewed!
And of course, like all IP cameras around today, it comes with extra features:
- The set-up of this camera is extremely easy, and means you will be all ready to go within minutes of receiving it!
- The infrared, night-vision functions of this camera are some of the best we have seen. Even from across the room, the powerful IR LEDs are able to invisibly illuminate your sleeping child.
- The audio quality of the two-way connection on this device is great, with crisp and clear sound.
- The JOOAN is a solid performer, and does everything you would expect such a camera to do. However, some parents found its lack of extra features a little annoying.
Our Final Thoughts
So which to choose?
It goes without saying that we, along with medical professionals, recommend getting a baby monitor, at least for your baby’s first year.
Whilst they can never replace your vigilance, with our hectic modern lives it is difficult to watch over your child 24 hours a day, seven days a week. IP cameras like these are an excellent choice, because they are at the cutting edge of surveillance technology.
If you are looking for a baby monitor which delivers the very best in image quality, combined with advanced tilt and zoom features, then these IP cameras are for you!
And if you want an IP camera to look over your child, we recommend the Wansview 1080P Q1 . No other camera we reviewed offered such great image quality, and raft of extra features, in such a compact design.
No other camera here offers the value of this one, and – if you care about such things – looks so good as well!
The choice, of course, is yours, but if you are looking for the best combination of features and value, this is the one to go for.
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