As someone who cares deeply about protecting my home, I’m always on the lookout for security cameras that provide complete outdoor coverage.
So when Eufy offered me the chance to test out their new Eufy SoloCam S340, I jumped at the opportunity. After spending a few weeks with this camera monitoring my backyard, I’m ready to share my in-depth review.
Unboxing: What’s Included in the Box?
Upon receiving the SoloCam S340, I eagerly opened up the box to see what’s inside. Here’s an overview of what comes included:
- The S340 camera unit itself. It feels sturdy and durable thanks to the rugged weatherproof construction.
- A mounting bracket for attaching the camera to a wall or ceiling.
- A 3-meter (10-foot) USB-C cable for providing power. This long cable gives flexibility for positioning the camera far from an outlet.
- A removable solar panel with a 10-foot cable. This panel harnesses sunlight to charge the built-in battery. More on that later.
- A mount for securing the solar panel in an optimal spot.
- A screw pack for fastening the various mounts during installation.
- A quick start guide with instructions for getting set up.
I really appreciate how Eufy includes everything you need for installation right in the box. The thoughtful inclusion of both long power and solar cables gives you options when positioning the solar-powered security camera.
Sleek Design That Withstands the Elements
In terms of design, the S340 has a slick, high-tech look. The all-white color blends into the background, unlike some cameras that stick out like a sore thumb.
Dual lenses on the front provide both wide-angle and zoomed-in views, which I’ll explain more later. These lenses are protected behind a durable external casing that has an IP65 ingress protection rating. This means it’s dust-tight and can withstand high-pressure water jets from any direction.
So you don’t have to worry about splashing from rain or sprinklers damaging the S340. It’s built to withstand the elements for true outdoor use.
A motion-activated LED spotlight sits above the lenses to illuminate your yard at night when needed. And the square solar panel mounts directly on top of the camera.
Overall, the S340 looks great and seems very sturdy. The weatherproofing provides peace of mind that it can operate reliably outside for years to come.
Dual Lens Camera System: Double the Coverage
Now let’s talk about one of the S340’s standout features – its dual-lens camera system. This provides both wide-angle and telephoto views to cover every angle.
The main 3K wide-angle lens has an extra-large 135° field of view. This allows it to see your entire front or backyard in high resolution 3K clarity. With the large f/1.6 aperture, it performs great in low light too.
Complementing this is a 2K resolution telephoto lens capable of 8x hybrid zoom. It digitally zooms in 3x optically using the lens itself, then enhances it up to 8x using software. This lets you view faces, license plates, and other details from up to 50 feet away.
Having both lenses allows flexible monitoring. I can zoom in on specific areas while still keeping an eye on the bigger picture. The easy zooming tool in the app makes toggling between the two views simple.
On-Device AI Tracking: No Motion Escapes Detection
A problem with many security cameras is missing motion outside their limited field of view. The S340 solves this with intelligent AI tracking.
When the camera detects a person or vehicle, built-in algorithms make it automatically turn and follow the object. This way, it keeps them in frame as they move across your yard. No suspicious activity will go unnoticed.
The AI tracking worked flawlessly during my testing. It smoothly pans and tilts to follow people walking around, never losing sight of them. This gives me confidence that the S340 will alert me to any unwanted visitors.
You can turn this feature off if you don’t need it. But I love the added security of AI tracking.
Constant Charging with Optimized Solar Panel
One aspect that makes the SoloCam S340 special is its use of solar power. This allows the solar camera to operate continuously without having to manually recharge batteries or deal with power cables.
The included removable solar panel uses advanced SolarPlus technology to convert sunlight into energy. This charges the built-in 10,000 mAh lithium-ion battery that powers the camera.
Amazingly, the panel only needs 2-3 hours of direct sun per day to keep the S340 solar camera continually charged. Even if the sun is partially blocked by trees or other objects, the camera can charge at 60% efficiency.
During long overcast periods, the large battery stores enough reserve power to last for months before needing a full recharge. So you can install the S340 solar-powered camera just about anywhere outdoors without worrying about keeping it powered.
The 10-foot solar cable allows you to mount the panel anywhere convenient, like on a fence or porch roof. This flexibility is a big perk compared to cameras with fixed solar panels.
Sharp Image Quality and Color Night Vision
Now let’s discuss the S340’s image quality, which is quite impressive for the price.
The 3K lens captures crisp, detailed footage during the day. And the large aperture excels in low light. This allows color night vision up to 25 feet away, as opposed to grainy black & white.
The camera’s 100-lumen spotlight also helps boost visibility at night. You can set it to automatically turn on when motion is detected. This spooks any prowlers and ensures the camera captures clear color video even in the dark.
Zooming in reveals fine details like faces, clothing logos, and text. Footage is perfectly adequate for keeping tabs on your property and having video evidence if an incident occurs.
Image quality exceeds my expectations for an outdoor security camera and gives you far more detail than 1080p resolution.
Easy Monitoring via Eufy’s App
Eufy’s companion app for iOS and Android makes accessing the wireless security camera a breeze. Just connect the Solo Cam S340 to WiFi and you can view live footage and recorded clips from your phone anywhere.
The app provides full control over the S340’s features:
- View either lens or both in split-screen mode
- Manually pan, tilt, and zoom
- Turn the spotlight on/off
- Enable/disable AI tracking
- Customize motion detection sensitivity
- Set activity monitoring schedules
- Change image quality settings
- See battery charge and solar power collection levels
- Access stored video and screenshots
Having all these controls at your fingertips makes the S340 easy and convenient to monitor. Live view is super responsive thanks to direct WiFi streaming. And important clips get saved locally to the camera’s 8GB memory.
Smart Home Integration
Besides the mobile app, the SoloCam S340 works with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa. This allows hands-free voice commands to view the live feed on smart displays.
“Alexa, show me the backyard camera” brings up the video on an Echo Show or Fire TV. You can also ask it to turn the spotlight on or off.
For even more advanced features, the S340 is compatible with Eufy’s HomeBase 3 system. This allows connecting multiple cameras for whole-home coverage. The HomeBase hub adds automated person detection, pet monitoring, human recognition, and more. It also expands local video storage capacity.
So the S340 integrates nicely into your smart home ecosystem right out of the box.
Cost of the SoloCam S340 Solar-Powered Security Camera
The SoloCam S340 outdoor security camera has an MSRP of $199.99. On Amazon, the wireless security camera is currently listed for $139.99. On the eufy website, the solar camera is available for $199.99 but has a limited-time Black Friday discount to bring the price of the SoloCam S340 down to $139.99.
In summary:
- Amazon: $139.99
- eufy Website: $139.99 with Black Friday promo code “WS24BFT8170”
You’ll also find some bundle pricing options along with the Black Friday deal for the SoloCam S340:
- SoloCam S340 + HomeBase S380 Bundle: $259.99 ($349.99 regular price)
- Dual Camera Bundle + HomeBase S380: $655.99 ($879.99 regular price)
So for those interested in multiple solar-powered security cameras or adding the HomeBase, bundling can provide some additional savings.
My Verdict After Several Weeks of Testing
After using the Eufy SoloCam S340 for monitoring my backyard for a few weeks, I’m very happy with its performance. Setup took just minutes and the included hardware provides multiple mounting options.
The dual-lens system delivers complete wide-angle and zoomed-in coverage. I love being able to scan my whole yard while still seeing details up close.
AI tracking works flawlessly to detect and follow motion. And continuous solar charging means I never have to think about the battery level.
With its robust weatherproof build, intelligent features, and easy app control, the S340 provides top-notch outdoor security. The crystal clear 3K video captures any activity around my home so I have peace of mind.
Considering the sub-$200 price point, the SoloCam S340 packs a ton of value. If you’re looking for a capable and reliable outdoor security camera, I highly recommend Eufy’s latest dual-lens offering. It certainly passed all my tests with flying colors!
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