Ezviz BC1C 2K + test: a wireless outdoor surveillance camera with good value for money – Les Numériques

As its name indicates, the BC1C 2K + is equipped with a 4 Mpx sensor which allows it to film up to 2K. The resolution can however be lowered to 1920 x 1080 px or 1280 x 720 px. Ezviz offers with this an optic covering an angle of 116 ° (diagonally), two infrared LEDs for the night, but also two projectors for the night too – the night vision is in black and white with the first and changes to color with the seconds. Finally, note that Ezviz offers a color saturation adjustment with a high level and another low.

By day

As is often the case with Ezviz, the image quality is satisfactory under our lighting simulating daylight. The level of detail is sufficient to distinguish the features of a face and the textures are not fully smoothed, as can be seen with other models, like the Google Nest Cam (battery).

Ezviz BC1

However, we do not see any real gain compared to the capture of our test scene carried out under the same conditions with the BC1, which remains our benchmark for outdoor battery-powered cameras, despite its 2 Mpx sensor. The image lacks sharpness at the periphery and the new 4 Mpx sensor that Ezviz uses manages less well the brightness, causing the loss of detail in the bright areas of our test scene. Outside, the walls of the buildings around our courtyard are partly burnt. An HDR mode would have been welcome.

By night

The BC1C 2K + blows hot and cold after dark. The infrared vision is rather disappointing. The sharpness problem mentioned on our daylight shot is accentuated and extends to the center of the image. Certain details of our scene thus become more difficult to read, in particular on the faces. Here again, the BC1, despite its sensor of only 2 Mpx, delivers better images. On the other hand, we note in both cases a stronger lighting in the center than in the periphery, but also a rather convincing management of dark and light areas.

Ezviz BC1

Ezviz BC1C 2K +

Conversely, color night vision obtained using projectors delivers very good results. The image is sharp and rich in detail, a little more even than in daylight in bright areas. If the camera avoids the problems of overexposure, the blacks can on the other hand appear blocked, particularly in the periphery where the projectors illuminate less.

Infrared vision

Color night vision

Even with this small flaw, it is much better to activate the color night vision of the BC1C 2K + for night surveillance, as our recognition test confirms. We were able to identify a person about 4 m away by relying on the images captured with the projectors, against 3 m with infrared vision. The range of motion detection does not change regardless of the mode used. We measured it at around 8m… for lateral movements. On the other hand, it was possible for us to approach within 4 m of the camera without being spotted by walking straight on it, even by waving our arms in all directions.

Finally, it should be noted that the first seconds of the triggering event will not be recorded. As the video does not run continuously to save battery power, it is only activated when the PIR sensor detects motion. The camera must then activate the night vision in turn, and 2 to 3 s can thus be lost.

By day

By night

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