Now that the Cam V3 has been released, I have an itch for a newer version of the Cam Pan.
When the original Cam Pan was released, it had many features/specs of the Cam V2, but with added functionalities (pan/tilt with auto tracking).
I think having the specs of the new V3 along with pan/tilt would be super awesome. Of course, if Wyze wants to add in even better features, I’m not going to complain.
After seeing the release of the Wyze Cam V3, I think there is a much needed upgrade to be done to the Wyze Cam Pan. (This could also just be a new type of camera altogether. Wyze Cam Pro?) Here is a list of things I believe to be crucial for a new camera:
Optical Zoom - One of the biggest things that I feel needs to be added to a new iteration of the Pan Cam is optical zoom. Most consumer/professional PTZ security cameras on the market (such as this one) have an optical lens that physically zooms in and out instead of relying on digital zoom. I know that Wyze seems to stay away from creating cameras with resolutions above 1080p (This is most likely due to streaming reasons) Imagine if you had multiple 4K wifi security cameras streaming all at the same time. Your internet probably couldn’t hand that much bandwidth. Using a motorized lens would allow you to zoom in and grab detail while still keeping the resolution to 1080p for streaming. Even 3x zoom capabilities would be enough for most people. And while this might make the cost of a new Pan Cam more expensive I feel like people would be willing to pay for this feature.
More reliable motion tracking - One of the biggest issues I’ve had with the V1 is the sketchiness of the motion tracking feature. I have my camera placed up high and it seems to want to track the can lights in my ceiling half the time. And when a person does walk in the view it overshoots a lot of the time. I think Wyze just needs to really nail this feature before they decide to release another version of the Pan Cam (or Wyze Cam Pro)
Indoor/Outdoor rated - Just like the Wyze Cam V3 I think it would be nice to be able to place this camera wherever you need it, be it indoors or outdoors.
Power over Ethernet - An all around better way to provide the camera with both power and reliable internet. But not a necessity. 2Ghz Wifi still works well in most situations.
Integration with other Wyze products - I think it would be very cool to be able to have this camera integrated with smart features. For example: If you have a larger front yard and you have a Wyze Cam Pro covering most of the yard and a Wyze Cam V3 at your front door. Whenever the normal Wyze Cam detects motion it could trigger the Pro cam to move and zoom into your door (basically to go to one of your preset Waypoints). The same concept could apply to contact sensors or motion sensors.
Please feel free to add more ideas in the discussion.
That all sounds great too, i would actually be happy enough just for the cam pan to be a outdoor cam, but heck yeah those other features would be awsome too
This is one of the cheapest options I could find on Amazon that still included optical zoom (But not a PTZ cam). Not to say that Wyze couldn’t do it for less. I believe they could probably make an Indoor/Outdoor version of the Pan Cam with some form of Optical Zoom (4x or 5x) for somewhere in the $50-80 range. And I personally would be very willing to pay that kind of price for those types of features. POE as an option would also be great. All of the other features that were mentioned are just software related, so that could be done in the future.
Or even better they could do what Apple does with their iPhones and have multiple cameras with multiple stationary lenses. Now were talking. I’ve never seen a consumer security camera with that type of design, and I’m sure that would sell extremely well if they price it right.
Really wish the outdoor cam came with the the rotating feature like wyze cam pan would be very awesome I’m waiting for that to come out in future please make one with that feature
One thing I just tried with a Pan Cam, as well as the v.2, was to remove the existing lens, and install one of the inexpensive 16mm focal length lenses in it’s place. For long distance viewing, it works great; the magnification works very well. It does take time to ensure the focus is correct. Needless to say, you do void the warranty on the cameras when you open it up to do the swap, and it’s not the easiest thing to do; you can really mess one up in a hurry if you are not careful. There are different focal length lenses available on sites such as Amazon, so I’m going to use one of the v.2 cameras as a guinea pig to see what each focal length is good for.
That being said, and realizing DIY modifications by users is NOT the ideal way to go, it would be nice for Wyze to offer cameras with variable zoom lenses, or offer camera with different lens configurations depending on potential use. I could see Wyze teaming with a third-party company to offer lens modification services at a cost, so as to maintain the warranty issues. (I’ve seen this model used for companies doing DSLR camera mods for astrophotography uses.) That way Wyze could maintain the inexpensive initial camera buy, but offer upgrades for a cost for those who really want it.
It would be really great to see a new edition of Wyze cam pan. I would love to see it with the complete camera setup from the V3 cam in it. The V3 cam is a very nice cam for the money.
