eufyCam S3 Pro solar power, 4K is crystal clear day and night (security review)

The eufyCam S3 Pro solar power 4K security camera is the latest addition to the growing eufyCam security family. It has MaxColor Vision for superb low-light video.

And what a comprehensive family it is. The current products include (PTZ = pan/tilt/zoom)

• Homebase 3 (S380) AI controller and hard disk storage obviates the need to subscribe to expensive cloud protection packages ($349.95) *
• Dual Camera Doorbell ($349.95) *
• Security Floodlight Pro 2K PTZ ($549.95)
• Security Floodlight E340 PTZ (449.95) *
• Solocam (S220/S230) $249.95/429.95
• Solocam S340 PTZ solar ($399.95) *
• A range of indoor cameras, including the S350 PTZ *
• Baby Cams
• Pet Camera
• Security Locks
• Wall lights

This adds 4K, solar power, new Radar and PIR combo detection, and MaxColour to the Solocam solar family.

We have written a first-look article eufy dual-cam security cameras and video doorbells, which gives a good overview.

We also reviewed a whole-of-home setup eufy dual-cam superb security – with optional Homebase recording for the items marked * above. You should read this before proceeding with this review.

Why eufy?

The secret sauce is the S380 Homebase 3. It connects to the home Wi-Fi router and is a local AI controller and hard disk storage (you supply a 500GB+ low-cost HDD). It also enables Alexa, Google and Apple HomeKit connection and control. No more subscriptions!

Its AI settings enable person detection and recognition, tracking and zoom, use of motorised PTZ (where a camera supports it) to get the best image, package detection and much more. Eufy Labs is always working on new AI features.

Given the extent of its offerings, it is one of the very few companies that can cover whole-of-home.

Australian review: eufyCam S3 Pro solar power, 4K security camera

Website	Eufy AU website Security product range Single Camera  $699.95 (requires Homebase) Dual cameras and Homebase $1599.95 Four cameras and Home base  $2499.95 HomeBase 3 S380 $349.95 plus 2.5” SATA HDD or SSD storage
Price	As above
From	Eufy Online, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Good Guys, David Jones, Bunnings (these are specialist items and may not be kept in stock).
Warranty	1-year ACL
Made in	China
Company	Eufy is an Anker Innovations brand. Directed Electronics Australia and New Zealand exclusively distribute it. Anker is a Hong Kong-based Chinese electronics company that produces computer and mobile peripherals, including phone chargers, power banks, earbuds, headphones, speakers, data hubs, charging cables, torches, screen protectors, security cameras, and more under multiple brands. It sells mainly in the USA, Europe and ANZ.
More	CyberShack eufy news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Substantial – Pass+

Eufy episomes excellent design. The solar panel is on top of the camera, requiring only an hour daily to provide 24 hours of power.

A USB-C charge port is underneath, and a ¼” tripod mount is on the back. The added bump underneath is radar detection, which, combined with passive infrared detection, reduces false detections by 99%.

Colour Night vision without floodlights

Eufy uses an f/1.0 lens (wide open to let more light through), a 1.18”, 12MP binned to 4MP 3840x 2160, Starlight+ stacked CMOS sensor.

It captures clear images in low-light conditions. Add to that the MaxColor Vision (as it is a static scene, it knows what the colours should be, and AI applies that to night shots) and AI sharpening. The results are very good.

In addition, it has presets for standard, daylike, spotlights, and infrared.

That explains the extra cost, as most sensors cost a few dollars – this is not the case!

Start at 4:20 seconds

SolarPlus 2.0 – Pass

Eufy claims 1 hour of good sunlight daily is enough for 24-hour/365-day use. Well, it is even better than that. The battery is a huge 13000mAh, and depending on activations (which use more battery), it uses about 200 mAh per 24 hours. So, even without a solar panel, it should last two months.  The in-built panel can generate 450-900mAh per day.

Setup – Pass+

Download the eufy security app for iOS and Android. You need to set up an eufy account and select a region to ensure your details are stored in a local (not Chinese) cloud.

The privacy terms have been previously analysed and are benign.

This requires a HomeBase S380, so you need to install that first. If you have eufy, you may already have one. You need to fit a 500GB+ 2.5” HDD that you can get for <$50 at computer stores.

It finds the camera and joins the network. Once installed, you can position the camera anywhere – it is IP67 rated (most other brand external cameras are IP54).

The app gives you many options for customising the camera audio/video and operation streams.

One little-known fact is that you can use multiple S380 HomeBases if the camera is out of Wi-Fi range. You can use Wi-Fi or Ethernet to connect the HomeBase to the router. We found a pair of superb $199.95 D-Link PowerLine AV2 ethernet-over-powerline adapters. You can place one at the main router (connected to it by Ethernet) and another in the garage or shed (connected by Ethernet over Powerline), and then Ethernet to a mesh router or HomeBase (or both).

PowerLine is also the answer to getting Internet access to robot mowers, etc.

Location

Place it on an east-west-facing wall about 2m high for best results. If you don’t get sun, you can use the battery or buy a separate solar panel that you can place nearby in direct sunlight.

Full duplex audio – Pass

Every security camera maker claims full duplex audio, so you can speak to the courier or intruder. Yeah, nah!

The S3 Pro audio lag time can vary from four to six seconds – good but makes natural communication difficult. It is not the camera’s fault, as that depends on Wi-Fi and HomeBase signal strength.

Eufy is much faster than cameras using the cloud, remotely accessing the feed via a smartphone, where delays of 10-20 seconds are the norm.

Camera Test samples

These are amazing.

eufyCam S3 Pro solar power specs

• Maximum resolution: 3840 x 2160@15fps but can vary to 720p if there is poor Wi-Fi.
• 8X digital zoom (cropping 2 to 8X from 12MP sensor)
• FOV: Horizontal 112°, Vertical 60 °. It can do 120° with some fish-eye.
• IR Night vision LEDS: 4 850nm works with MaxColor Vision to 10m
• Dual array mics with noise reduction
• 100dB speaker/siren
• Solar Panel 2.0
• Radar motion detection to 12m
• Passive Infrared PIR to 8m
• AI: At least Stranger/Human/Vehicle/Car Alert plus HomeBase AI
• Read ¼” tripod hole
• SIZE: 69 x 82.4 x 143.5mm X 534g
• Storage: HomeBase 3
• Wi-Fi: N 2.4GHz
• Home: eufy security app, Alexa, Google and Apple (1080p) integration
• Power: Solar panel. Continuous recording available on USB-C power
• Snapshot feature: can take snapshots at defined intervals

CyberShack’s view – eufyCam S3 Pro for trouble-free day or night vigilance

Although other brands use similar sensors, eufy’s MaxColor Vision is a game changer. It is eufy’s clever use of AI to sharpen and colour the image that sets it well apart.

The images are pin sharp, number plates are easy to read, the zoom is clear, and the solar panel design is excellent. It ticks all the boxes.

If you need what the eufyCam S2 Pro offers; excellent night vision, AI-powered facial recognition, clip stitching, and a home base that can add terabytes of local storage without a subscription, this is for you.

 eufyCam S3 Pro rating

We are also tightening up on grading. From now on, Pass, for example, means meeting expectations for the price bracket. We consider a Pass mark to be 70+/100 with extra points added for class-leading and excellence.

• Features: 90– Fully featured and MaxColor Vision is a game changer
• Value: 80 – At the top of the price bracket but fair for the tech and what it achieves
• Performance: 90—It ranges from good to excellent. As usual, audio lag is the only potential issue.
• Ease of Use: 90 – It scores well if you are a DIY and don’t mind navigating apps but is easy for the non-tech-savvy with good online help.
• Design: 90 – eufy has nailed it with the solar panel, Radar detection and MaxColour Vision.

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