D-Link is no stranger to home security cameras, and recently announced several new additions to its considerable lineup. For $89.99, the new D-Link Full HD Wi-Fi Camera DCS-8300LH offers sharp 1080p video, sound and motion detection, local and free cloud storage, and a newly designed mobile app. It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands and supports If This Then That (IFTTT) applets that allow it to work with other smart home devices. For its mix of performance and features, the DCS-8300 earns our Editors' Choice for affordable home security cameras.
Design and Plans
The DCS-8300 uses the same basic design as the D-Link 180-Degree Wi-Fi Camera DCS-2630L that we reviewed a few years ago. It's a puck-shaped camera that sits atop a horseshoe-shaped stand with a circular base. The stand allows you to tilt the camera forward and backward, and can be used on a flat desktop surface or mounted to a wall or ceiling using the included screws and anchors. It also comes with an AC power adapter with a 10-foot cord.
The camera captures 1080p video at up to 30fps and has a 130-degree field of view. It uses a pair of infrared LEDs to provide up to 16 feet of black-and-white night video and an 802.11n (2.4GHz) to connect to your home Wi-Fi. In addition to motion and sound sensors, the DCS-8300 has a microphone and speaker for two-way audio. The right side holds a microSD card slot that can accommodate media with up to 128GB of storage capacity, and around back are a power jack, a reset button, and a small LED indicator. The LED is green when the camera is connected, red when it loses its connection, and flashes orange during setup.
D-Link offers a free cloud storage plan for up to three cameras that gives you access to motion- and sound-triggered video recorded over the past 24 hours. If you require more storage, the Basic plan gives you access to 7 days of video (up to three cameras) for $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year. The Premium plan gives you access to 14 days of video with support for five cameras for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, and the Pro plan provides access to the past 30 days of video with support for up to ten cameras for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.
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App
The DCS-8300 uses the newly updated mydlink mobile app for Android and iOS devices. The app has a much cleaner look than it used to, and adds things like One-Tap, which allows you to create scenes to have multiple devices, such as smart switches and sensors, react to a single tap. The Automations feature lets you link devices using rules. For example, you can create a rule to have a smart plug turn on when the camera detects sound or motion. Also new is the Camera Presets feature that allows you to create up to five different camera views.
The mydlink app opens to a main screen that displays all installed cameras with their connection status. Tap the camera you wish to view, then tap the view icon to launch a live stream. To view the stream in full-screen mode, turn your phone sideways. At the bottom of the live screen are buttons to begin manual video recording and to take a snapshot. There's also a box you can tap to display controls for selecting a resolution (1080p, 720p), muting the speaker, and initiating a two-way conversation.
At the top of the screen is a gear icon that takes you to a settings screen where you can configure Wi-Fi settings, enable the microphone and night vision settings, put the camera into Privacy mode, and update the firmware. Motion Settings allow you to adjust sensitivity settings and select motion zones using the Activity Area settings.
Back at the main screen are Control, One-Tap, Events & Video, and Settings buttons. The Control button lets you control all installed D-Link devices by category (Camera, Plug, Sensor), as well as install new devices, and the Event & Video button takes you to a timeline of all recorded event video with thumbnails and time stamps. As previously mentioned, One-Tap is a new feature that lets you control multiple devices with a single tap. This screen offers six presets including Away, Home, Bedtime, Wake-Up, Panic, and My Tap. For example, you can use the Bedtime preset to turn off certain devices or use the Panic preset to turn on lights and begin recording video.
You can use the Settings button to create Automation rules and schedule when those rules are enabled. Here you can also change account information, enable notifications, and access One-Tap settings. In the upper left corner of the main screen is a three-bar icon that offers access to all of the above-mentioned settings, as well as options for third-party integrations (Alexa, Google, IFTTT) and cloud subscription settings.
Installation and Performance
Installing the DCS-8300 couldn't be easier. I downloaded the app and signed in using my email address and password (if you don't have an account, you'll have to create one before installation). I tapped the three-bar icon in the upper left corner, tapped Add a Device, and scanned the QR code on base when prompted. I then plugged in the camera, waited a few seconds for the LED to flash orange, and tapped Next, which opened a Device Profile screen with the camera's model number. I gave it a name, selected my Wi-Fi SSID from the list, entered my Wi-Fi password, and waited another 30 seconds while the app configured the camera and added it to my device list.
The DCS-8300 delivered sharp daytime video in my tests. Colors appeared well saturated and the image was bright. There was a hint of barrelling around the edges, but it was minor and did not distort the video. Night vision video also appeared sharp, with good contrast and uniform lighting.
Two-way audio was clean with good volume, and motion and sound detection worked without issue, although I had to adjust the motion sensitivity and Active Area to avoid alerts from passing cars and other outside activity. Push alerts arrived immediately, as did recorded video, which appeared just as sharp as live video.
Integrations worked without a hitch. I had no trouble adding the camera to my Alexa account and viewing live video on an Echo Show device, and my IFTTT applet to have a Wemo Insight Switch turn on a lamp when the camera detected motion worked like a charm.
Conclusions
If you're looking for a reasonably priced home security camera that delivers high-definition video and boasts an impressive feature set, the D-Link Full HD Wi-Fi Camera DCS-8300LH is a strong choice. For just under $90 you get sharp 1080p video, crisp night vision, motion and sound detection, and free cloud storage for event-triggered video. You can also subscribe to a storage plan if you require access to video that is more than 24 hours old, or you can pick up a microSD card and store recorded video locally. In addition to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice support, the DCS-8300 will interact with other smart home devices via IFTTT applets, and you can create Automations to turn it on and off along with other D-Link devices. All this earns it our Editors' Choice for affordable home security cameras.
If you're looking to spend even less and integration with other devices isn't a priority, the Wyze Cam V2 camera is also a great choice. It's only $20 and offers sharp 1080p video, free cloud storage, and time-lapse recording, but it doesn't work with other smart devices or support IFTTT applets.
The D-Link Full HD Wi-Fi Camera DCS-8300LH is a relatively affordable home security camera packed with features including local storage, free cloud recording, motion and sound alerts, and integration with other connected devices.
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