I've tested a few surveillance cameras recently and as nifty as they all were, they all had a similar fault; their field of view was too narrow. This means that they're not able to fully capture a room its entirety.
D-Link reckon they have this sorted. Their latest Wi-Fi cam, the DCS2630L Wi-Fi camera captures video with a 180-degree field of view.
Look and Feel
Where many Wi-Fi cameras are petite, the DCS26030L is no shrinking violet. It's a large puck shaped device finished in back plastic and mounted on a round stand. In short, it's a serious looking piece of gear, one that'd be right at home in Darth Vader's bachelor pad. Looks-wise I like it!
Bells and Whistles
There's a heap of tech tucked away inside the DCS2630 with a 3-megapixel CMOS image sensor. The usual infrared LEDs (that'll illuminate objects just under 5 metres) are present for night vision mode too. It also comes with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and can notify you if it detects motion (or sound).
Its camera isn't lacking either. It has an 8X digital zoom so you can get a closer look at things (alas there's no pan and tilt function). It also has a speaker and mic which allows for two-way communications. last but by no means least is a microSD slot for storing video.
Video streams to the MyDlink Lite app. It works with both Android and iOS. For greater platform compatibility, it's also viewable via the MyDlink Web portal. Both are tidy apps – firing up either brings up a list of installed cameras and other D-Link gear.
Tapping the DCS2630L icon launches a live feed from the camera. There's a bunch of other controls too. These are for two-way communications (the camera has a speaker and a mic), screenshots, its resolution, and day/ Night settings. for remote control of a D-Link router or several cameras, The MyDlink app is a great solution.
The DCS2630L can also notify you when it detects motion and/or sounds. Sensitivity levels are tweakable which helps reduce false alarms.
Installation
Getting set up was a simple undertaking. Downloading the MyDLink app, I logged into an existing account from previous D-Link gear I'd tested. I then added the DCS2630L. This saw me scanning a QR code on the quick install card. Following some simple steps for WPS Wi-Fi installation meant that within minutes I had a live video feed.
Live video impressed. From 720p to 1080p, video was crisp with only a few dropped frames. Colours seemed accurate. Even mono night vision video delivered decent contrast levels. The DCS2630L's 180-degree field of view meant I got a full view of my dining room and I was able to zoom in.
Verdict
The DCS2630L is a great option for home surveillance where monitoring a room in its entirety has to be done using a single camera. Its wide video is in crisp HD and the install plus accompanying D-Link Lite app are seamless.
