Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera review

Looking for a home security camera to use outdoors? Well the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera could be just what you have been looking for. It boasts everything you would expect from an outdoor camera these days; dustproof, weatherproof and seamless streaming to a smart device, and doesn’t come with the hefty price tag.

I’ve been testing this home security camera, along with the Ezviz C6N Indoor Wi-Fi Home Security Camera, for the past month to help you choose the best home security solution for you and your family. The main criteria I’ve been looking out for, aside from if this camera actually serves its purpose, is; how it looks and how easy it is to set up and use day-to-day.

Keep scrolling to read the full review to see if this is the outdoor security camera for you, but if you want to see more great options check out our best security cameras guide for more top cameras, for the best prices.

Installing the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera 

This outdoor camera arrived well packed and has everything you need to set-up. It became evident that it’s geared up to be mounted on a wall or ceiling, so I tested it placed on a garden wall to see what our two guinea pigs get up to after sunset – they were good subjects to watch! I used the three metre-long (approx) power cable to connect it to a electrical socket in our utility room which I trailed through the backdoor. The door still shut with no problems, and the camera was still within the Wi-Fi zone (more on this shortly). If you don’t want a cable running through your door/window, then you’ll need to wire in the device to your electrics by a qualified electrician.

Once you’ve decided and/or secured the camera to where you want it to be you’ll just need to ensure its turned on and follow some instructions to get it working. The instructions themselves are a bit of a guessing game but, the robotic-sounding assistant and onscreen instructions on your smart device are really all you need with this one; it’s so easy, providing your smart device (and the camera) are connected to the Wi-Fi.

You’re then prompted to download the Ezviz app – which is easy enough – and then follow the onscreen instructions. During the registration process you can opt to have notifications sent to you as an alert, subscribe to CloudPlay (free for the first 23-day days, then a fee from £2.99 will be incurred depending on your choice of plan) or,  use an SD card if preferred to cloud storage, and allow the app to access your phone camera. You’ll need to allow for this access to your phone camera so the app can scan the QR code on the underside of the camera for setup.

• Looking to boost your indoor security, too? Read our review on the Ezviz C6N Indoor Wi-Fi Home Security Camera

How easy is the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera to use?

The Ezviz C4W is really easy to use, because it’s all done using the app which I can’t fault. From the app you can take photos of the footage, pan a 360-degree shot, flick between resolutions (HDR, HD or high res) and see up to four cameras live on a split screen – you can have more than four, the view is just limited to those cameras identified by the app. It’s from this app that you can create three, 10-second audio recordings and tune in to the two-way comms, too.

However, if you want to change the static view of the footage you’ll need to do this manually by moving the ‘rolling eye’ (lens) part of the camera so you get the shot you want.

Is the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera good value for money?

Compared to other home security systems this outdoor camera does offer good value for money, if you’re prepared to attach it to the side of the house (which is the safest thing to do) and have a good Wi-Fi zone where you need the camera to be.

The app, as I’ve said earlier, is really good which can handle up to four Ezviz products so it would be worth creating your own home security system with a couple of these cameras and perhaps a couple of the Ezviz C6N for keeping a watchful eye inside the home, too.

What else should you know about the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera?

It’s not the most discrete of cameras on the market: it's quite chunky and the blue indicator light is very obvious which comes on automatically. This light can, however, be switched off on the app if you prefer. And, on the whole, it does look good so finding an area on the wall which is a little less obvious could help here. 

Another feature which comes with this security camera is the active defence system which boasts both a built-in strobe light and siren to deter intruders. The light is bright and the siren is LOUD (it made me jump!) which can be activated together. You can even customise the flashing lights and custom voice alerts, to make things more personal with potential intruders. You'll then receive push notifications to your smartphone via the Ezviz app whilst it's all going off so you can view what's happening.

How does the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera rate online?

This outdoor camera is currently only available at Argos, and 78% of customers who have bought this product from the popular retailer would recommend it. It’s been given high scores for picture quality and set-up, although the majority of those who say this are part of an exclusive group of Argos customers who have been invited to test and submit a review of the product.

Where the Ezviz C4W falls a little short in the online reviews is with the Wi-Fi connectivity and night-vision. Personally, I feel that the night vision was on-par with the Ezviz C6N, which I was also testing, and you’ll just need to carefully consider where would be the best place to position the camera to keep within the Wi-Fi zone.

Is the Ezviz C4W Outdoor Smart Wi-Fi Home Security Camera worth buying?

This outdoor camera will certainly fit the bill if you have a strong W-Fi connection near to where you need it. You also need to factor in calling out an electrician if you don't have an external socket to plug it into. And although there may well be wireless, battery-powered outdoor security cameras out there, this one is less than £100 so is worth it even if it is for the short term.

More on home security:

• For a battery-powered camera, read our Ezviz Battery Cam review
• Or read the Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor review, for another indoor option
• Alternatively, view our guide to the best security lights