- Eufy’s new smart home camera features a spotlight and siren
- The spotlight automatically follows intruders as they move
- It recognizes friends and family and takes a different approach for them
Many of the best home security cameras are equipped with spotlights that switch on at the merest hint of movement, and you might even have one yourself. But finding a device that combines recorded footage with a light that autonomously moves and follows intruders is a different proposition entirely — and one that takes a more proactive approach to protecting your home and encouraging potential trespassers to go fish.
That setup is exactly what you get with Anker’s new $299.99 Eufy TrackLight Cam S1. Anker claims that it is “the world’s first outdoor security track light camera with an auto-tracking light designed to actively deter intruders.” That active deterrence comes in the form of a light beam that follows unidentified personnel on your property, hopefully spooking them into turning around and leaving.
The camera can sense targets within 12 meters and illuminates them with 20 lux of light. The beam itself can be widened or narrowed between 10 and 30 degrees, adaptively broadening as the person gets closer and responding as they move within 355 degrees of horizontal rotation.
To really scare off any unwanted presences, a siren can be activated alongside the spotlight. Additionally, to further deter, the light can be changed to red and blue flashing modes.
Everything is recorded in 4K-resolution night vision, with 10x digital zoom picking out objects further away. There’s also a separate floodlight that works alongside the tracking beam to provide extra detail in the dark.
Recognizing friends and family
If you’re concerned about getting blinded by your own home security camera when you come home late from a night out, the good news is that the Eufy TrackLight Cam S1 can recognize friends and family members and instead activate a soft light instead of the harsh spotlight and siren. So long as the person’s phone has been added to the product’s companion app, the camera will identify them using Bluetooth and provide a much friendlier greeting.
Anker also says that the Eufy TrackLight Cam S1 comes with a 15,000mAh battery and built-in solar panels, so it should have plenty of juice come rain or shine. Its IP65 rating also means it’s resistant to dust and water ingress.
If you’re concerned about burglars, home invaders, or anyone else who shouldn’t be on your property, the TrackLight Cam S1 brings a bit of extra clout with its moving spotlight and siren combo. Even if you’re not able to monitor its footage 24/7, its autonomous light beam gives the impression that you are — and that might be all that’s needed to keep your home protected.
Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.