Vivint is light on cameras, but it offers some impressive features.
Vivint Cameras Review
Vivint is one of the smartypants-iest systems we've reviewed. Along with its other smart home equipment, this security company offers three cameras: indoor, outdoor, and video doorbell.
Vivint's security cameras have some fancy features, but they aren't the smartest on the market. Plus, you have to have an existing Vivint system to make these suckers work. Because of this, we mainly recommend Vivint cameras to current customers or folks already interested in the Vivint system.
Data effective as of 8/24/2023. Offers subject to change.
As you can see, Vivint’s camera specs are consistent across the board. All three cameras record in 1080p HD. And you have your choice of 14 days of cloud storage or 30 days of local storage with the Vivint Smart Drive (more on that in a minute).
How Vivint cameras work
Not all security cameras are the same. Here’s what you need to know about Vivint cameras in general.
Vivint cameras aren’t standalone devices
We’ve mentioned this before, and we’ll keep saying it because we don’t want any confusion: you can’t use Vivint cameras without a Vivint smart security system. A basic Vivint package costs around $600, so you’ll spend a ton just to get started.
And you don’t just need the security system to make Vivint cameras work. You also need a Smart Home Video monitoring plan. That’s Vivint’s most expensive offering.
Vivint plans
If you pay the $600+ in equipment fees up front, Vivint won’t require a contract. You can end your business relationship at any time. But if you’re not keen to drop that much money at once, there’s another option. You can enter a 60-month contract while you slowly repay the company for the equipment (on top of the monthly subscription fee).
Data effective as of 8/24/2023. Offers subject to change.
Vivint cameras use local and cloud storage
As we already mentioned, Vivint offers both local (physical) and cloud storage options.
With most camera brands, the local storage is free, while the cloud storage costs extra. Vivint turns that on its head. Fourteen days of cloud storage are automatically included with your camera-ready monitoring plan. But to get local storage, you must add the Vivint Smart Drive to your equipment roster.
Once you have the Smart Drive, you’ll get 30 days of continuous recording, which is pretty neat. Just know that the drive will cost you $ on top of what you’re already paying for equipment and subscriptions.
Vivint cameras use event-based recording
If you choose not to get continuous recording through the smart drive, your video clips will be event-triggered. Vivint calls this “Smart Clips.”
Vivint Indoor Camera features
As far as indoor cameras go, the Vivint Indoor Camera's pretty good. It’s not the fanciest camera we’ve seen, but it has all the necessary features, and the video calls are a nice touch.
Vivint Indoor Camera features:
- 1080p
- 155° field of view
- Two-way talk
- Infrared night vision
- Person detection
- One-touch calls
- Smart Clips
Two-way talk
All Vivint cameras have two-way audio.
When you have an outdoor camera, you usually use this feature to tell people you can’t come to the door right now or ask them to get off your lawn. But with an indoor camera, you typically use the audio to check in with your pets or kids. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the basement or a thousand miles away—thanks to the Vivint Smart Home app, the two-way audio works just as well regardless.
One-touch calls
Speaking of checking in, your loved ones can video call you directly from the Vivint Indoor Camera. It’s a one-touch button, making it easy for kids to use. (The button’s pre-programmed, so they’ll be able to call only you through the Vivint app.)
Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro features
Smart Sentry is the standout feature of the Outdoor Camera Pro. We haven’t seen a camera with lurker detection quite like this before.
Outdoor Camera Pro features:
- 1080p
- 140° field of view
- IP65 weatherproof rating
- Two-way talk
- Infrared LED night vision
- Person detection
- Zoom
- Siren extender
- Smart Clips
- Smart Sentry
Smart Sentry
The Outdoor Camera Pro tracks the movement of visitors and how long they stay on your property. If someone is loitering in the camera’s view, Smart Sentry will light up and make a noise.
This camera doesn’t have facial recognition, so it doesn’t have a way to differentiate between unwanted and wanted individuals. That means Super Sentry is quite useful if someone shows up at your house with ill intent. But it can be annoying if you’re pottering about the yard and the camera keeps trying to scare you off.
Siren extender
If someone sets off your Vivint security system, the camera’s siren extender will funnel the sound outside. That way, everyone in the neighborhood will be alerted, not just you.
Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro features
Doorbell Camera Pro is all about protecting your packages. Plus it has the Smart Sentry feature you’ll also find with the Outdoor Camera Pro.
Doorbell Camera Pro features:
- 1080p
- 180° field of view
- Two-way talk
- Night vision
- Live video
- Person detection
- Package detection
- Package delivery notifications
- Smart Clips
- Smart Sentry
Person detection
One of the number-one complaints we see about doorbell cameras is their inability to distinguish between people and not-people.
Like the other Vivint cameras, your video doorbell will differentiate between a person and another object. So if a cat is hanging out on your patio, the Video Doorbell Pro won’t think it’s a porch pirate.
Package theft deterrence
Vivint has its finger on the pulse of video doorbell buyers. Many users are concerned about package theft, and Vivint is working hard to respond to those concerns. Enter the Video Doorbell Pro.
This doorbell has just about every conceivable package detection measure. It has people and package detection, and it sends you notifications when packages are delivered. It even scares off package thieves who try to nab your goods.
Once again, Smart Sentry helps this Vivint camera protect your property. The video doorbell lights up and makes a sound when someone attempts to take a package.
We’ve seen videos of potential package thieves dropping packages and running when the doorbell alerts. But since Vivint handpicked those videos to show off, we suspect results may vary. The default tone is a whistle that’s startling but far from a siren.
How to install Vivint cameras
As you’ve probably gathered, you can't just go to the Vivint Store and say, "Ah yes, I'd like to buy a Vivint camera and install it myself, please and thank you."
Instead, you have to schedule a consultation, pick out a home security package, the works. Then you need to get the whole kit and caboodle professionally installed.
To initiate that process, we suggest visiting Vivint’s website.
Recap: Are Vivint cameras good?
Vivint’s cameras are great, but Vivint isn’t the first place we’d go for a solid camera unless you already have or want its security system. And Vivint’s camera selection is much smaller than what you’d get with a more video-oriented brand (such as Ring).
As a reminder, here’s the skinny on Vivint’s three cameras.
Indoor Camera: Talk to your family back at home with the camera's two-way talk feature.
Outdoor Camera Pro: Smart Sentry will identify lurkers and scare them off with lights and sound.
Doorbell Camera Pro: Never succumb to package theft again with package detection, delivery notifications, and Smart Sentry.
However, though the camera selection is limited, we highly recommend the Vivint security system itself. If you’re looking for full-fledged security, the Vivint system’s smarts could make up for the limited range. For more information, check out our Vivint review.
If the Vivint system doesn’t interest you, here are some others that might. Finding a security system can be a good first step in choosing a security camera.
Vivint cameras FAQs
With Vivint, you get some of the latest and greatest in smart home and security.
Vivint smart home equipment includes the following:
- Door sensor
- Glass break sensor
- Smoke detector
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Water sensor
- Smart light
- Smart lock
- Smart outlet
- Smart thermostat
- Smart garage door opener
All of this is controlled by the Vivint Smart Hub (previously known as the Vivint Sky control panel).
In terms of home automation, Vivint is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Z-Wave.
The Z-Wave compatibility is especially nice because it means you may be able to connect with other products that Vivint doesn’t sell themselves. So if you’d like to directly connect your Vivint security system to a particular Z-Wave door lock or doorbell cam, you might be able to do it.