Imou recently enriched its catalog with a new surveillance camera. Or should we rather talk about videophone? Indeed, the Ranger RC, its name, is not only intended to monitor the house. Imou presents her above all as a camera “for children and the elderly” due to a call button integrated into its base.
A camera that works like a videophone
While most cameras today incorporate a microphone and speaker for live communication, the control app is usually the only way to initiate communication. The Ranger RC therefore allows you to do this from its call button. Just press it. Simple and fast, for an elderly person who is uncomfortable using the telephone when they need assistance. And it can actually also be practical with children, if they come home from school alone for example or if they need something when they are alone at home.
If this feature remains rare, the Ranger RC is not the only one to offer it. This is also the case with the Ezviz C6, which we also tested. Others, like Netatmo’s Smart Indoor Camera, offer face recognition and thus let you know when a child comes home from school.
Motion tracking and 2K or 3K images
Imou’s new camera of course also includes a motion detection system, in addition to an audio detection system, to automatically alert the user in the event of an intrusion. It can also distinguish human forms to limit false alarms by means of artificial intelligence, and the Ranger RC should also be able to keep intruders in its field of vision thanks to a motorization. Imou specifies that the latter operates on 355° horizontally and 90° vertically. Infrared vision is of course provided for the night, and the camera is offered with a 3 or 5 Mpx sensor, to film in 2K or 3K respectively.
Ranger RC surveillance recordings can be stored on a microSD card or in Imou’s cloud. In the event of detection, it can trigger a siren announced at 110 dB, and Imou has also provided a Privacy mode to be activated to avoid being filmed.
The Ranger RC therefore promises to be a fairly complete indoor camera, which does not prevent it from being quite affordable. It was launched at the recommended retail price of €40.99 in its 3MP version and €56.99 in its 5MP version. It could therefore be a good deal, if of course it keeps all its promises, which we hope to be able to verify soon in a complete test.