There is nothing quite like the Canon PowerShot V10. This little fixed-lens camera is shorter than the average smartphone, as thick as a pack of cigarettes and weighs less than a can of Coke. One of my colleagues rightfully calls it one of the most revolutionary cameras from Canon and it's now down to its lowest price yet in Australia – just AU$398 for the black variant.

You will have to get a real wriggle on to snap this one up as there are only a few left in stock.

I mean, just look at it! Have you seen a camera like it? All other compacts look bulky compared to it!

And that's its headline act – it was designed to be as compact as possible to make creating content as simple and easy as possible, whether you're travelling or streaming from home. And the latter is why it also features its own built-in kick stand – perfect to prop it up on your kitchen counter to shoot that cooking video you've been keen to try or even stand up on your desk so you can take video calls.

The pocketable design also combines a 19mm wide-angle lens and stereo mics with wind, with every necessary button within thumb's reach for one-hand operability. It size, however, requires you to use a microSD card rather than an SD card like other cameras.

At the heart of the camera is a 20.9MP sensor that's been passed down from the Canon PowerShot G7 X III, which was a great camera in its own right. It can take 20MP still photos with some excellent results. It does struggle a little in low light, though, but the colours from any Canon camera more than make up for a little noise – native ISO is just 125-3200 for video and up to 12,800 for stills.

It supports UHD 4K video recording at up to 29.97 fps and Full HD at 59.94 fps. With built-in Wi-Fi and compatibility with the Canon Camera Connect app, users can quickly share their creations or live stream in Full HD at 30 fps.

The camera allows up to one hour of recording and features a rolling shutter speed ranging from 1/4000 to 1/25 second for video and 1/2000 to 1/8 second for stills. The DIGIC X processor also enhances creative possibilities, offering 14 colour filters and a Smooth Skin mode for flattering portraits.

It can even handle vertical shooting that might be ideal for social media, and it will automatically adjust when placed on its side. It can also be used as a webcam via its UVC capability, streaming in Full HD without the need for additional software, and is compatible with popular services like YouTubeLive, Facebook Live and various web conferencing platforms.

Admittedly there are better vlogging cameras for the professional, but this one is real handy and quite unbeatable at this price.

Amazon’s popular smart doorbell brand, Ring, has rebutted claims that video footage from Ring doorbells and security cameras is being accessed by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more commonly known as ICE.

Accusations stemmed from Ring’s relationship with the security hardware and software company, Flock Safety. It was announced in October that the companies would be partnering to deliver a new Ring feature called ‘Community Requests’. This enables neighbors (if they choose) to share video footage with local public safety agencies, securely and privately.

However, it’s been reported by Gadget Review that the controversial federal law enforcement agency can access said footage via federal data networks.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that all your Ring footage ends up in a federal database; you actually have to volunteer the footage first. But the Gadget Review article doesn’t pull any punches, stating: “This isn’t speculation – it’s documented infrastructure.”

Stuff has reported that the Flock Safety and Ring partnership, although announced, is not yet live, while citing a quote via The Verge from Amazon PR Yassi Yarger, who said: “Ring has no partnership with ICE, does not give ICE videos, feeds, or back-end access, and does not share video with them”.

As the same article points out, though, it’s what happens to the footage once it’s out of Ring’s hands that has sparked the controversy. However, if you’re a Ring user with any concerns, you can simply turn off the ‘Community Requests’ feature within the app.

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If you want an alternative to the best Ring cameras, check out the best outdoor security cameras and our Eufy Video Doorbell E340 with Chime review.

If you're searching for the best camera for beginners, you might be interested in the Canon EOS R100. The R100 remains one of the most popular entry-level mirrorless cameras since its launch in 2023.

The Canon EOS R100 is sitting at No.1 on Amazon's US and UK bestseller December charts. And this is not the first time the mirrorless is topping sales lists – that kind of sustained demand isn't accidental.

In our buying guide, the Canon EOS R100 was rated as the best beginner camera overall, not because it has the most features, but because it gets the fundamentals exactly right.

For first-time photographers, it delivers what matters most: great image quality, reliable autofocus (AF), simple controls, and access to one of the strongest lens ecosystems in photography.

Crucially, this isn't a camera that beginners will "outgrow" overnight. The R100 is designed to teach photography properly – rewarding curiosity and experimentation – while remaining affordable, compact, and unintimidating

That balance is why it continues to top sales charts well into 2025... Let's take a closer look at the EOS R100.

Why the R100 is such a great beginner camera

At its core, the R100 is built around a 24.1MP APS-C sensor paired with Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus (AF), a system derived from the brand's professional cameras. Face detection and eye tracking take the pressure off nailing focus, letting beginners concentrate on composition and light.

Canon's guided menu system is another standout feature. Instead of throwing technical jargon at new users, it explains what shooting modes actually do – a subtle but hugely valuable learning tool.

Add a lightweight body, logical button layout, and access to Canon's RF lens range (plus EF lenses via an adapter), and you have a camera that genuinely grows with you.

Two years on, the R100 holds its own. For still photography, it delivers results that are good enough for serious hobbyists, social media, prints, and even editorial use in the right hands. Its continued popularity also means strong availability, competitive pricing, and a healthy ecosystem of accessories.

What about drawbacks – and the Canon EOS R50?

To keep costs down, Canon made some conscious compromises. The fixed, non-touchscreen display is the most discussed, especially compared to the Canon EOS R50, which offers touch control and a more video-friendly design. For some users, that alone will justify spending more.

However, it's important to frame this correctly: the lack of touch control doesn't make the R100 harder to use, just more traditional. Everything is accessible via buttons and the D-pad, and for photographers focused on learning stills, the experience remains intuitive and effective. For more information, read our R100 and R50 comparison.

For pure photographic value, the R100 remains a standout beginner choice in 2025.

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If you're shipping for a mirrorless camera in 2025, you might be surprised to see that Amazon's top-selling list in the UK is dominated by cameras that are not exactly "fresh off the assembly line". In fact, just one 2025 release made the list.

So what's keeping 'older' cameras flying off the shelves, and why do beginner-friendly models dominate?

Best-selling mirrorless cameras at Amazon UK

1. Sony ZV-E10L (16-50mm) (released Jul 2021)
2. Canon EOS R100 Kit (18–45mm) (released May 2023)
3. Canon EOS R50 Kit (18–45mm + 55-210mm) (released Apr 2023)
4. Sony A6400 Kit (16-50mm) (released Jan 2021)
5. Sony A6700 (released Jul 2023)
6. Fujifilm X-E5 Kit Silver (15-45mm) (released Aug 2025)
7. Nikon Z6 II (released Nov 2020)
8. Sony A7 III Kit (28-70mm) (released Mar 2018)
9. Sony ZV-E10 (released Jul 2021)
10. Canon EOS R7 Kit (18-150mm) (released Jun 2022)

Why we haven't seen many new entrants

Part of the reason those models still lead the pack is that major manufacturers haven't released many new cameras in these categories. For example, Canon fans are still waiting for rumored models like the EOS R6 Mark III. Sony's A7 series, meanwhile, continues to evolve slowly. The A7 III remains a solid option for photographers while new models are awaited, with the Sony A7 V being one of the market's most eagerly anticipated cameras ( which could still possibly be announced in 2025).

Meanwhile, the Fujifilm X-E5, released in 2025, is the only truly new entrant on the best-seller list, offering modern features in a compact, stylish body.

Why beginner-friendly mirrorless cameras are flying off the shelves

Finally, affordable beginner-friendly cameras dominate the list, including many models that Digital Camera World rated as the best beginner-friendly cameras on the market. Nearly half of Amazon's best-sellers – including the Canon EOS R50, Canon EOS R100, and Sony ZV-E10 – are designed with newcomers in mind.

These cameras combine intuitive controls, guided menus, and automated shooting modes, allowing first-time users to achieve great results without a steep learning curve.

Their affordable kit pricing makes them an attractive entry point. And beyond affordability, many of these models are also geared toward content creation, with features like flip-out LCD screens, microphone inputs, and lightweight designs.

For many, ease of use and versatility outweigh the need for the latest tech or highest specs.

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Blink, the Amazon-owned security camera company, has announced three new devices – higher-resolution 2K versions of the Blink Outdoor and Blink Mini cameras and a 'Blink Arc' which makes it possible to connect two Blink Mini cameras together to get a single panoramic image. But there is a catch.

Blink, one of the two security camera brands that Amazon owns, has often seemed the more appealing to those not wishing to pay a monthly subscription compared to the Ring cameras, but the innovative Blink Arc is dependent on a Blink Subscription Plan to deliver the all-in-one 180-degree video feed.

The device is designed to reduce clutter, so despite having two Blink Mini cameras, there is only one weather-resistant cable to power them. As before, the video is returned using local Wi-Fi.

• Blink Arc (Black) on Amazon USA 🇺🇸 $99 with cameras
• Blink Arc (White) on Amazon USA 🇺🇸 $99 with cameras
• Blink Arc on Amazon UK 🇬🇧 £89

According to Blink, the camera is ideal for monitoring entire driveways or backyards from a single mounting position. Two screws are included and it is bundled with two 2K+ Mini cameras (or sold separately).

The Blink Mini 2K+ cameras feature 138˚ diagonal fields of view, with a video resolution of 2560 x 1440 – curiously higher than the stated stills resolution of 1280 x 720, though this is not a significantly used feature. The Blink Mini 2K+ is $49.99 on its own.

• Blink Mini 2K+ on Amazon USA $49

The Blink Mini 2K+ also boasts 'Smart Detection' and color night vision, though the smart functionality also requires the subscription service.

The boosted resolution to 2K from the cheaper Blink Mini cameras, which are still available – some at reduced prices now too. The older Blink Mini is 1080P.

• Blink Mini 2K+ on Amazon USA 🇺🇸 $49
• Blink Mini 2K+ on Amazon UK 🇬🇧 £39

The new devices are available for purchase through Amazon now, and will ship on October 22 or before.

Check out our full guide to the best outdoor security cameras

AI assistants are quickly gaining the ability to interact with the world around you through a smartphone’s camera – and Amazon has just turned that concept into a hack for finding deals on similar products. The Amazon app is gaining the ability to use the camera to find product matches to the objects around you in real time.

Amazon’s mobile app already had the ability to use the camera to search for products that look similar, but the retail giant’s latest update enables shoppers to use the camera’s live view to look for similar products on Amazon.

When users open Live Lens, the Amazon app will immediately start searching for products placed in that camera view. The AI-powered tool will bring up a carousel of matching products that can be added to the cart with a quick tap on a plus icon. The feature will also integrate questions and summaries about those products from Amazon’s AI assistant, Rufus.

Unlike earlier Amazon Lens features, Live Lens works without snapping a photo to upload and searches for products right there on the live camera view.

Amazon says the feature is built on a “lightweight computer vision object detection” that runs on the device, not on the cloud. The retailer says that the tool helps identify products automatically with minimal input.

The tool can use the camera’s view to locate similar or, in some cases, exact product matches from billions of products on Amazon, the company says.

The feature has already begun rolling out to some users in the US, and the feature will continue a slow rollout to the US “over the coming months.”

Amazon Lens is accessed by tapping the camera icon in the search bar on the Amazon app. Live Lens joins the app’s existing ability to upload a photo to search, to snap a photo in the app, or to scan a barcode. Amazon Lens also has a widget for iOS users, which serves as a shortcut to open the tool from an iPhone lock screen.

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Following global buzz about a Ring Camera data breach, repeated by many influencers on TikTok, many are now asking themselves if they have been hacked. I know I am, because my fiancée and I use Ring cameras!

The cameras can be placed inside the home and out, and are (usually wirelessly) connected to the internet so that you can view them remotely using an app on your phone, or a web browser. The advantages of seeing your home from anywhere, and having remote storage of security video, make them among the best indoor security cameras.

The worry, of course, is that any kind of breach, like the one suggested, could have horrendous privacy implications, letting people see and hear into any room in your home (depending on where you put the cameras).

The influencer video everyone is talking about...

Houston, Texas-based "Your Lifestyle South Asian Mom" Bisma Parvez alleges that "If you have a Ring camera, you have likely been hacked." in a TikTok, referring to an incident on May 28 in which she says Ring was hacked.

Logins to the account are listed in the app, and Bisma Parvez found some she didn't recognise, concluding others would have had the same experience.

It is possible, of course, that she had logged into her Ring cameras properly with a password and forgotten the device she had used entirely, but these logins are recorded, so users can check and ensure that others aren't attempting to hack their account.

Ring has not explicitly admitted any hacks have taken place, but has told computing site ZD.net that one of the updates of Ring's own software before the event Parvez mentions caused an error with the login records that showed the wrong date (always May 28, 2025) and often said "Device name not found."

While there were a lot of other panicked users on TikTok and other platforms like Reddit, it was also on that platform that I spotted this reasoned quote from OppChopShop: "It would be quite odd to have some sort of simultaneous, mass scale attack like that."

Several others seemed satisfied that: "All the devices showing were my old devices from years past."

What is happening with Ring software updates?

Ring releases numerous firmware updates and you can check the details of the latest ones on the Ring software release notes and history page.

It's worth noting, however, that all that is listed are the dates, and the fact that updates have things like "security enhancements, bug fixes, performance improvements and new features" rather than specific details.

It is also worth noting that, because of the nature of the software download system, not all updates happen immediately – it might take a few weeks for them to filter to your cameras (or, of course, longer if the battery has run dead).

It's also apparent that changes that affect use – like the one being discussed – don't always make it to this list. It was a back-end change (to Ring's internal systems), yet because of the nature of the cloud, the effects were felt further afield (whether they were or were not as dramatic as all that).

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Check our guides to the best indoor security cameras and the best outdoor security cameras.

Check our review of the Ring Indoor Cam 2nd Gen.

This is the fourth generation of one of the most popular security cameras on the market. Blink's reputation is, we should acknowledge, partly garnered by being an Amazon-owned company, so it gets brilliant positioning and discounts at certain times of the year.

To say that Amazon's ownership is the only reason Blink is well-known is to do it a disservice. The cameras, especially the outdoor versions, are well known because they solve an issue: battery depletion. Blink came up with the idea of using long-life (Lithium AA) batteries in an outdoor camera, and the compromise made is that it cannot record indefinitely, but distinct video clips, limited to 60 seconds or less.

Blink says this camera can last two years (or even four years with a battery extender). I haven't had time to test that, but I've had other Blink cameras in the past where that has proven to be more or less accurate, so I have no reason to doubt it. What, then, does this new version bring to the equation?

There is a Sync Module 2 – the 'bridge' between the camera and the home Wi-Fi network. This uses a lower-energy radio system than Wi-Fi, which is what helps keep that battery life up, and it also has a USB port for a thumb drive so you can record video without paying a subscription fee (but more securely than just in the camera housing).

Price

Launched in November 2023, the list price is $99 / UK £89 / AU $149, though you'll need to make sure you have at least one Blink Sync Module 2 and a USB stick to store video on if you're not going to use the subscription cloud service.

Specifications

Build and handling

Setting up the Blink Outdoor 4 was very straightforward. I followed the on-screen instructions in the app, plugged the Sync Module 2 in and pointed my phone's camera at the QR code on the back of it.

The app also included some very clear instructions about the positioning of the camera, and they do matter here more than most security cameras because the one-life batteries will be depleted earlier if you ignore the advice. If you have a lot of trees with leaves on, you might see these as somewhat limiting (and it is interesting that the Ring camera I tested recently had no issues with fluttering leaves).

I actually chose to test the camera in the loft, because at the time I was hoping I might catch a suspected mouse/rat. As it happens, no such animal ever showed up on the video (though one did eventually make its way into the trap).

The camera will default to even shorter clips than necessary (the limit is 60 seconds) and 720P in the interest of saving the most battery possible, but I'd suggest it is worth pushing these settings up.

One limitation you can't tweak is the 143-degree field of view, which sounds like a lot, but you need to remember this figure is given on the diagonal. Some cameras now offer up to 160, like the competition from Ring, but given this camera maxes out at 1080P it is understandable that the image is more confined.

Performance

The camera spotted me on every occasion that I went near it, whether there were any lights or not, though using it in a dark location – the loft – was interesting as the image seemed to revert to the black-and-white infrared more easily than I might have expected, especially as there was light being provided by a single electric bulb.

Overall verdict

Image sharpness is not as impressive as with other security cameras, and the time limit can seem a little arbitrary – this camera feels very dominated by the battery-led design. That said, it's great that this is an option because with so many battery-powered security cameras, charging or changing the battery every few months can become a very tiresome chore, and the result is that you stop bothering, resulting in no footage at all.

Inevitably, as an Amazon-owned company, Alexa support is included - but support for Google Assistant (let alone Apple HomeKit) is ignored.

The Blink app is a good user experience, within the obvious limitations. If you opt for the subscription, and so Person detection, you can also – for a small monthly outlay – eliminate a lot of unnecessary alerts depending on your positioning. I also liked the activity zones (just tap on the squares, no weird shape drawing, feels very natural).

Alternatives

How I tested it

I tested the camera by setting it up and fitting it in our loft for several weeks, then visiting it several times and approaching from behind boxes. I also placed the camera outdoors. This gave me a good chance to see how it performed in different light and different weather, and see how far it could get from the base station.

My favorite replaceable-battery powered security camera, the Blink Outdoor, is getting an update! Why is it my favorite? Well, there aren't many. Most outdoor security cameras use some variant of power cables, rechargeable batteries, and perhaps solar to top the power up. Not Amazon-owned company Blink, though, which offers a useful alternative in the form of disposable batteries which have a much longer life but still don't need any cable runs.

Of course it's useful for Amazon too – where do most people go to buy the AA lithium batteries? Nevertheless there are scenarios where they make sense, and the previous generations have proven that.

What does the new Blink Outdoor 4th generation, just announced, bring to the party?

More onboard processing power which enables more features. An on-device AI enables advanced motion detection with customisable dual zones and Person Detection (subscription required). This allows users to receive more specific motion alerts, filtering out unwanted notifications.

There is also the option of even longer life from the same I personally used a Blink Outdoor and found the battery life really did live up to expectations, though I was careful not to over-activate it.

The camera maintains the signature battery life of up to two years on two (lithium) AA batteries. The system includes the new Blink Sync Module Core, which facilitates cloud storage for recorded footage.

You can boost that (perhaps if you're putting the camera in a busier location where it'll be activated more and use the batteries faster) with the new Battery Extension Pack. This doubles the battery life – either to a remarkable four years or, as I said, more likely, more activations in the same time!

Blink Outdoor 4 is currently priced at $49.99 / £69.99 for a single-camera system (which includes the Sync Module Core). A bundle including the camera and the Battery Extension Pack is available for $64.99 / £89.99, and the Battery Extension Pack can be purchased separately for $29.99 / £24.99.

• 🇺🇸 Blink Outdoor 4 - Amazon USA
• 🇬🇧 Blink Outdoor 4 - Amazon UK

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Check our guide to the best indoor security camera and the best outdoor security camera. We even have a guide to the best 360-degree outdoor security cameras.

I’ve been waiting for a harder, better, faster, stronger version of Amazon’s Alexa for what seems like forever, but reports suggest that I’m going to have to wait a little longer for the next-gen upgrade.

It’s no secret that Amazon is holding an event in New York on February 26, with Alexa set to headline the proceedings. And although this is still expected to go ahead, the Washington Post has reported that the public release of the enhanced virtual assistant will be delayed until March 31 at the earliest.

The Post’s source, an anonymous Amazon employee, has claimed that the delay was partially due to Alexa providing incorrect answers to questions during testing. This isn’t the first time Alexa's AI upgrade – dubbed 'Remarkable Alexa' – has been delayed, with sources reporting that a release was initially on the cards at the end of 2024. An exclusive Fortune story revealed that latency issues when responding to commands were partially responsible for the delay.

Such were Amazon's teething problems with its own AI, Reuters reported that Anthropic’s Claude AI would be integrated into 'Remarkable Alexa' according to five anonymous sources.

Unsurprisingly, Amazon has invested heavily in Anthropic, with Reuters reporting at the end of last year that the e-commerce conglomerate invested $4 billion (around £3.2 billion / AU$6.2 billion) in Anthropic, bringing its total investment to a whopping $8 billion (£6.3 billion / AU$12.5 billion).

A lot has changed since Alexa was introduced to the world in 2014. The AI boom has made the tech giant’s position at the forefront of virtual-assistant tech infinitely more precarious. With heavy competition from the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini, clearly Amazon needs to get this next step in the evolution of Alexa right.

Amazon has remained tight-lipped regarding 'Remarkable Alexa’s' goings-on behind the scenes, so I’m going to reserve any judgment until the end product is finally released. Still, it’s an exciting time for Alexa fans. Hopefully we’ll know more come the end of the month…

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We have plenty more content on AI and the way it's affecting the photography industry. I think AI is changing the creative industry, but it won't kill photography. And have you seen this massive YouTube AI trend for '1950s Super Panavision 70'? If you want to start delving into the world of AI yourself, here are the best AI-image generators.

Two of Amazon-owned Ring’s most popular outdoor security cameras will get a huge update tomorrow, January 08.

Ring once dominated the home security market, but has been eclipsed in recent years by various competitors as well as facing concerns about privacy breaches.

In an attempt to stay relevant, Ring announced at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, that the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro and the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro, will be boosted up to 2K video resolution at no extra cost to the owner, available on the Ring app.

This is a long-awaited and important step for Ring as other companies, such as Arlo and Eufy, have been shooting at 2K or even 4K for a few years now.

A spokesperson for Ring said:

"While Ring's existing HD Video delivers crisp resolution, we are always working to enhance the Ring experience for both new and existing customers, and 2K will deliver even greater sharpness and texture quality for enhanced detail and clarity. Ring Vision combines software, hardware, and Ring's internal expertise to ensure balanced color, contrast, and motion smoothing."

Alongside the camera update comes the Vehicle Detection feature, which will notify customers of moving vehicles in the camera's field of view. However, this new feature will be included as part of Ring’s Smart Alerts platform – which is only available to those with a Ring Home subscription plan.

The Vehicle Detection feature is available on several Ring products, including the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, Spotlight Cam Pro, Spotlight Cam Plus, Floodlight Cam Wired Plus, Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera, Indoor Camera 2nd Gen, Battery Video Doorbell, Battery Video Doorbell Plus, Battery Video Doorbell Pro, Video Doorbell Wired, and Wired Doorbell Pro.

Smart Home Camera Statistics states that the home security market is rapidly growing, reporting that around 98.86 million homes worldwide installed security cameras in 2023, and estimating that by 2026 that number will have increased to 163.73 million.

Despite this, issues of security remain an ongoing concern, as a recent study suggested that outdoor security cameras are “among the top collectors of user data,” harvesting 50% more than other smart home device apps.

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Interested in securing your home? Why not take a look at our guides to the best indoor security cameras, the best 360-degree outdoor security cameras, or why not look at our guides to the best fake security cameras.

If you're shopping the Black Friday camera deals, be careful out there! Amazon has increasingly been using a new device on product listings that could potentially cost you hundreds of dollars.

The new mechanism (which, I'm told, is also being used by a few other retailers) at best makes it easy for you to overlook a discount, and at worst is intentionally designed to trick you into thinking you've got the best deal by obfuscating a further saving.

You might already have bought something via the Amazon website or app without noticing that a discount was being offered.

The company has been adding a very small, very discreet tickbox beneath the price on certain product listings, marked "Coupon" in the US and "Voucher" in the UK. I first noticed this a couple of months ago, and savings that are available only via these tiny checkboxes have ranged from £2 off a USB splitter to $600 off a portable generator.

Here's an example of a listing that I saw during the recent Prime Big Deal Days event:

The voucher checkbox is small and surrounded by colorful text, star ratings and visual elements, and is dwarfed by the giant-font product description – and, crucially, it is positioned away from the purchasing sidebar containing the normal buying options (such as quantity and add to cart).

In this case, a $600 saving could easily be missed by anyone who wasn't sufficiently observant or was simply browsing in a rush. The checkbox is even easier to scroll past on the mobile app, too.

Why not just place the checkbox in the same purchasing sidebar, made obvious in the same way that the other buying options are? More's the point, given that this was in the middle of Amazon's Big Deal Days event, why wasn't this saving automatically applied – you know, on the off chance that someone shopping during a sales event might want to actually save money?

The way the checkbox is obfuscated by page elements during Black Friday feels even more insidious:

Here it feels like the listing is deliberately suggesting to the buyer that they have already got the best offer. "Black Friday Deal" is emblazoned in a red box, with a percentage saving highlighted in big red letters – so at a glance, you would think "Great, I've got my Black Friday saving!"

However, if your eyes creep a little further down, there's the option for a further significant saving – but only if you check the box.

Again, why isn't the discount automatically applied – especially during a huge sales event, when it can be fairly assumed that browsers are consenting to saving as much money as they can? What motive can Amazon have for adding extra steps to the process, other than hoping that the customer will miss the opportunity to save money?

It feels pretty unfair to me. Yes, we should all look very carefully at everything we click on the internet – it is, after all, our own responsibility to read everything on the page. But to me, this seems like caveat emptor in the most miserable, mercenary spirit possible. Sorry you screwed yourself out of getting the best deal. Happy Thanksgiving!

Take a look at the best cameras you can buy this Black Friday, and if you like the look of that RF lens then check out the best Canon Black Friday deals

If you've checked an online dictionary, or read respected sources like the Financial Times, you might well be familiar with the term “enshittification,” coined by Cory Doctorow.

If you've not heard the term, you've certainly experienced it. It's Doctorow's way of explaining how things get worse for customers, especially in the online world, thanks to the network effect and the collective action problem.

A great example is Netflix. When it started out, you paid a relatively small amount for what seemed an amazing service, while in order to break the established network – which was literally 'the networks' – Netflix had to invest heavily in attractive content and promised no ads.

It was great. At first. In 2011 it was $7.99, and many were able to start abandoning much more expensive cable or satellite packages on the back of it. Then when Netflix's own network was big enough that it had power it did several things. First it started putting up the prices. First came premium – you had to pay for multiple devices and 4K – and more and more tiers to suck extra money out of people. Premium is now $23 and it's only $1 less than the original price to suffer through ads.

At the same time, competitors arrived in the market. Not only did they introduce a lot of the same tiers and money grabs, but the content you want is now spread across Disney+, Amazon Prime, and others. So now what seemed like an amazing deal saving tons but giving you great content (especially if you weren't a sports fan) is potentially costing tons more.

Essentially the company used the network effect to create an appeal, then took advantage of it after a threshold to squeeze every last drop of revenue. Sure, that's capitalism; they're legally obliged to. Typically in the same cycle of a young company – perhaps a motivated startup with a desire to bring about genuine change, and run by a few enthusiastic people – gives way to the obligations to service many shareholders.

So how are cameras suffering enSHITtification?

As managing editor and a gadget geek here at Digital Camera World. I keep a watchful eye on smart home security cameras, while they keep a watchful eye on the rest of the world.

In recent years, these suffered from a kind of two-tiered approach; you could either buy a cheap camera, for example from one of the Amazon-owned companies Blink and Ring, then pay a subscription to take advantage of the main (and most prominently advertised) features. Or you could pay more for a system which had no ongoing costs.

If you opted for a subscription system, the fees are charged per device too, at least up to a point, so the more cameras you use, the higher your subscription costs. That's already pretty irksome.

Now, going through the details on the Blink Mini 2 as I uploaded our recent review I spotted something that surprised me a bit. Traditionally the division between the free and subscription modes of smart cameras was that you'd pay for the device to record video clips to the cloud when it thought it saw motion.

That seemed 'fair' in a way – data storage isn't free. It didn't take a calculator to work out the ongoing costs were outrageously profitable for the retailers; the camera may or may not cover its costs, but a lingering automatic income is incredibly useful for a company.

Now, in 2024, even the Blink camera's Live View mode is restricted to 5 minutes unless you pay for a subscription. You literally can't look through the device for more than 5 minutes – no data stored (in theory, anyway) without paying EVERY MONTH to you use the camera you've already paid for.

That's pretty worrying, to my mind, since it is a creeping little change, but...

...it won't just be security cameras, will it?

No. For one thing, how do you pay for your photo editing software? I pay a lot more for Photoshop than I used to, because I didn't upgrade every year. It's not that the new features aren't good, but I don't feel in control any more.

How long before it happens with 'real' cameras? Only the other day I was investigating the rumors about DJI entering the camera marketplace (spoiler: DJI declined to comment).

A key area of interest for many about the possibility of a DJI mirrorless was the company's ability to integrate software compared to Sony, Canon and Nikon. To be fair, DJI doesn't charge extra for any of its mainstream software features, but one of its key competitors – GoPro – has enthusiastically embraced the subscription model.

Software-reliant systems make charging a lot easier for companies, and, as I said, compaines are obliged to get the most for their shareholders.

Most of us have looked at how brilliant the integration between camera, album, and app in our phones and wondered why 'real' cameras can't do the same, but perhaps we should be careful what we wish for!

For now, there remains hope. In our guide to the best security camera systems we include some systems (like the Eufy) which are deliberately designed not to work this way. But the incentives are unsettling at best.

On Tuesday this week, a multiple system outage on Amazon's cloud servers resulted in widespread outages to Ring doorbells, leaving users in the dark and worried about the security of their residences until the problem was resolved. 

For some, the Ring failures – which affected Ring.com, Ring Protect (Video Recording), Live Calls (Doorbell Dings & Motions), Video On Demand, and Partner Integration – only lasted a few hours, but for others it persisted long into the night. 

While the issues have now been fixed, many have been left asking questions about what happened and whether it might happen again – and whether their Ring cameras can still be trusted. 

I asked Lorex Technology, one of North America's leading home security system specialists for over 30 years, to explain what happened. 

In short, the issue boils down to failings in Amazon's cloud services to which Ring systems are connected. With feeds and recording based in the cloud, rather than being captured locally, once there's an internet outage then the devices cease to function. 

Crucially, Lorex offers cameras with local recording capabilities that continue to save footage to a local microSD card or hard drive in such a situation. In addition, its Fusion systems enable wired doorbells to be connected to an NVR (network video recorder) for continuous 24/7 recording – which will record to the hard drive even during an outage. 

While Ring is a reputable and generally reliable system, it's definitely worth considering a system with local storage options to ensure that you're protected should there be a problem connecting to the cloud. 

Here's a breakdown from Lorex's spokesperson about what occurred during the Ring failure on Tuesday. 

What actually happened?

Cloud-dependent cameras
Many modern security cameras rely on cloud services for storage, remote access, and other features. If these cameras use Amazon Web Services (AWS) for cloud infrastructure, an outage could disrupt their ability to store footage, send alerts, or provide live streaming. However, if the cameras have local storage (like an SD card or hard drive recorder), they may continue recording locally even if cloud services are down.

Remote access and notifications
For cameras integrated with smart home systems or accessed via mobile apps, an AWS outage could affect remote viewing, notifications and control features. Users might be unable to access live feeds or receive alerts about motion detection.

Dependent services
Some security camera systems rely on additional services hosted on AWS, such as AI-based analytics for identifying specific types of events or integrating with other smart devices. An outage might disrupt these advanced features, potentially reducing the effectiveness of the security system.

Recovery and redundancy
The impact of an outage also depends on the availability of redundant systems and backup plans. Some security systems may have failover mechanisms or alternative data centers that can take over in case of an outage, minimizing disruption.

Why did it happen?

As referenced above, many systems that are exclusively reliant on cloud storage will face interruptions within their service. 

Systems that have local storage backup will still face interruption within their access through their application but can recover the recordings directly through the local storage source.

Will it happen again?

Predicting the exact occurrence of future service outages for any cloud provider, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), is challenging. While it's impossible to guarantee that outages won't happen again, several factors are involved. 

While cloud providers strive for high availability and minimal downtime, occasional outages can still occur due to the inherent complexities of large-scale cloud infrastructure.

Take a look at the best doorbell cameras, along with the best CCTV cameras and the best outdoor security cameras. 

On the last day of Amazon's Prime Day event, there's no getting away from the sheer amazing value of Blink cameras. 

Sure, as the expert I might want to point you to other features on pricier models, but to be honest what you can do with a very small amount of money with the Blink cameras especially is mind-blowing and – as an Amazon-owned company – Blink is getting some very striking discounts.

These are the ones I think are especially noteworthy, including not only the ever-so-slightly refined Blink Mini 2. Because the best advantage of the update is for outdoor use, the Blink Mini – which still have the same 1080p resolution – is getting less attention, but it has an arguably cooler feature – the pan-tilt base.

That seems to amount to amazing discounting – a camera you can remotely point in different directions for a smidge over $20. How could you not?

Best US Deals

Best UK deals

Alternatives

As the expert, my only note of caution is that to get the best of Blink (and indeed Ring – Amazon's other security camera company), you'll need to sign up to a subscription. (Yes the Blink hub can help avoid running costs, but it still lacks some features compared to the subscription, like video thumbnails, and you'll need to buy a USB stick to record to).

Admittedly a subscription and/or USB stick isn't the end of the earth. Many burglar alarm systems also expect subscriptions, so perhaps you budgeted for it already.

But I do have some other suggestions with some great deals, if you're willing to spend a bit more now (and a bit less later) on security.

And we keep a guide to the best indoor cameras.

Amazon-owned Ring cameras have become something of a cultural phenomenon since their conception in 2013. Footage from the cameras regularly makes its way onto social media with happy, sad and sometimes downright terrifying clips. Some people have even made careers out of creating content using Ring cameras. 

Well now, they've got competition.

Two months after Amazon released its first-ever integrated Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera, priced $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$129, SwitchBot has announced the launch of its new Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K – an indoor security camera with 360° horizontal and 115° vertical rotation. It is also equipped with AI human recognition technology and two different ways to store footage. 

Available to buy from Amazon, the SwitchBot camera starts at $69.99 / £79.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). 

It has a 5MP lens and a high-sensitivity sensor, and with the help of its 940nm infrared light it promises to work well day or night. The infrared light used in Night Vision Mode is invisible to the naked eye, so images won't turn red, and the light won't disturb sleep. 

An f/1.6 lens helps improve light intake by 50%, according to SwitchBot's website, compared to f/2.0 lenses, helping make the images brighter and clearer. Other features include automatic present point tracking when the camera is linked with the SwitchBot Motion Sensor and the SwitchBot Hub, which will automatically activate and start recording when it detects movement. 

Ring has had some bad press in recent months, after shelling out more than $5.6 million / £4.3 million / AU$8.3 million to 117,004 consumers after its data was hacked. Ring also made the news earlier in the year after customers complained about a 43% price increase for subscription services to safely store their video footage on the cloud, download clips and get discounted products. 

According to SwitchBot's website, "Recorded videos and photos are saved only to our app, or the SD card you use to help protect privacy. AES-encrypted video data is transferred over an encrypted TLS channel. With our cloud system using GDPR and CCPA storage certification."

With disgruntled users potentially looking to replace their Ring systems, SwitchBot could pose a very attractive alternative. 

Check out our guides to the best indoor security cameras , the best fake security cameras, and the best Ring cameras.

One of the most popular smart home security cameras of recent years has been the Blink Mini, helped in no small part by its accessible price. It probably hasn't hurt that Amazon's ownership of Blink has ensured the camera regularly shows up prominently in deals, and is compatible with the popular Alexa assistant.

The Mini, though, has been strictly confined to the indoors until now, with other devices in Blink's range covering the outdoors. That is one of the things being fixed with this update – though the price is staying impressively low.

Aside from the option of outdoor use – with a weather-resistant power adapter – the new model boasts a wider field of view, at 143-degrees (beating 110), a built-in spotlight which enables color night view, and person detection (when a Blink subscription plan is in use). For followers of the brand, the person detection AI has previously been seen on the Blink Outdoor 4, which also boasts the same 143-degree field of view.

Just like its predecessor, it can be used to provide a live two-way talk feature from your phone to the camera using its built-in microphone and speaker. Video is still 1080P. It is capable of sending real-time alerts to your phone, and (by subscribing for $3/£2.50 a month) it can also manage person detection as well as more useful alerts.

Unlike the Blink Outdoor camera, it still requires power, and the camera costs more with a weather-resistant power adapter. You'll find different pricing options on (of course) Amazon. The curvy new design is available in black and white, but sadly is not compatible with the pan-and-tilt base for the Blink Mini. (Strangely enough, the other Amazon-owned security camera and doorbell company, Ring, released their own pan-and-tilt indoor camera today!)

While the Blink Mini 2 arrives at $39.99 / £34.99, the older Blink Mini remains on sale at $29.99 / £24.99.

(Blink Mini 2 on Amazon US, Blink Mini 2 on Amazon UK)

We've not tested it yet, but will this be one of our favourite indoor cameras?

Amazon-owned Ring has long offered more that its most famous offering. Yes, it's famous for some of the best video doorbells, but they have one of the biggest ranges of indoor and outdoor cameras which can create a complete picture of your home – a picture you can view remotely via your phone, as well as an alarm system (all, of course, offering better functionality with a subscription Protect Plan if you want more than a live view).

Now, though, they're adding a new category with the launch of a new Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera which can be remote-controlled via the same app. This isn't an entirely new concept for the home – in fact Blink, a very similar company, also owned by Amazon, offers a pan-and-tilt base for its Blink Mini, which I reviewed at launch. Blink and Ring have the same parent company, but a slightly different approach.

Many, however, prefer the Ring ecosystem (or, at least, are embedded in it), and it does make life easier to have one app for all your cameras. The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera provides 1080P 'Full HD', and can be rotated 360-degrees and tilted 169-degrees, so anyone (but perhaps pet owners especially) should be able to see the entire room by picking the right vantage point.

Other features include color night vision, two-way talk with noise cancellation, advanced pre-roll (for subscribers), and the characteristic manual privacy cover which also switches off the microphone as it physically blocks the lens. Given the various travails of home security companies in privacy battles – not least Ring as recently as last week – this is a reassuring feature for many.

At the same time, Ring has announced three charming new colors to the 2nd Gen indoor camera so it can fit into home decorations more easily; they're calling the colors blush, charcoal, and starlight. If you're not in the interior decoration game you might go with pink, gray, and cream, but they certainly provide more flexibility than the stark black-and-white choice typical or Ring's camera range.

The price for the newly chic Ring Indoor Cameras remains the same at $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$99, and the cameras will be available on July 24.

The new Pan-Tilt Indoor camera, however, is available to purchase from May 31 for £69.99 / AU$129, with US pricing and availability yet to be confirmed.

See our guide to the best indoor security cameras.

Following the publication of an image on the Amazon.com site showing a drone apparently called a 'DJI Mini 4', DJI have officially confirmed the launch date of April 29 (the same date we snapped from the site), but no specs.

If you visit the Amazon.com DJI store page, you find a picture of a drone which looks a lot like the DJI Mini 2 SE (and, in that respect, the Mini 2 before it – the airframe has seen the spec refreshed without physical changes). Emblazoned on the arm, though, is the name 'Mini 4K'. It is, for now, not a link – it's just a picture; other parts of the page have a 'buy now' button.

The 4K aspect is interesting because the Mini 2 SE is limited to 2.7K resolution so, presumably, what we're likely seeing is an upgrade to 4K resolution in DJI's entry-level drone. That makes a lot of sense because there is now serious competition in the market from the likes of Potensic who have undercut DJI's pricing and brought some seriously interesting prices and features with the Potensic Atom drone that has appeared in our best beginner drone guide.

The "for beginners" line in the grab and the presence of the competition implies, to me anyway, that this is probably the end of the line for the 2 SE. Further evidence comes from the picture. The Mini 4K (if that is what is coming) still appears to have the same or a similar camera housing to the Mini 2 SE and not the more sophisticated camera of the Mini 3 and Mini 4 Pro drones, so presumably we're looking at 4K but not necessarily the same features and bit-rate of the other drones.

Speculating a bit further, it also makes me wonder what might be happening to the already sometimes discounted DJI Mini 3? This drone is more powerful than the Mini 2 SE – sitting between it and the Mini 4 Pro in the range with a better camera, but I can imagine consumers might struggle to perceive that Mini 3 is better than Mini 4K? We've also spotted some discounting of the Mini 3, so is it possible that some change is due there too?

In any case, we'll bring more details on Monday, and establish whether this will replace the Mini 2 SE or sit alongside it.

Check our guides to the best beginner drones and the best DJI drones.

I review a lot of smart home tech – doorbells and cameras – and there has been a notable trend toward adding solar panels to help keep batteries charged on the security cameras. EZVIZ, however, are delivering one with their new premium doorbell, the EP3x Pro.

Of course a smart home doorbell is more or less the same thing as a smart home security camera – there is two-way talk, smart human detection, and the option to integrate with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa as you'd expect. There is no reason not to add the solar panel – and as a regular user of solar-boosted security cameras I must say I do appreciate less manual charging. It is, still, very unusual in doorbells, making this a remarkable product.

The EP3x Pro also boasts a dual-camera system, which is an approach we've seen before on some other smart home doorbells (like that from Eufy). In this case a 2K camera faces forward while an additional 1080P camera offers a view of the step.

According to EZVIZ, this is supported by smart human and package detection which "will recognise visitors and packages left on the doorstep but not passing animals or vehicles."

Another unusual feature for the privacy conscious – perhaps a person alone at home not wishing to be identified – is a voice changer, so when you speak to visitors you can disguise your voice.

Another feature more common on cameras than doorbells is color night vision; a small light in the device will illuminate visitors so they can be seen in color. 

Whether the device can live up to the standards it sets itself we won't know until we can test it, but this doorbell is IP65 rated and promises to be an easier install than many with an extensive feature set so we look forward to trying it out.

Perhaps, though, most impressive for a device which is being announced at a list price of £129.99 (around $165 / AU$250) is that EZVIZ has included 32GB of eMMC storage (which they say is good for around 6 months of clips), so you don't need to pay for a subscription, unlike many smart home devices.

We keep a guide to the best outdoor home security cameras and the best smart home doorbells here – will this make the list when we review it? Time will tell!

Ring has announced the first battery doorbell which incorporates the company's radar-based 3D Motion Detection and Bird's Eye View features; the Battery Video Doorbell Pro which the company is calling their 'most advanced battery-powered doorbell'.

This will make it possible for wire-free installations to take advantage of these features which can be especially useful in reducing false positives from the alert systems – even more so if your door is relatively near the street because the radar (3D Motion Detection) makes it possible to disable triggering from movement further away, not something a normal infrared camera can do.

We've already seen these technologies in other products from the Amazon-owned smart-home security company. It was first seen on permanently wired products like the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro (which carried a price premium of about $50/£50 over the Floodlight Cam Wired Plus which lacked the tech). Adding it to a battery-powred device, however, increases the possibilities for installation when it comes to doorbells as not everyone has power to their doorbell.

Ring doorbells with radar tech were first seen in 2021, but only those like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 which need a wired power supply.

The new Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro will also boast 1536p HD video, and Ring are promising dynamic image processing and high-efficiency compression which they say will deliver life-like color. They even state a feature they call 'Low-Light Sight' will deliver color with nothing more than the light available from street lighting – without bathing visitors with white LED light.

The device will also boast color pre-roll, dual-band wi-fi, Alexa compatibility (it is Ring, after all!) and package and person alerts if you subscribe to Ring Protect.

The Battery Video Doorbell Pro will be available for purchase for $229 / £199.99 / AU$349 from March 20th.

I hope to review the device soon for our best smart doorbells guide, and check our  best ring cameras guide too if you're thinking of building a system.

You can't please all of the people all of the time – that is the dilemma Ring, the Amazon-owned video doorbell and security camera company, has found itself in the last few days. Ring's controversial decision, which pleased some and angered others, was to remove a feature called 'Request for Assistance,' from its Neighbors app.

Available only in the US, the Neighbors app lets local police & services send updates about crime in the area, and Ring customers might share details of local porch pirates. The feature which is being sunsetted, to use the jargon, allowed the police to directly request videos of illegal activities taking place outside people's homes – potentially powerful as a deterrent, but problematic for civil rights.

Although it didn't cite the extensive lobbying by privacy campaigners, nor mention the worries about whether Ring doorbells were inadvertently promoting racial bias, it's fair to assume the growing cloud of less-than-glowing publicity around the company will have influenced the decision to remove the feature which presumably was no longer helping sell Ring products.

It has led to disappointment amongst law enforcers though, who had already had to accept a certain level of disappointment in 2021 when the feature forced them to make their requests via the same public route as others, hence the name 'request for assistance'.

Can I still share video taken with my Ring camera?

Yes. The police can't describe a crime on the app and ask for footage of it, but if you have caught some footage you can do with it what you choose. In the devices I've reviewed, like the Ring Video Doorbell, it's been easy to share video using all the usual features of your phone.

Eric Kuh, Ring's Head of Neighbors, said in the statement that "Public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events."

Another treat in Ring's statement, if you have a minute, is a Bear relaxing in a pool, recorded on a Ring Floodlight Camera (see YouTube link below). Now that's a video that deserves to be shared!

See our review of the best smart home doorbells and the best Ring cameras.

Tablets seem to sit in a slightly strange place these days; they were once thought to be notebook replacements, but that’s long since been proven wrong. But they do provide a much more generous and inviting screen than a smartphone. The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is an 8-inch tablet that falls within the entry-level end of the market, with a screen size not much greater than a large smartphone and with performance that doesn’t quite match that of a flagship smartphone, so it’s a curious option.

That said, I have to confess that I enjoyed the size and dimensions of the HD 8 Plus. It’s not massively larger than my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and performance is mediocre in comparison. But as a device for web browsing on the sofa, watching movies in the bath, and general tasks, the screen certainly does provide a more comfortable viewing experience than using a smartphone.

Performance is adequate but not amazing, but for the average user the tablet is aimed at this probably won’t be an issue. Plus, it’s fairly inexpensive at $100 / £120 for the 32GB version or $130 / £150 for the 64GB version with adverts on the home screen. 

The without-ads option is negligibly more expensive ($115 for the 32GB and $145 for the 64GB). What you have to consider here is that competitor tablets offer larger screens, higher specs and provide access to the Google Play Store.

The major limitation of Amazon Fire tablets is that despite Fire OS being built on Android, they don’t offer access to the Google Play Store. Instead, you’re limited to the Amazon Appstore, which doesn’t provide anywhere near as many apps. But what Fire tablets do offer, is excellent access to Amazon services such as Amazon, Prime, Audible, and Kindle, so if you have a Prime subscription you can enjoy a streamlined experience in this area. Plus, major streaming apps including Disney+ and Netflix are available in the Appstore so while it is limited, you can access some of the most popular apps.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus: Specifications

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus: Design & Handling

You can’t fault the overall build quality of the HD 8 Plus, and although the rear of the device is made of plastic rather than aluminum, the textured surface provides a comfortable and effective grip. It certainly doesn’t shout out high-end, and some similarly priced alternatives are made of better materials, but this doesn’t impact negatively in terms of user experience or performance. Just don’t expect a premium look and feel, because that’s not what’s on offer here.

The bezel around the screen is quite wide, which gives the HD 8 Plus a slightly outdated look when compared to higher-end tablet models, including the Amazon FireMax 11. It’s not the end of the world, and to be fair this wider bezel makes the tablet easy and comfortable to hold single-handed when reading books using the Kindle app. 

It’s the 8-inch size that works particularly well in this situation, providing a footprint similar to a paperback book. It’s also great for general entertainment because of its 7.94x5.4x0.38in / 201.9x137.3x9.6mm dimensions and light weight of 12.06oz / 342g. What’s more, in portrait mode when you’re holding the tablet upright like a phone, the virtual keyboard allows for typing with both thumbs which makes typing quick and easy if this is what you’re used to.

The HD 8 Plus has Bluetooth so you can connect Bluetooth headphones easily, but it’s nice to see a 3.5mm headphone jack, alongside the USB-C port which is used for charging. Charging time takes around three hours and with normal use such as web browsing, social media, and watching the odd TV show and Movie with streaming apps, I was able to get just under a week of use from a single charge with what you might call general use. The HD 8 Plus is compatible with Qi-certified wireless chargers which is useful if you have one, but the supplied adaptor and USB-C cable will be ideal for most people.

As previously mentioned, the biggest letdown of the HD 8 Plus is that it doesn’t have access to the Google Play Store, and app availability in the Amazon App Store is extremely limited. It’s great for devouring Amazon content, but if you would like a much larger number of apps a standard Android tablet would be a much better option and can cost a similar amount depending on what you opt for. Any apps that also provide browser access to their website can be accessed with the Silk Browser, so you’re not completely stuck here but browser access is far less convenient than an app.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus: Performance

Setting up to the HD 8 plus is incredibly easy, and like most modern smart devices you’re guided through the process so you can’t go wrong. You’ll need an Amazon account to log in to the device, which then allows you to access your account directly from the tablet, and works extremely well if you have a Prime subscription. If you don’t have an Amazon account, you can create one during the set-up process. But the heavy push towards Amazon’s subscription-based services does mean that if you’re not a subscriber to one of these, the Appstore limitations will be extremely frustrating.

The screen’s 1280x800px 189ppi resolution looks a little outdated with pixelation visible and a general lack of clarity when compared to devices with a higher resolution. Watching movies and TV shows is fine, but the image is far from as sharp and detailed as the higher-end Amazon Fire Max 11. If the resolution was higher, combined with the size of the tablet, the HD 8 Plus would be a much more attractive option.

The hexa-core 2.0Ghz processor is adequate for general use but it’s not blazingly fast; with several apps running, there can be noticeable slowdowns when scrolling so expect some lag and stutter. It’s not so problematic that you shouldn’t consider the HD 8 Plus, but it’s something to be aware of if you typically have multiple apps running at once – something I think most of us are guilty of without even realizing. This certainly isn’t helped by just 3GB of RAM, but overall performance is fine rather than fantastic.

Being a lower-end Fire model, the front and rear cameras are low-resolution with the main rear camera offering a 5MP sensor and 1080p video capture, while the front-facing camera is just 2MP with 720p video. Image quality is OK but nothing to shout about, although having at least 5MP on the front camera with the higher video resolution would be much better for video calls. Tablets aren’t really designed with photography and video capture in mind, so settings are limited, but this certainly adds to the slightly dated feel of the HD 8 Plus despite being the 2023 model.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus: Verdict

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus positions itself awkwardly in a tablet market that remains as competitive as ever despite a plateauing of features and functionality. With a screen that’s not even Full HD, the on-screen image suffers from slight pixellation and a general lack of clarity; while the processor and RAM only provide adequate performance with slight lag and stutter noticeable.

For general web browsing, using streaming apps and Amazon services, the HD 8 Plus is absolutely fine and will cover the needs of many users. The 8-inch size of the tablet makes it extremely comfortable to use and it’s great for reading books with the Kindle app. But let’s not forget, if you’re not a subscriber to Prime or one or more of Amazon’s other subscription services, you’re not going to get the best from the tablet. Especially considering the heavy lean towards these services and the general lack of apps that are available in the Amazon Appstore.

The HD 8 Plus isn’t a poor tablet, but it does have a dated feel in terms of the overall design, performance, and screen resolution. Combine this with the above and you may well be better served with a standard Android tablet for a similar price where you can take advantage of the far superior Google Play Store where all Amazon apps are available anyway. Not to mention, you could get a higher resolution screen and slightly better performance overall.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus Alternatives

Amazon is well-known in the tablet world for producing affordable devices that maximize the benefits of Amazon Prime subscriptions. The Amazon Fire Max 11 is the most powerful and expensive Fire tablet to date, and it’s also the best. The Fire Max 11 is a 13th-generation 2023 model boasting a crisp and clear 11-inch screen and a contemporary design that makes the Fire Max 11 look and feel like a high-quality device.

Overall performance is perfect for everyday web browsing, watching videos using streaming services, and also for productivity tasks when paired with office and other productivity apps. But the major frustration with all Fire tablets, including the Fire Max 11 which is the flagship model, is that the Amazon Appstore is extremely limited when it comes to app availability; despite being built on Android, the Fire Max 11 has no access to the extensive Google Play Store.

This is going to be a huge hurdle for many potential users of the device because you’re limited to what Amazon has curated for you in terms of apps, and the App Store feels almost like a ghost town. However, if you’re a Prime subscriber or subscribe to Audible or Kindle Unlimited, the Fire Max 11 is by far the best Fire tablet for accessing this content alongside the likes of Netflix and Dsiney+.

Amazon Fire Max 11: Specifications

Amazon Fire Max 11: Price & Availability

The Amazon Fire Max 11 is available with 64GB or 128GB of storage and can be purchased device only or in one of several bundles. Plus, there are options for ads or to be ad-free on the home screen and it’s barely more expensive to go ad-free. The 64GB Fire Max 11, a device only with home screen ads, costs $195 / £250. The Productivity Bundle, which includes the Fire Max 11, Keyboard Case, and Stylus Pen costs $305 / £375 and is the bundle that was sent for review. It’s a good price for the performance of the tablet, but you can enjoy equally good performance with access to the Google Play store and many more apps with competitor tablets.

Amazon Fire Max 11: Design & Handling

The Fire 11 Max looks great with a contemporary design – it’s undoubtedly a smart-looking device that looks as good as more expensive competitor tablets. The body is made of aluminium while the screen is made of strengthened glass that’s claimed to be three times as durable as the iPad 10.9-inch 10th generation model. It all sounds promising, but the latter hasn’t been tested for obvious reasons, so we’ll have to take Amazon’s word for it.

Overall, it’s a Svelte design for a tablet of this size, and the Fire Max 11 is comfortable to hold with flat sides and curved corners. At just 17.28oz / 490g it’s it’s also fairly lightweight for a tablet with an 11-inch 16:9 screen. The bezel around the screen is nice and narrow which adds to the modern look, but also means most of what you’re looking at is the all-important 2000x1200 213ppi screen rather than a small screen surrounded by a thick black bezel, which is an outdated tablet design. So, that’s a generous amount of screen real estate when the tablet is 10.2x6.4x0.29in / 259.1x163.7x7.5mm.

The screen itself provides great image quality thanks to the resolution, producing a sharp and vibrant image whether you’re watching a movie or typing an email, etc. There are certainly no complaints in this area, and when used with the Keyboard Case, the back of the Fire Max 11 and the screen are protected from damage. This is a high-quality case that connects to the tablet magnetically, with the keyboard attaching to the pogo pin connection at the bottom of the tablet and the half-folding rear section to create a stand simply attaching to the back.

The Keyboard Case and Stylus pen both work exceptionally well, providing a more laptop-like experience with the multi-touch trackpad and physical keys for typing. The Stylus Pen allows you to write notes and draw depending on what apps you have for this, and handwriting recognition is impressive – it could read my almost unintelligible scrawl without any problems using a free note app.

The problem we have here is that we come roaring back to the limitations of the Appstore, where apps are almost blood-boilingly limited; imaging apps such as Photoshop Express, Snapseed, and Lightroom Mobile aren’t available. Not even YouTube or Instagram are available, although there are strangely some apps that can pull YouTube videos through. It’s a shame because the way that the Fire Max 11 performs overall suggests that it could handle these apps with ease. But apps that also have websites can be accessed with the Silk Browser, so it’s not all bad news here.

Amazon Fire Max 11: Performance

Setting up the Fire Max 11 is quick and easy, but you will need an Amazon account to sign into the device rather than a Google account. If you don’t have one, you can sign up during the set-up process. Within this process, you connect to your home WiFi, opt for photos to be shared to  Amazon Photos and activate Alexa etc. It’s pretty much a run-of-the-mill set-up, but once you’re in you have incredibly easy access to your Amazon Account.

In use, the Fire Max 11 provides a pleasant and streamlined experience thanks to the octa-core processor with two Arm Cortex-A78 up to 2.2Ghz and six Arm Cortex A55 up to 2Ghz. RAM is pitched in the midground at 4GB, which is less than flagship smartphones these days, but this combined with the processor showed no signs of weakness during what you would call average use. There were no slowdowns when running multiple apps and navigation was smooth, which ultimately provides a positive user experience.

The front and rear cameras are extremely basic with automatic controls and both feature low-resolution 8MP sensors by today’s standards, with the ability to capture 1080p video. The rear camera has autofocus, while the front camera which is most likely to be used for video calls is fixed focus. The front camera is arguably the most useful of the two with video calls in mind, although it certainly doesn’t hurt to have both front and rear cameras, even if they are extremely basic and low-resolution.

Battery life is advertised at up to 14 hours on a full charge, and during what I would consider to be average use, I was able to get a week’s use out of a single charge. The Fire Max 11 was left on standby when not in use, and I watched a couple of movies on Prime, watched a few YouTube videos, did lots of web browsing, wrote emails and made notes using the Stylus Pen. I tried to integrate the tablet into my daily routine as much as I could alongside my computer and phone, and it did prove useful but mainly for comfortable web browsing and entertainment on the sofa. The Keyboard Case was great when typing anything, whether resting the tablet on my lap or a table.

Amazon Fire Max 11: Verdict

The Amazon Fire Max 11 works extremely well as an entertainment device, especially if you’re a Prime subscriber, and even as a productivity device if you opt for the Keyboard Case. Microsoft Office and other Office apps are available on subscription but, unfortunately, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are unavailable, which are free to use and just as good as any of the paid options for most people.

It’s here that the main problem with all Amazon Fire tablets lies, including the Fire Max 11, that the highly restricted Amazon Appstore offers such a tiny number of apps compared to Google Play. And what makes it even more frustrating is that Fire OS is built on Android, so the two are compatible. Providing access to Google Play alongside the Appstore, in the way Samsung devices offer both the Samsung Store and Google Play, would be the perfect situation for consumers. But grumbles about the Appstore aside, you can still do many things with the Fire Max 11 and if an app also has a website, you can access this through the Silk Browser. 

There is a strong lean towards Amazon services that you can’t get away from, but overall performance is great with no noticeable slowdowns or lag when running multiple apps, and the screen is fantastic thanks to the size and resolution. Should you buy it? Well, if you’re happy with the limitations of the app store then you can’t go wrong because it’s a great tablet at a good price. But, if you want or need access to specific apps that are unavailable and/or have no website to access them, you’d be much better off with a standard Android tablet – it’s that simple. 

Amazon Fire Max 11 Alternatives

Amazon is one of the most powerful companies in the world. The trillion-dollar conglomerate has its fingers in e-commerce, advertising, streaming and more recently surveillance. Since the launch of Alexa devices, Ring doorbells and the Neighbor app, Amazon has eyes and ears everywhere and in doing so has created one of the largest public surveillance rings in the world. 

It’s kind of scary when you think about how much influence Amazon has on the world. What started as a humble book-selling platform from the garage of Jeff Bezos’ rental apartment (thanks to a big investment from his parents) is now one of the most valuable brands in the world alongside Apple, Microsoft and Walmart. But giving civilians access to CCTV that can be shared amongst communities and accessed by law enforcement has created even more of a divide between race and class in more affluent, primarily white areas in the States. 

• Check out the best spy cameras perfect for recording people secretly

Society has willingly bought into Amazon’s easy way of living. At first, people invested in Ring Video Doorbells as a means to protect their homes from potential thieves but now anyone who looks even slightly suspicious (even if they have no bad intention) can be watched. Without realizing we have signed ourselves up to be monitored at home and in our local neighborhoods by installing such devices. Whether you're taking the bins out, having a conversation around one of Amazon's always-on listening devices or dropping a package around to a neighbor, there is a chance you've been caught on camera. 

When Ring Doorbells were launched in 2014 (long before they were acquired by Amazon) they turned a familiar device on its head – suddenly you could receive an alert from your phone when someone was at the door and be able to see who it was. In 2016, a live-view feature that lets you see and speak to visitors from anywhere in the world and as Ring doorbells have advanced – so has the level of surveillance we have at our hands. Ring was acquired by Amazon in 2018 and since then we've seen the launch of the Peephole Cam, a feature called Pre-Roll which shows 4 seconds of footage captured before the motion sensor is triggered and in 2023 the first battery-powered HD doorbell was launched making them even more accessible. 

Footage recorded by Ring Doorbells is supposed to remain private but there have been incidences when Amazon has landed itself in trouble with the law for handing over footage to local authorities.  In 2018, Ring launched the Neighbors app which enables users to get real-time, hyper-local updates about what's going on in their neighborhood. People can anonymously share videos they deem suspicious and anyone who has crime alerts set to on will be notified as they occur making law enforcers privy to footage that would otherwise need a warrant to view. 

According to the Sentencing Project, African Americans are imprisoned at 3.5x the rate of non-Hispanic white people. In 2016, black Americans made up 27% of prisoners (double their share of the population) and black people are 3.7x more likely to be arrested for the possession of marijuana than white people. Now while these statistics may not seem to have anything to do with Amazon’s surveillance, how Ring Doorbells and the Neighbor app are used is hurting individuals from minorities. 

Affluent white communities, especially in the US, are known to invest not only in Ring doorbells but in Ring’s external floodlight cameras and internal security cameras. This is largely due to the fact they can a) afford to and b) believe they have property and valuables that will be better protected by enhanced security measures. For those who use home surveillance devices to keep an eye on who is at the door and whether the delivery man correctly delivered a parcel – these devices are pretty innocent. But one neighborhood in L.A. has started using these devices as a way of alerting neighbors of 'suspicious behavior' – and often those reported are Black or Hispanic. 

Ring doorbells are now thought to be the largest civilian surveillance in the US. According to Business Wire roughly 36% of homes in the US have smart video doorbells – of which 40% are ring doorbells. Ring doorbells are making it almost impossible to do anything without being recorded – whether that's taking the bins out, delivering food to a neighbor or getting into your car. Even at home, people are being monitored much more closely.

In 2018, Ring started brokering partnerships with local police departments in the US and as of November 2023 over 2023 are part of the programme. This controversial move raises concern for three main reasons. It takes ownership away from homeowners, it has the potential to put people who are already discriminated against by the police force at even more risk of persecution and could mislead police officers as to how to spend their time – especially if something takes place in an area of personal interest. 

Devices such as Ring doorbells may be designed to keep us safe but they also keep us on constant alert. They make us wary of everyone and instead of craning our necks over neighbors' fences like you might've done in the 'good old days', you can sneakily watch what people are up to from the comfort of your home. Ring doorbells have proved they are useful - especially when it comes to proving a package wasn't delivered safely or carefully but there is a much darker side to this all-singing, all-dancing doorbells. 

I'm sure people buy them with the genuine intention of deterring criminals, but at what point do we start assuming everyone who doesn't look the same as us or "who doesn't belong in the area" might be up to no good? There is very little evidence to show that Ring doorbells or other types of CCTV prevent crime. The only 'study', showing a 55% reduction in burglaries over a six-month period, is more of a promotional event. The sample pool was so small it's hard to be sure how accurate the results are. 

Until there are more thorough, independent studies into the effectiveness of Ring doorbells, it's worth considering the implications of getting one fitted. It might enable you to keep an eye on who comes to your door when out and about but at the cost of your own and your neighbor's privacy. We're already monitored the moment we step into the supermarket, a restaurant, or even the gas station, should we be monitored in our neighborhoods too?

Philips Hue has long allowed its users remote control over their homes with potential security benefits – but until now that's been in the form of remotely turning lights on and off with a potential for deterrence. Now the company is launching three new smart security cameras and moving firmly into the competitive smart security space.

• Read our guide to the best indoor security cameras

Philips Hue Secure, a new part of the product line launching this fall, will include a wired security camera, a battery-powered security camera, a contact sensor (for doors or windows) and – in the quarter of 2024 – a floodlight camera.

The cameras announced so far are all 1080P and will report motion to users via alerts and push notifications from the Hue app. They will be controllable via the app's Home tab. Each camera will have black-out zones and they can be 'armed' or 'disarmed'. They will need a Hue Bridge (which users of Hue lighting products likely already have), though the cameras will use wi-fi, not zigbee, to send their feed.

In other exciting news for Hue fans, Philips indicated that Matter support will finally be coming along to the platform, potentially enabling more than 50 lights per home and quicker switching.

Apple Home users should dampen their enthusiasm about the cameras slightly; even though Philips Hue lights integrate well with Apple Home, there are no plans for the cameras to support HomeKit. Nor, on day one, will there be live video integration with Alexa or Google smart displays.

Instead, the Hue Secure system is one made familiar by brands like Ring, Blink, and Nest. Hue will ask owners to pay a dedicated subscription fee starting at $3.99 / €3.99 a month. As is the industry standard, users not paying won't get any kind of video history, though will be able to view events live through the app. All customers will also get a 30-day free trial of the Basic plan.

The expected prices for the products themselves are:

• Hue Secure wired camera (with magnetic wall mount): $199.99 (approx £160 / AU$310)
• Hue Secure wired camera (with desktop stand): $229.99 (approx £182 / AU$355)
• Hue Secure battery camera: $249.99 (approx £200 / AU$390)
• Hue Secure floodlight camera: $349.99 (approx £280 / AU$540)

While you wait for these products to become available, why not check out our guide to the best outdoor security cameras or think about the possibility of HomeKit security cameras (which use your iCloud subscription if you're an Apple fan). 

Ring, the Amazon-owned home security firm, has expanded from doorbells into a full range of devices to protect your home. They even have a surprising amount of choice within the floodlight niche, offering two variants of their 'Spotlight' series camera with smaller lights built into the housing as well as a 'Pro' variant of this shape with more sophisticated tech.

The key difference between this and the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro is that it lacks HDR video and what Ring call "3D Motion" – a sensor that detects range as well as the traditional PIR movement sensor this device sports.

For this review, I handed the device to my dad – equipped as he was with a garage in need of a floodlight and a suitable electricity supply. For that, too, is a factor here. Both Ring's floodlight options require mains electricity (110V in the US, 230v in the UK). The Ring Spotlight camera (which I have reviewed previously) can be powered entirely by batteries, significantly simplifying the initial installation but at the cost of long-term maintenance of that power supply.

I have tested and installed numerous Ring devices, and will offer comparisons as appropriate, but this review benefits too from my dad's first-time experience with the brand.

Key Features

The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus has a 1080P motion-triggered security camera flanked on both sides by 2,000 lumen floodlights which can be angled to cover up to 270-degrees of view. It draws power from a wire, and communicates by Wi-Fi.

As a Ring product, it has good integration with Alexa, including the option of audio announcements if motion is detected and the ability to ask an Alexa View (the screen) to show the live view and initiate two-way-talk. Of course alerts, live view and settings can also be monitored in the Ring app for iPhone and Android.

When it comes to recording, like other smart cameras, this camera records when a motion event is detected, but there is no on-board memory; after the first 30 days you'll need a subscription to Ring's Cloud Protect cloud service, which costs $3 / month.

Specifications

Video: 1080P
Camera field of view: 140˚ horizontal
Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz only
Two-way-talk: Yes
Siren: 105dB
Motion detection: PIR

Build and handling

The floodlight comes in a satisfyingly well-engineered carton which has compartments for the lamp, its backing plate, fixings (including spares), screwdriver/wrench tool, basic instructions, and window stickers. 

The unit has two adjustable lamps on either side of the camera/detector unit which can also be swiveled as required. This allows the device to be mounted either on a wall or under a horizontal surface, typically under the eaves of a roof.

Installation was simplicity itself. The cable is threaded through a grommet in the backing plate which is screwed to the wall with two screws. There was no light at the proposed site but 230v power was present in the garage and it was reasonably straightforward to add a fused spur to the existing circuit and thread it out through a 10mm hole. Only a short length of the cable needs to project through the wall so if you’re replacing an existing lamp there’s no need to worry if there’s not much to spare. A qualified electrician might be required to check this work.

The mounting holes are elongated to enable adjustment and Ring has been thoughtfully built in a tiny spirit level so that a fitter working from the top of a ladder can get the plate straight and level. Built-in seals look to offer a decent level of weather protection. With the backing plate secure the mains cable can be wired to a connection block then the lamp unit itself can be offered up. Here again, Ring has helped the fitter by incorporating a handy strap that clips onto the backing plate, taking the (not insubstantial) weight of the lamp while it is wired to the block.  The lamp then fits neatly onto two threaded rods and is secured with discrete white nuts, tightened with the wrench provided. The whole process took less than half an hour.

The next step was to open an account with Ring, a process that includes the usual 2-step verification, and then to set up the device. The instruction leaflet included a QR code which enabled the Ring app to provide a series of steps to follow. The third step was to remove the protective film over the camera (some of us need reminding!) The process then creates a temporary network between the camera and your mobile device before finally accessing your home wi-fi network. The process was short, despite its misgivings about the quality of my wi-fi signal.

Performance

The smoothness of the step-by-step installation extends to the customising of software features which follows mounting and establishing a connection. It should be said that the connection to my home router, some 20m (60ft) away and hiding behind two substantial masonry walls, wasn’t going to be reliable. However, there was enough of a signal to complete the set-up and transmission only failed briefly in the first few days of operation, despite the app's warnings.

The default screen once the device is connected shows the image being recorded, or last recorded, by the camera. It’s in landscape format under a row of 4 editable buttons which can be customised to bring up the controls that the user finds most useful. There’s a scroll bar below the picture so that the user can easily navigate to recently recorded video. The definition of the still pictures displayed on this screen is reasonable, but a license plate about 8m away was not easily deciphered. 

A gearwheel icon in the top right corner of the image brings up a more detailed menu of which the most important options are:

Event History: showing a still from each occasion the camera has been triggered, with a time stamp. Device Schedules: enabling the user to define times and days when the motion sensor and lights are active. Motion Snooze: allowing motion alerts to be paused for a defined period from 30 mins to 12 hrs, a sort of ‘do not disturb’ feature. Device Health: which checks several functions, including a report on wifi signal strength. Motion Settings: where the sensitivity of the detector can be adjusted and the area of the field of view which it detects can be limited to a defined polygon. I found this useful to avoid the device being triggered by movement on my neighbour’s driveway and reducing the number of recordings set off by passing traffic. Privacy Zones: a feature enabling part of the field of view to be wholly excluded from recordings and for audio to be disabled.

Verdict

In my dad's words: "First impressions were largely favorable. Considering I had no previous experience with Ring devices or, indeed, any similar technology, the setup and operation proved reasonably straightforward. After a couple of days’ experience, I was able to turn down the sensitivity of the motion detector and restrict its field of view to prevent a plethora of triggers. I also reduced the intensity of the lights which, at their default setting, could’ve resulted in complaints from the nocturnal wildlife (although I’ve not yet managed to record the badgers or foxes which haunt the area at night).

He also noted, however, "The sound recording is not great – it is barely possible to interpret what is being said near the microphone, even when the chirruping of the local sparrows – which seems to monopolize the soundtrack – is absent. The frequent ‘dings’ from my phone and iPad when m movement was detected got irritating once the novelty had worn off but the app allows them to be silenced.

The other issue seemed to be a tendency for the lights to remain on well beyond the expected time occasionally – perhaps if it loses its internet connection in this period. We can't be sure it wasn't done by a neighbor annoyed by the light or the high wind, but the lamps did re-position themselves over a very breezy weekend.

Overall, though, this – the more sensibly priced of Ring's two floodlight cameras seems a wise investment, offering both light and good quality video for noticeably less cash than the "Pro," the primary benefit is to be able to reduce the motion detection distance. Great if you put it near the road, but not offering a lot on a garage.

With the best Amazon Prime Day camera deals just around the corner, there has never been a better time to sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

Not only will you be able to access the very best Prime Day camera deals, but there are lots of other advantages to being a Prime member, some of which few people know about.

Whether or not you want to support Amazon as a photographer, you can’t deny that Prime does offer good value for money even if you're paying AU$9.99 a month or AU$79 a year. The benefits here are listed more with photography in mind.

I first signed up for Amazon Prime when the world went into lockdown in 2020 to help me get pantry essentials and other products I needed but couldn't get to the store for. I've retained my membership even after Australia opened up as it's saved me several times when I've needed a little something last minute, whether for work or home, and I didn't have the time to run to the shops.

I quickly realised that the small fee I was paying was well worth it even if I shopped on Amazon a couple of times a month as I was making full use of some of the free inclusions.

So, why become a Prime member? Take a look at my reasons below.

1. Free and fast delivery

One of the biggest advantages of signing up to Amazon Prime is the most obvious. You get free, expedited delivery on thousands of items, whether it's filters or photography props, even cameras and lenses. If you need anything for a shoot last minute, it's definitely the quickest place to go. 

Amazon Prime's premium delivery has saved me countless times, and I love that you can select to only view items that have Prime delivery, both Australian and international products. If you order early enough in the day, and depending on where you live, you can even get one-day delivery on some items (specifically select Sydney and Melbourne post codes) – which makes Prime a godsend!

Importantly, Aussie shoppers aren't restricted to what can be purchased locally from Amazon AU or small domestic businesses. We have access to items from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany and Amazon Japan as well. And if your purchase(s) total AU$49 or more, your delivery is free from the Amazon Global Store.

2. Discounts on Prime Day

You read that right, if you're an Amazon Prime member you can get great discounts on a whole range of Amazon products during the two-day sale, but you will only be able to see and take advantage of these deals if you have signed up to Prime.

Moreover, Prime members also get to see Amazon's Lightning Deals (those that last for just a few hours on limited stock) 30 minutes ahead of everyone else so you don't miss out.

Better yet, the cameras and lenses that are discounted on Amazon through the year typically have the best price at that time, and we sometimes see record lows during Prime Day and Black Friday.

That's why we recommend taking out an Amazon Prime 30-day trial for free if you haven't tried it already. This means you won't be charged (make sure you cancel before 30 days) but can take full advantage of the massive saving to be had this Amazon Prime Day.

3. Prime Video

As well as free and fast delivery, being an Amazon Prime member also gives you access to Prime Video which includes hundreds of films, series and Amazon originals to keep you entertained. Considering that Netflix starts at AU$6.99 a month for the most basic plan with ads, Prime Video is pretty good value for the money as it's included for free as part of your Prime package.

While there aren't any photography-specific documentaries on the Australian Prime Video library (we missed out on Finding Vivian Maier), there are plenty of huge titles, including Lady Gaga's House of Gucci, fantasy series Wheel of Time and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and a plethora of cult movies too.

Amazon Prime Video can be a brilliant place to find inspiration for photo shoots if you're into documentaries and reality TV, and if you're a videographer, ideas on colour grading styles, camera shots, and film angles.

4. Prime Music

If you don’t want to pay for multiple services such as Spotify and Netflix, an Amazon Prime membership also includes music streaming with Prime Music. It used to be limited to about 2 million songs, but that's now expanded to 100 million, so there'll be plenty of tunes to listen to while you work on edits.

And it's ad free too, as are the podcasts available on Prime Music. You can even shuffle, find any artist you like and play a whole album if you wish – something you don't typically expect from a service that's essentially free. You can listen via the phone app or on a web browser.

What you don't get with Prime Music is HD sound quality and spatial audio. For that, you're going to need Music Unlimited, which costs AU$11.99 a month after a 30-day free trial period. That said, new customers can usually score a longer trial period (typically 3-4 months) in the lead up to Prime Day.

Many professional photographers cite listening to music as one of their inspirations – particularly when it comes to getting in the zone for the editing phase of their work – so why not dig in and find yourself the right playlist to process your photos to?

5. Prime Reading

Every month you can read a different selection of books on your Kindle or smartphone for absolutely nothing with Prime Reading if you've signed up for a Prime membership. While you don’t get quite the same satisfaction as reading an actual book, it's perfect for travelling, when baggage restrictions mean you can't carry the extra weight of books.

There are thousands of titles to choose from, including comics and graphic novels, although be warned that the vast majority would be self-published titles (mostly in the romance category). On the flip side, you could discover hidden gems by exploring these.

Additionally, Prime members can also sign up for Amazon First Reads, which will score you a free ebook each month, with early access to upcoming titles and discounts on select new ones.

6. Prime Gaming

Even photographers love a good video game and if you're one of them, Prime Gaming is where there's plenty to discover. There's exclusive in-game loot to be unlocked each month to help you gain weapons, character skin upgrades, boosts and so much more. There are also free games available to play and they're yours to keep. Your Prime Gaming subscription also gets you access to twitch.tv if you wish to watch gamers live stream their progress, and you get Prime status on Twitch too.

7. Amazon Photos

For a photographer, this is the least enticing perk for Prime members.

All Amazon Australia Prime members get 5GB of photo and video storage with Amazon Photos. Admittedly it's not a lot, but it's something. I found out about it only recently myself, although I was a little miffed to discover that Prime members in the US and UK get unlimited photo storage (although just 5GB for video).

In comparison Google Drive is limited to 15GB, so you could divvy up your files if you don't use an external drive to back them all up. Professionals, however, might need to consider paying for one of the best cloud storage options for photos.

Canon USA and Amazon.com have filed a joint lawsuit against sellers of counterfeit Canon camera batteries and chargers sold through Amazon.com. The statement from Canon specifies that the joint lawsuit was filed with the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington against 29 Amazon accounts selling fake products, infringing Canon's trademark rights.

The fact that Canon is pursuing trademark infringement is to be expected, as fake Lithium-ion batteries and substandard charging equipment being fraudulently sold with Canon branding could well be dangerous for unsuspecting end users. More surprising is that Amazon is jointly filing the lawsuit, as it's Amazon's own platform that's facilitating the sale of these counterfeit goods. If Amazon already had tighter control over its Marketplace seller listings, this issue could well have been prevented before fake products could ever reach buyers.

With this lawsuit in progress, you might therefore assume Amazon had now removed all dubious Canon-labelled listings from its Marketplace platform. However when we did a quick search for 'Canon battery' on Amazon.com, we found several suspicious products still prominently listed for sale. These items feature images of batteries clearly embossed with the Canon logo, but there are several clues that hint that these products might not be the real deal. Item titles such as "Battery for Canon Rebel...." (you’d expect the product title of a genuine battery to lead with "Canon") don't inspire confidence. Likewise, the 'Brand' section in the product details of these suspect listings usually specifies the battery brand as 'Generic' or even 'EOSRebel' - not 'Canon'. And of course there's the surprisingly cheap prices being charged for these batteries - often way less than half Canon's RRP. It all gives us serious cause for concern.

As always folks, if a product deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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Canon has announced that it will soon be launching a curated photography marketplace for digital art (NFTs) from innovative creators, and it's called Cadabra. 

Very little has been provided in the way of information surrounding this new NFT platform, with the announcement from Canon US taking the form of a simple two-sentence tweet and a newsletter sign-up link. 

• These are the best stock photo sites for photographers to sell images

Is Canon being deliberately secretive about this newly developed online marketplace? Or is there really nothing interesting to share yet in the way of specifics and details? "Coming soon" is also an extremely vague timeframe. Next week? Next year? When we could actually start using this new marketplace is unspecified, but at least a website has been created called Cadabra.io.

According to a report by Decrypt, the new platform will be hosted in the form of an Ethereum NFT (Non-Fungible Token) blockchain, and can be described as a curated marketplace for photographers to sell tokenized photographs. Ethereum is an open-source software, and decentralized blockchain platform, which uses 'Ether' as the native cryptocurrency for any sales. 

The concept of NFTs, navigating the blockchain, ownership, gas fees, and understanding cryptocurrency is still super confusing to a lot of photographers and content creators (us included). So to help make a bit more sense of it all, take a look at our NFT explainer . 

The article by Decrypt also suggests that Cadabra will only be launching in the US initially, and will also enable participating artists and photographers to offer physical prints of their images to purchasers (which Canon itself will fulfill). 

Canon jumping into the world of NFTs at this late stage is a little surprising, especially with the rise of AI image-generators dominating the webspace at the moment, rendering the concept of NFTs almost forgotten. We reported over a year ago that NFTs are coming to Instagram, as confirmed by Zuckerberg himself, but we're yet to see this or any timescale supporting its development. 

Previously, Canon dipped its toe into the world of NFTs last year when it joined up with the NFT marketplace, Immutable Image, and eight renowned Canon legends minted their images as NFTs as part of the Legends program. 

Would you ever consider turning your best photographs into sellable NFTs? If the process was made as easy as possible for photographers to follow, and more accessible for those a little less tech-savvy, then it could certainly be the future of selling photographs online. Let us know your thoughts and whether you agree!

You might also be interested in how to make your first photography NFT, as well as how photographers can make money with NFTs. You can also check out the best Canon cameras and best Canon lenses.

The Blink Indoor is a long-running smart camera solution from the Amazon-owned security camera company. Now in its third generation, the Blink Indoor offers a capable compromise between price (not much) with features (just enough) to ensure you can get a smart home security system up and running with little trouble.

Specs and features

The Blink Indoor contains a 1080p camera, with a 110-degree field of view – just enough to get a broad overview of the camera’s surroundings, whether you’re looking into a room or out of a window into the world beyond. With a 30fps frame rate, and a night-vision feature, the Blink Indoor can clearly make out objects in motion, whatever the time of day.

There’s a basic motion sensor feature, which will automatically send you a notification when something moves into the camera’s field of view. The app allows you to ‘arm’ or ‘disarm’ this setting, though it’s worth noting that there’s no audio sensor working in tandem, as with some competitor devices.

Blink is an Amazon-owned company, which means it supports the Alexa voice assistant as standard.

The Blink Indoor will likely be the most effective in tandem with a broader smart home ecosystem. The Sync Module – that comes packaged with the Indoor camera – can support up to 10 Blink devices, allowing for a more thorough overview of your home. It’s a little irritating to have to juggle two devices, which look nearly identical, but it does act as a jumping-off point for multiple Blink cameras if you so wish.

However, you can also link the Blink Indoor up with Echo Show devices, for an easy way to tune into the video feed from elsewhere in the house. Echo Show 8, Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15 even allow you to view multiple feeds simultaneously on the single screen, like a security guard in a James Bond movie.

You will, as ever, need to buy a subscription to access cloud storage for your video clips, though the Sync Module can store up to 256GB of photo and video files locally, as long as you attach your own USB drive (not included) to the USB-A port in the side of the module.

Build and handling

The Blink Indoor’s greatest strength is its shape. At 71 x 71 x 31mm, it’s a relatively slim device, and easy to slip onto a bookshelf or windowsill without dominating part of the room.

This is a wire-free model, meaning it runs on two (included) AA Lithium batteries, with an estimated battery life of two years – or a little less, if you increase the length of video clips in the Blink app’s settings, or end up using its motion sensing feature quite a lot.

The back of the device can be unscrewed by the included plastic key, revealing space for two AA batteries and the QR code you’ll need to set up the device on the Blink mobile app. Two tasteful rubber covers conceal the opening and a microUSB port (in case you’d rather use a charging cable over the batteries).

There is also the option to screw the Blink Indoor into a wall, with a simple attachment that can pivot the precise angle of the camera – not quite as flexible as the Arlo Essential Spotlight, but enough to get control over where the Indoor is aimed.

Performance

The Blink app is workable, but with a few quirks that are worth being aware of. There’s a meager two-second delay to the video feed, and you’ll have to repeatedly hit a ‘Continue?’ button to keep live viewing active, which is a little irritating. It’s really designed for quick check-ups rather than sustained surveillance, which is worth keeping in mind.

You’ll get immediate notifications of a motion alert, though you’ll have to go into the app and check out the latest clip recording in order to see what went down.

When viewing live, you can switch the two-way audio on or off, hold to speak, or save the current video session to local/cloud storage. The two-way audio is perfectly functional, if a little tinny – while you can get basic messages across, it’s not the best medium for an in-depth conversation.

One of the best features is an auto-photo setting, which takes a single image every hour, at a slightly reduced 640x360 resolution. It’s a great way to get snapshots of your home, especially if you’re away for a significant period of time.

Video is as good as you can expect at this price range – with a pleasing monochrome clarity when the infrared camera turns on at night. This will happen automatically when the environment gets too dim, and the camera quality is perfectly up to the task.

Blink Indoor: Verdict

The Blink Indoor is a cheap, but effective smart security camera. While it lacks the premium features or thoughtful app design of some higher-end competitors, it’s a workable smart home solution for those wanting to keep an eye out in a certain location. With immediate motion alerts, 1080p/30fps video, and infrared recording for the late hours, you have everything you need here to start feeling safe in your home. If you can get used to some of the quirks of the Blink app, there’s little here to complain about.

Read more:

Best indoor security cameras 

Best outdoor security cameras

Best dash cam

The best pet cameras

The best video doorbell cameras

The best body cameras for personal security

Best camera phones

Best VPN for photographers

Users of Amazon-owned Ring's range of security cameras using the basic free plan will lose access to mode settings from March 29. This will apply not just to new customers but existing owners of existing Ring cameras and doorbells in the USA and Canada. In addition, the Ring Alarm system will now require a Ring Protect plan for all new customers.

The Home and Away Mode enables users to disable motion sensors when at home to prevent being overloaded by multiple alerts from their device(s). This will now belong to the package of features only enabled via a subscription (this shift will not affect UK users). Ring currently charges $3.99 / £3.49 / AU$4.95 per month per Ring camera or device, or $39.99 / £34.99 / AU$49.95 a year, for this 'Ring Protect Basic' plan. 'Ring Protect Plus', accommodating unlimited devices, comes in at $10 / £8 / AU$15 per month, or $100 / £80 / AU$150 a year.

• These are the best doorbell cameras to keep your home safe and secure

The principal advantage of what Ring call 'an optional subscription' is automatic cloud recording of events captured by the cameras. By default, this is set to 30 days but can be increased to 180. Without it, the camera and doorbell's main functionality is live view; you see an alert (triggered by motion or a doorbell press), view the live video, and talk using two-way chat.

In fairness to Ring, the optional subscription approach is very much the industry standard, with similar approaches taken by the likes of Arlo, Google Nest, and others. It is also true of the other Amazon-owned company in this space, Blink, but it also offers the option of local storage via a modestly priced hub.

What is unusual, however, is a retrospective shift in the user experience. Sadly this gives a clear idea of the power imbalance in these subscription plans.

The same 'freemium' model was also applied to the Ring Alarm. This device, now in its second generation, works via the Ring app and is made up of traditional alarm devices – like a keypad (to arm / disarm), a siren, motion sensors, and contact sensors.

Here, too, the modes feature is being put behind the subscription paywall. At the moment you can use the app to switch modes and receive alerts when the system is triggered. That will not be true for new Ring Alarm customers, who will get no 'smart home' utility from the app without a subscription. Unlike the cameras and doorbells, however, existing owners won't be forced to cough up, for now. Instead, existing Ring Alarm base stations will be grandfathered.

Ring has a history of provoking rage from its customers. The previous price increase, in July 2022, took a monthly subscription from $3.00 to $3.99, and £3.50 to £3.49. This above-inflation rate increase to the current pricing incited a significant backlash.

The Ring price plans are the same across the devices, however, from the cheapest doorbell to floodlight cameras. 

If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check out our guide to the best Ring cameras and the best outdoor security cameras, and see which system fares best in our Blink vs Ring head to head.

Correction: we have now been told that this action is a a China-only market initiative, and the article has been updated to reflect this.

Overpriced Instax film will soon be no more (we hope), as Fujifilm China is putting its foot down and made a statement regarding stores that sell its products at exceedingly inflated prices.

It's become pretty hard lately to find Instax photo paper in stock in some parts of the world, due to a supply-and-demand situation arising from stock shortages. Even Amazon has begun to reduce its usually wide selection of fancy frames for the Instax range, as a result of ongoing raw materials shortages in Japan. 

• These are the best instant cameras in 2023

Instax film has never been considered "cheap", but some retailers have been driving up the price of it lately in an attempt to capitalize on the situation. Fujifilm China is pretty peeved about all this, and has released a statement that the price hike violates consumers' rights as well as the company's goodwill.

Fujifilm is aiming to put an immediate stop to the overpricing by increasing production and eventual stock levels, and by cracking down on the high-priced sales of photo paper at unofficial stores. 

"Affected by the epidemic and the Spring Festival holiday, coupled with the temporary shortage of raw materials, the recent supply of photo paper has been affected to a certain extent," reads the statement (translated by Fuji Rumors).

"Our company has taken note of this situation and intensified the production of photo paper. It is expected that the supply of photo paper will gradually resume.

"In addition, we will also crack down on the sale of photo paper at high prices in some unofficial authorized stores. In order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, consumers are requested to purchase products in regular stores authorized by our company."

In the meantime, Instax camera users might have to shop around a bit further to find some film at an acceptable price – and maybe even buy a few packs in bulk, with the usual Fujifilm-authorized stores being mostly out of stock. Keep an eye on our cheap Instax film deals page for bargains!

• You may also be interested in the best Instax photo albums to store your prints, as well as the best portable printers for printing images on the go. Take a look at our Fujifilm Instax Link Wide review, plus the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 review and begin printing your favorite images onto Instax paper using just your smartphone. 

Wi-Fi and always-on internet has heralded a marked change in the best outdoor security devices. There is no need for cables to the cameras if they can hold their own power, and no need for a recording device if suitable cloud alternatives can be provided. For a subscription fee, of course.

Significant players in the market are owned by major players in the smart assistant world: Ring (Amazon/Alexa), Blink (Amazon), and Nest (Google). These firms have the additional incentive to guide people toward their platform.

Arlo is also a significant brand in the market and has navigated their own path. With this set, they support not only Alexa, and Google Assistant but even the oft-ignored Apple Homekit platform. At the same time, they push the resolution higher than usual. This doesn’t come cheap, so the question is whether you’re still getting a better deal, either used alone or with any of the assistants mentioned.

Specifications

Camera Resolution: 4K
Image Sensor: 8MP
Field of View: 180˚
Night Vision: Yes, Color
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4 & 5 GHz
Local storage: Yes, SD card in base station
Camera dimensions: 89 x 52 x 78mm
Hub dimensions: 135 x 50 x 151mm 

Key Features

While the stand-out feature of these cameras might be the 4K resolution, they also boast HDR and 400-lumen white LED lights (the ‘Spotlight’) to provide color night vision. There is magnetic charging, and wireless communication with a hub and the cameras are weather resistant so can safely be mounted outdoors. The Arlo app offers extensive control, especially with the optional cloud service which unlocks AI to distinguish between animals, people, vehicles, and packages and limit your alerts as you choose.

Build and handling

The chic-but obvious styling will come as no surprise to Arlo devotees – nor will it displease Apple fans (especially of the gloss-white era). A risk with creating good-looking cameras is that they don’t end up looking like a deterrent, but the Ultra 2 Outdoor cameras are still clearly bullet-shaped cameras, albeit better looking than most.

Where the design really impresses is the battery concealment. Press a button on the base, next to some mag-safe like contacts, and the camera simply falls out of its white case, allowing access to the battery compartment. Charging, however, can be achieved using Arlo’s own magnetic mount (the other end of the single included cable is USB-A and a transformer is included). 

The kit also includes a hub that needs to be connected via Ethernet cable (included) to your router. It’s elegant enough, but apparently shouldn’t be too near the router for the sake of the wi-fi. (For a much larger home you’d need additional hubs.)

Setup requires the gentle guidance of the Arlo app, though subsequent basic operations (viewing feeds as well as arming or disarming the system) can also be achieved using your preferred smart home assistant.

Performance

The video quality of the cameras is excellent; it’s easy to see the advantage of 4K. We tested in the least battery-efficient high-quality mode, and it was enough to make us think we wouldn’t mind charging more often. Admittedly we might have appreciated the bigger batteries seen in Arlo’s floodlight, but that makes for a bigger camera.

Latency between detection and beginning to capture was OK at a couple of seconds, though the app takes longer – about 5 seconds – to begin a live feed, which might make initiating two-way chats with visitors (welcome or otherwise) tiresome.

Sound quality is good though, and it is also impressive how much light the small LED can provide if you opt for color night vision (it’ll often save fumbling for your phone’s torch if you pop into the garden).

Especially useful in the app is the per-camera sensitivity option, as well as scheduling and geofencing to switch on automatically as you leave home. We’d disable the Auto Zoom & Tracking though – it’s digital zoom and risks losing important data as the subject moves.

Verdict

We’ve tested Arlo’s cameras in the past, so the gorgeous industrial design didn’t come as a surprise. We like it because it’s even possible to charge wirelessly, without moving the camera at all – all you need is a relatively meaty power-brick that can be held near to the camera for the duration.

We like the hub having a MicroSD socket for local storage (though no USB as on previous Arlo hubs), the range seems good, and it’s nice not to flood your own wi-fi network. 

Something which was a bit of a surprise was the mounts; we’ve seen both before but it is strange to get just one of each in the box. We reasoned the tougher screw one would be used out front on our test site, but some might want all tough or all easily re-positioned magnetic. One of each seems tight-fisted given the cost of entry.

As a system, though, this is a great set – easy to install and use, with quality well beyond expectations and spotlights serving adequately for deterrent.

Find more of the best cameras for your home and garden with the best outdoor security cameras, the best indoor security cameras, the best IP cameras, and the best cheap security cameras.

Ring has announced that its clever and competitive security monitoring technology will now be available to watch over your car. Taking the form of a small and discreet camera, this Ring Car Cam will record your view as you drive, with an additional camera facing toward the driver seat for an inside look at your car. 

Both a front and rear live view of your car will be accessible anytime, acting as a deterrent to ward off any thieves with a two-way communication system, motion detection, and night vision. It will give you the same peace of mind as you get with the best Ring cameras, allowing you to keep an eye on your vehicle no matter where you decide to park, with GPS included too.

The world's most influential trade show, CES 2023, has been making all of our tech dreams come true lately, announcing developments with ASUS laptops and 3D imaging, as well as "life-changing" Panasonic glasses for the visually impaired, and now Ring has stepped up to the plate with the latest announcement of the vehicle security Ring Car Cam. 

Available for pre-order now, the Ring Car Cam from Amazon will begin shipping to US customers as early as February, priced at approximately $249.99 (£205 / AU$360). However, you might want to get your Cam pre-ordered now – as the Ring Car Cam is currently available at a lower price of $199.99 (£165 / AU$289 approximately) for a limited time only during the pre-order stage.

Owning one of the best dash cams is a great way to protect yourself and your vehicle while on the road, documenting every shred of evidence should you need it for an insurance claim. But Ring has taken it a step further with the Ring Car Cam, able to alert you if someone is attempting to steal your car in a parking lot, climbing into your car boot at a gas station, and can even let you know where your car is parked should you forget, with a built-in GPS function. 

As can be seen from the promotional video above, Ring has been pulling out all of the stops to make this smart security device one of the best front and rear dash cams that offer top-of-the-range monitoring, all controlled by the Ring App.

Two cameras, one dual-facing, are equipped with Night Vision and able to detect plus record any suspicious movement, providing you with the clearest picture of any activity to help keep you alert of a potential break-in or collision while parked, with real-time alerts when motion is detected.

Check-in on your vehicle at any time with Live View and Two-Way Talk via the compatible smart Ring App when your Car Cam is connected to your home wifi, or using LTE as provided through a Ring Protect Go subscription. The Ring Car Cam also offers a unique feature called Traffic Stop, which will record several minutes of action if the user says, “Alexa, record,” even if the car is stationary or parked. This feature would be extremely helpful in instances if you are pulled over or congested. 

The dual-facing camera has the option to record both when your car is in motion, and when it’s turned off - should any movement be detected. The Car Cam plugs into and is powered by your vehicle’s battery - via the OBD-II port - and can be securely attached to your car windshield and dashboard, with the cable neatly tucked away. 

For those a little worried about the Ring Car Cam and Alexa's always-recording and always-listening design, the company has included a privacy shutter that can be switched over for the inside-facing camera, which easily disables the interior video and all audio when it is covered over, to retain privacy and control. Just don't forget to re-open the shutter when you lock or park your car. 

Ring Protect Go is a service that can extend your Ring vehicle protection, with an LTE cellular connection for the RIng Car Cam enabling you to access live view and other features when your car is away from your home Wi-Fi connection, such as when you're grocery shopping and wish to view your vehicle in the parking lot, or if you've left your vehicle behind at an airport. Users can subscribe to Ring Protect Go for $6 per month or $60 per year.

Ring's Chief Technology Officer, Josh Roth, has shared that "I’m always humbled by the stories of how Ring has made a real-world impact, like when Ring Alarm stopped a burglary from happening in Ontario, California, or when footage from one of our cameras helped lead to the arrest of an attempted kidnapper in Ohio, and of course, the number of times our devices helped families find missing loved ones who accidentally wandered off."

What do you think of this newly-announced smart dash cam from Ring? Let us know!

You may also want to take a look at Blink vs Ring: which Amazon security camera system is best? as well as our guide to the best camera for car photography, and not forgetting the best doorbell cameras on the market.

Monitoring your home or business outside, day or night, without running cables is the promise of the Ring Stick Up Camera Battery. Like other similar devices, it is motion-activated, and is at its best when used in conjunction with a subscription service. You can always see a live view via your phone (iOS / Android), but the subscription provides storage letting you review past ‘events’ – recordings automatically triggered by motion.

Ring is one of the two security camera companies Amazon own, the other being Blink. Ring has the broadest play with its signature doorbells joined by cameras like this and alarm systems and entry sensors. It won’t surprise you to read that all Ring cameras offer compatibility with Alexa, for example letting you ask an Alexa Show screen to let you see the view from the camera in the garden. It’s also possible to get voice alerts via other Alexa devices – but (as cynics will predict) there is no similar integration with Apple’s HomeKit or Google Nest Hub smart displays.

Ring Stick-Up Camera Battery: Specifications

Video resolution: 1080P

Field of view: 130˚ (diagonal)

Audio: Two-way

Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz

Dimensions: 60 x 60 x 97 mm (2.36 x 2.36 x 3.82 in) plus stand

Build and handling

Ring has opted for a cylindrical design with twist-off base, which has a nice aesthetic. The camera and infra-red lights are merged relatively subtly with a single piece of glossy black plastic, a similar look to other Ring devices. The rubber seals on the back conceal a barrel-style power connector (for the optional solar panel) and a tripod-style thread for attaching the foot/wall mount. The base itself can be tilted a little so the camera isn’t pointing entirely horizontally. Alternatively, for wall mounting, the foot can be removed altogether with cross-head screw and screwed into the tripod-like thread. This separates it from the now-flat camera bottom.

There is also a removable rubber cover where a screw can be used to make the base tamper-proof.

Setup is guided elegantly by the app (iOS or Android), and it even has the sense to ask if you’re positioning the camera inside or out, and – if inside – will it be looking out of the window. Presumably, it can then avoid reflections at night from the infrared light. Obviously a battery-powered camera can be easily re-positioned, so settings would need revisiting, but this is still a very friendly approach to setup that novices will appreciate.

Performance

Given Ring choose to restrict the system to 1080P, we have no complaints about the video quality day or night and the field of view gives a good view of a large room or space. In good light color is fine, and at night the infra-red lighting doesn’t over-expose near subjects.

In both cases it is adequate for the person detection feature (which requires the cloud subscription) to work well. The speaker and two-way talk is also impressive, with room-filling sound.

Video sample: A person in the margins of the shot is enough to trigger the person warning (though in retrospect we should probably have angled the camera down a bit).

Ring’s app is well designed and makes setup a painless process. It includes features like privacy zones and the ability to temporarily turn off only indoor or all connected Ring cameras. 

We especially liked the ‘Snapshot Capture’ feature, which captures images every 14 or 60 minutes (you choose depending on battery preference); these are used to make swiping through the event history a little like a timelapse which has an overall benefit on the experience.

Ring Stick-Up Camera Battery: Verdict

The Ring Stick-Up camera is a well-realised device, and benefits from a few years of refinement when it comes to the app, which – even for non-Alexa users – is one of the best in the market. The simple explanations with each function (including potential effect on battery) are welcome and clearly tightly edited.

We find it frustrating that integrations are only offered for Alexa, not HomeKit or Google Assistant, but Ring are Amazon-owned. Moreover Ring have their own system which integrates nicely, including a Chime/range extender which can play different notes depending on whether a camera has a motion trigger or the doorbell is pressed. Given Ring is at the higher end of cloud subscription pricing, and the cloud is needed to get anything other than live view, it becomes more efficient if you have 3 or more devices.

Admittedly we’d have like to have seen 2.7K or 4K options for a camera which can be mounted outdoors, but the solid usability is probably more significant. If you’re looking for exclusively indoor use it might be overkill, but with good person sensing (so low false alerts) this is a good choice anywhere you want to place it.

Read more:

Best indoor security cameras 

Best outdoor security cameras

Best dash cam

The best pet cameras

The best video doorbell cameras

The best body cameras for personal security

Best camera phones

Best VPN for photographers

Amazon have two plays in the smart camera and doorbell space; Ring and Blink. Both work with iOS or Android phones, and keep back a few extra features for Alexa and Alexa Show devices. The Blink system seems to place most emphasis on value for money, and this is the company’s only doorbell (Ring, by comparison, have six on sale, and none this cheap).

Blink’s technology – so far, anyway – leans on a couple of guiding principles; firstly most of their products can be used without subscription if you opt for a $30/£30 ‘Sync Module 2’ that records to a USB stick. Secondly two of their cameras, and now the Blink Doorbell, operate using long-life disposable lithium batteries. Other smart cameras & doorbells tend to rely on rechargeable batteries which require more regular attention, so a big question for a potential blink customer is “Are the disposable batteries more efficient?” 

Specifications

Video: 1080P 

Field of view: 135˚ horizontal

Wifi: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz 

Size: 130 x 42 x 34mm (5.1 x 1.65 x 1.34 inch)

Operating temp: -20 to 45˚C (-4 to 113˚F)

Build and handling

The Blink Video Doorbell looks nicely understated, with simple design that doesn’t look a million miles from other blink devices (thanks to the rounded corners and lens in gloss-black rectangle), or from a typical doorbell. Size-wise the fact it uses Lithium AA batteries rather than rechargeable means it seems less chunky than competitors, while the actual button has a good click to it (not to mention loud speaker providing a ding-dong). Visitors definitely won’t be left wondering if they’ve pressed properly!

You’ll need to download and install the Blink app on iOS or Android to begin an automated setup process (the batteries, included, will be needed early in this!) Installation can either be battery-only or to a traditional doorbell power supply, however, the later will not charge the batteries; it instead gives the doorbell access to an existing chime. 

Unlike most doorbells, the package doesn’t include an angled wedge shape for mounting sideways. There is a wall mount which the doorbell clips into, and can then be removed either by inserting the supplied tool or, oddly, a MicroSD card (though we wouldn’t recommend this approach). Angled mounts are available. Do remember to mount it somewhere sheltered, though, as it is water-resistant rather than waterproof.

Performance

We found setup a breeze; admittedly we already had a Sync module installed but that, too, is a straightforward device to install guided by an excellent app. A nice touch is that any Blink Mini cameras in your home can serve as chimes, or (inevitably) an Alexa device can help (but, ahem, for some reason – we’re looking at you, Amazon – not Google Assistant).

If you don’t have it, we’d recommend adding the Sync Module 2, which is inexpensive (circa $30). Without it the doorbell will only provide two-way communication when pressed, but with it you can check into live view any time and record clips to a USB stick rather than having to pay a subscription for cloud service. 

Video sample: clip caught via the IR light in auto mode – motion triggered.

The camera provides a good wide-angle view and copes well with good and bad light, but the horizontal mounting is perhaps less ideal than vertical (as seen on Nest or Wemo). It does negate the need perfect angle mounting, and since there is no package detection AI isn’t much of an issue.

Where we did have an issue, though, was with the motion detection. Obviously not an essential aspect of a doorbell’s duty, but a big part of why video doorbells stand out. Where we mounted, about 2 meters from the pavement (6ft), we were not able to find a configuration of the (admittedly Beta) Zones feature which wasn’t triggered by passing car headlights. This has potential to burn through the battery in well under the suggested 2 years.

Verdict

Even taking price out of the equation, the Blink Video Doorbell is a good product. It looks and feels better than many pricier alternatives – much more respectful to most home designs (and you can choose black or white versions). We’d see the Sync Module as essential, and even buying a Blink Mini at the same time costs less than Ring’s standard doorbell. (The Blink Mini can serve as a chime if you’re neither using wiring nor have an Alexa to hand.) 

We haven’t had chance to test the whole battery life, but can entirely see the appeal of using Lithium batteries. A rechargeable might only last a few weeks (or less) in a busy location – we’ll get months before we need to spend circa $5 (£4) for what is a much quicker, easier replacement (no charging time without functionlaity).

The only real weakspot of the device is the only-OK motion detection options. If your door is set back from the road – or you’re only planning to use this as a doorbell – then as long as you can provide dependable Wi-Fi it seems such a sensible choice it’s hard to understand why other doorbells cost so much more (and often add a subscription atop that).

Read more:

Best indoor security cameras 

Best outdoor security cameras

Best dash cam

The best pet cameras

The best video doorbell cameras

The best body cameras for personal security

Best camera phones

Best VPN for photographers

Finding the best iPhone 14 Pro case is challenging, as there's so much choice at there. We've become pretty adept at finding the best phone cases on the market from top-quality brands that you can trust. We've tried and tested a multitude of cases from expensive premium leather wallet cases, to the too-good-to-be-true bargains that you might find crop up from a third-party Amazon seller.

Shopping for the best iPhone 14 Pro case on the market is a breeze when you know what to look for. Need a case with extra strong magnets? Check out our best magnetic phone cases guide instead. 

Be sure to triple-check which iPhone 14 model you own by heading into your device Settings - General - About - and finding the exact model or device name to ensure you purchase the correct case for your expensive new Apple smartphone. 

Whether it's something sleek and stylish, light as a feather, waterproof, or something a bit more rugged and military-grade certified that you're looking for – we've got you covered (pun intended).

Best iPhone 14 Pro cases 

This MagSafe compatible case from Mous is the ideal choice for those wanting something simple, functional, and protective. The transparent cases boldly show off your phone's original color and Apple logo branding, while fitted with ultra-protective AiroShock impact absorbing technology.

The case offers rigid construction and full MagSafe compatibility, and an N45 magnet array to ensure a seamless connection to Apple and Mous's range of phone accessories. The phone has a very durable and sturdy build, and is the perfect case for showing off your new iPhone 14 Pro without any worry of it taking damage.

Lined with microfibre, this luxury-feel case has a crystal-clear backplate, enhanced with anti-yellowing tech, or if you opt for the Iridescent Dawn color you'll find a stunning spectrum of iridescence from yellow to bright pink reflecting off the case wherever you go. All Mous cases come with a limited lifetime warranty and are extremely slim and lightweight. 

Possibly the best value-for-money case we've found for the iPhone 14 Pro, this Encased collection offers not only a transparent crystal-clear MagSafe-compatible phone case, but has extra awesome accessories bundled in too! 

Encased offers an extremely wide variety of cases to suit every need, including cases that come with a lanyard strap, durable rugged cases, and those with built-in kickstands and geometric patterns - whatever your style, encased has you covered. 

This set in particular Includes a tempered glass screen protector for the iPhone 14 Pro, giving you full 360-degree coverage for your device. A protective bumper around the corners of the case and a reinforced camera guard means your device will have some level of protection against the inevitable drops and damages that may occur, with a scratch-resistant coating on the back of the case to prevent marks from appearing. 

Also included with this Encased set is a sleek magnetic leather card wallet that is able to magnetically attach to the back of the phone case, holding 3-4 cards, embedded with high-strength magnets to keep it safely secured to your phone. Plus, the wallet not only holds your cards and ID but has a built-in kickstand that will prop up your device - perfect for watching videos, (and did we mention it's vegan-friendly too!).

Otterbox is a brand known for its remarkable layers of protection and high-quality, durable smartphone cases. This Strada Folio series wallet case from Otterbox is no exception, offering 3x as many drops tested to military-grade standards. It has a vertical slot to secure cash and up to two cards, and a raised camera edge. 

The case is fully MagSafe and wireless charging compatible, although due to the thickness of the case and leather elements, it did struggle a little to connect to my Benks power bank and magnetic car mount, having to find the sweet spot, as there are no magnets embedded into this case so MagSafe charging is a little weak. 

Overall this case offers excellent protection in a stylish format, with a useful magnetic latch that keeps the folio case closed to prevent any accidental touchscreen usage when in pockets. OtterBox also offers a limited lifetime warranty on most of its cases, including this one. 

This pretty case from Kate spade New York is ideal for those wanting to add a bit of glam to their iPhone 14 Pro, with a case that offers both style and protection. While it might not be the best iPhone 14 Pro case on the market in the way of military-grade protection, it does have a shock-absorbing cushioned bumper, that can provide adequate protection for drops of up to 12 feet. 

The unique dual-layered bumper case is co-molded in construction for protection against bumps and drops, and also boasts built-in magnets for MagSafe and other methods of wireless charging. This case is protective and lightweight, despite being covered in diamonds. If you're outside of the US, this case can be ordered directly from Kate Spade New York via Incipio and offers worldwide shipping.

Scratch-resistant coatings on the case act to keep the cover looking glamorous, with additional antimicrobial technology that protects against 99.9% of surface bacteria that may occur on your phone case without you even realizing it. Made with recycled materials, this case is great for the environment, but maybe not for our wallets, as with almost all designer brands, this case is on the expensive side for sure. 

Styled in Kate Spade New York's signature colors, designs, and materials, this case admittedly might not be suited to everyone's tastes - but it does come with a lifetime limited warranty for peace of mind that your new iPhone 14 Pro is covered for the long-term.

This offering from CASETiFY is available in multiple colors and has been tested to the extreme! The Bounce case is said to have survived a series of over 156 drops on all angles, by impacting on a concrete and steel floor, meaning it is able to achieve an impressive 6x the requirement for military-grade approval, also sporting a drop height protection of 21.3 feet.

An upgraded of its best-selling Impact and Ultra Impact Series, the latest CASETiFY Bounce Case is the most protective phone case of its kind, featuring genius EcoShock™ technology (patent-pending) that provides impact cushioning and dissipation through reinforced inner sides and the back of the case.

The EcoShock™ material is plant-based, and able to convert the kinetic energy of an impact into heat, while twister patterns dissipate it across the surface of the case. As part of the company’s “Re/CASETiFY” upcycling program, the recyclable case can be returned to the brand by customers after use, in exchange for store credits.

The “Bounce Corners” are inspired by suspension bridges, in an innovation that resulted from a rigorous drop testing process to identify that 70% of a device’s most vulnerable points were located in the four corners. These cases are available in multiple colors with a 2,000+ design catalog to choose from, with customization also available directly from CASETiFY's website. 

These Moment cases for the iPhone 14 Pro are great for avid smartphone photographers who use additional detachable lenses such as macro and fisheye frequently, with options to purchase drop-in lens mounts (sold separately) for moment lenses to fit snuggly to your phone case. These cases are primarily available in the US, although Moment does ship worldwide when purchasing directly.

Fitted with a super strong (M) Force magnet array, and compatible with the complete range of Moment Mounts for MagSafe, these cases are perfectly designed for photographers and adventurers with busy lifestyles who rely on Moment's range of everyday mounts and accessories, such as those for your car, bike, and office phone stands for easier access and browsing.  

The drop-in Lens Interface includes three locating points to keep attached lenses tight, secure, and precise. The proprietary front-mounting snap feature also allows you to mount Moment's newest CineClear Protection Filter and 67mm Filter Adapter to your case with ease, allowing filter effects to be added to your camera as well as protecting your camera lenses. 

Aside from being compatible with Moment's range of mounts and lenses, these cases offer 6-foot drop protection for your device and include additional internal shock-absorbing geometry. A series of ribs that surround the edges of the phone case are specifically designed to direct force away during potential impact.

This clear case from ESR is an excellent choice for those wanting something simple in the way of protection for their new Apple device, but also a unique feature that other cases may not offer, in reference to the oddly-positioned kickstand in the form of a Camera Guard. This guard/stand has been supposedly tested to withstand 3,000 uses, so you can rest assured that the hinge it won't snap anytime soon. 

The case, while sturdy and durable, is a little on the basic side offering the bare minimum that you might expect from your phone case with MagSafe compatibility and full bumper coverage. The zinc-alloy construction of the camera guard and stand keep it always looking like new. 

Overall, the main features of this case on offer include military-grade drop protection, 'Air-Guard' corners, a scratch-resistant acrylic back, and raised edges combine to keep your phone protected from drops, bumps, and scratches.

These cases from Urban Armor Gear (UAG) are extremely rugged and perfect for protecting your iPhone 14 Pro in situations that pose a higher risk of damage, for example when rock climbing or working in areas of construction. Soft raised edges surround the case with a raised camera bezel to protect the lens and phone screen.

Both of these cases are both extremely similar aesthetically, although the Monarch Pro case offers a few extra benefits such as greater drop protection (25ft) and 5 layers of protection that include UAG's signature tough armor frame, shock-resistant core, layered with additional leather, polycarbonate shear plate, alloy metal hardware, and impact-resistant rubber surround, and not to mention a hex pattern for increased shock absorption.

The Pathfinder case boasts feather-light composite construction, with the same hard outer armor shell as the Monarch case, also with an impact-resistant soft core, and enhanced corner protection with tough TPU, although the pathfinder differs by its inclusion of torsion screw details. 

Both cases are equipped with traction grip that surrounds the case to ease handling, with ultra-responsive tactile buttons that deliver a crisp and clean click-feel, and an integrated lanyard anchor that allows for on the go functionality and attachment. 

I received these cases from Incipio for review, and each of the three models are extremely similar with minor design features, therefore I decided to lump them together in this guide as whichever Incipio model you chose, you're guaranteed the best protection for your new iPhone 14 Pro device. 

The Incipio Grip case (clear/white) is fitted with form-fitting and grip technology that is designed to stop and prevent drops before they occur, keeping your phone safe and secure in your hand as often as possible. In addition, this case also boats Multidirectional x-grips to prevent slippage in all directions, and the clear cases are each equipped with scratch and discoloration-resistant (anti-yellow) coatings.

Each of these Incipio cases offers a minimum of 10ft drop protection, with antimicrobial surface protection that eliminates and prevents 99.9% of bacteria. These cases also boast ultra-responsive buttons with Impact Struts technology to reduce impact force in instances of inevitable drops and accidents. 

Incipio offers a lifetime warranty on these cases, manufactured to extremely high quality, and each case feels sturdy and durable with raised edge, screen, and camera protection. While the Grip case offers the best protection, the Forme case is by far the prettiest, for those wanting the basic levels of protection with a bit of flair. 

This ultra-rugged and water-resistant case from Rokform is perfect for those who regularly get out and about, and for the adventurous types who need a durable case to support their device when climbing a mountain or hiking in rural areas. Offering heavy-duty protection, super strong dual magnets, having been drop tested to MIL-STD 801G-516.6, and with shock-absorbent features, this case is indestructible. 

With a slim and lightweight yet durable design, this case has been crafted to fit your smartphone perfectly and features six-sided, 360-degree protection with a raised bezel around the screen and camera unit, so you'll never have to worry about those minor accidental drops ever again.

Constructed of high-impact polycarbonate armor with reinforced corners, this case offers enhanced protection that's up to 4x more than other cases. Rokform also offers a 2-year warranty on its entire case catalog, with proven 5-star customer support to assist you with any issues with your case down the line. 

This iPhone 14 Pro case from OtterBox is amazingly patterned and just as protective as your standard OtterBox case, with double the color. The ultra-slim, one-piece design attaches to your iPhone with ease, especially with MagSafe equipped into the back of the case allowing for a seamless snap-on connection with your device. 

The flexible, soft-touch material feels great to hold but doesn't offer the best grip, it may be best to pair this case with one of the best magnetic smartphone accessories on the market to attach a MagSafe-compatible grip or pop socket to the back of your case and enhance how you use your device. 

Overall, this case offers OtterBox-level protection for your iPhone 14 Pro that you can trust, from a leading and well-respected brand, while offering a stylistic form of artistic expression where you can showcase your favorite blend of color through your marble phone case. 

How we test

In all honesty, there's no real way to test a phone case thoroughly enough without actually putting our own phones in danger. So for this reason, we base our recommendations on things like comfort and grip, case texture, compatibility with MagSafe and Qi wireless functions, manufacturer reputation, additional features such as kickstands and wallet slots, and most importantly - value for money.

Ultimately, the phone case you choose has to reflect your own personal style or at least be functional enough to match your daily routine. We weren't born yesterday, though, and we know that most manufacturers will exaggerate and upsell key features of their phone cases knowing that you'll never test them. 

For example, some cases might be listed with 14ft drop protection, but we aren't about to find out for ourselves whether or not that's true. With this in mind, we recommend cases from brands that we guarantee you can trust having tested other products from its range, that we would add to our own baskets or gift to relatives. 

Need some extra accessories?

Do you prioritize your iPhone 14 Pro's camera safety above anything else? Then you might want to consider a case fitted with a raised lip or edges that offer advanced drop protection, and for extra precaution, you may even desire to invest in a separate camera lens protector for your new iPhone 14 Pro.

It's also important not to forget about protecting your smartphone screen too! Though some iPhone 14 Pro cases may include a screen protector or two thrown in for free, this does not guarantee that they're top quality or made from materials strong enough to protect the entirety of your device. 

Check out our guide to the 10 best iPhone accessories that you didn't know you needed to find the ultimate protective and functional tools to enhance how you use your iPhone 14 Pro Max. Are you a bit of a social media content creator? Then check out the best iPhone microphones as well as the best iPhone tripods and supports to up your TikTok game.

Work from home? Try getting one of the best iPhone keyboards and the best iPhone stands for an effortless smartphone workflow to complement your usual setup. You'll also probably need one of the best wireless phone chargers for iPhones to ensure that you always have enough juice in your phone to see you through the workday. 

As part of Amazon's annual Devices & Services Event, the company has announced a few new Alexa products and a refresh of the Ring lineup – which includes an integration of the Ring Virtual Security Guard service with Amazon Astro.

Taking the shape of a new pilot program, the company is testing out whether or not Astro could be used for security monitoring purposes, and this integration will enable the company’s first home robot to investigate home disturbances. 

• Check out the best Ring cameras and Amazon security options

The announcement from Amazon comes as part of its plan to integrate the successful Ring Virtual Security Guard subscription service, with the method of third-party monitoring, using the very cute Amazon Astro robot that was released a year ago.

The Amazon Astro is a household robot with Alexa compatibility, designed for home monitoring. It employs advanced navigation technology to patrol its way around your home, and can go where you need it to by asking it directly or by remotely sending it to check on specific rooms, people or things while you're away.

The Ring Virtual Security Guard, however, is a separate service that provides customers, and primarily smaller business owners, with live motion-event monitoring. This is observed by professionals from Rapid Response, who can then intervene on your behalf and alert authorities to intrusion when necessary.

Astro has a 5MP bezel display camera, with an additional 1080p periscope camera that has a 132° diagonal field of view. The product was launched in limited quantities by Amazon as a Day One offering for $999.99, though it is now available to buy exclusively by invitation only – and only in the US, for the time being.

When paired with Ring's Virtual Security Guard, Astro will immediately and proactively investigate what happened and head to the area where a Ring Alarm sensor has been tripped, while agents can then use Astro’s cameras to observe and assess the situation and take appropriate authority action, or warn off any intruders through two-way talk – all in real-time, during the day or night.

"Astro is Amazon’s first device with a new multimodal AI capability, that will enable it to learn about things in your home that you want it to," said Ken Washington, vice president of Consumer Robotics at Amazon. 

"Based on what you say while Astro is looking at an object, Astro will learn about the object’s place and state in your home… This will start with doors and windows, so that Astro can alert you if something was left open that shouldn’t have been."

Amazon also specified during its announcement what else could be next for Astro, and it includes soon being able to detect cats and dogs, as well as including the aforementioned ability to recognize and check specific windows and doors in your home.  

While patrolling, Astro will be able to send users a video clip of what their pet is up to as and when it sees them, with options to then use its Live View to speak with them or simply enjoy watching their antics. Astro can also take a picture of your pet and document what they’re doing, as well as other locations in the home.

Be sure to join the waitlist for Virtual Security Guard if you're interested in trialing the service, which if selected will be free for a limited time. Amazon says it will begin rolling out the integration to a small group of business customers in the coming months and is looking forward to any feedback.

Please note: Ring's Virtual Security Guard is an add-on service that requires enrollment and a paid subscription, currently available by invitation only. A compatible Ring Protect subscription is also required to enroll in the Ring Alarm professional monitoring service available only within the U.S. and Canada.

• You may also want to take a look at the best outdoor security cameras, as well as our guide to the best indoor security cameras, and even the best fake security cameras, and why not discover Blink vs Ring: which Amazon security camera system is best?.

If you were tempted by Amazon’s ridiculously good Sony A7 deal back on Prime Day but missed your opportunity, fear not: you have another chance. 

Amazon UK has again cut the price of Sony’s original A7 camera and FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens kit to just £719 (was £899) – and with Sony offering a further £150 cash back, the price of this full-frame camera drops to a staggering £569. The retailer is also offering the Sony A7 camera body for £639 – which with cashback becomes just £489. 

These are two amazing deals for anyone who want to step up to a full-frame or mirrorless camera – but they're only available until 11:59pm tonight (or as long as stocks last). 

The bargains come as part of Amazon UK's biggest-ever August Bank Holiday sale. Running from 22-29 August, the eight-day event will see great discounts on a wide range of items, from consumer electronics and Amazon devices to school bags and stationery.

• See more Amazon UK deals for photographers 
• See more Amazon UK deals

The sale is open to everybody, but Amazon Prime members – and anybody signed up to a free 30-day Prime trial – will benefit from a 30-minute early access period to all Lightning Deals. These are quick-fire offers where products become available at a discount, in limited quantities, for limited period of time. 

Get the Sony A7 for just £489 

The Sony A7 was the first full-frame compact system camera on the market. And although it’s been superseded twice now, the fact that Sony’s kept it available for all this time shows just how relevant it remains.

While it lacks some competitive features, such as touchscreen functionality and 4K video, its 24.3MP Exmor CMOS sensor continues to produce excellent Raw images. The Sony A7 is a fantastic first-time full-frame buy for anyone on a budget, and it’s a great candidate for a secondary body, too.

• See more Amazon UK photography deals

Amazon Prime Day 2019 is now less than two days way. For 48 hours, thousands of Prime Day deals will go live for subscribers from midnight on Sunday and go on through until midnight on Tuesday 16 June. 

But how worthwhile is a Prime membership for photographers? We’ve put together a list of six key member benefits so you can weigh up whether it’s right for you. 

(And the good news is that you don’t have to be a member to take advantage of Prime Day. If you sign-up for a 30-day free trial, you can access all the Prime Day deals without paying any subscription fees – just make sure you cancel before the 30 days are up.)

Amazon Prime in a nutshell

The most important thing to know about Amazon Prime is that members get first access to Amazon’s best deals, together with one-hour deliveries and unlimited access to a huge library of films, TV shows, music and books.

You can subscribe monthly for $12.99/£7.99 per month (or $6.49/£3.99 for students), or you can opt for an annual subscription of $119/£79 per year, which is cheaper than paying monthly. 

So are the benefits worth more than the costs? To help you decide, we’ve put together a list of the best Prime perks for photographers…

1. Instant Prime shipping

One of the headline benefits of Amazon Prime is its upgraded shipping options. Subscribers can get free one-day delivery on millions of items, with same-day delivery available in certain areas; if you order at lunchtime, you’ll get your delivery by evening. Alternatively, when you absolutely need the product there and then, you can use Amazon’s Prime Now service to receive your order as quickly as one hour after placing it. 

This all means that you can have a new camera or photography accessory in your hands incredibly quickly – handy if you’ve broken or misplaced a key bit of kit at a crucial time. And if you’re not in a rush, there are special offers for Prime customers who choose ‘no-rush shipping’.

2. Unlimited Photo Storage in the Cloud

Prime Photos gives members secure unlimited photo storage, without lowering resolution or quality of images. It’s especially useful when you need to free up space on your phone and it’s available anywhere, which means that you can upload, download, view and manage your photos from your desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

3. Unlimited movie and music streaming

Aside from super-fast delivery, two other headline features of the service are Prime Video – which gives you unlimited streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows – and Prime Music, which lets you stream a growing selection of over two million songs. 

You don’t need Wi-Fi, either. If you know you’re going offline, you can download songs and movies onto your mobile devices and watch them on the go, which is particularly helpful when you’re travelling. 

4. Prime Reading

Prime members get free access to over a thousand books, magazines, comics, articles and more. The photography section isn’t huge yet – so far we can see the Kindle version of Lonely Planet's Beautiful World for free at the moment, and very little else – but Amazon is refreshing it each month, so we’d expect to see more at some point in the future.

Read more: The cheapest full-frame cameras right now

More usefully, there are all manner of travel guides (think Lonely Planet) and a huge range of fiction options for long journeys, too. Each month, Prime members can also download six editor’s picks for free before the official publication date.

You don’t even need a Kindle to read them, just the Kindle app, which you can get for iPad, iPhone, Android, PC, Mac and Fire tablet.

5. Exclusive phone discounts

Prime Exclusive Phones carries a rotating selection of popular mobile phones that are usually priced lower than you'd pay elsewhere – and regularly go on sale for even less. They’re all sold unlocked, and although you'll see an Amazon widget in the OS, it's easily removed.

6. Early access to lightning deals 

Amazon often runs Lightning deals, which last for a limited amount of time or while supplies last. Prime subscribers get access to those deals 30 minutes ahead of non-subscribers – so if you're a subscriber, you can get a real head-start.

And don't forget: we'll be bringing you all the best Amazon Prime Day deals for photographers on the 15th and 16th July. If you decide membership isn't right for you, simply sign up for a 30-day free trial and you can get your hands on those deals too. 

Read more:
Amazon Prime Day 2019: how photographers can get the best Amazon Prime deals