Canary Pro review: the security camera that monitors your home's air quality

Is adding air quality monitoring to a smart camera a great USP for the Canary Pro, or just a bit weird?

Canary Pro review
(Image: © Adam Juniper/Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Up against the growing niche that is smart indoor cameras, the Canary Pro manages to stand out by looking sharp and offering an interesting extra feature set. Hardware and app are great but the purchase price and especially cloud service are at the high end so unless you want to monitor the air it may be wise to look elsewhere.

Pros

  • +

    Sensors to monitor air quality and humidity

  • +

    Choice of Ethernet or wi-fi connectivity

  • +

    Sleek design

  • +

    Up to a day’s storage of clips without subscription

  • +

    Quick to identify motion and activate camera

  • +

    Geofencing & multiple trusted user option in the app

Cons

  • -

    Can’t be easily re-positioned vertically

  • -

    Expensive compared to other indoor cameras

  • -

    Overall cost of ownership very high for cloud users

  • -

    No two-way chat without cloud subscription

  • -

    Glossy top can attract dust

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The Canary Pro takes a somewhat more holistic approach to home security than alternatives emerging from other brands like Nest, so it needs to be seen slightly differently. Atop the camera, the Pro is also designed to track air quality and the company’s software emphasizes personal security too.

New York-based Canary was originally funded by a very successful Kickstarter in 2013 and currently offer three cameras – the Canary Pro, the Canary View (which looks identical but lacks some of the features), and the Canary Flex which can be used outdoors. The Pro has also been called the ‘All-In-One’ as opposed to the cheaper View. 

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Adam Juniper
Managing Editor

With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones. 


Adam is our resident expert on all aspects of camera drones and drone photography, from buying guides on the best choices for aerial photographers of all ability levels to the latest rules and regulations on piloting drones. 


He is the author of a number of books including The Complete Guide to Drones, The Smart Smart Home Handbook, 101 Tips for DSLR Video and The Drone Pilot's Handbook