Amazon’s gone all in this year, especially on security gear from Blink and Ring - brands it owns and has discounted heavily for Prime Day.

From smart doorbells to weatherproof outdoor cams and complete home setups, the offers are the best I’ve seen in a long time. Whether you need to keep an eye on deliveries, monitor your property remotely, or just want a little extra peace of mind, this is the moment to make it happen without breaking the bank.

• See all of today's best Amazon camera deal
• See all of today's best security camera deals

I’ve gone through all the noise to flag only the deals that are genuinely worth it - no filler, no fluff. But stock is already thinning out fast, and come midnight, it all ends. You won’t get another shot at prices like this for a while.

So if security is on your mind, don’t hang about. These are the best Prime Day security camera deals, but they won't be there for long! Check your basket, hit checkout, and lock in the savings while you still can.

🇺🇸 Best security camera deals in US

🇬🇧 Best security camera deals in UK

Check out our guides to the best outdoor security cameras and the best lightbulb security cameras

Keeping an eye on your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune, especially with Amazon regularly slashing prices on Blink’s smart security cameras.

From compact indoor models to weather-ready outdoor systems, these deals make it easier than ever to upgrade your home security without stretching your budget – with prices starting for just £13.99 for the highly-popular Blink Mini 2.

I've personally picked out the six best Blink security camera deals on Amazon right now to save you time, and most importantly money!

Blink – an Amazon-owned company – is known for its range of security cameras which are powered by disposable Lithium batteries that given them extra long lifetimes, but did you know it also produces a doorbell with the same tech? As of today that has been refreshed as the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Generation).

The new Blink Video Doorbell (2nd generation) has a upgraded 150° head-to-toe field of view, presented in a 1:1 (square) aspect ratio. This means you can see visitors feet and heads – and any packages on the mat – in a single feed. There is integrated HD infra red for night view.

This compares to a more traditional 135-degree horizontal / 80-degree vertical view on the original Blink Video Doorbell.

The new version also features person detection, but only for users with the subscription. This opens the option of smart notifications, so users can only get alerts when a person is detected, as opposed to an animal or object.

Like other Blink devices, it needs to be paired with a Blink Sync Module in your home connected to your wi-fi. It can connect to up to ten Blink devices and, as you might imagine, as well as providing a bridging device to the app on your phone, will also help the system befriend any Amazon Alexa smart home devices you have too.

A Blink subscription plan opens up access to the cloud, where clips and recordings from blink devices – like the Outdoor Cam 4 – can be saved.

The new Video Doorbell 2nd generation is now available (shipping in mid-August in the UK) in a choice of black and white in the UK at £59.99, and is already available in the USA for $59.99. (Euro pricing is €64.99).

• Blink Video Doorbell 2 at Amazon USA 🇺🇸
• Blink Video Doorbell 2 at Amazon UK 🇬🇧

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Check our guides to the best doorbell cameras and the best outdoor security 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?

The Blink 500 B2+ is the latest addition to a long line of wireless microphone kits from Saramonic that includes the Saramonic Blink Me, the Blink 500 B2, the Blink500 Pro, and the professional Saramonic Blink Me.  As with the other kits the Blink 500 B2+ consists of two transmitters and a receiver. It is an updated version of the Saramonic Blink 500 B2. The transmission range on the older B2 kit was only 50 meters, but the newer Blink 500 B2+ enables you to talk to the camera from a greater range of 150 meters (without a heftier price tag.) 

With receivers that plug straight into your Android or Apple smartphone the Blink 500 B2+ should be particularly attractive to vloggers who use their mobile device to generate content for their social media channel. You can also attach the B2+’s receiver via a cold shoe mount to a DSLR (or even plug the receiver into a smartphone and a DSLR at the same time for a belt and braces approach!)

Saramonic Blink 500 B2+: Specifications

Saramonic Blink 500 B2+: Design & Handling

A really welcome feature of the Blink 500 B2+ is that it ships with two adaptors that allow you to plug the receiver directly into an Android smartphone or iPhone. This means there’s no need to have the receiver dangling via a cable. 

The previous incarnation of the Blink 500 B2 forced you to charge the two transmitters and receiver independently via USB-C cables, but the new Blink 500 B2+ provides a carry case that enables you to charge each unit simultaneously, ensuring that both transmitters and the receiver will ‘go the distance’ during an interview. 

The case also enables you to transport the wireless kit’s components neatly and safely (rather than have them rattling around loose in your camera bag). As a bonus the Blink 500 B2+ ships with a branded drawstring bag which accommodates the plastic charging case and its contents. 

The bag also has an internal pocket to hold additional supplied accessories such as the transmitters’ clip-on furry windshields plus a charging cable and a cable to attach the receiver to a DSLR. 

Unlike the older Blink 500 B2, the B2+ receiver has a useful OLED screen, which makes it easier to view sound input levels and check the battery life of your transmitters during a shoot.  The original Blink 500 B2 was prone to suffer from wind noise but the new Blink 500 B2+ captures a cleaner sound thanks to the combination of software noise reduction, an integrated wind-resistant mesh plus the obligatory clip-on furry windshield for the transmitter. 

The windshields can be a bit of a fiddle to clip on as their fluffy bodies obscure the view of the receivers’ plug-in holes. However, once it has been clipped on a windshield stays securely attached to the receiver.

Talking of secure attachments the transmitters both have traditional clips to attach them to a subject’s lapel or shirt. They also have a magnet that you can unclip from the back of the transmitter and place behind a subject’s shirt to stick the transmitter anywhere on their clothing. This is handy when interviewing subjects who don’t have a lapel (as was the case with our test video’s interviewee who was wearing a sweatshirt.) To ensure that you’re recording noise-free audio you can plug headphones into the receiver.

Saramonic Blink 500 B2+: Performance

To test the Saramonic Blink 500 B2+ wireless kit we took it to a parkour shoot in the city. I used the mic’s magnet to attach it to stuntman Matt Igwe so I could interview him about how he approaches performing parkour in an urban location. Check out our supporting video to hear how the Saramonic Blink 500 B2+ performs (plus see Matt in action!). I interviewed Matt while he warmed up and none of his exercises dislodged the transmitter mic from his sweatshirt thanks to the super strong magnet. The furry windshield stayed on too and helped keep wind noise at bay.

Talking of noise I introduced the test video near some noisy water fountains. After tapping the blue button on the front of the transmitter mic it turned green to indicate that software noise reduction was active. The fountain noise dropped dramatically while my voice stayed loud and clear (see test video). 

I used an iPhone 14 Pro Max on my shoot. Thanks to the kit’s supplied Lightning adaptor I was able to plug the receiver straight into my iPhone. Because there was no dangling cable involved I could mount the iPhone into a DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal and get it to follow my every move as I walked and talked. This would be harder to do with the older Blink 500 B2 kit as its cable-attached receiver would swing around as the gimbal panned and tilted.

After a successful interview and parkour shoot I performed the obligatory distance test to check the range of the Blink 500 B2+. When I faced the camera (and the transmitter had line of sight with the receiver) then the sound was loud and clear - even from a distance. However when I turned my back to the camera the sound did tend to drop out (see video). This is relatively normal for a budget mic kit but its unlikely you’ll be presenting to camera with your back turned in most scenarios.

Saramonic Blink 500 B2+: Verdict

The Saramonic Blink 500 B2+ is a welcome addition to the Saramonic range in relation to value for money and performance. I liked how the cable free adaptors enabled me to plug the receiver straight into my smartphone and the transmitter’s magnetic attachments enabled me to ‘mic up’ my interviewee with ease.  The software noise reduction was very effective and the sound quality was clean and full bodied. The latency (delay between lip movement and recorded sound) was negligible, so I didn’t need to spend time shifting audio tracks in the video edit to get lip sync. 

Alternatives

The Blink Mini is a very popular smart home security camera, arriving in homes by the hundred all the time. If you've just acquired one, however, there are a few things it does that might surprise you. I, however, have lived with them – both the standard and the Pan-Tilt editions – for a while, so here is my simple explainer!

• Check to see if your internet connection is working
• Check Blink to see if their servers are working
• Check the camera is positioned in a place where it is getting a good internet signal
• Check your home connection is good enough to carry a video feed using a site like speedtest.net. 

If you're interested in finding an alternative, check our guide to the best indoor security systems.

Blink has made a name for itself with cost-effective battery-powered security cameras that ship with disposable batteries, and the new 4th generation version of their key Blink Outdoor – despite a slightly updated look – is keeping that fundamental unchanged. 

The Blink Outdoor 4 has a fetching new matt finish, and moves the camera lens to the top left corner of the facia rather than being in the center as it was on previous versions. The microphone and sensors are also a little more discrete on the refined fascia, though core functions like 1080P live view and infrared night vision are retained from the predecessor.

The shape of the molding is also broadly the same size, presumably to retain compatibility with the various external floodlight housings that are available for the Blink Outdoor camera.

The shape is also just the right size to play host to a pair of lithium AA batteries which, although disposable, do offer (according to Blink/Amazon), up to two years of operation which makes the camera considerably more convenient to install on your home and out of reach than a camera which would need regular charging.

In terms of improvement, Blink promises a 143˚ field of view – a big boost from the 110˚ on the camera's predecessor – as well as improvements to the motion detection and the option of person detection (though only if you're using a Blink Subscription Plan).

Subscriptions, however, aren't as essential as they are for other smart home cameras; if bought with the Sync Module 2 (which is included) the camera can record wirelessly to a USB memory stick in your home. You will, however, need to provide the flash drive (Amazon has plenty in stock!)

Blink has also produced a batch of colored silicone skins ( see on Amazon) for the new camera, so you can give it a bit more personality than the black or white options we've seen in the past for an extra $7.99 (around £6.30 or AU$12.44).

The camera itself is available now in the USA with a RRP of $119.99 with other markets to be confirmed. Blink Cloud Subscription plans start at $3 per month, or $30 per year.

Check out our guide to Blink vs Ring if you can't decide which Amazon-owned security cameras are best for you.

The BlinkMe is the latest model in the Blink range of wireless microphones from Saramonic. We’ve enjoyed reviewing Saramonic Blink mics before, such as the budget-friendly Blink500 B2 and the more expensive Blink500 Pro B2.  The cheaper Blink500’s transmitters were simple plastic units that had crude level indicator lights that weren’t particularly useful or functional. The more expensive Blink500 Pro’s two transmitters had small OLED displays that enabled you to get a better sense of sound level strength. 

• Read More: check out our guide to the best wireless microphones.

The new BlinkMe has been radically re-designed to give you much more control of its transmitters’ functions thanks to a touch-sensitive color LCD screen that encompasses the front of each circular transmitter.  This screen enables you to more easily control a range of properties directly from each transmitter, such as adjusting the gain or activating a very useful Onboard Recording feature - more on that later.

Specifications

Receiver specifications

Digital Frequency: 2.4GHz
Modulation: GFSK
Output: -60 dBV to -20 dBV
Range: 100m
Connection: 3.5mm jack
Battery: up to 24 hours
Weight: 70g (2.47 oz)

Transmitter specifications

Digital Frequency: 2.4GHz
Modulation: Digital
Microphone: Omnidirectional polar pattern
Sample Rate: 48kHz
Range: 100m
Connection: 3.5mm jack
Battery: up to 6-8 hours (depending on whether Onboard recording is enabled)
Memory: 8GB
Weight: 30g (1.06 oz)

Key Features

The transmitters’ colorful LCD touch screen is a welcome key feature of the BlinkMe kit. This makes it much easier to control the behavior of each transmitter in relation to input levels and noise reduction. 

An even more useful key feature is Onboard Recording. Wireless mics are great for freeing you from the constraints of hard-wired lavalier mics that are plugged directly into your recording device, be it a DSLR or smartphone. Wireless mics such as the BlinkMe transmit your voice to a receiver attached to your recording device, giving your subject complete freedom of movement. 

However, every wireless mic I’ve tested has suffered from signal dropout. This can happen when the transmitter gets too far away from the receiver.  If the transmitter loses line of sight from the receiver then the signal can also drop out. This can happen when the subject turns away from the camera and their body blocks the signal from the transmitter to the receiver. 

The BlinkMe’s ingenious Onboard Recording feature enables you to record your voice directly into the transmitter as a .wav file while simultaneously broadcasting sound to the receiver. If there’s any signal drop out then you can recover the missing audio from the transmitter’s onboard .wav file.  This is an incredibly useful feature, especially if you’re talking to camera from a distance and can’t monitor the sound from the receiver’s headphone socket. 

If you record at 48KHz/16bit sampling rate you can capture a generous 22 hours on the transmitter’s storage space (or 15 hours at 48KHz/32bit ) which is more than enough for a typical shoot. As a bonus, there’s also a secondary safety track recorded at -6dB. This is useful if your mic’s sound levels are too high and there’s distortion due to peaking.  It’s worth noting that if you enable Onboard Recording it will shorten the transmitter’s ability to broadcast from 8 hours to 6.

Another welcome key feature is the BlinkMe’s compatibility with the Saramonic app. You can use the app to record video while keeping an eye on sound levels from the transmitters. You can also use the app to customize the theme on each transmitter (to change the information displayed on each mic’s touchscreen).  The app also enables you to customize how each button behaves on the transmitters and receivers and you can also use it to toggle on Noise Reduction and tweak the frequency of the low-cut filter.

Build & Handling

The BlinkMe ships in a robust plastic flight case that has foam inserts designed to accommodate the two disc-shaped transmitters and the plastic receiver, plus a host of accessories such as magnets that you can place behind a subject’s shirt and then clamp the transmitter onto them via its magnetic base. 

There’s also a pair of mounts that you can clip to a subject’s lapel and then attach a transmitter to them magnetically.  The receiver doubles up as a charger for the two transmitters. The transmitters are heavier than previous Blink models so they can cause clothing to sag a little, especially when attached to the magnetic clip mount. 

If the flight case is too chunky to fit into your camera bag then you can pop the BlinkMe’s key components into a supplied (and branded) soft bag that’s easier to carry. 

Performance

I tested the BlinkMe over a long bank Holiday weekend in a variety of scenarios. I clipped the two transmitters to members of my family and recorded their chat as they walked and clambered around the rugged Scottish coastline.  The strong magnetic mounts kept the mics attached to their subjects at all times which was a relief as it would have been difficult to find the transmitters if they had fallen off on the pebbled beach.

The sound quality was excellent even at a distance. To give the BlinkMe a bigger challenge I drove to the windswept Smailholm Tower in the Scottish Borders.  I attached the windshield to my transmitter’s omnidirectional mic which was initially a bit of a challenge. However, once I learned to insert and twist the fluffy windshield it stayed securely attached. As I was standing on top of a hill the wind gusted constantly but the windshield kept the rumble down to a negligible minimum.

I can’t imagine getting better results from other mics that I’d tested, especially in such extreme wind.  Check out my supporting video to hear the quality of the sound produced by the BlinkMe in very windy conditions. There are no post-production noise reduction tweaks applied to that video. What you hear is what the BlinkMe captured. Once I tapped the transmitter’s yellow noise reduction button then the negligible wind rumble vanished completely. Often in-mic noise reduction can make the voice sound thinner and flatter but there was no drop in the voice quality captured by the BlinkMe when Noise Reduction was activated.

To test the BlinkMe’s ability to transmit over a distance I left my iPhone (with the BlinkMe receiver attached to it) on a hill and walked to the stone tower on another hill (see video).  I was 100% certain that my voice would drop out when I walked past a thick stone wall and lost sight of the receiver. On playing back the footage I was astonished to hear an uninterrupted signal, so there was no need to replace missing sound gaps with the transmitter's onboard recorded .wav file.

If you do need to access the onboard audio recordings simply pop the transmitter onto the receiver then attach the receiver via USB-C to your PC to see a list of .wav files. You can then use these recordings to plug any gaps in the recorded footage using a post-production video editing app such as Final Cut Pro.

Verdict

The BlinkMe is an astonishingly effective wireless mic kit. Despite my best attempts, I couldn’t get the signal between the transmitter and the receiver to drop out (so I didn’t need to use the mic’s Onboard Recording feature to plug any sound gaps). 

Each transmitter’s large touchscreen enables you to tweak levels and activate noise reduction in a few swipes and taps. The magnetic mounts hold the mics securely (but you can easily remove the mic to tweak its settings before re-attaching it to your subject). 

If you’re in the market for a wireless mic kit then the Saramonic BlinkMe is a must-buy, though as each transmitter is quite large (and therefore hard to hide) the BlinkMe will be better suited to documentaries rather than dramas. 

Read More: Find the right microphone for your video with our guides to the best microphone for vlogging and filmmaking, the best lavalier microphone, and the best iPhone microphone.

Amazon-owned Blink offers a great, and reasonably priced, range of indoor security cameras, but by fitting them I found myself in conflict with the rest of my family. I'd expected pushback on privacy grounds – fair enough – but it was a subtle, hidden aspect of the device's workings that irked them most. One which, once you've noticed, you can't ignore.

The first culprit was the Blink Mini, a 1080P security camera that doesn't stand much taller than a Lego man, but can offer live view and two-way-talk. All this it manages for a bargain price, and (once set up) the Blink app means you can view video from anywhere. Adding a cloud subscription offers to record events, but basic operations and alerts are free.

I placed the camera in the living room, where it can keep its eye on the outward-facing window in case burglars should choose the least subtle approach. After a few worries about the sinister eye, it essentially disappeared into the background. That was until it came time to turn down the lights and enjoy some Netflix.

At that point, there was a surprise clicking sound which we soon identified as emanating from the Blink Mini. The click is loud enough that you can't just leave the camera on and forget about it, especially in a bedroom – or a room that occasionally serves as one, say with a sofa-bed in it. That's actually a lot of places in most homes.

How to stop Blink cameras from clicking

The click is not unique to Blink cameras but is a result of the camera's ability to switch from color to night modes. In the latter, the camera captures infrared light (there is a small built-in infrared LED to invisibly illuminate the room). Instead of building a device with two separate cameras, however, the Blink has an IR cut filter that physically moves inside the camera, hence the click.

Plenty might see it as a satisfying indication that their device is in operation, but – as noted – there are reasons you may want to disable it.

To stop a Blink camera from clicking follow these steps:

• In the Blink app's home page, click the sliding settings icon at the top-right of the camera in question
• Go to the 'Video and Photo' settings
• At the top of the page, turn the Night Vision, Control option to 'Off'
• At the top right, press 'Save'

The price you pay is that, for the camera you apply this setting to, you can't see in the dark. Perhaps add turning this setting back on might be a good thing to add to a holiday checklist. That way, when you're leaving the home so security, rather than home monitoring, is key, it'll still work in the dark.

Check out our reviews of Blink cameras:

• Blink Mini review
• Blink Indoor review
• Blink Outdoor review
• Blink Mini Pan-Tilt camera review

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

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).

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Blink is one of Amazon’s two security-focussed companies – the other is Ring – and both supply an extensive range of smart doorbells and cameras. The Blink Mini is a compact indoor camera (first seen in 2020) which is at its best using the subscription cloud service (of which you get 30 days trial). The Pan/Tilt base, new in fall 2022, is now sold with the camera (which we’re testing) or as an upgrade for the original.

As such, the camera is no different to the Blink Mini, but adding the ability to see the whole room (as well as size, weight and price). It is far from the only repositionable indoor camera on the market – the Wyze Cam Pan is on its second iteration – so have Blink done what’s needed to beat the market?

Blink Mini Pan-Tilt specifications

Resolution: 1080P

Field of view: 110˚

Pan range: 350˚

Tilt range: 125˚

Pan Tilt + Camera dimensions: 66 x 66 x 146mm (5.75-in tall)

Weight: 246g (8.7oz) 

• See also Blink vs Ring - which Amazon security system is best?

Build and handling

Since the base is available separately from the camera, the first thing you’ll need to do – whichever way you buy them – is to attach the camera to the base. That’s pretty straightforward; a short Micro USB cable protrudes from the pan/tilt base in just the right spot and a plastic clip is there too. Blink even takes the trouble to prevent the awkwardness of the one-way MicroUSB connector by giving it an enlarged cable end with strategically trimmed corners.

At the back of the pan/tilt base is a similar connector for the MicroUSB umbilical which provides the power, and a regionally appropriate power adapter is included in the box. So, in short, some but not very much assembly is required. The resulting device is a love-it-or-hate-it bit of design; the gloss plastic looks good and feels well made, but some may find it indiscreet.

Control comes from the Blink app (available on iOS or Android), while some instructions (like arming the alerts) can also be switched on and off using Alexa (but, surprise, surprise, not Google Assistant or Apple Homekit!)

Performance

Sample video from Blink Mini Pan-Tilt

We have no issues with the camera itself; the image is good and the night mode works well. In daylight it also copes well with bright windows in dim rooms, with only a little fringing. There is no zoom, as such, but pinch-zoom on the phone screen helps see further if needed. The speaker is still good, if not wonderful, while the microphone does a decent job of picking out voice for two-way-talk in a quiet room. We also love that the camera has a good range of adjustments for sensitivity, clips and re-triggering. 

The pan and tilt base is smooth and virtually silent in operation, which is great. Inevitably there is a little bit of a lag – up to a couple of seconds – in operation, but given the decent field of view positioning needn’t be too accurate. We suspect the reason the camera turns quite slowly is deliberate in order to balance this effect.

Verdict

The arrival of a pan/tilt base – especially one so quiet in operation and with such range of view – ends up feeling like a wasted opportunity. Yes, it is easy to open the app and turn the camera to explore the room in live view, and the usability via on-screen controls is difficult to complain about, but with the official price above that of the Wyze Cam Pan v2 we would hope to see it match the feature set, especially the ability to turn and track subjects around. It would also be cool it if could patrol the room looking for movement, but even something simple like allowing you to pre-set several positions to turn to. Sadly Blink Mini Pan/Tilt does no such thing. The app seems so sure it isn’t really a pan/tilt camera that the ability to set activity zones (to ignore certain areas) is fixed to the camera rather than the wider room. Any blocked area will turn with the lens, which doesn’t seem right.

That’s not to say this isn’t a useful device, especially if the live view is your main use – in that case you’re definitely in command of the room – but it could have offered so much more.  

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The Saramonic Blink500 B2 is a dual channel wireless microphone system that enables you to talk to camera without being hindered by cables or wires. Simply clip a transmitter onto your shirt, attach a receiver to your smartphone or DSLR and start recording. You can wander freely as you talk and the receiver will capture broadcast quality audio on your video recording device.  

The Blink500 B2 is the budget version of Saramonic’s Blink500 Pro kit. At nearly £100 cheaper the Blink500 B2 still sounds as good as the more expensive Pro kit, although it has half the walking/talking range at 50 meters (with line of sight between transmitter and receiver).  The Blink500 B2 kit lacks the Pro version’s travel case that simultaneously charges the two transmitters and the receiver, but you’ll be happy to charge the three units individually if it saves you £100. The Pro version’s transmitters have an additional display that shows the presence of an audio waveform, but this is more cosmetic than functional when it comes to seeing output sound levels. 

One criticism we had of the more expensive Blink500 Pro kit was that the two transmitters and the receiver looked identical, which could lead to mix ups when setting up an interview. The cheaper Blink500 B2’s transmitters look the same as each other but the receiver is easily distinguishable thanks to a narrower body and a distinctive red On/Off button. 

Here's a short video showing how the Blink500 B2 kit works.

The Blink500 B2 kit has a lot in common with the JOBY Wavo AIR kit, which is comparative low budget wireless mic kit. In both instances the transmitters and receiver are made of feather-weight plastic. Both have a range of 50 meters, though we noticed less drop out on the Blink500 B2 when it lost line of sight between the transmitter and receiver.  The Blink500 B2 kit also suffered less from latency than the similar JOBY Wavo AIR, so the sound was more in sync with the speaker’s lips in the recording.  The Blink500 B2 lacks the JOBY Wavo Air’s windshields that clip straight into the transmitters and it doesn’t have a magnetic pendant than you can attach a transmitter to, but these extras probably aren’t worth the extra £25 you need to pay for the Wavo AIR.

Specifications

Receiver specifications

Frequency: 2.4GHz
Dimensions: 2.5 x 1.7 x .65” (63 x 43 x 16.5mm)
Weight: 1.2 oz (34g) Voice Delay: ≤6ms
Plug-In Power: Yes, 1V
Digital Resolution: 24-bit / 48kHz
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 16kHz
Max Operating Range: 98.4’ (30m) with Obstacles, 164’ (50m) in Open Area
Battery: Built-in Li-ion 3.7V / 400mAh
Battery Life: Approx. 5 hours
Charging Connector: USB Type-C (1.5 hours to be fully charged)
Pattern: Omnidirectional (Built-In Microphone and External Lavalier)

Transmitter specifications

Frequency: 2.4GHz
Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.3 x .61” (62 x 33 x 15mm)
Weight: 1.09 oz (31g)
Battery Life: Approx. 5 hours
Audio Output Level: 5dB

Key features

As with most wireless mics you need to pair the Blink500 B2’s transmitters with the receiver before you can start recording. This is a simple (and one-off) task which involves poking the receiver with a supplied paper-clip device (like the one used to remove an iPhone’s Sim drawer).  

Each transmitter has a built-in mic so you can quickly clip one to yourself (and and the other to an interviewee) and start recording via the receiver attached to your DSLR or smartphone.  

You can also plug a supplied SR-M1 professional omnidirectional clip-on lavalier mic into each transmitter to capture sound more discretely (with the bulky transmitter clipped to a belt).    

Build and handling

The transmitters and receiver are built of a feather-weight plastic which is similar in size and weight to the similar JOBY Wavo AIR kit. Both transmitters have a plus/minus button that controls the devices’ output levels.  

A circular LED lights up in increments to indicate the strength of the gain. This level indicator doesn’t really help you choose a suitable output level so you’ll need to monitor the incoming sound on your recording device to be safe (plus you can also spot problems such as wind-noise and re-record the interview if necessary). 

Performance

When using the transmitter’s built-in mic we noticed a few plosive popping sounds (check out our supplied test video to hear the mic in action). The lavalier mic’s foam pop-shield did a much better job of reducing wind noise during recording. We recorded the transmitted audio directly into our iPhone 13 Pro Max’s Camera app and were impressed by the strong rich broadcast quality sound that it produced.  

With a voice delay of ≤6ms we were pleased to see/hear that the recorded sound was in sync with the subject’s lips, so there was less latency than that produced by the similar JOBY Wavo AIR kit. 

We were impressed that there was no audio drop out during our test, even when the transmitter lost line of sight with the receiver. With 5 hours of battery life we had plenty of time to record our test video without needing to return to base for a recharge.

Verdict

The Blink500 B2 kit may lack the charging case that ships with the Blink500 Pro version of the kit but at around $100/£100 cheaper, it’s well worth considering if you’ve yet to buy a wireless mic set. It’s even cheaper than the comparable JOBY Wavo AIR and its low latency and lack of drop-out gives it the edge over that budget mic kit. 

This is one of the best performing wireless mic kits that we’ve used. The plastic transmitter and receiver units do feel lightweight and cheap but the sound quality that they produce is indistinguishable from that captured by the more expensive Blink500 Pro kit.

The Saramonic Blink500 Pro 2 system enables you to capture clean full-bodied audio wirelessly, making it perfect for documentary style programmes where the subjects need to walk freely around a location and at a distance from the camera. 

If you record audio from your camera’s built-in mic (or from a shotgun mic mounted on the camera body) then your subject needs to be in close proximity to the camera.  This type of audio recording set-up might be fine for capturing ambient sound at a wedding but at a distance you’ll struggle to hear the best man’s speech over the clink of cutlery and general chatter using an on-camera mic. 

Specifications

Receiver specifications

Digital frequency: 2.4GHz
Modulation: GFSK
Weight: 1.13oz
Range: 100m
Connection: 3.5mm jack
Output level: -60 dBV to -20 dBV
Battery life: 8 hours

Transmitter specifications

Digital frequency: 2.4GHz
Modulation: GFSK modulation
Weight: 1.13oz
Polar pattern: omnidirectional
Battery life: 8 hours

Key features

The key components of the Blink500 Pro B2 kit are two wireless transmitters and a receiver. Each of the three units looks identical, so you could confuse the transmitters from the receiver if you were in a hurry to mic up your subjects. To help identify them the transmitters have a little TX label, while the receiver is labelled RX. 

Other similar wireless sets such as the JOBY Wavo AIR have a receiver that looks slightly different in build and colour which helps differentiate between receiver and transmitter more easily. 

The three units fit into a protective carry case that also functions as a charger. This means you can charge all three at once in the box via its USB-C DC 5v port using USB-A chargers and battery packs. This is a fantastic feature as all three units will be fully powered and ready for a long shoot as soon as you open the case.  

The transmitters in the similar JOBY Wavo AIR need to be charged individually so you run the risk of having a receiver with less power than a transmitter, which could compromise a shoot. 

The Blink500 Pro B2’s charging box also has the bonus of a one-click pair button. This instantly pairs the two transmitters with the receiver so they all work straight from the box. 

The kit also ships with a couple of wind-shields that you can clip straight onto the transmitters’ built-in mics, plus a very useful pair of lavalier clip mics to capture better quality audio from closer to the subject’s mouth. 

Build and handling

The charging case, transmitters and box are all made of a lightweight black plastic.  At 1.13 oz in weight the transmitters aren’t going to be a burden once they’re clipped to your subject (or popped in a pocket). Once you power up the transmitters an OLED display enables you to see a range of settings such as mic input mode or gain level. Changing settings is easy and intuitive (if you can set a digital timer you’ll soon master navigating through the transmitter and receiver’s menus). 

When the subject speaks the transmitter displays an animated waveform. This is more cosmetic than practical as you can’t rely on the animated waveform to tell you if the sound is at a healthy level, but it does reassure you that the mic is listening and transmitting.  

The receiver has a headphone jack so you can listen to the sound from both transmitters to check for problems such as distortion and wind noise (though for safety you should monitor audio directly from your recording device). 

Performance

The kit comes with two 3.5 mm jack connectors which attach the receiver to your camera or smartphone. If you have a newer iPhone then you’ll need to buy an additional jack-to-Lightning adaptor (such as the UGREEN Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter). We spent a whole hour trying to get the receiver to talk to our iPhone 13 Pro max before we realised that we needed to use the supplied TRRS connector (with three rings) rather than the two-ring TRS connector that we were attempting to attach. 

To test the kit we chose a challenging windy and rocky location by the coast. We initially popped the supplied wind-shields directly onto the transmitters’ built-in mics but as the mics were exposed the wind noise ruined our takes. By placing the transmitters inside the interviewees’ pockets and attaching the supplied lavalier mics to their coats we were able to capture wind-free audio. 

The transmitters have a mic gain ranging from 0 to 6. At 4 or above the sound ran the risk of distorting so we kept it on 3 which gave clean strong sound signals that we could boost a little in Final Cut Pro (watch our supplied test video to hear the results). It’s better to have a weaker signal that you can boost in post-production rather than have a stronger but distorted recording that you can’t fix. 

Rather than use the receiver’s headphone jack to monitor the sound we listened to the audio directly from the iPhone via bluetooth Apple AirPods. Our subjects were free to scramble around rocks and talk naturally, with their audio sounding clean and clear (despite the transmitters being in their pockets.) The sound signal occasionally dropped out from a distance of approximately 30 meters onwards if they turned their backs to the camera. However when the transmitters had line of sight to the receiver we could hear our subjects loud and clear from around 100 meters aways (as you’ll see in our test video). 

As with many wireless mics there is a little latency, so the sound was around three frames out of sync with the video. This wouldn’t be noticeable when watching the footage on a tablet or smartphone but you can easily detach the audio track and shift it by three frames using a post-production app such as Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro (which we did for our test video).

Verdict

The Blink500 Pro B2 kit deserves a place in your kit bag because it streamlines the sound recording process. By charging the transmitters and receiver together in one protective case you can record for up to 8 hours with consistently charged units (and far fewer cables).  

By using the supplied lavalier mics with their pop shields you can record professional sounding audio in challengingly windy locations and at a considerable distance.  This gives you the freedom to direct your subjects and concentrate on your camera work without worrying about being let down by poor sound quality. 

The Blink series of home security cameras were always built with ease of use and practicality in mind, and since Amazon acquired the firm in 2017 they have done a good job of living up to that (especially if your preferred digital assistant is Alexa). While earlier models, the XT and XT2, featured built-in MicroUSB cards to record footage, the new Blink Outdoor (and its counterpart the Blink Indoor) send their video to a small hub which can record to a generic USB stick, and handle up to ten cameras.

Like other cameras built for the smart home era (e.g. Nest), users are expected to setup and check their video through an app and to be at least prepared to pay a small subscription fee for some features. Perhaps inspired by baby camera monitors, the other increasingly standard feature is two-way-talk; the ability to speak to whomever the camera can see, using your phone, and a built-in mic and speaker.

• See also Blink Mini review

Blink Outdoor: specifications

Resolution: 1080P
Field of View: 110˚ (diagonal)
Night Vision: Yes (Black & White)
Frame Rate: up to 30fps
Subscription Storage: Optional
Battery: 2 x Lithium AA (not rechargeable)
Ingress Protection: IP65
Operating Temperature: -20˚C – 45˚ C (-4˚ to 113˚F)
Dimensions: 71 x 71 x 31mm
Weight: 48g

Key features

The Blink Outdoor is all about installing a security camera system as painlessly as possible; you can have a functioning system up and running with nothing more than a couple of self-tapping screws, AA Lithium batteries, camera mount, and a “Sync Module 2” (a tiny indoor hub), all of which are in the box.

Once up and running, the camera features 2-way talk, motion sensors and alerts, not to mention Alexa integrations (and of course a phone app for live view). Clips can be recorded from the hub to a USB stick so subscription-free operation is possible.

The camera also boasts definable zones (to minimize false alerts), timelapse clips, a built-in thermometer and a good range of controls to help you make the most efficient use of your battery. 

Build & handling

The Blink is quite a striking shape, the volume is small but it looks as big as any other camera from the front. Design critics may even draw a parallel with iPhone; a shiny front on a rectangle with rounded corners, though at 31mm thick the Blink is easier to rest on its base. For most purposes it’ll be better to use the mount, however, and you don’t have to be a DIY genius to fit the conical mount. Make sure it’s tight, though, as it takes a firm push to clip the camera to a ready mount, though the ball joint provides a good range of movement. (Since it takes a similar yank to remove it, make sure it’s not easy to reach).

Indoors the even lighter, smaller Sync Module, has a matt finish and feels a little cheap, but it’s not for display, it’s a discrete hub. The white edge trim stems from its ability to act as a hub for multiple Blinks, including the white-edged indoor cameras.

We were impressed with the straightforward nature of the setup process, and the quality of the on-screen guidance (setup is via iPhone or Android). It was especially nice to see that even when things go wrong the app is patient, offers suggestions, and they’re written in good English.

Blink Outdoor: Performance

In terms of video, the camera provides solid performance during daylight hours, though the night vision is somewhat blurry. The image does a good job of picking out detail and tone, with better white balance than many security cameras. The real issue is the latency. In our tests the camera was inconsistent at best in terms of triggering.

During the day it did spot and alert motion in the zone but by the time the recording was active the subject may be in retreat. At night, and on windy days, false alerts were more frequent despite a few attempts at reducing my activation zone (the feature is in Beta to be fair) however oddly latency seemed less of an issue. 

Video clips: The daylight clip reveal the latency issue; the clip is not trimmed – the ‘bandit’ was already in retreat by the time the recording was activated.

It must be said that the built-in mic, while adequate for security, is also being taxed to its limits for 2-way talk. It picks up a lot of background noise, and the speaker is not easy to hear unless you’re within a couple of paces of the camera.

If you choose to use the USB recording only, and no subscription, video is recorded once a day (is it on Blink’s servers in the meantime?). You can review them in the Blink app but for some reason there are no thumbnails in the list of clips, just generic icons; playing is also ponderous, and there is no option to bulk delete (except of course plugging the USB stick into your computer). 

Blink Outdoor: Verdict

Simplicity is great, but the flip-side is the limitations of low-power operation. If you choose to make more than a few seconds use of live-view a day, the battery life will be tumble, and the batteries aren’t rechargeable. The result is a camera better suited to positions than others – you can’t really place it somewhere a road is in shot, for example. For larger homes and gardens the system will be easier to position. The relatively narrow field-of-view will help with this – aiming up a path, for example.

The issues of cloudless operation feel planned into the development of the Blink app; it’s a bit too obvious they want to drive subscription sales. In full conspiracy theory mode, we could add that Amazon will no doubt do well from USB stick and Lithium battery sales too.

Grumbles aside, the Blink cameras do achieve the option of adding home security at a reasonable cost, and the recordings do go to a separate location without subscription. The choice on offer here is difficult to beat at this price (to see what a higher budget will offer, read our review of the rechargeable Arlo Pro 4). If the Ring Doorbell’s 24/7 feature could be added, it’d be perfect.

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The Blink Mini certainly isn’t the only small smart indoor security camera that allows remote monitoring of your home, but it is one of the lowest-priced. It’s the lowest-priced camera in Blink’s range (by some margin), making it one of the best cheap security cameras around. 

The philosophy of the Mini and its competitors (like the more expensive Nest Cam Indoor) is to offer a limited remote live view for the price of the camera – a reassuring view of what’s happening back home, like a baby camera monitor for whatever room you choose. Storage of video when movement, or ‘events’, are detected may seem a natural part of a security system but in practice, these come via an additional subscription, and other features too, as they’re cloud-dependent.

Blink’s whole range has recently made something of a generational shift from the now discontinued XT series in exactly this direction. The older systems had lifetime subscription-free storage (at a higher cost of entry). Unlike other brands, however, fee-free home storage remains a part of Blink’s ethos and though it can’t do it out of the box, even the Mini’s can make use of the blink hub accessory. In other words, the Mini doesn’t close any doors, but like many smart cameras it cannot record on its own.

See also: Blink Mini Pan-Tilt review

Blink Mini: Specifications

Resolution: 1080P
Field of view: 110˚ (diagonal)
Night vision: Yes (black & white)
Frame rate: 30fps
Subscription storage: Yes
Battery: No
Ingress protection: (indoor use)
Operating temperature: 0˚C to 35˚ C (32˚ to 95˚F)
Dimensions: 48 x 48 x 34mm
Weight: 48g (90g with mount)

Key features

With motion detection and infra-red night vision, the 1080P Blink Mini’s key selling points are its accessible price, straightforward setup via wi-fi connection and motion triggered alerts. 

Atop the camera essentials, there is the two-way audio system which is an extension of the live view viewable via the Blink app or Echo Show (Alexa integrations like “Show me the Kitchen” are great for usability).

As a member of the Blink system, the camera can make use of the Sync Module 2 hub to store clips locally onto a USB stick. (Other Blink cameras need the hub and are bundled with it, while the Mini needs only the power it draws from its USB cable). 

Build & handling

Unboxing and setting up the Blink Mini is a gratifying experience for practical design connoisseurs, both the Blink App and the physical device showing high levels of thought. The app is your guide – it is the same as for all blink cameras – and offers step-by-step instructions in good English while, at least in our experience, being stable.

The camera arrives almost cube-like. It can be detached from its stand, offering broad positioning options. The stand features includes a magnetic base (yes, it can be a fridge magnet), two holes for screws, and a channel for the cable, over which a circular cover goes. In short it’ll look good however you set things up.

The glossy front conceals all but the tiny reset button, including the lights the camera uses to communicate and an IR light. By default the camera’s lights will indicate when it has detected someone, but this can be turned off via the app– handy to avoid a distracting blinking drawing eyes.

If you’re new to smart cameras, owning a camera capable of detecting motion and alerting you via phone (and watch) also means you’ll need to be able to switch it on and off. This can be done from the main page of the app or using Blink’s Alexa skill. 

Blink Mini: Performance

While the field of view isn’t the widest, the camera’s image quality benefits from above average white balance and the detail is good into the corners of the image (we were a bit surprised that, during pinch-and-drag digital zoom, the audio cuts in and out). While HDR isn’t a stated feature, the camera coped well with spaces that had mixed light, useful indoors where windows provide one-sided lighting.

Motion sensitivity is very high, though the app’s Activity Zones feature (unlike the other Blink cameras) is beyond Beta and, together with the sensitivity slider, were simply used to get alerts ‘right’.

Video clip: An overweight journalist in work-from-home mode (i.e. near the fridge) was enough to trigger a motion alert.

A feature which isn’t always perfect, even on much more expensive cameras, is the two-way-talk, so we didn’t hold out a lot of hope here, but the built-in speaker in the system is enough to be heard across a room. Latency – the signal delay – was only a little over a second in our testing, ahead of the pack. (In reality it’s not a means of communication you’ll want to use a lot, but every manufacturer of smart home cameras emphasizes the feature regardless).

In terms of software, the (beta) addition of Early Notification (the idea being you can quickly go to Live View while the perp is still present) does beg the question “How long do standard notifications take?”. We weren’t able to detect much difference, with alerts coming within 2 seconds either way.

Blink Mini: Verdict

The Blink Mini’s scores over other small smart cameras in terms of price, visual quality and (once you’ve invested a little time with the settings) motion alerts. It’s not bad looking either, while it’s not going to interfere with the décor. It is baffling that the Blink app has no geofencing option to arm the cameras as you leave and vice-versa, but hopefully it’ll come.

Any device which doesn’t really offer all its features without a subscription is irksome, so in that respect the option of the Sync Module (despite it costing about the same as the camera) is a huge boon for the Mini. It must be noted, though, that an easier option would be a MicroSD card in the camera itself.

What the Blink Mini does, it does well, and for many it does so at a low enough cost of entry that it’s the perfect way to get a feel for smart home cameras without diving all in.

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