If you’re in the market for a smart floodlight camera with an impressive feature set, the Wyze Cam Floodlight v2 is one of the most wallet-friendly models you'll find. A wired device, the Floodlight v2 features two bright LEDs and a camera that delivers detailed 2K video, color night vision, both cloud and local video storage options, and intelligent alerts. It's fairly easy to install and performs well, but you’ll need a subscription to unlock certain features, including person, pet, vehicle, and package detection. At $83.99, it’s an excellent value, but in light of a recent security breach affecting Wyze cameras and the company's failure to proactively notify users about the incident, we're not giving the Cam Floodlight v2 our Editors' Choice award at this time.
If you're dubious of Wyze cameras, it's worth checking out the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera, a solid sub-$100 model that captures 1080p video and provides 2,600 lumens of brightness. Another good option to consider is the Lorex 2K Wired Floodlight Camera, which costs $249.99 upfront, but ships with a 32GB card for local video storage, offers intelligent alerts for cars, people, and pets without a subscription fee, and includes dual-band Wi-Fi.
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Getting to Know the Wyze Cam Floodlight v2
Available in a black or white matte finish, the IP65 weatherproof Floodlight v2 looks similar to the original Wyze Cam Floodlight we reviewed in 2021. Both models measure 9.5 by 7.7 by 7.0 inches (HWD) and use two square white LEDs for illumination, but this time around the floodlight has a fixed 2K camera whereas the first-gen model contains a bracket that holds an add-on 1080p Wyze Cam v3. The newer camera also has brighter LEDs (that together put out 2,800 lumens vs. 2,600 lumens last generation) which are dimmable and have a 5,000K white color temperature.
The camera assembly contains a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor, a microphone, a speaker, and a status LED that glows solid red when an event is being recorded or when someone is watching a live stream, flashes red when the camera is ready to connect to WI-Fi, glows solid blue when everything is connected and working properly, and glows solid purple during a firmware update. On the right side of the camera, behind a rubber cover, is a microSD card slot (for cards up to 256GB), and next to that is a Reset button. Under the hood, there's a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio and a 105dB siren.
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(Credit: John R. Delaney)
The Floodlight v2 camera captures 2K video (2,304 by 1,296 pixels) with a wide 160-degree field of view. It uses infrared LEDs for black-and-white night vision and will capture color video at night if there’s enough ambient light or when the floodlights have been activated. When motion is detected, the camera will record video and store it locally on a microSD card, but you’ll have to supply your own media. Or, you can subscribe to Wyze’s Cam Plus plan ($2.99 per month for a single camera or $9.99 per month for an unlimited number of cameras), which gives you 14 days of cloud storage for recorded video. The plan also unlocks several features including person, pet, vehicle, and package detection; 2X and 4X event fast-forwarding; and Wyze Web View which lets you access the camera feed from a web browser. The Floodlight v2 comes with a three-month trial of Cam Plus, and no credit card information is required for activation.
For a beefed-up alternative, the Wyze Cam Floodlight Pro ($149.99) has a 2.5K camera (2,560 by 1,440 pixels) with a wider 180-degree field of view, puts out 3,000 lumens of brightness, and offers dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz).
As with other Wyze devices, the Floodlight v2 doesn't support Apple HomeKit or IFTTT applets that allow it to work with lots of third-party devices, but it does work with Alexa and Google voice assistants. The camera uses the same Wyze app (available for Android and iOS) as other devices from the brand and appears in its own panel on the home screen. Tap the panel to open a screen that displays a live stream, along with buttons to view videos stored on the microSD card, take a snapshot, manually record video, activate the siren, view your Album of saved pictures and videos, create a timelapse video, and turn the floodlight on/off.
Below the video panel are thumbnails of recent events. Tap any thumbnail to view the clip, download, share, or delete it. At the top of the screen is a gear icon that takes you to the Settings screen. Here you can adjust motion sensitivity, enable motion warnings (to audibly alert nearby individuals when they are being recorded), control motion tagging (to highlight moving objects in a green box) and smart detection alerts, create on/off schedules and rules to have other Wyze devices interact with the floodlight, and manage the microSD card. Floodlight settings let you adjust the lamp’s brightness, enable ambient light mode (in which the lamps provide constant low-light illumination, and automatically brighten when the camera detects motion), and enable a deterrent that flashes the lights and activates the siren when motion is detected.
Bright Light and Sharp Video
The Floodlight v2 is easy to install but as with any other hardwired device, it requires working with electrical wiring. If you’re not comfortable with this, hire a pro, or opt for a wireless alternative like the battery-operated Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight ($249.99).
To get started, I opened the Wyze app, tapped the plus icon in the upper left corner of the Home screen, and tapped Add Device. I selected the Wyze Cam Floodlight v2 from the list of cameras, tapped “I’m replacing an existing floodlight," and followed the instructions to shut off the power to the circuit at my breaker box. Next, I removed the old fixture from the junction box and attached the supplied bracket using the included screws. I then attached the ground wire to the bracket and used the included hook to hold the cam in place while I connected the black and white house wires to the corresponding ones on the camera. I secured the wires using the included wire nuts, tucked them back into the box, and attached the cam to the bracket using the appropriate bolt. Finally, I popped the rubber cover onto the mounting hole, adjusted the camera and light angles, and restored power to the circuit.
At this point, voice prompts from the camera told me it was ready to connect. I verified that the LED was flashing red, tapped Begin Setup in the app, and selected my Wi-Fi SSID when prompted. I entered my password, tapped Connect, and the device was online within 10 seconds. I tapped Done, gave the cam a name, and updated the firmware to complete the installation.
(Credit: Wyze)
The Floodlight v2 provided crisp 2K video in testing. Daytime colors were well saturated with sharp detail, and black-and-white night video showed good contrast. Color night video was also sharp, but colors appeared slightly dull compared with daytime video.
The dual lamps fully illuminated my side yard and reliably adhered to my sunset-sunrise schedule. Motion detection was accurate and motion tracking worked well, as did the motion warning feature. My Alexa routine to turn on a Nanoleaf BR30 bulb when the floodlight detected motion worked like a charm, and the camera instantly responded to voice commands to stream video to an Amazon Echo Show 8.
A 2-in-1 Powerhouse for Smart Home Security
Whether you’re looking to illuminate your driveway, backyard, or any area of your property, the Wyze Cam Floodlight v2 is an affordable solution that also helps you keep tabs on what’s happening out there. It features two dimmable LED lamps that provide up to 2,800 lumens of white light, and a 2K camera that delivers sharp video and records motion events. You’ll have to supply your own microSD card for local video storage, and some features require a paid subscription, but at $83.99, the Floodlight v2 is still a very good deal. That said, the recent Wyze security breach makes us reluctant to give the Floodlight v2 our Editors' Choice award. If you're concerned about security, the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is a solid similarly priced alternative (albeit with slightly lower specs), while the pricey Lorex 2K Wired Floodlight Camera delivers all the perks of the Floodlight v2 without any upsells or ongoing fees.
Wyze Cam Floodlight v2
4.0
See It$89.98 at Amazon
MSRP $83.99
Pros
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Affordable
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Sharp 2K video
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Wide field of view
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Local and cloud video storage
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Color night vision
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Intelligent alerts
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Supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant voice control
ViewMore
Cons
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Requires wiring
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Some features are paywalled
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Doesn't support Apple HomeKit
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SD card not included
ViewMore
The Bottom Line
The Wyze Cam Floodlight v2 is an inexpensive wired security camera that delivers bright illumination, high-res video with a wide viewing angle, and local or cloud storage for recorded footage.
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