Nest is one of the more recognizable brands in the smart technology industry, with their main claim to fame being the Nest Learning Thermostat. However, the company has since expanded into a number of other industries, one of which being smart security cameras.
There are several different Nest cameras on the market that offer quality monitoring for the inside and exterior of your home. Newer releases in the lineup have introduced new features, improved performance, and better smart controls.
Looking for more information on Nest-brand Cameras, including how they work and whether or not they are worth the buy? Read on down below.
What Makes Nest Cameras Special?
There are a few ways that Nest Cameras stand out from other options on the market. While most smart cameras interface with voice assistants in one way or another, the is currently the only camera with Google Assistant built into the device itself. Nest is also the cheapest option on the market if you’re looking for Continuous Video Recording (CVR) with plans starting at just $5 per month for 5 days of cloud storage.
Outside of the unique aspects on their cameras, one of the biggest strengths of Nest is the rest of their product family. In addition to their line of cameras, you can expand your smart home setup with products like thermostats, a smart doorbell (Nest Hello), smart lock (Nest x Yale lock) or even a complete DIY security system — the Nest Secure.
While there are other high-end brands that offer similar quality in their cameras, there are few product families that offer the same variety of products that Nest brings to the table.
What is the Nest Camera Lineup?
The features a 1080p HD resolution, recorded at 30 FPS. Standard features include an 8x digital zoom 130° diagonal field of view and the ability to view and record an on-demand live view. The camera’s security is enhanced with night vision, motion and sound detection, motion zones, and person recognition that reduces the incidence of false alarms. The camera also supports two-way audio and supports voice control through Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The has nearly identical features to the Nest Cam Indoor, albeit with an IP65 rating and a wider operating temperature range of –4° to 104°F (–20° to 40°C).
The is a slight upgrade from the base model, mainly due to the integration of Google Assistant directly into the camera itself. Other areas of improvement are the Supersight and Daytime HDR features, a 12x digital zoom and close-up tracking view, better two-way audio, and slightly better night vision.
The is nearly identical to the Indoor model but with IP66 weatherproofing and an operating temperature of –40° to 113°F (–40° to 45°C). The night vision is a small step down from the IQ Indoor, however with the 850nm LEDs of the base Nest cams rather than the 940nm lights on the Indoor model.
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Which is the Best Nest Camera for Indoors?
Your two options if you’re looking for a Nest Camera to use inside your home are the and Nest Cam Indoor.
These two cameras have a lot in common, with the same 130° diagonal field of view, Live View with Nest Aware, a two-way audio feature, Rich Notifications for a quick response to alerts, and the ability to interface with the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8.
With that said, there are some notable differences between the two cameras, with the IQ Indoor being a step up from the regular Indoor.
The most significant advantage that the IQ Indoor has is the inclusion of Google Assistant in the camera itself. Other upgrades include a Supersight feature that can zoom in and track movement to keep activity within the frame, as well as person detection and facial recognition for more accurate alerts. The camera will also perform better at night with better night vision and an LED light ring and performs better in challenging lighting conditions with Daytime HDR.
Long story short, the Nest Cam IQ is definitely a better option than the Nest Cam Indoor. However, the difference isn’t big enough to make the regular model useless, with the Nest Cam Indoor being a great option if you don’t need Google Assistant built in and want to save some money.
For more information on how these two cameras compare to one another, check out our article on the Nest Cam Indoor vs. Nest Cam IQ — Differences Explained.
Which is the Best Nest Camera for Outdoors?
Just as the Nest Cam Indoor and the IQ Indoor were the main options for indoor monitoring, there are comparable Nest Cam Outdoor and IQ Outdoor models as well.
Both of these cameras are optimized to provide comprehensive monitoring of your property, with two-way audio functionality, motion detection, zoom, and a tracking view to always give you a clear picture of the action. You’ll also have access to Person Alerts and Familiar Face features with the purchase of a Nest Aware subscription, which will notify you when human activity can be detected and distinguish between strangers and your friends and family.
However, the IQ Outdoor is definitely a more impressive model with a number of useful upgrades. You’ll have a better picture quality regardless of lighting conditions due to the HDR feature and bigger sensor. The camera also has a 12x zoom compared to the base model’s 8x, and feature auto-tracking that can automatically follow the movement and keep activity within the frame.
Other improvements include better two-way audio due to an improved microphone, as well as a much wider operating temperature of –40° to 113°F (–40° to 45°C) vs. –4° to 104°F (–20° to 40°C) and better weather resistance.
Either model will do a great job of monitoring your home, but there’s no denying that the has a significant advantage. Which camera is right for you is going to depend on your budget and whether you feel you need the extra durability and features that the IQ model offers.
For more information, check out Nest Cam IQ Outdoor vs. Nest Cam Outdoor — What’s the Difference?
How does Nest stack up against other Cameras?
The Nest brand has an excellent reputation in the smart home arena, and their close partnership with Google has led to the only camera with Google Assistant built-in, as well as great integration with products like the Google Home Hub. Their cameras are good quality, but we suggest looking into Arlo Cameras, specifically the Arlo Ultra which offers more features for a similar price.
With that said, part of the strength of Nest Cameras is their place in a larger product ecosystem, so they may be the better choice if you’ve already started to build out your home with their products. If you haven’t invested in many Nest-branded devices, however, we think Arlo is the way to go when you’re in the market for a new camera.
If you’re interested to see how the best of Nest compares to the best of Arlo, check out our comparison of the Arlo Ultra vs. Nest Cam IQ.
What is the Nest Cam Subscription? – Nest Aware 5, 10, and 30-day
By default, you’ll have access to the past 3-hours of video snapshots from within the Nest app. If you’re looking to add in additional features or access more storage, the Nest Aware subscription has you covered.
All Nest Aware plans include 24/7 continuous video monitoring, intelligent alerts, clips and time-lapse, and better motion detection customization through Activity Zones. The only difference between the three tiers is the amount of video history provided, with 5-day, 10-day, and 30-day options.
5-day is available for $5/month or $50/year, 10-day for $10/month or $100/year, and 30-day for $30/month or $300/year.
Nest Cam — Comparison Chart
| Video resolution | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD, Supersight, Daytime HDR | 1080p HD, Supersight, Daytime HDR |
| Frames per Second | 30 FPS | 30 FPS | 30 FPS | 30 FPS |
| Video Format | H.264 | H.264 | H.264 | H.264 |
| On-Demand Live View | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Record Live View | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware |
| Field of View | 130° diagonal | 130° diagonal | 130° diagonal | 130° diagonal |
| Zoom | 8x digital zoom | 8x digital zoom | 12x digital zoom and enhance Close-up tracking view |
12x digital zoom and enhance Close-up tracking view |
| Power | AC | AC | AC | AC |
| Optional Power Source | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Two-Way Audio | Yes | Yes | Yes, HD | Yes, HD |
| Motion Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Motion Zones | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware |
| Person Detection | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | Yes | Yes |
| Facial Recognition | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sound Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Night Vision | 8 Infrared LEDs 850 nm LEDs: illuminates up to 25 feet IR cut-off filter |
8 Infrared LEDs 850 nm LEDs: illuminates up to 25 feet IR cut-off filter |
940 nm LEDs: illuminates up to 25 feet IR cut-off filter |
850 nm LEDs: illuminates up to 25 feet IR cut-off filter |
| Internet Connection | WiFi: 2.4GHz or 5GHz | WiFi: 2.4GHz or 5GHz | WiFi: 2.4GHz or 5GHz | WiFi: 2.4GHz or 5GHz |
| Requires a Base Station | No | No | No | No |
| Siren | No | No | No | No |
| 24/7 Recording | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware |
| Local Backup Storage | No | No | No | No |
| Cloud Storage | 3-hour snapshot history or with Nest Aware | 3-hour snapshot history or with Nest Aware | 3-hour snapshot history or with Nest Aware | 3-hour snapshot history or with Nest Aware |
| Review, Share, & Save | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware | with Nest Aware |
| Instant App Alerts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| App Support | Android, iOS, Web | Android, iOS, Web | Android, iOS, Web | Android, iOS, Web |
| Rich Notifications | Yes, with a snapshot | Yes, with a snapshot | Yes, with a snapshot | Yes, with a snapshot |
| Weather-resistant | Indoor use only | Yes (IP65 rating) | Indoor use only | IP66 rating (weatherproof) |
| LED Lights | No | RGB LED | LED light ring | LED light ring |
| Amazon Alexa | Echo Show, Echo Spot | Echo Show, Echo Spot | Echo Show, Echo Spot | Echo Show, Echo Spot |
| Google Assistant | Yes | Yes | Built-in | Yes |
| Google Home Hub | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IFTTT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stringify | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | 32° to 104°F | –4° to 104°F (–20° to 40°C) |
32 to 104°F | –40° to 113°F (–40° to 45°C) |
| Dimension | 4.5 x 2.8 in. | 2.8 x 3.5 in. | 4.9 x 2.9 in. | 5 x 3.7 in. |
| Color | Black | White | White | White |
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Last update on 2024-04-24 at 21:24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
