FOSCAMSD4 2k 4MP Outdoor Security Camera, 5G/2.4GHz WiFi PTZ IP Surveillance Camera with 4X Optical Zoom, Smart AI Human Detection, 2-Way Audio, 165ft Night Vision, CMOS Image Sensor, IP66

As a responsible person in charge of our neighborhood security, I have purchased a total of 9 FOSCAM security cameras including two indoor cameras and 7 outdoor cameras (2 R4X , 4 SD2, 2 SD4H and 1 SD4). These 7 outdoor FOSCAM cameras, mounted across a 2 square-mile community, perform 24/7 continuous recordings of the entrances of our community since September 2023 (18 months so far). They are reliable and easy to access through WiFi. I can monitor these cameras with one single app on my iPhone. All footages are stored locally. I did not subscribe its iCloud service owing to our budget.This review covers (1) comparison between SD4 and SD4H and (2) high reliability and excellent customers.Comparison between SD4H and SD4:SD4H: 2K resolution, 16x optical zoom, dedicated reset cableSD4: 2K resolution, 4x optical zoom, hidden reset button(a) Mounting: SD4 is nearly one half of the size of SD4H (180mm tall vs 215mm) and lighter (1Kg vs 1.6Kg). The mounting method is improved by provided a small latch which can be mounted first. I found this very useful because it really saves a lot of efforts when putting on the first two screws. For SD4H (and SD2), the mounting holes interfere with the camera body to prevent using electric screw driver. This is troublesome when mounting at a high position.(b) Image quality: Both SD4x cameras have great 4K image quality (better than SD2 which is 1080p).(c) WiFi connection: Both SD4 and SD4H connect to home WiFi very smoothly. The starting time of SD4 is a bit slower. It takes more than 10 seconds before it announces “FOSCAM”. The location of QR code of SD4 is easily accessible, while SD4H is a little hard to reach.(d) Optical Zoom: 4x is just barely useable for my application because the distance of the cameras and the entrances is not close. SD4 is designed for short distance applications.(e) Monitoring: the app on smartphones and VMS on desktop are very useful. I can monitor all cameras at the same time and download the footages remotely. Once the footage is downloaded, it can be viewed and processed by a third-party software.(f) Location of SD card: The location of SD card of SD2 is very bad with mounting screws facing up, causing difficulty to attach or remove the cover. The location of SD card for SD4H is at the back of the camera port, so the mounting screws are horizontal. The location of SD card for SD4 is at the top of the camera port. I have to turn the camera port facing down to access the port. When the port is accessible, the mounting screws are horizontal. I think the logic of this hidden position is to avoid water getting into the port. It makes sense because we do not need to access this port often. One thing to point out, during the changes of the designs, FOSCAM reduced the screw size that the provided screw driver is too big. Luckily, I have a smaller screw driver.(g) Reset button: SD4H has a dedicated cable for the reset button. The reset button for SD4 is next to the SD card and only can be pushed with a fine pin. The reset button is only needed when resetting the WiFi connection. Let’s say you want to change the WiFi password on your internet, this reset button will add a few minutes to this change. But I think the change is good because reliability is far more important.(h) Intelligent detection: not subscribed. Can not comment.(i) General reliability assessment of FOSCAM cameras: With accumulative more than 100 months of operations of 9 FOXCAM camera, only one WiFi intermittent issue is observed from one of SD2 (9 months after installation). When I contacted FOSCAM customer service, they responded by quickly. After a few emails, they offered me a newer model SD4H with a big discount to replace that SD2.Overall, I am pleased with SD4 for its new features of being smaller, lighter, easier to mount and less expensive than its sister product SDH. My wishful thinking is an optical zoom lens (e.g. 4x) to mount in front of the camera so that the user can optimize the zoom factor.

The FOSCAM SD4 is a powerful 2K 4MP outdoor security camera with dual-band WiFi (5G/2.4GHz) for stable connectivity. Its 4X optical zoom and PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) functionality provide excellent coverage, while smart AI human detection minimizes false alerts. With 165ft night vision and a CMOS image sensor, it delivers clear footage even in low light. The IP66 weatherproof rating ensures durability in harsh conditions. Additional features like two-way audio enhance security by allowing real-time communication. Overall, it's a versatile and reliable surveillance camera for home or business use. Very affordable price. Highly recommended.

My home is part of the Foscam ecosystem, so I will compare it against my other Foscam that it is replacing. The new SD4 is leaps ahead of the solar B4 camera that i was currently using for the past 2 years. You will immediately notice the heft of the new SD4 camera, and that’s because it is entirely made of metal. Even the base is metal. You will definitely need to use some anchor screws to keep it locked and firm. Also, whereas the B4 had a rubber cover protecting the SD card slot, the new SD4 requires you to unscrew the protective covering, adding much more security. As with all foscams, the ease of setup is well documented. Scan a QR code and add it to your network. Speaking of network, it finally supports 5G wireless and has POE. Foscam really out did themselves this time around. And they have added back RTSP! Thank you for listening to our wishes. Now you can use it within Blue Iris or other NVR appliance. The AI detection is good, and they offer a trial period for some of their cloud features. The cloud features are optional, and unlike some other camera manufacturers, the SD card slot is still here. Picture quality is excellent, and the night vision is great with super bright LEDs that light up my driveway. I had to turn down the sensitivity as it was capturing all types of movements. Overall I am pleased with how much of a leap in quality Foscam has managed to cram into this camera. I will stay loyal to the Foscam brand as long as they keep innovating and giving us the features we need.