We review products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Terms of use. The newest addition to the Vivint Smart Home system, the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro ($399), is a weatherproof security camera that not only lets you see what's going on outside, but also uses Vivint's Smart Sentry technology to let intruders know that they are under surveillance. Equipped with a 4K HDR sensor and infrared LEDs, the Camera Pro delivers sharp video day and night. That said, you have to pay to have the camera professionally installed (it costs $299 and comes with a $100 installation charge), and it lacks some of the features that you get with our more affordable Editors' Choice, the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery, including support for IFTTT applets and Alexa and Google voice commands, as well as the ability to zoom in on recorded video. Design and Features The Outdoor Camera Pro is housed in a white IP65-rated enclosure that protects it from water and dust. It measures 2.8 by 2.8 inches by 5.9 (HWD) and is attached to a mounting arm and base that allows for 360 degrees of positioning. The camera uses what Vivint refers to as hybrid Wi-Fi to connect to your network via the Vivint Smart Hub panel that controls your security system. In a nutshell, the camera must be wired to a bridge that wirelessly connects it to your panel. Alternately, you can connect it to your network via PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology. The camera has a 4K HDR sensor similar to the one used by the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor. Although the sensor is 4K, it only captures video at 1080p, but it offers sharp 3X HD zooming capabilities. It has a 140-degree field of view and uses infrared LEDs to deliver up to 40 feet of black-and-white night vision. Two microphones and a speaker provide two-way audio, and there's an 85dB siren that, when enabled, will sound when your security system is triggered. There's also an LED ring around the camera lens that will glow red when the Smart Sentry is triggered (more on this in a minute). The camera will record a video clip when it detects motion and store it in the cloud (cloud storage is part of your Vivint plan). If you have a Vivint Smart Drive, you can view video 24/7 and scroll to event markers on the timeline. What makes the Outdoor Camera Pro stand out from most other cameras is Vivint's Smart Sentry feature. Smart Sentry is a form of motion detection technology that sounds an audible alert and flashes a red LED ring when a person has been lingering for a specific period of time. You can choose one of five alert tones (or none) that will play through the 85dB speaker to let the lurker know that they have been spotted and are being recorded. You can also schedule when Smart Sentry will be enabled and set a Linger Duration time of between 1 and 90 seconds. For example, if you set the duration time to 20 seconds, the alert will sound if a person is spotted hanging around for more than 20 seconds. Once the Outdoor Pro camera has been installed, it is automatically added to your Vivint Smart Home mobile app and will appear along with any other cameras, such as the Vivint Ping, that are part of the system. To access the Outdoor Pro, tap the Cameras button at the bottom of the main Security screen and then tap the play arrow associated with the camera to launch a live stream. To view the video in full-screen mode, turn your phone or tablet sideways. At the bottom of the video panel are Rewind, Locks, Talk, Photo, and Events buttons. The Rewind button is used to scroll through the above-mentioned timeline of recorded video stored on the Smart Drive, and the Locks button takes you to the Security screen where you can lock and unlock doors with the press of a button if necessary. The Talk button is used for two-way communication, and the Photo button takes a photo of the current image. Tap the Events button to view, download, or share clips of motion-detection events. Tap the gear icon in the upper right corner to access the Settings menu where you can enable privacy mode, configure notifications, rules, and recording options, determine a motion-detection zone, and adjust motion sensitivity. Here you can also enable and configure Smart Sentry settings, adjust video quality, and enable/disable the built-in siren. The Outdoor Camera Pro does not currently support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, which is odd, as other Vivint cameras such as the Ping and the older outdoor camera that comes with the Vivint security system allow you to view video on an Echo Show or Fire TV device. It also doesn't support IFTTT applets that lets it work with other IFTTT-compatible smart home devices, but that's because Vivint dosn't offer an IFTTT channel like the Abode and LifeShield home security systems. Installation and Performance Vivint requires that the Outdoor Cam Pro be installed professionally by a company technician because it must be hardwired to a bridge which then connects it, either wirelessly or using CAT5 cable, to the same network that your Vivint Smart Panel uses. That means you'll have to let the tech drill a hole through an interior wall where the bridge will be located to the wall outside where the camera will be mounted. As was the case with previous visits from Vivint techs, my installer arrived on time and was courteous, professional, and respectful of my home. The installation required multiple trips from the outdoor location to my Vivint panel inside, and each time the technician came in from the outside he took the time to put shoe coverings on so as not to bring any dirt into the house. The entire installation took a little over two hours due to a few network-related hiccups along the way (the network issues were on my end, not Vivint's). The Outdoor Camera Pro's 4K HDR sensor delivered sharp day and night 1080p video in testing, with equally sharp zooming with live video. However, you can't zoom in while viewing recorded video, which is odd considering most users will want to see close-ups of things like license plates and intruder's faces when dealing with a theft, property damage, or trespassing issue. Both the Arlo Pro 2 and the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery offer zooming with recorded video. Motion detection worked reasonably well, but every so often I'd receive false alerts despite changing the sensitivity setting to Low. The Smart Sentry feature worked wonderfully: Sentry alerts have more than enough volume to scare off anyone who shouldn't be hanging around in your yard or driveway, and push notifications arrived immediately when the sensor was triggered. Additionally, two-way audio was loud and crystal clear. I created a rule using the Vivint mobile app to have the camera sound an audible Smart Sentry alert, complete with flashing LED ring, when a specific window was opened, and it worked perfectly. I also had the camera begin recording when any security alarm was triggered, and this too worked without a hitch. Conclusions The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro makes sense for anyone who uses a Vivint security system to monitor their home. The camera's 4K HDR sensor delivers sharp 1080p video, and I especially like the Smart Sentry feature designed to scare off potential thieves and other unwelcome lurkers with a flashing LED and a loud alert warning. The camera also provides clean two-way audio and works well with other installed Vivint components, but it doesn't currently support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, nor does it work with IFTTT applets. Moreover, it lacks the ability to zoom in on recorded video. If you're looking for an outdoor camera that works with other smart devices, check out our Editors' Choice, the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery. It doesn't offer a smart sentry feature and requires a subscription to view recorded video, but it's more affordable than the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro and it works with Alexa and Google voice commands, IFTTT applets, and other Ring devices, including the Ring Alarm system. It's also completely wireless and a breeze to install. Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro Bottom Line: The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro is a pricey security cam with a useful intruder alert feature, but it's designed exclusively for use with the company's security system and requires professional installation.

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