There are multiple types of HomeKit cameras, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. I’ve previously reviewed the eufy outdoor cameras, and while I love them, they have to be charged once a year or so. If the opportunity to wire a camera is available, that’s a great option. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been testing the Logitech Circle View to cover part of my side yard, and it’s a fantastic HomeKit camera. Let’s dive into how it works with HomeKit.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
The Logitech Circle View is a wired 1080p camera that exclusively works with HomeKit. When I say exclusively works with HomeKit, I mean that it only works inside the Home app. There is no other way to interact with the camera. Even the firmware updates happen over-the-air in the background. I am not sure how Logitech pushes the updates, but it does happen without any end-user interaction. To install the camera, one needs to scan the QR code using the Home app. For people who love HomeKit and want a wired camera, this product is a dream.
The major downside to this product is you’ll have to get power to it. Depending on how your home is laid out, this might require an additional outlet to be installed or wires to be fished back into your home.
This camera comes with a ten-foot cable in a durable weatherproof IP64-rated body. The cable is permanently attached, so if you need a longer cable, you’ll need an outdoor extension cord. One thing to note is that the plug is not weatherproof, so you can’t just plug it up to an outdoor outlet. Since I wanted to use an outdoor outlet, I purchased a SOCKiTBOX to seal up where the Circle View’s plug meets the outdoor extension cord I used.
In the few weeks that I’ve been using the camera, it’s become one of my favorite HomeKit cameras. I love knowing that I’ll never have to charge it. Even though it uses AC power, it still uses a motion detection based (non-continuous video) recording system. I’ve been very impressed with the quality of the motion detection, though. As you can see in the video below, it could catch someone walking a ways off in the distance at night.
Recording Options
Since this camera works with HomeKit and HomeKit Secure Video, it supports all of the latest HomeKit features. HomeKit Secure Video is the only way to record from this camera, so you’ll need a minimum of 200GB iCloud storage and a HomeKit Hub to use it.
Inside the Home app, I was able to set a recording zone and also ignore vehicle detection. My house is the first in the neighborhood, so we have many cars drive by each day. If this camera were covering my driveway, I’d likely want the vehicle detection on, but since it’s covering my side yard, I don’t want a constant stream of cars driving by my house.
Some of the other features of the camera that you should know about are a one-touch hard button to turn the camera off, and it also tilts down if you to quickly get some privacy. Since I am using it outdoors, I likely won’t ever use those features, but it’s an excellent option for indoor use.
Included with the camera are light sensors and a motion sensor exposed in HomeKit, so you could use it to trigger individual lights when it detects motion through a HomeKit Automation.
Wrap-up on Logitech Circle View
If you want a wired outdoor camera for HomeKit, it’s going to be hard to beat the Logitech Circle View. It’s a suitable option for indoor use, but on the higher end of the price scale. You could buy four of the eufy indoor cameras for the price of one Circle View, and you’d be just as happy as they both support HomeKit and HomeKit Secure Video. But for outdoor use, I highly recommend the Logitech Circle View.
