All-new Blink Outdoor 4 (4th Gen) – Wire-free smart security camera, two-year battery life, two-way audio, HD live view,

Other than my Blink doorbell, this is my first home security camera product. Given that I already had a Blink system with a Sync Module 2 up and running, installing and setting up the video camera was easy. The build quality of the unit itself is very good, and although the plastic mount accessories aren’t industrial-strength, they’re adequate. I mounted the video camera outdoors under the eaves using three large 3M command strips, which holds the unit well.The wide angle lens gives me a decent view of the front walkway and driveway, with reasonable resolution in both daylight and with night vision. I’d estimate motion sensing distance is around 20 feet or so, and this can be adjusted to some extent in the app. Note that the video camera does not trigger due to motion in the distance, e.g. a car moving on the street. The unit also features a built-in thermometer which can be set up to trigger an alert in the Blink app if this temperature is above or below a user-defined range.I can’t comment on battery life of the video camera because I haven’t been using it long enough. In summary, this is a decent wireless video security camera at a reasonable price.

Just received this today, and it does show an improvement on the quality. Feels and looks beefier. When updating your activity zones, there are more squares to select than the previous versions of these cameras, which I like, to fine tune the areas I want. ** And, I think the inactive zones you set up, are ‘actually’ enforced and work as expected than the older generation cameras.TIP **25 September 2023 – For those having issues about wifi signal strength, you may need to mess with the router’s settings to increase signal power. If your router is between walls, behind the tv, etc. you will see degradation in performance and responsiveness in live view. I have a gaming router set on a high shelf, because routers work best when they’re in a high spot. My cameras that are outside have no issues with Wi-Fi strength and are responsive when live-viewing.Field of view has improved significantly and you can see a large difference between versions of cameras.Good thing is that the mounts for the previous cameras WILL work on this camera. The mount it came with is an improvement to previous versions. Flat base, not cone-shaped.I’m currently trying the person detection from the trial with this camera, and will update over time on the performance.**Person Detection since having BO4 as the trial, has been great! It has significantly cut down on the amount of unwanted notifications caused by wind, car/sensor lights, animals, etc. I do feel that you can save battery life significantly, even when the sensitively is set higher. Having too many notifications does get annoying at times, but I think Blink is definitely making an initiative to make these camera a gamer-changer, while still maintaining ease of setup.Price is a tad high, but you may consider the monthly payments, which I did.**28 August 2023 – Taking a snapshot/photo capture from these cameras, at night, non-night vision, pointing in a lighted area is sharp(er), than any previous version. No images included due to security. Haven’t tried night vision alone, but I’m confident the same sharpness is applied.**29 August 2023 – The Motion Recording Types cover Person Detection and All Motion. I have one camera set with Person Detection enabled with sensitivity level at 8, and it didn’t detect me driving my car in/out of the garage. I would’ve thought Person Detection would encompass ‘some’ normal motions, but I think we must take it at face value that when set to Person Detection, it will ONLY detect persons, you don’t get the best of both worlds unless selecting All Motion. Sounds dumb to say, but though I’d make it aware. Update** On a ‘very few’ instances, this camera did detect my car entering and exiting our garage. So my thoughts originally have shifted, but I think over time with continued firmware updates, it will hone in on its accuracy.1 September 2023 – One camera fell offline/unresponsive. Suspicion is on firmware updates being applied, or, weather factors since it’s low 60° outside. No issues with home network or signal strength to camera. Will continue to monitor/self troubleshoot. **I took out the batteries, and tested them, showing still a full charge/health, and placed them back in, bringing the camera back online.4 September 2023 – One of my BO4 cameras with Person Detection enabled was at level 8 sensitivity, and on a windy day, did alert that there was a person at (insert camera name). It alerted a few times during the day (under 5 instances), but not a big deal. My guess would be that as BO4 continues to develop, the accuracy will improve in its detection.8 September 2023 – Setup of 3rd BO4 camera set in an area where there is minimal/no lights. Due to security, no images. Taking Live Photo with the IR intensity set at LOW. Some haziness/fuzziness but the area is lit up, and provides better detail than previous versions of Blink cameras. As you increase in IR sensitivity, the Live Photo (in HIGH IR setting) increased in sharpness and reduces glare and fuzziness significantly. **I placed some solar floodlights in the area of this BO4, and with low IR sensitivity and once the lights are triggered, the video capture was much sharper than previous versions of Blink cameras. I only have video quality set at normal, so I’m impressed with BO4 so far!28 September 2023 Another BO4 fell offline around 11pm. Last occurrence was due to a firmware update being deployed, so this may be due to the same thing.1 October 2023 – Installed my 4th BO4, as I’m looking at all the point of views both in the live shot and live view, it feels that it elongates everything. I know my driveway isn’t that long, but comparing it to previous generation cameras, BO4 view appears to add like 20ft+ to my driveway. I can understand the other reviews concerned about the range detection, as I do notice some times it will not catch movement, especially if I’m moving slowly or based on camera positioning, but at sensitivity level 8-9, I would like to catch movement at a farther range. As I continue to implement BO4, I will continue to observe performance.6 October 2023 – It appears one of my BO4s point toward the road at max sensitivity IS NOT catching cars passing by anymore. Seems that v13.34 that was pushed out, affected the range despite any setting changes. Not a concern (yet), but I’m hoping newer updates will fix range issues and sensitivity. **Update – camera seems to be capturing movement now at a lower sensitivity set at 6-7. May’ve been a change in traffic flow by the house, in which there may be less cars, however, will continue to observe BO4 performance.

OK so I have two ring cameras, but Ring is a little more expensive and I wanted a new doorbell camera and two outdoor cameras and Blink was a little more cost-effective and Amazon were having their sale so I bought a blink doorbell camera in a package with two outdoor cameras and then I got the little silicone cover that goes on the cameras to help protect them from birds and stuff so I get everything home and I unpack everything and ring has the doorbell you put the mount on the wall you put the doorbell on the mount you go to the app and you set it up and the picture is perfect and you set your zones and it notifies you when it goes with Alexa and it’s easy. Blink not so easy blink comes with this sink adapter. You have to have plugged in near your Wi-Fi so that in case you don’t want to use their cloud services, you have some thing that’s going to record your stuff the set up instructions in the boxes don’t give a whole lot of information I mean it’s basics all mine instructions again basics it doesn’t tell you that the cameras only gonna record five seconds unless you go in and reset it but there’s so many settings unlike Ring the picture is OK it’s it’s not any better or worse than Ring the parts are pretty much all plastic in where my ring doorbells are some plastic and some metal which makes me feel a little better but all in all I have to say I’m probably going to go back to buying Ring products because they seem to be more sturdy and much easier to use the app is way more user-friendly. Yes Blink was cheaper by quite a bit probably at least half if not a little more than half , their subscription is the same cost as Ring. It’s got more moving parts more everything to do on Blink than there is on Ring. I have health issues. I’m really glad we put the cameras up because my husband had a heart attack and the camera caught it, but I had only set the recordings for normal and normal on the ring is 30 seconds normal on the blink is five seconds , so it didn’t catch all of it it so we didn’t know he had a heart attack and was laying on the ground for three minutes until the camera picked up movement again again didn’t know I was only recording five second intervals it should tell you more information. It should tell you all of the different options as you’re going through set up like Ring does that’s all I’m saying , both products are decent they’re good I just think I like better they’re more sturdy and more user-friendly but Blink is quite a bit less expensive good luck with which ever you choose.

I installed all three cameras and was very happy. Not the best quality image, and the response time from motion to recording is more delayed than I would like, but again, for the price, I don’t think these can be beat. My biggest complaint is that after about a week, one of the cameras stopped recording. I will get a notification that a person is in the area, but there is no video, and I cannot access a live view. I have tried rebooting both the camera and system and moving the camera inches from the hub and router. It still does not work regularly. I have contacted the customer service department, and while they were responsive, I need a replacement. I’m leaving town in a few days for 6 weeks (which is why I purchased the cameras), so I’m not sure how I will go about returning this item.As far as the delay, as an example, I have a camera positioned at my entry. When I go out the door, it doesn’t start recording the motion until I am nearly around the corner of the garage. When I am walking up to my door, it doesn’t record until I am right at the door. This would make it difficult to really get a good look at someone entering your home. Also, it only records for about 4 seconds before shutting off. I can’t find anything in the settings to make this recording longer.Again, great product for the price. I will add to the fleet and hopefully be able to get an exchange for the lazy one that I received in the pack.update: I was given a replacement for my camera that stopped working without any hassle. The biggest challenge was that the customer service is on the other side of the world, so messages were all delayed by a day. For example, I sent an email during the day and I would not get a response with troubleshooting instructions until I checked my email the next morning, having been responded to while I was sleeping. So I would try the recommended troubleshooting, didn’t work, I would respond right away, but not hear back with another possible fix until the next morning. This went on for about a week until someone finally said it was probably a hardware issue and would send me a new one. This was the day after we left for a 6-week period. If I had been able to just “chat” with someone in real-time, we could have handled the issue in one day. Good customer service, just slow.So, I’m happy to have a new camera. I haven’t been able to set it up yet because I’m not at home, but I’m sure there will not be an issue and I will purchase a couple more to add to the system.

There are a lot of improvements worth bragging about in this newest generation of Blink Outdoor cameras–the resolution is fantastic, the wider view is much appreciated, and the night vision is beyond what one would expect at this price point.That being said, I’m really baffled by the motion detection deficits. I bought some 3rd generation Blink Outdoor cameras not that long ago to upgrade my XT2s but promptly returned them because even at the highest sensitivity setting, they didn’t pick up most of the cars that drove up my lane. The 4th generation Blink Outdoor cameras are certainly better, but only at the highest sensitivity setting. I’ve had Blink cameras since the beginning, and I can say unequivocally that the XTs and XT2s had superior motion detection capabilities. Those cameras almost never failed to pick up traffic on my lane at the default mid-sensitivity settings. I don’t understand what has happened with the later generation Blink systems. Is this a hardware thing? Or a firmware thing? If the latter, then why doesn’t Blink address the matter? If the former, then why would Blink take a step backward in its motion-detection technology?…Bottom line: This is a worthwhile upgrade despite the downgrade in motion detection, but really only if you can get them at a good sale price like on Prime Day, for now.

Once upon a chill morning, nestled in a quaint suburban neighborhood, resided a man named J. Jameson. His humble abode was his sanctum, a place where he sought peace, comfort, and above all, security. To safeguard his haven, J relied upon a series of vigilant eyes, his trusted Blink Outdoor 3 cameras. They were his silent guardians, ceaselessly watching over him and his cherished abode.One fine day, the winds of change brought news of a new sentinel, the Blink Outdoor 4 cameras. They promised sharper eyes and a keener perception, capable of discerning friend from foe. J was enticed; he saw an opportunity to bolster the guardianship of his home. He ordered them post-haste, his heart brimming with anticipation.Day turned into night, and night into day as J awaited his new guardians. Finally, the awaited day dawned with a soft knock on the door, as the courier handed over a small package wrapped in hopes and dreams. J hastily brought down his old sentinels, his loyal Outdoor 3 cameras, thanking them for their service.With a heart full of joy, he unwrapped his new guardians, the Outdoor 4 cameras. Their sleek design gleamed under the soft morning sun, promising a new era of security. J wasted no time and proceeded to install them. However, as he attempted to integrate them with his trusted floodlights, the first crack in his perfect plan appeared.The connectors! They were… different. A cold shiver ran down J’s spine as he attempted again and again to marry the new eyes with the old lights, but to no avail. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows on J’s desperate silhouette against the cold walls of his home.He rushed to the digital marketplace from whence his new guardians came, scurrying through pages of descriptions and reviews. His breaths grew shallow as the grim reality unveiled itself. The new eyes bore no allegiance to the old lights. His home lay in darkness, watched over by blind sentinels.In desperate hope, J ordered the new floodlights, his pockets lighter, his heart heavier. Days of anxious waiting ensued, every passing moment an echo of the harsh reality, that security came at a hefty price.When the new lights finally arrived, J hastily set up his fortifications, his home now under the vigilant watch of the new guardians. Yet, as he looked through the live feed on his screen, he noticed a figure lurking in the shadows, unnoticed by the new sharper eyes. It was a reflection, a reflection of his own desperate face glaring back at him.In his quest for perfect security, he overlooked the one foe that was always there, his own reflection of fear. The new eyes saw more, yet revealed less, as J realized, the clearest lens was the one looking inward.The cold night whispered the harsh truth, in seeking to see more, J saw less; in seeking to secure, he felt more insecure. The silence of the night was only broken by the soft hum of the new guardians, the Blink Outdoor 4, watching over an empty, silent house, inhabited by a solitary J. Jameson.

Price point wise, these are great value. Almost half the price of ring to get a full home setup. Great options on blink app to customize areas to scan and to set schedules. Interface and setup is easy for someone who isn’t good with technology as well (had mom setup). Only issue I have is connectivity. My advice to Blink I could give is to make their own wifi extender like Ring has. Ring cameras are snappy with going to the app and viewing live feeds but Blinks response time runs short of that with outdoor cameras; unfortunately the only way for me to speed up response time is lowering camera quality to saver mode in Blink app. If Blink makes their own wifi extender instead of me buying 1-2 third party brands for the house myself, this would be a serious contender. Once that’s done, this would easily be a 5 star review