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**This article is reposted from techradar.com By Chris Pricepublished July 30, 2024**. Original link: [IMOU Rex 3D review: a versatile, inexpensive security camera](https://www.techradar.com/reviews/imou-rex-3d). All content rights belong to the original author.

TechRadar Verdict  [4.5/5]

An easy-to-install home security device, the IMOU’s key feature is a camera that can pan 360 degrees and tilt up and down 90 degrees for optimum observation. Humans and pets can be tracked moving across a room and clips can be stored in the cloud, providing you pay an additional subscription. Two-way talk is great for chatting to family and friends or reassuring a furry friend you’ll be home soon.

Pros

+ Great for tracking movement

+ Security camera is competitively priced

+ Excellent video quality

Why you can trust TechRadar  We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. 

 IMOU Rex 3D: two-minute review

Chinese manufacturer IMOU offers a wide range of consumer IoT products, including home security cameras. The Rex 3D is slightly unusual in that, unlike most indoor models, it has a camera that can move either manually or automatically from side to side as well as up and down.

As with most home security cameras, setup is relatively straightforward. Simply plug the camera into the mains (a relatively long power lead is provided) and download the IMOU Life app online before syncing the device to your home’s Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only, not 5GHz) and setting a strong password (essential for these devices). Alternatively, there is an ethernet connection for hooking up the camera directly to a broadband router if you prefer.

Where the IMOU really comes into its own is its dizzying array of features. I’ve been testing the Rex 3D in my kitchen for a couple of weeks now and I’m only just getting to grips with everything it can do. That said, you will need to pay for the IMOU subscription to be able to store footage in the cloud, share the device with up to 20 users, and access some of the AI-based features beyond an initial two-week free trial.

The camera can be tilted manually or automatically (Image credit: Chris Price)

Prices start at around £2 (about $2.50/AU$4) a month for the basic plan if you commit to a one-year subscription, but you can pay up to £6 (about $8/AU$12) a month for the comprehensive plan (IMOU Protect Plus – see below). Alternatively, footage can be stored on a MicroSD card (not supplied). The slot is discreetly located within the camera housing underneath the lens.

 

Given the name Rex (a common dog’s name), I’d naively assumed the device was intended purely for pet monitoring. But actually, it can be used for human or pet detection. Footage is captured as soon as the camera senses movement, whether it’s human or animal. Clips are displayed within the app, either by going into the calendar view and clicking on the thumbnails within the live image or scrolling through a timeline. You can also set up the device to sound an alarm when motion is detected, though this is incredibly annoying if it’s an area of the house where there’s a lot of movement, such as the kitchen.

 

Captured video can be downloaded to your phone or a screenshot from the footage can be taken by pressing the camera icon. Up to 8x zoom is provided so you can close in on a particular part of a recording or live footage, while ‘smart tracking’ will automatically move the camera to follow, say, a baby crawling across the floor or a dog playing with a ball.

The relatively long lead makes this particularly convenient for a wired camera (Image credit: Chris Price)

Other features include an ‘activity zone’ for excluding motion being captured in certain parts of the frame (for example, a road where it might capture moving cars) and a ‘detection schedule’ for selecting which hours you want the camera to be in operation – such as only at night if you want to monitor a child’s bedroom or external door.

The IMOU Rex 3D also works with Amazon Alexa, so you can say ‘Alexa, show me the nursery’ and footage from that camera will be displayed. When the device is put in privacy mode, it will place the lens down to deactivate some of the functionality, such as live view. 

IMOU Rex 3D: price and availability

  • Prices start from $64.99/£36.99 (about AU$100)
  • Available now in US and UK

Given everything the IMOU Rex 3D offers, it is quite simply astonishing value for money. It’s even possible to find the model on special offer for even less than the prices displayed above. That said, it’s so cheap because, like most security camera manufacturers, IMOU makes its money from getting people to sign up for its subscription plans.

These enable you to view recordings in the cloud (after the free trial ends) and access additional features, such as enhanced AI detection that can send you an alert if a person, pet, vehicle, or package is detected. Alternatively, for more basic functionality you can simply store recordings on a MicroSD card up to 256GB, which you will have to buy separately. This can be used for streaming up to 24 hours of constant footage (once storage is full it will be overwritten by new footage).

Value for money score: 5/5

You can use the mobile app to define times when the camera should be active (Image credit: Chris Price)

IMOU Rex 3D: subscription options

IMOU Protect Basic: Seven days of storage in the cloud, share devices with 10 users - £26 (about $30/AU$50) per year. 

IMOU Protect Plus: Enhanced AI detection, 30 days of storage in the cloud, share devices with 20 users - £5.99 (about $8/AU$10) per month or £60 (about $80/AU$120) per year.  

IMOU Rex 3D: design

  • Easy DIY setup 
  • Long power cable provided
  • Can be mounted to ceiling  

Given the low price, you might expect the IMOU Rex 3D to feel a bit cheap, but actually, it’s pretty solid and sturdy. It’s also not overly large, about the size and shape of a softball. I’m not a massive fan of the piano black finish but it’s largely a matter of personal taste.

Running the long 3m cable from a power supply in the kitchen, I mounted the camera in the kitchen facing the back door. A bracket and screws are provided for installing the device on the ceiling if you prefer. This is a good way of optimizing the 360-degree camera as well as keeping the device out of reach of sticky-fingered children and thieves.

Design score: 4.5/5

Picture quality is excellent, even in low light (Image credit: Chris Price)

IMOU Rex 3D: performance

  • High quality 1080p image resolution 
  • Extremely sensitive movement detection 
  • Stable connection

It’s fair to say that the IMOU Rex 3D is one of the best security cameras I’ve looked at in terms of performance. Many are tricky to set up and don’t always offer a stable connection, especially if they are located some distance from the wireless broadband router. However, even though the router was on the other side of the house, the IMOU connected first time and has been working constantly during the two weeks of testing.

Finally, the picture quality is excellent. As well as offering 1080p resolution for high-quality images during the day, it has a night vision setting which is very accurate for IR recording in low light. If you are mounting the camera on the ceiling, it’s possible to flip the image 180 degrees so it’s the right way round. There’s also an HDR (High Dynamic Range) setting for capturing high-contrast scenes – for example, if the camera is indoors facing a window. 

Performance score: 4.5/5

With an IMOU Protect Plus subscription, you'll get the ability to differentiate between packages, pets, parcels, and vehicles using AI (Image credit: Chris Price)

Should you buy the IMOU Rex 3D?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Extremely good value for money considering all the features the camera offers. However, if you subscribe to the IMOU Protect Plus subscription plan, it does start to get quite expensive.

5/5

Design

Considering it’s a rotating pan and tilt camera, it’s a neat and compact design about the size and shape of a softball. Plus it can be mounted on the ceiling, which is useful.

4.5/5

Performance

Offers a stable connection and high-quality 1080p resolution. The only downside is that it’s not always accurate for pet detection and the motion sensor is very sensitive.

4.5/5

Average rating

A great-value indoor security camera, good for tracking humans and pets alike. The only slight downside is that the motion sensor is a little over-sensitive.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want to regularly track humans and pets
Pan and tilt camera with smart tracking makes it a great choice for capturing movement.

You want two-way audio
Great for communicating with loved ones while you're away.

Don't buy it if...

You only need a simple security solution
The vast array of features and functionality could prove a little overwhelming for some.

You're looking for an outdoor camera
The IMOU Rex 3D is intended for indoor use, and isn't waterproof.

How I tested the IMOU Rex 3D security camera

  • I used the camera every day for two weeks
  • I set it up myself without any assistance
  • The camera was set up to focus on the kitchen

To really put an indoor security camera through its paces you need to put it in a well-trafficked part of a property. That’s why I opted to locate mine in the kitchen. Plus, I made sure it was in motion tracking mode so it followed any movement around the room from either a person or a dog.

While this may not be ideal in the longer term – it does feel a little intrusive with a camera whirring round the room – it meant that I could see just how good the camera is at capturing movement. Over the last two weeks, it must have recorded more than 1000 clips and while some of these were false positives, I don’t think it ever dropped the connection during the testing period.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2024

Chris Price

 Over 25 years experience as a staff and freelance journalist. Currently working freelance for The Daily Telegraph, writing technology content for the newspaper as well as working with their clients (Vodafone Microsoft, Nokia, SAP, DXC, BAE Systems) on branded content.

**This article is reposted from techradar.com By Chris Price published July 30, 2024**. Original link: [IMOU Rex 3D review: a versatile, inexpensive security camera](https://www.techradar.com/reviews/imou-rex-3d). All content rights belong to the original author.

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IMOU Rex 3D review: a versatile, inexpensive security camera

IMOU Rex 3D review: a versatile, inexpensive security camera

An easy-to-install home security device, the IMOU's key feature is a camera that can pan 360 degrees and tilt up and down 90 degrees for optimum observation. Humans and pets can be tracked moving a...