NEW Blink Outdoor 4 Camera Review & Setup - Too Many Trapped Features!
The Blink Outdoor 4 Security Camera promises improvements, but offers lackluster performance trapped behind a paid plain.
☑️ Buy Blink Outdoor 4 w/ Sync on Amazon: geni.us/outdoor4s
☑️ Buy Blink Outdoor 4 w/o Sync on Amazon: geni.us/outdoor4
☑️ Buy Sync Module 2 on Amazon: geni.us/syncmodule2
☑️ Buy USB Drive For Sync Module 2 on Amazon: geni.us/syncUSB
Much Better Cameras with ZERO monthly fees:
eufy Solocam S40 Camera: • Eufy Solocam S40 Revie...
EZVIZ CB8K Camera: • EZVIZ CB8 2K Pan & Til...
ieGEEK 2K Floodlight Camera: • ieGeek 2K Floodlight C...
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
0:15 - What's New?
1:04 - Package Contents
1:15 - Design
3:04 - Specs
3:32 - App Setup
5:02 - Installation
5:11 - App Settings
11:40 - No PAID Plan
13:23 - Video Quality
14:22 - Motion Detection
15:55 - Speaker Test
16:00 - Battery
16:43 - Paid Plan Or Not?
22:07 - Recommended?
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// GEAR //
✅ CAMERA: Sony A7iii: geni.us/BnAjj
✅ Favourite Lens: Sony 24 -105 F4 G: geni.us/hQWRARJ
✅ KZhead Lens: Sigma 14 - 24 F2.8: geni.us/AWcVQwI
✅ Portrait Lens: Sony 85 F1.8 : geni.us/wzJfzjD
✅ Gets NO love Lens: Sony 50 F1.8: geni.us/BuaE
// ACCESSORIES //
✅ Desview R7P / Plus Camera Monitor: geni.us/gyMU688
✅ Synco M3 On Camera Microphone: geni.us/e1Wzto
✅ Rode Wireless Go Off Camera Microphone: geni.us/qa7cTQb
✅ Falcon Eyes Main Video Light: geni.us/KsvGqT
✅ Pixel G1s RGB Light: geni.us/ErKM
✅ Extension Tubes For Macro Shots: geni.us/pyWsnv3
✅ SanDisk Memory Cards: geni.us/pdIuW
✅ Manfrotto Tri Camera Bag: geni.us/f95V
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#homesecurity #blink #security
☑ Buy Blink Outdoor 4 w/ Sync on Amazon: geni.us/outdoor4s (Affiliate Link) ☑ Buy Blink Outdoor 4 w/o Sync on Amazon: geni.us/outdoor4 (Affiliate Link) ☑ Buy Sync Module 2 on Amazon: geni.us/syncmodule2 (Affiliate Link) ☑ Buy USB Drive For Sync Module 2 on Amazon: geni.us/syncUSB (Affiliate Link) Review of the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera Mount: kzhead.info/sun/rbOEl5imcHRjpp8/bejne.html UPDATE: Sept 10th, 2023 (Less than 3 weeks in) - My Blink Outdoor 4 Camera has died - the batteries are completely drained. I guess my street has wayyy too much movement and traffic for the battery to keep up with. I'm returning it, not a viable option for security where I live. Let me know what you think of the Blink Outdoor 4. Video description has links to other cameras I vastly prefer over the Blink Outdoor 4!
Thanks for the introduction, really great
Hope it was helpful. Thanks for watching Thomas 🙂
Thank you. Very helpful video.
Thank you for watching 🙂
Very Nice Review. Thanks
Glad it was helpful : ) Thanks for watching and good luck!
This is the very first review on KZhead. Thanks.
Thanks for watching Peter, but I wasn't very satisfied with the performance, even with their firmware update. Let me me know if you agree with my thoughts on it, or if you think I am being too critical.
@@DemCrumblies I've been searching for a review of the gen 4 since its announcement. Currently, I have a few 3rd gen outdoor cameras. It seems that the technology imposes some limitations. To conserve battery, the cameras are mostly in hibernation mode, with occasional communication through an energy-efficient low-frequency wireless network to the Sync Module. While this design enables a two-year battery life, it results in slower camera wake-up from the App and the potential to miss movements by the IR sensor. Interestingly, despite the time gap, gen 4 appears to offer mainly an improvement in camera field of view. Considering resolution, having a 2K resolution would be great, but it would lead to increased data transfer over Wi-Fi and higher battery consumption. Hence, it's unlikely that we'll see high-resolution cameras on these devices soon, given their reliance on batteries and claims of more than a year of battery life. Personally, I've set my camera to the lowest resolution, which suits my needs. Even at 1080p, nighttime recording isn't clear enough for practical use.
Hey Peter, yea, Blink is intent on advertising up to 2 years of battery life and will sacrifice performance and features to attain it. I've reviewed a variety of camera systems, which are solar based and they have lasted me all year, (even through a Canadian Winter) while transmitting 2K quality video for one system and 4K quality for another. Their camera bodies are larger to accommodate larger batteries, onboard storage, an LED spotlight, etc. but they manage to offer quality video, continuous battery life, more advanced features and with zero monthly fees, so I find Blink's offerings dated in 2023. I think they should offer two models, one with the 2 year battery life and a higher resolution version for users who are ok with one year of battery life maybe like they do with some of the Ring camera models. While the FOV is wider, I noticed that even when I had the sensitivity set to 9 in the app, the detection range is still strongest in the direct path of the camera because it did not detect even when I was within the wider field of view. By the time detection kicks in, entry movement into the frame is missed as you mentioned, so I usually get the subject moving from half the scene until they exit the frame, but the wider FOV definitely helps. Will you be looking into the 4th gen or do you have enough 3rd gen cameras to give you enough coverage? @@peterv1602
@@DemCrumblies I currently have six unsubscribed Blink outdoor cameras set up to provide 360-degree coverage. However, the cooldown period is becoming a nuisance. The time it takes for the first triggered camera to finish transmitting recorded video is longer than the time it would take for a person to walk to the next camera. This results in numerous missed events. In addition, I've positioned Ring cameras with subscriptions in the areas of highest activity. I'm intrigued by the idea of exploring new brands that offer more features without requiring a subscription. Do you have any recommended videos to watch on this topic?
@peterv1602 Yes the 10 second retrigger time is too high. You can look at these other cameras I reviewed, some are solar powered and some are hard-wired: kzhead.info/sun/h5usoLaxoIKga40/bejne.html (One of my favourite cameras!) kzhead.info/sun/gbuipdN5gJmBpJE/bejne.html (Very capable solar powered camera) kzhead.info/sun/eNCFos5uo5eBiIU/bejne.html (4K System with 2 camera kit to start) kzhead.info/sun/dLGDh6yDkXqvh2g/bejne.html (Auto Pan & Tilt - long term performance remains to be seen once it goes up against Winter)
I am becoming a big fan of blink as I have 3 of their products and there after care is first class, I am thinking of adding the door cam next as I still only have a doorbell lol.
Oh I did a review of it here: kzhead.info/sun/l5yfhsiwbqCdpJs/bejne.html (Just a heads up thought that it doesn't come with a Chime unit that you can plug in your home). Blink lets you use the Blink Mini camera as a chime unit for the video doorbell though.
Thanks for the review
Thanks for watching : ) @@RockinJohnny
I have a few gen 3 cameras and wondering if they can be swapped over to gen 4 even on the floodlight camera models? Great review 👍
Hey @submariner6789 I've actually used the Blink Support site, either the Search function or chat function and it's been super helpful for me if you want to ask them specific questions: support.blinkforhome.com/
This was very informative, one question. Is there a way to make one of the cameras available to other people to pull up and see? While the rest of my cameras are kept private?
Hi @davebarron5939, unfortunately I didn't find an option to share an individual camera in the Blink App. This is something that should be an option since other camera brands allow sharing individual cameras.
Thank you for your info, by any chance do you know if I can buy one of the blink systems here in the US and if they work in El Salvador, thank you in advance
Hi Roy, yes this will work anywhere in the world if you use it without the monthly plan and only with the Sync Module 2 and a USB Drive. I'm not sure if the monthly plan is supported in El Salvador. Btw, I have reviewed many other cameras which are much better value than Blink and have solar charging capabilities. I can share some recommendations if you like.
Thank you soooo much. You are the first one to answered all my questions that I had without me trying to explain what I mean regarding this product. I liked and subscribed. The only question that I have is: What is your internet 2.4 or 5ghz?
Awesome, glad the video helped Cesar! This camera needs a 2.4 Ghz network. Thanks for watching 🙂
@@DemCrumblies a minimum of 2.4? If I have a 5ghz wifi in my home will it connect? Or must be exactly a 2.4?
It must be 2.4 Ghz. If your modem or router is 5 Ghz, it is also capable of broadcasting a 2.4 Ghz SSID, but you may have to log into its settings to split the WiFi bands to 2.4 and 5.0 Ghz like I had to do for mine.
@@DemCrumblies thank you 👍🏼
So if it won’t work with the old module? But would the old cameras work with the new module?
Great review! Totally agree with you about the features locked under a paywall. Kind of low for a company to sell you the hardware at a profit and then want you to keep paying them forever. If they want to use this model, then give me the hardware for *free* and have me pay a monthly fee. I use Blink at my house but no subscription; just USB. I have notifications turned off. Looked at your $40 Eufy suggestion, found it was way more expensive...must be a newer model?
Hey Erik, the eufy cameras generally more expensive upfront, but quickly pay for themselves since there are zero fees. I recently reviewed a newer model, yes, called the SoloCam S340e here: kzhead.info/sun/apqMhdaokJideac/bejne.html (it costs more, but has far more functionality that anything Blink has released). Btw, less than 3 weeks in, my Outdoor 4 Camera's battery actually died, so that thing is really only meant for occasional motion detection and not for anyone who lives anywhere remotely busy. I also have my old Blink Video Doorbell and Indoor Mini, also without a subscription plan, just the Sync Module 2 and a USB drive, but at this point, I keep them to answer viewer questions vs. using them as mainstays.
Question about the "person detection" option. If I opt to pay the yearly subscription, did you say it is included...or it another small fee on top of the $30 per year subscription?
Hey @ofcbob6391, the person detection is included in the monthly or yearly subscription.
I have a pile of gen 3 at home, I like the simplicity but am not a fan of the detection, anything passed 20ft seems to get missed or the camera doesn't wake quick enough. Have you noticed the detection improved distance wise?
@THECBA55, I didn't notice any improvement with the motion detection. Even with the sensitivity set to 9, it didn't pick me up until I was directly in front of the camera walking slowly: kzhead.info/sun/frSBp8llq4N4raM/bejne.htmlsi=j8mwVI0gFuVHilXQ&t=926
I have positioned Blink motion sensors at a distance from my house, utilizing them to initiate recordings on my Blink camera. However, it's crucial to meticulously fine-tune the sensor's direction and sensitivity. For instance, placing it too close to the road might lead to frequent triggers from passing cars, which emit heat and reflect sunlight. Similarly, if there are bushes in proximity to the sensor, windy days could result in an excessive influx of notifications. As a result, I've accumulated a few unopened sensors, since finding suitable spots for their placement posed challenges.
Don't waste your time.... I'm keeping my gen3 cameras until they come out with at least a new 4k camera version... This gen4 is just a redesigned and rewrapped gen3 camera all over again...smh
I'm really wondering if they will ever release a 4K or even 2K camera at this point. It's already 2023 and they're living in the year 2000 with 1080P@@jdubb0113
@@jdubb0113 Person Detection has just come out for Blink. If you want 4k/2k cameras, then go buy Arlo. You're not going to get a budget option with top of the line features. Same things with cars, tvs, computers, phones ... When amazon finally come out with higher res cameras, 8k will be mainstream. If you want higher quality, pay a higher price, easy.
I have a previous model of the Blink cameras. I do not know what a Sync module is.
Hey @MyweathernetreportsBlogspot most newer Blink cameras now require a Sync Module 2 to operate. This is what it looks like: kzhead.info/sun/frSBp8llq4N4raM/bejne.htmlsi=8kHSmPip73rDSLiS&t=224
According to Blink these will work fine with Sync module 1. Sync module 2 allows for local storage on usb drive. @@DemCrumblies
Good to know, thanks!@@M0bstaJ
What would you recommend that is around the same price with similar features then?
Most of the cameras I would recommend are a bit above the price of the Blink Outdoor 4 because they have more features and offer higher resolution video than the 1080P that comes with the Blink Outdoor 4 camera. Are you only looking for cameras that do not require wired installation?
"Thank you for such a detailed review. It's helping me decide whether I should buy it."too many features are blocked.
If you are grandfathered in will i be able to use it without subscription
Hmm I'm not sure about that actually. Best to contact Blink support to be 100% sure here: blinkforhome.kustomer.help/contact/support-HJlZ2VBIH?ref=kb
My outdoor Camera has manual sync module firmware update required. How can I update it manually?
You will have to use the Blink App and follow along with the instructions on there I believe.
There is no hardwired or POE power option for these Blink cameras?
Nope, these Blink cameras have pretty basic overall functionality. I think some people buy 3rd party accessories that let them connect it to a USB cable while maintaining a decent amount of weather sealing though.
No, but they do need to be charged frequently. You could put a small solar panel on it or run an electrical cord to it. I bought two yesterday. And they were ok at first. By the end of the night, they wouldnt stay connected.
If I set it up at my house can I put the camera at a different house
It won't work at the other house since the WiFi details will be different at the other house.
You're def gonna want to run a wire or solar to that cam in the front of your house, all of that activity will drain the batteries in no time. If you have a light socket near the cam inside the house or on the porch you can run a cable from it using a Light Socket to Plug Adapter.
Mine died after 3 weeks. Definitely not meant for high traffic areas.
@@DemCrumblies Once you get it connected to a wire you won't have anymore issues with batteries dying quickly. I had to do that myself.
I ended up returning it and sticking to solar powered cameras instead, but yea, seems it requires hard wiring for high traffic areas.
Is the camera quality better than 3?
Blink says that the video quality is better and the low light capability is better, but from what I saw, it doesn't look great to me on a large screen. I haven't used to Outdoor 3 to compare, but I see the reviews on Amazon mention that the video quality isn't that great also. They really should be moving up from 1080P in 2023.
NOPE... It's the exact same camera quality and Camera that is on the Gen3 version...smh
Glad to know it's not just me who feels that way. @@jdubb0113
No it isn't the same. Much better low light contrast and wider field of view.
alternative?
Any of these are wayyy better options: kzhead.info/sun/dLGDh6yDkXqvh2g/bejne.html kzhead.info/sun/q6mJf8iDkWp8aKs/bejne.html kzhead.info/sun/apqMhdaokJideac/bejne.html
I'm trying to add my Blink 4 camera but getting this message "device not supported" while scanning the QR code. Tried changing batteries, tried different cameras, removed and added the sync module again, tried adding the cameras using 2 different android phones but no luck. Has anyone faced this issue during the setup and how did you fix it?
Hey @vipin_rahul, very strange error. I'd ensure the Blink app is fully updated first. If it is, then I'd try clearing the app cache, forcing an app restart and trying again. If none of that helps, you can try to delete all devices from the Blink app, uninstall the Blink app, restart your phone, install the Blink app again, sign into it, then add the Sync Module 2 first, then add the Blink 4 camera afterward. If you don't want to go through all those steps, might be a good idea to contact Blink support to see if they have any other suggestions. Let me know how it goes.
@@DemCrumblies tried these steps but no luck. Have opened a ticket with Blink support team. Let's see.
Sorry to hear it didn't work out. I forgot to mention that you have to be connected to a 2.4 Ghz WiFi network only too. If your SSID isn't split into 2.4 and 5.0 Ghz, that could be an issue too. But if you're already connecting to 2.4 Ghz, then yea Blink has to get involved. Let me know how it pans out.@@vipin_rahul
@@DemCrumblies Blink are unable to support any further. They say I'm out of USA and not in their supported region which is why I'm unable to add the cameras. They suggest to return the hardware since there is no workaround at this time.
Wow that's so silly. If you're going to use it all local without any cloud plans, they should just allow you to add the cameras regardless of location. If you can return it, I can recommend way better camera options with actual pan and tilt functionality and better features than the Outdoor 4 camera, just let me know. @@vipin_rahul
Any word on a 4th generation indoor camera?
Blink actually states that you can use this same camera indoors too, but I assume you're probably talking about something like the Blink Mini with the Pan & Tilt feature? I did a review of that here too: kzhead.info/sun/m9B_ddpvmGmldKs/bejne.html (it doesn't have auto motion tracking though)
@@DemCrumbliesI see. I currently own the 3rd generation Blink indoor camera which doesn’t have the IP rating or rubberized exterior, and I was curious if they were going to upgrade that model. Great review.
@@dopenerd Ah got it. They let you permanently connect a USB C cable on 4th gen to keep it always powered on, but you lose the IP rating, so I'm assuming this mean for users to use this feature if it'll be mounted indoors. Thanks for watching 🙂
For some reason my camera will record in color for the first half of the night but say after 1am or so it goes like almost black and you cant see anything..even tho same lights are still on on the street. It’s like it goes on low power mode or something but still detects motion. But you legit can’t even see it
Actually that doesn't surprise me much with Blink's cameras now. I think they prioritize battery life so much that they handicap their cameras too much. I actually returned mine because the battery died within around 3 weeks since my area is way too busy with people coming and going. But my other cameras from eufy and EZVIZ have no problem staying on with solar charging.
@@DemCrumblies Or maybe it’s because both my cameras are by some white trim and it steals all the IR away from the rest of the scene? So I guess they do have black and grey mode..just the white trim is so bright and close that it blacks everything else out. If that makes sense
Yea it makes sense, you could try to temporarily move it elsewhere if it isn't too annoying to do to see if that resolves the issue to confirm it.@@drapermike
The “3” I have is crap-came with dead batteries and likes to eat them in the winter-very narrow view,alert goes off to late if something is in my yard,off line many times,contacted Blink and usually gets back on line,tells me I dont have contract for memory but I do first impression of this brand-)_zero
Yea Blink has really been slipping recently. I still can't believe that the highest resolution they offer is 1080P in 2024.
Could you tell why my camara couldn't record motions sometines even though it has been armed?
Hey there, try to adjust the sensitivity to the highest setting. You may also have to angle the camera down slightly. Also, how high up is it installed from the ground? If it's too high up and the angle is low enough, the detection range may not be close enough.
@@DemCrumblies Thanks, It is above the door, it wasn't record when I drove out of grage yesterday morning, but it recored when I back, it happens like that often.
I'd set the sensitivity to the highest setting, then angle it down a little bit more maybe to see how it reacts.@@yshcordaro5254
@@DemCrumblies Thank you, I will try it!
Sounds good, let me know how it goes.@@yshcordaro5254
No memory card?
Nope. You either need a paid monthly plan to save clips to the cloud or you need to buy the Sync Module 2 and attach a USB drive to it to record clips.
I just bought two. They started off great. By the end of the night they wouldn't hold a connection.
Hey there, do you mean the WiFi connection is weak or poor?
@@DemCrumblies No. Its very strong. But I was thinking it might be a type of speed that doesn't work with it.(LTE/3 or LTE/4, etc)
@@TheLowerNard-sc6rq Ohh you mean the battery life then? I think mine lasted around 2 to 3 weeks before it completely died. I guess it isn't meant to be pointed at very high traffic areas.
@@DemCrumblies I actually bought 3. The first one was a mini camera. And it works great. Very responsive and dousent need s sync box., it worked so well that I figured Id get the "outdoor 4". The 4th generation. Kinda expensive too. But I need them. And they stink. Maybe if it wasnt a portable WiFi, it might be ok. Ill have to try it on a home internet system, or something I guess.
@@DemCrumblies And I just found out theyre NOT rechargable. But theyre supposed to last 2 years? Yeah right. And if thats the case, wht is there a type C plug that fits in the back? Maybe direct connection to Internet? Who lnows. I been dealing with this for a few wekks now and its getting old. Garbage from Harbor Frieght too
Blink is device not soppurted in philippines.😢
You mean the Cloud plan? Or even the Blink app won't work? I have also reviewed many other camera brands that work worldwide.
Even in the app..
When i added a camera on the blink app it says device not supported i use 4th gen blink cam😢😢
That really sucks. They should at least let people use it in the app without the cloud plan. I guess there is no area in the app to change location? @@jonathanbelen4548
If you change the location on your phone, can you trick it maybe?@@jonathanbelen4548
maybe you should hide you qr code? cool video otherwise
Yep, good point! Just lazy editing on my part. Thanks for watching 🙂
Why? Not going to matter.
All these security is great,but without wifi,they are worthless..
Yea that's why I always like cameras that came a microSD card for recording in the body.
@@DemCrumblies So without wifi and an internal SD card it will still pick up detection and record?
This camera requires a Sync Module 2 to work properly. The Sync Module 2 lets you plug in a USB drive so it can record videos to the USB drive. If you do not plug in a USB drive, then you have to buy Blink's cloud plan to record videos to the cloud. Not sure about how it functions without WiFi though, but you can contact Blink support here and they will be able to answer all those questions better than I can: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/faq-outdoor4/outdoor4-camera-faq@@neilcharles2520
@@DemCrumblies Thanks for the info...appreciate it..
You're welcome, good luck! Btw, I have reviewed many other outdoor camera systems that are better than Blink if you aren't locked into their ecosystem yet.@@neilcharles2520
Is the same thing with the version 3 of these cameras. Pure garbage. Unfortunately, i discovered it after purchase the 5 combo of them. Don't buy them. If you want something better then go for wyze cameras.
I didn't use the 3rd generation, but I agree that this 4th generation offering is weak. Motion detection is weak unless set to max sensitivity and the 1080P video quality is average at best. Worse though, is how many features are locked behind the paid monthly plan, which are basic features on other camera systems.
These cams are trash I regret buying them
Yep agree. I listed some way better alternatives in my video description if you didn't already buy other replacement cameras.
the absolute worst "brand name" low cost camera system out there. there are a lot of camera systems that are less expensive and have more features that are free or lower in cost without mandatory 30 to 50 dollar "sync modules". a neighbor gave me his two camera system when he upgraded and i can see why he got rid of it now. i went through hell to get the system registered to the blink app, the only one it would work with. my neighbor had deleted his account but somehow the cameras were still registered to his non existent app so i couldn't put them on my account until we talked to support on the other side of the planet 3 times and they were finally able to understand what the situation was and what we needed done. anyways, after getting the cameras installed i discovered how bad the video, audio, motion detection, and recording was. in fact there was no recording unless you paid for a subscription. kind of a useless security camera if you can't record. what if you need video of someone as evidence? anyways, don't buy. you'll regret it.
1000% Agree. It really is crazy that in 2023, the video quality is still 1080P and not just 1080P, but low bitrate 1080P. I basically recommend also any other camera brand except Blink when people ask me for recommendations, especially with all the paywalled features.
Which would you recommend?
These are more expensive upfront, but since there's no monthly fees, it works out cheaper in the long term. I recommend these: kzhead.info/sun/apqMhdaokJideac/bejne.html or kzhead.info/sun/dLGDh6yDkXqvh2g/bejne.html @@SouthFloridaFishingClub
Great review, what do you recommend
@@dbernards These are more expensive upfront, but since there's no monthly fees, it works out cheaper in the long term. I recommend these: kzhead.info/sun/apqMhdaokJideac/bejne.html or kzhead.info/sun/dLGDh6yDkXqvh2g/bejne.html @SouthFloridaFishingClub