I am very cautious about the idea of installing a video camera at home. That’s why I didn’t install them at all for a very long time.
I trust only video cameras from trusted, long-established manufacturers, whose contact information, when requested, can be clarified via the local network – and linked to HomeKit. This is normal, external stories about cheap Chinese “spies” available from the Internet either immediately publicly or hacked at once are endless.
There is no such change in the new Aqara E1 zone. Functionally, it’s practically an Aqara G3, just without a hub inside. As a result of this, the price reduction decreased, but all other advantages remained.
Recently, E1 has been sold in Russia. I took it for a test, unpacked it, installed it, and share my impressions.
What’s included with the Aqara E1 cooker
In addition to the camera and USB-C to USB-A cable, there is a set of mounts for mounting the camera on a wall, ceiling or suspended structures.
There is no charger. But the power level of any most affordable power supply with a USB-A port. You can even connect it to a portable battery (tested!).
How to add Aqara E1 to the Aqara ecosystem and smart home
After unpacking, connect the camera to a power supply with a capacity of at least 2A. To configure, you need to download the proprietary Aqara Home application.
Next, connect a new device there, scan the QR code on the back of the camera, enter the 2.4 Hz Wi-Fi network data (5 Hz does not apply). That’s all.
In addition to the Aqara ecosystem, the E1 camera supports integration with HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home. The last two years in Russia are not interesting, but the first one is more than relevant, especially for our country.
To add a device to an Apple smart home, no additional steps are required: a dialog box automatically appears the first time you activate the camera in the Aqara Home application. After this, the owner of an iPhone and Mac will have access to several useful features, which we will mention below.
What useful things can the Aqara E1 camera do?
360 degree view. The lens camera itself captures the area in 101 class. Taking into account the rotating mechanism and adjustable tilt angle, I get a maximum 360-degree view. There is an obvious limitation: of course, the camera cannot look through the stand on which it stands, but otherwise the capture area is the maximum possible.
2K resolution. Unlike the number of common cameras, Aqara E1 can produce images with a resolution of up to 1296p (that’s 2304×1296 pixels). And this means more details, both day and night, without increasing the load on the network. Due to blocking, resolution will be reduced in threshold smart home ecosystems. For example, the HomeKit Secure Video stream is transmitted only in FullHD, this is not Aqara’s fault.
people tracking feature. The camera recognizes silhouettes and can automatically rotate the lens on an axis to keep people further into the field. If this seems “crackpot” to some, then real cases exist differently: for example, you shouldn’t lose sight of children or not touch the “joystick” in the Aqara application again. And no one has canceled security video surveillance.
Local automation support. For this you need the Akara hub. Any triggers, including detection of people, can be assigned automatic actions in a smart home. If the Internet is lost, the camera’s “smart” functions are not disabled, and the configured automations within the smart home ecosystem work correctly. Moreover, the camera can be taught to rotate to the desired point when a command is activated: for example, in the area where devices and lighting devices are turned on.
Privacy zone support. You can cover certain areas – for example, a bed or sofa in the evening or in the morning. It also turns off audio recording for a specified period of time.
Ability to handle calls. If necessary, two-way voice communication can be established through the Aqara application (and HomeKit). For example, communicate with a child or elderly relatives. A signal damaged by the connector before such a conversation will cause harm in the Aqara Home application. Adding your own sounds is supported.
Record to the cloud, SD card and even NAS. Under the camera lens there is a slot for microSD cards up to 512 GB. By default, the video will be saved there. But you can use settings 7-day Akara vaults, where short events sealed on camera will go. Without additional settings, it is possible to connect a NAS (SMB 3.0) via a network protocol. Finally, nothing prevents you from using HomeKit Secure Video for video, that is, the Apple cloud, iCloud storage and everything connected with them.
Auto-login to privacy mode. If you fundamentally don’t want the camera to convey something to the “cloud” with you in the frame, you can set up an automatic care camera in privacy mode – for example, when automating the triggering of door sensors or motion in a smart home. Then recording or capturing the entire video will be stopped until the trigger is activated.
Impressions and conclusions after using the Aqara E1 camera
The absence of a hub had virtually no effect on the functionality of the E1 compared to the G3, because a number of other Aqara devices can perform its role. Any objectively implementable automation related to the capabilities and functionality of the camera is available here.
The rotating mechanism quickly responds to commands. Tracking people in the frame works flawlessly; no erroneous work or unnecessary turns behind the switch were noticed.
I rate the video quality with a 2K lens as a B+: small details are visible at a distance of up to 30 meters.
Possibilities automatic surveillance To cover dangerous situations in the home, a 360-degree camera of this type is many times superior to solutions with a completely stationary lens. Let’s say if you tripped the flow sensor. The camera pans to where he is.
Monitoring and recording can be done subject to restrictions, enabling or disabling the local network or proprietary protocols such as HomeKit Secure Video. This is a big plus for those who are concerned about privacy and the risks of remote invasion of privacy.
Therefore, for me personally, this camera is still one of the very possible options that I am ready to put in my apartment and sleep peacefully. I think I’m not the only one.
Akara E1 has been sold in Russia since 2024 for an average of 5,000 rubles. MicroSD card not included.
📸 All photos in the article:
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
