Foscam C1 Review Camera

Today we are going to test one of Foscam's IP cameras. It is the C1 model, an indoor camera with 720p resolution, infrared mode for night vision, support for WiFi network (at 2.4Ghz) and wired, which will delight users who are looking for a complete and not very expensive camera. Let's see it in detail.

We thank foscam for the loan of this camera to carry out its analysis.

Technical characteristics

Technical Specifications of Model C1 IP Camera
Image sensor	Sensor	High Definition Color CMOS Sensor
Resolution	720P (1280 x 720 Pixels 1 Megapixel), VGA, QVGA
illumination	0 Lux minimum (with built-in infrared illumination)
Controls	Brightness, contrast and light frequency control. Automatic and manual
Lenses	Lens	Crystal; IR-infrared night vision lenses 115º diagonal viewing angle, 100º horizontal viewing angle
Audio	Entry	Built-in microphone
Exit	Built-in speaker
Audio compression	PCM / G.726
Video	Video compression	H.264
Stream	Triple stream
Images / sec.	30fps max (adjustable to lower values)
Resolution	720P (1280 x 720 Pixels 1 Megapixel), VGA, QVGA
Flip image	Vertical Horizontal
Light frequency	50Hz, 60Hz or Outdoor
Infrared mode	Automatic and Manual
Video settings	Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, Sharpness
Storage	MicroSD card	MicroSD card slot up to 32GB (SDHC)
Communication	Ethernet network	10/100 Mbps RJ-45
Protocols	HTTP, FTP, TCP / IP, UDP, SMTP, DHCP, PPPoE, DDNS, UPnP, GPRS
Wifi	IEEE 802.11 b / g / n
Data rate	802.11b: 11Mbps (Max.), 802.11g: 54Mbps (Max.), 802.11n: 150 Mbps (Max.)
WPS	WPS support (WiFi connection at the push of a button)
WiFi security	WEP, WPA, WPA2 encryption
Compatible systems	OS	Windows 2000 / XP, Vista, 7, 8; MacOS, iOS, Android
Browser	IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
Physical data	Infrared light	8 IR LEDs, Night range up to 8m
Dimensions	In mm.: 110 (L) x 115 (W) x 127 (H)
Weight	680 gr (accessories included). Single camera with antenna: 340 gr
Feeding	Feeding	DC 5V / 2.0A adapter (included). The cable measures 1.5m
Consumption	5.5 W maximum
Environment	Temperature	0 ° ~ 40 ° C (operational) -10 ° C ~ 60 ° (storage)
Humidity	20% ~ 85% non-condensing (operational) 0% ~ 90% non-condensing (storage)

Camera setup on first use

The configuration process is perfectly described in the manual (only in the PDF version, the quick start guide is very concise and only describes the configuration with the mobile app). We will detail the configuration directly by Wi-Fi, as it is the most complicated.

First we turn on the camera, let it start and press the Soft AP button for 5 seconds (until it flashes first at medium speed, and then very fast). After this we can search the camera from any WiFi device. Its SSID is C1_XXXXXX, with the "X" showing the end of the device's MAC address. It is a network without password.

Then we go to the default IP of the camera, which will be 192.168.1.1:88 for models from this manufacturer. The default access data is "admin" for the user and password is blank. We must install a plugin before the application allows us to access the camera.

We note that under Windows 10 we have not been able to install the necessary plug-in to use the camera with Chrome, a situation that we assume the manufacturer will improve in the future. With internet explorer we have been able to install it without major setbacks, and with firefox as well. We will have to change the access data the first time we configure the camera.

After this we immediately access the camera menu. From here we can configure it to connect to an existing Wi-Fi network (the most common configuration) or continue using it in Soft AP mode by connecting directly, a very comfortable solution if we do not have a network installation in the place where we will mount it.

Foscam C1 IP Camera

The first thing that stands out is the small size of the box.

On the CD you will find a complete instruction manual, since the included guide only covers the most basic steps and the configuration with smartphone. To configure it directly on PC, we must refer to the complete PDF manual. In addition to the manual on the CD comes the software to find the camera on our network and the necessary extensions to work with most browsers.

The folded camera has a very compact design, which greatly facilitates its storage, and also allows an installation that does not stand out too much if we do not want to.

The base is removable to screw the lower part to the wall and take the camera by turning. The arm is double and the joints can be adjusted in rigidity.

Detail of the back, you can see the RJ-45 network port covered on the left, as well as the sticker with the default values, the two configuration buttons (one for WPS, and another to activate the point-of-departure mode). camera access) and the RJ-45 through which it receives power.

Once configured, we proceed to take a look at the options available through the browser. We must say that this camera comes with a really complete web interface, with the usual options of any IP camera, such as recording by motion detection and options for remote access (DynDNS and UpnP system to redirect ports comfortably), and some more than It is reserved only for traditionally more expensive models, such as the light sensor to toggle between IR night mode (black and white) or advanced options for recording to FTP or for connecting multiple cameras via P2P.

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The recording can be done either to a microSD card inserted in the camera itself, to an FTP server, or directly to our team. For the second, the user who is running the browser must have write permissions on the destination folder, so the most comfortable thing is probably to run the browser as administrator, although we do not recommend this practice, because it can have serious consequences for security, it is better specify a folder on which we have direct permissions, for example, the "Public Access" folder that most users will have created by default.

Although part of our screenshots are in English because it is the default option when logging in, we should note that all the menus are in Spanish, with a fairly good translation, except for the texts in some submenu (such as the recording one) that appear cut, but nothing that especially affects the usability of the equipment.

In addition to the configuration menus, we have two other large tabs, one to see the video of the camera live, with the options to record and take captures:

And another one to play the videos that are in the microSD of the camera, ordered by date:

Foscam C1

PICTURE QUALITY

SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

PRICE

8.5 / 10