EZVIZ BC1-B2 Kit: Two Battery Cameras and a Base Station

The EZVIZ BC1-B2 is a kit of two battery-powered outdoor cameras and one base station, made by EZVIZ. It suits a household that wants cameras at two points around the home, such as a front and a back, without running power cables to either. The maker states each camera can last for up to a year on one full battery charge from its 12,900 mAh rechargeable lithium battery¹.

The cameras record at 1080p and see about 10 m in the dark using infrared¹. They are rated IP66 for dust and water and are specified to work between -20°C and 45°C, so a British winter and a British summer are both within the maker's range¹. When the camera detects a person-shaped movement it can set off a siren and flash two spotlights¹.

Before you buy, know what you have to add. The kit does not include a microSD card, and the base station is where a card up to 256 GB goes¹. The cameras talk to the base station over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and the maker gives a minimum network requirement of 1 Mbps¹. If your broadband or mobile signal is weak, read Alarms and Cameras on a Weak Mobile Signal or Slow Broadband before deciding.

What the kit is and what it suits

The BC1-B2 is sold as two cameras with one base station¹. The base station is the hub: the cameras send what they record to it, and it is where the microSD card sits. That arrangement suits a house where you want two viewpoints, front and back, and where neither point has a power socket nearby.

The maker describes installation as needing no professional help. Each camera can be attached to any metallic surface with the magnetic base supplied, and a screw base is included as an additional option¹. In practice, a magnetic mount is quick for a shed or a metal bracket, while the screw base and drill template are what you use on brick or render. The kit includes two mounting plates, two drill templates and two screw kits¹.

The cameras are small enough to be unobtrusive: 104.76 x 62.80 x 62.80 mm each, with the base station at 81.97 x 63.97 x 160.22 mm¹. The whole kit weighs 1684 g, and the retail box measures 260.00 x 217.00 x 180.00 mm¹. Check that the wall or bracket you have in mind will take the weight and that you can reach the camera to recharge it.

If you are still deciding what kind of camera suits your home, our guide to home cameras and CCTV sets out the types side by side, and Wired or Battery Security Camera? covers the trade-off this kit sits on.

Battery life: up to a year on a 12,900 mAh charge

The headline figure is the maker's: the BC1 can last for up to a year on one full battery charge¹. That is a best case, and it depends on how much the camera is triggered. A camera covering a quiet back garden will record far less than one facing a busy pavement, and every detection, live view and two-way conversation draws on the same battery.

The battery is a 12,900 mAh rechargeable lithium unit, and the camera can also run from 5V DC¹. The kit includes a power adapter and USB cable for the camera¹, so you can recharge it indoors without buying anything extra. The maker also states the camera works with an EZVIZ Solar Panel for battery charging¹, which suits a camera mounted high up where taking it down to charge is awkward.

Video, night vision and what the camera sees

The camera records at a maximum resolution of FHD 1920 x 1080, which is 1080p¹. The sensor is a 1/2.8 inch 2-megapixel progressive scan CMOS, and the lens is 2.8 mm at F1.6, giving a 128° diagonal and 108° horizontal field of view¹. In plain terms, that is a wide view of a drive or garden rather than a narrow close-up.

At night the camera switches automatically between colour and black and white night vision, using an IR-cut filter that changes over on its own¹. The maker gives the infrared distance as 10 m¹. That figure decides where you put it: a camera mounted at the far end of a long garden will not light up the back door, and one aimed at a gate beyond that range will show movement but not a clear face.

The camera uses DWDR to balance bright and dark parts of a scene, and 3D DNR to reduce noise in low light¹. Video is compressed using H.265, which the maker says achieves better video quality with only half the bandwidth and half the storage space required by the previous H.264 standard¹. That matters if you are recording to a memory card, because it roughly doubles how long the card lasts.

Motion detection, sirens and spotlights

The camera uses a PIR motion detection sensor with smart human motion detection, running a person-shape detection algorithm¹. That means it is trying to tell a person from a cat, a branch or a passing car, rather than alerting on any movement at all.

When it detects a person shape, the maker states the BC1 will automatically set off a siren and flash two spotlights to let them know they have been detected¹. The camera's own siren is rated at 105 dB, and the base station has a 125 dB siren¹. The maker notes one exception: the spotlights will not flash when colour night vision mode is enabled¹.

You can set a customised alert area, so the camera only reacts within a zone you draw¹. That is the single most useful setting for reducing false alerts: exclude the pavement, the tree and the neighbour's gate, and keep the alert area on your own path and door.

Mounting the cameras outdoors: IP66 and -20°C to 45°C

The cameras carry an IP66 rating, which the maker describes as dust and water protection¹. For context, IP65, IP66 or IP67 ratings confirm a camera is sealed against dust and resistant to rain or even temporary submersion, and IP65, IP66 or higher is the rating to look for on a UK outdoor camera². The BC1 sits within that band.

The maker specifies operating conditions of -20°C to 45°C, with humidity of 95% or less, non-condensing¹. That covers normal UK weather. It does not cover a camera sealed inside a plastic box in direct sun, which can get far hotter than the air around it, so mount it where it gets some shade or airflow.

On siting, independent guidance for outdoor cameras suggests a spot 2 to 3 metres high, angled slightly down for the clearest view². That height also puts the camera out of easy reach. Before you drill, check where the cable and the mounting plate will sit, and use the drill template supplied¹.

Security, encryption and software updates

The maker states that data transmission between the camera and the EZVIZ Cloud is encrypted from end to end, using AES 128-bit encryption and the TLS encryption protocol, with multiple authentication steps¹. The camera runs on Linux¹. EZVIZ also states it has been awarded certification by DNV for information security (ISO/IEC 27001:2013), personal data protection (ISO/IEC 27701:2019) and cloud security (CSA STAR)⁴.

How long the software is supported is the part worth checking before you buy, and here the published figures differ. One independent review states that Ezviz will support its products for two years from launch⁵, while another states at least four years from launch⁶. The two documents disagree, so treat the shorter figure as the one to plan around and check the current position with the maker.

Whatever the support period, the practical steps are the same. Keep the app and camera firmware up to date, use a strong and unique password on your EZVIZ account, and turn on two-step verification if the app offers it. Our guides to camera and doorbell accounts and how to stop your security camera being hacked walk through this, and How Long Do Cameras and Doorbells Get Software Updates? explains why the support period matters.

Storage: the microSD card you need to add, and the cloud option

The kit does not include a microSD card. The maker states plainly that microSD cards are not included in the kit purchase¹. The base station supports a card up to 256 GB, and that is where local recordings are stored¹. Buy one before setup day, fit it in the base station, and format it through the app when prompted.

Cloud storage is listed as EZVIZ Cloud Storage¹. The maker also states that the cloud storage service is only available in certain markets and that you should verify availability before making a purchase⁷. EZVIZ describes CloudPlay as an optional cloud-storage service where available, subject to the relevant subscription terms and regional availability⁸. In short: check before you rely on it, and do not assume it is offered in the UK.

If you would rather keep footage entirely at home, our guide to cameras that record without the internet explains what is and is not possible.

Setting it up: Wi-Fi, the app and the controls you will use

Setup runs through the EZVIZ app. The cameras use built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and pairing is done by AP pairing¹. The maker gives a minimum network requirement of 1 Mbps¹. The camera streams at 15 fps and adapts to the network during transmission¹, so a weak signal shows as a softer or choppier picture rather than a lost connection.

The app lists live view, audio reception, instant alerts, video history, up to 8x zoom, smart home integration and two-way talk¹. The camera has a built-in omnidirectional microphone and a built-in loudspeaker, with noise suppression on the audio¹. That combination is what lets you answer a caller at the door or tell someone they are on camera, from wherever you are.

You can also record your own voice alerts: the maker states the system supports recording three 10-second audio messages¹. Keep each one short and calm, and make clear it is a household recording rather than an official warning.

Where to get help and what to do next

If you are weighing this kit against other ways of watching your home, start with Home Security: A Household Guide for the whole picture, and Burglar Alarm or CCTV Camera: Which Suits Your Home? for the choice between detection and recording. If a camera at the door is what you actually want, Video Doorbell or Outdoor Camera? sets the two side by side.

Two legal and practical points are worth knowing before you point a camera outside. First, filming beyond your boundary brings data protection duties, covered in Filming Beyond Your Boundary: CCTV, Doorbells and Data Protection. Second, a camera is a deterrent and a record, not a substitute for locks and lighting: see Doors and Locks and Outdoor Lights That Deter Burglars.

For support with the kit itself, use the EZVIZ product page and the app's own help section. Keep your proof of purchase, note the date you installed it, and check the maker's stated support period so you know when to review the system.