Xiaomi Smart Camera C300: Full Review and Testing

Introduction

A smart device with a 3D camera, wide f1.4 aperture, color transmission in low light conditions, face recognition using an advanced 6P lens for higher image quality, and HD image with 2K resolution.

The adjustable 360° panorama for complete monitoring without blind spots, real-time two-way voice calling function — this is just a small part of what can be read in the advertisement for the device called Xiaomi Smart Camera C300. 

But how does this model really perform? Of course, I will now tell you.

Unpacking

Let’s move on to the review. Unboxing. This model comes in a plain white cardboard box. It features an image, model name, and brief specifications. The packaging is unremarkable.

The kit includes: C300, charging cable from USB A to Micro USB, user manual, warranty card, and a wall mounting kit. Unfortunately, there is no power adapter included. The device weighs 233 g, and its dimensions are 77 x 75 x 14 mm.

Body and Design

This model is available only in white. The body is made of matte, quite practical plastic. Dust is not visible on it, and it does not collect fingerprints.

The design of the model is good. On the body, you can find the Xiaomi inscription, four non-slip feet, a QR code for connecting to the MiHome app, a speaker on the back, a Micro USB port, a Reset button, a camera that can rotate horizontally 360° and vertically.

There is also an LED indicator of the device status, a microphone, and a slot for a memory card up to 256 GB.

Data Storage and Main Features

It is convenient that data can be stored not only locally on a microSD card but also in network storage devices NAS and in the cloud storage. Let’s move on.

The main features of the model are as follows. Note that the C300 and the MiHome app are BSI Kit Mark data security certified. The camera has 3 megapixels, the maximum video resolution is 2304 x 1296 Super Full HD with 20 frames per second during daytime shooting and ten frames at night. The aperture is 1.4, video encoding H265, Wi-Fi supported at 2.4 GHz.

This model is also equipped with infrared lighting with automatic activation, a motion detection sensor, AI human recognition, and baby cry recognition. The C300 supports control through Google Home and Alexa voice assistants.

MiHome App and Camera Functions

The C300 connects, as I mentioned earlier, to the MiHome app. It can be connected to both Android and iOS devices. On the start page with the connected camera, you can find buttons such as turning the camera on and off, turning the device speakers on and off, changing the shooting quality, switching to full-screen mode, turning the microphone on and off, taking a screenshot, starting recording, and a joystick.

If you swipe the joystick, three more sections open: home monitoring for viewing captured moments throughout the day, viewing all recorded materials, and managing storage.

The app also allows for real-time two-way voice communication, which is convenient. You can turn off the status indicator, enable sleep mode, rotate the image, set up alerts, enable WDR mode for more detailed images, enable lens distortion correction, set up night vision, automatic camera calibration, and scene automation. However, for this, it is advisable to have more Xiaomi smart home devices.

You can also share the device with other Xiaomi accounts and update the device firmware. By the way, updates have already arrived for me. There are many functions in the app. You can customize the work of this model for yourself, which is a definite plus.

Video Quality and Conclusions

Now you can observe the video recording quality in maximum and minimum resolution.

The video during the daytime with light, and the second example using infrared illumination.

In general, when viewing videos on a smartphone with different resolutions, there is no significant difference, but if you watch it on a large screen, it is, of course, more noticeable. Note that the camera’s microphone works excellently; there are no questions about it.

In general, the speaker is good too; when the volume is set to maximum, voice prompts sound well. The speaker volume can be reduced.

Cons and Recommendations

Cons: the human detection function does not always work correctly. Based on this, the camera automatically records unnecessary moments. The camera does not follow the detected person but simply starts recording and sends a notification to the smartphone. 

The list of detectable sounds is small. It would be good to add sounds like breaking glass, metal impacts, and similar sounds.

There is no function for tracking specific points and automating camera turns. You can see the price by following the link in the video description.

Summary

To summarize. Xiaomi Smart Camera C300 is an inexpensive smart camera with not a very extensive functionality but with basic functions on board. The camera supports 2K video surveillance.

In general, this model has shown itself well. If you need a not very complicated camera, this model is a good choice. On the other hand, I did not find many differences from the previous S200 model. It is clear that there are differences on paper, but in use, they are almost the same.

So keep in mind: there is no point in upgrading. From me, the device gets a modest rating.

Wishing you all the best, dear friends!