Zetta Z82

[testman78]

Introduction

In the past few years, cameras have gotten smaller and smaller. Now, small spy cameras have been around for decades. But they've traditionally been fairly low quality. You could wear one on your lapel and get grainy video that looked bad even on a CRT screen. But today, you can get quality, 1080p video even from a compact camera. Today, we're going to be reviewing the Zetta Z82 Spy Camera. It's a compact little beast. And it's designed to take high quality videos. But what sets it apart from the other spy cameras on the market? We'll take a close look, and tell you everything you wanted to know about this well-engineered camera. Is this camera is as intelligent as it looks? Let's find out!



Specifications.




Packaging & Contents

The Z82 arrived inside a very small red/white box with a product picture at the front and the name of the unit.



You can see its system requirements at the rear.



Contact and warranty information is placed on the right side.



4 possible usages for the Z82 are placed on the left side.



A separate box contained all bundle contents.



The bundle is not really impressive so aside the Z82 you will get a mini-USB cable and the user's manual in two languages.




A Closer Look

From a physical standpoint, the Z82 Camera is highly compact. It was pretty clearly intended to be hidden away, or otherwise made easy to obscure behind various obstacles.



Measuring 9cm in length, 5.8cm in width and 2.6cm in height, the Z82 is somewhat more compact and portable than a smartphone.



This camera has a decent design. Although it's not disguised as another object, it's small size allows you to conceal it in many locations, such as on a bookcase or between photo frames.The chassis is mostly made from ABS plastic, which helps the camera maintain an exceptionally lightweight design while also being relatively shock-proof. That's not to say this camera is ready for roughhousing, but it would be able to survive being dropped from hand-level. Which isn't something you can take for granted when it comes to relatively delicate equipment like cameras.



The lens used may offer Full HD quality but its extremely small size will most certainly affect image quality. Covering a 140 degree wide viewing angle, it records in full HD 1920 x 1080p resolution. Right next it we see the microphone and a pinhole motion detector which helps to identify the camera as a camera for anyone who spots it.



The other side of the camcorder has the data transfer/charging mini USB port to connect to your PC, MAC, or the power adapter. Near it are the reset and upgrade pinholes. It requires a small straight tool to be inserted into it to activate the feature. Below these, there's a grid of holes that cover the microphone. There's also a standard SD card slot for hard storage options, status led and a basic on/off power button. The camera includes a 1.5 GB internal memory, allowing for up to 1 hour of recording out of the box with expansion up to 256 GB and 156 hours via microSD.




ZA 22

The Z82 camcorder does not have IR night vision capability which improves night recording. All footage that had almost no lighting was very grainy and any moving objects were a complete blur making these recordings unusable.



The Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator is a must-have accessory if you want your security camera to see in the dark. Perfect for outdoor and indoor surveillance, the device adds or improves the night-vision capabilities on your security camera. It works with any camera that can see 940nm, including the Zetta Z12, Z16, ZIR32, ZN62 and the ZN82.




It plugs into the camera via the USB slot. Just slide the Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator onto your security camera and you're good to go. The Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator can be used in any setting. It features a weatherproof design that's perfect for outdoor surveillance. You don't have to worry about rain or snow ruining the device. Whether you're recording video at home, around the office, or in your backyard, the Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator has you covered. The Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator is designed for covert surveillance. The lights on the device are invisible to the human eye. Day or night, no one will notice that you're recording video. It weighs just over an ounce, so you can easily take the device with you if you need to record video in multiple locations. You don't have to worry about turning the Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator on or off. The device turns on automatically when there's not enough light around. You can rest assured that you'll never miss anything important with the Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator.


Software

The Zetta Z82 Full HD camera offers advanced settings such as settings for video quality, image orientation, date and time display, loop recording, motion detection sensitivity, etc. For these settings you must download the PC program Camera Widget for Z82, which is available free of charge. All videos are time-stamped for better record keeping.




Performance

By plugging in a 5V DC adapter (not included), it can achieve max 156 hours circular recording for surveillance on a 256GB microSD card. Z82 can do 30 day motion trigger standby, while other camera's can only do 10 hours motion trigger standby. On a fully charged battery you will get up to 9 hours of constant video recording. This also includes the option to automatically split video recordings into separate files, with options for 10, 15, and 20 minute intervals. This means gaplesss video recordings for easy downloading or uploading without the fear of missing footage. Additionally, you will have the option for looped recording, saving the most recent recordings and writing over older video footage you may no longer need. With motion activation, it will only record when something moves in front of the camera's sensors. Motion trigger can work through glass / window. Other motion detection like PIR body heat detection, ultrasound detection, Infrared detection does not work. So this is particularly useful in the car.




The Z82 records in full 1080p. The video is crisp and clear, with no fuzzy edges or granulation. That said, keep in mind what you're dealing with. A camera this small has a very small aperture, along with proportionally small light sensors. As a result, you're not going to get the same vibrancy that you'd expect from a larger, full-sized camera. That said, for security or surveillance purposes, the quality is more than good enough. You'll be able to identify faces without any difficulty. Despite the wide viewing angle, I didn't see any fisheye distortion during my testing. The view angle is 140 degrees, which is a medium-wide angle. When placed in a corner of a room, it will easy pick up the entire room, from wall to wall. As a result, it's an ideal choice for home security. You can put it on a shelf with a bunch of knick-knacks, and an intruder will never notice it. The framerate is 30 frames per second, which is standard for most HD video. If it's good enough for most Hollywood movies, it's going to be good enough for everyday purposes. The motion detection is even through a glass window so this camera so perfectly suited for securing a parked car. One thing that Z82 does very well is glare resistance. The lens is multi-coated to resist both scratches and glare. So you're not likely to lose part of the image because the sun is at the wrong angle. It's not hard to do okay-looking night vision. If you're willing to sacrifice clarity, and you're not trying to see what's happening in far-off distances, then night vision isn't too challenging. But if you want to maintain clarity or see what's going on in dark places, then you really need some more specialized equipment like Zetta's Z22. When used for video, the Z82 also records sound. This is only a secondary feature, so the sound quality is only so-so. That said, it's good enough to make out conversations from 30 feet away or more. And let's be honest. This is a security camera. You're looking for accurate recording, not for studio-quality audio. The Z82's audio is more than good enough for a security camera. You can Disable the voice recording feature.





Final Thoughts

The Zetta ZN82 Intelligent Security Camera is a great choice for all of your surveillance needs. It has a compact design that makes it easy to hide around your house or at the office.If you want to discreetly record video at home or the office, you'll need a camera that doesn't bring too much attention to itself. The Zetta ZN82 has a dark, sleek design that's less than 3 inches wide, making it easy to hide just about anywhere. This isn't the most compact camera on the market, but it's up there. You can tuck it on a bookshelf or inside of an empty box to hide the fact that you're recording. Packed with useful features, the Zetta ZN82 has the versatility to handle any surveillance situation. It's built to provide 1080p quality, night vision, and record audio-all wrapped into a long-lasting battery. The camera also features a 140-degree wide-angle lens for a greater scope of view. You can customize the settings on the Zetta ZN82 so that the camera will only record in certain situations. With motion activation, it will only record when something moves in front of the camera's sensors. Motion trigger can work through glass / window. Other motion detection like PIR body heat detection, ultrasound detection, Infrared detection does not work. So this is particularly useful in the car. Although the indoor and outdoor video quality of the Zetta Z82 was excellent as long as there was ample light or low light, I was disappointed in the quality of the near dark video recordings. This camcorder does not have IR night vision capability which improves night recording. That's why you will need for sure the Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator. It's a must-have accessory if you want your security camera to see in the dark. Whether you're primarily interested in the subtly of the camera, or you're mostly concerned with recording features, the Z82 gives you plenty to think about.



The Zetta Z82 is available for $149.95.The Zetta ZA22 Portable IR Nightvision Illuminator is available for $24.95.



The Z82 Spy Camera is an innovative camera with a lot to offer. Z82 can do 30 day motion trigger standby, while other camera's can only do 10 hours motion trigger standby. Motion trigger can work through glass / window. So this is particularly useful in the car. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive way to monitor your home, car or shop and need to see the video in real time the Z82 might be for you. You also get Zetta's one-year manufacturer's warranty.