D-Link Omna

SCORE ✪✪✪✪✪ PRICE £167 (£200 inc VAT) from apple.com

Let’s get one thing straight from the start: this camera is only worth considering if you’re already a dedicated Apple HomeKit user. There’s no Android app: it’s designed to work within an Apple-based lifestyle, and that’s reflected in its all-silver design. Not everyone will love its looks – for example, the Omna is chubbier than the Netatmo Welcome – but then again it offers two extra features compared to the Welcome that some might find vital. First, 180-degree video. Second, two-way audio.

Image quality is as clear as you’d expect from a 1080p D-Link camera, but note you can only record clips to microSD cards – and one isn’t supplied in the box. Without a card, you’re limited to a live view, which almost begs the question of what’s the point? Yes, you can be alerted to motion, but you’d soon get sick and tired of false alarms. There’s also no way to transfer recorded footage from the card to a cloud service, so you’re stuck with the terribly HeathRobinson method of removing it and placing it in a reader. Also note that if you want to view the footage remotely then you’ll need a HomeKit hub, which essentially means a fourth-generation Apple TV (although newer iPads will also work).

But there are lots of plus points. The Omna – just like the DCS-960L – allows you to select areas of the image for motion activation. Thanks to its support for HomeKit, that means you could use the camera’s motion detection so that a door moving will activate a light. Clever. There’s strong night vision too, with D-Link promising vision up to 5m away in total darkness (most vendors steer clear of making such promises). Its night vision proved a strength in my testing too. I also appreciated its long 2.9m cable, which gives much greater reach than the normal 1m cables.

You can control the Omna via its own app or the Apple Home app, but the former offers more control (for example, recording ability). You can also use Siri to check on live footage, should you wish, and anyone who owns an Apple Watch may find themselves mildly addicted to viewing what’s going on at home – you can even talk and listen on your watch, should you wish to go all Dick Tracy.

So there is much to like here, but before you buy consider all the caveats. First, the price. At £200, the Omna feels at least £50 too expensive, especially when that doesn’t include an SD card (sure, these don’t cost much, but it’s all about convenience). Second, it only makes sense to buy this camera if you’re wedded to HomeKit. But that last weakness is also its greatest strength, because if you are then you may well fall in love with the Omna.

KEY SPECS 1080p camera at up to 30fps (720p recording at 15fps) indoor use

180⁰ field of view infrared sensors for night vision 802.11n Wi-Fi microSD slot (no card included) 58 x 58 x 132mm (WDH)