Ubiquiti Smart Flood Light Tested

By Ilya Ignatenko, Published Sep 17, 2021, 08:53am EDT

White light illumination is a growing trend, but usually illuminators are built into IP cameras (see our shootout). Now, Ubiquiti has released a compact PoE Smart Flood Light as an add-on accessory, but how well does it really work?

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To find out, we bought and tested the Ubiquiti Smart Flood Light examining its performance along with Ubiquiti's G4 cameras, examining:

  • How even is its white light coverage?
  • How large an area does it illuminate?
  • How does it integrate with Unifi Protect?
  • How well does the built-in PIR motion sensor work?
  • What is needed to power and control the light?
  • Physical features and configuration

*******

** *** *******, *** Ubiquiti ***** ***** ***** drastically ******** ****** ** Ubiquiti's ******* (** ****** *** ***) ******** ** *** cameras' ********** ** ***** or ***** ** **, with **** ************ ****** a ~***° **** *** up ** ~***' ********.

******* *** ********** **** Ubiquiti ******* *** ******, essentially **** * ******** selection, ***** ********** *** floodlight ** *** ******'* day/night **** *** ****** detection.

**** ***** *** ** used **** ***** ************'* cameras ** ******* ***** image *******, ************* ******* on *** *** *** the *****'* *****-** *** sensor; ******* ****** ** on **** *** ****** would ** **** *********** as *** ******'* *****-** PIR ********* ***** *** weak.

*******, *** ***** ***** Light *** **** ** integrated *** ********** **** Ubiquiti's *** ********.

*******

*** ***** ***** ***** sells ******** **** ******** for $**. **** ** higher **** ******* ***** ********** *****($** ******) **********-******* ******($** ******).

Protect *** *** *** ********

**** ********'* *******, *** floodlight ******** ***** ******* NVR *** ************* *** to **** ** **** UniFi *******. ** ****** be **** ******* * local *** *********.

******* *** ******** ** included ** ******* ********, including ********** ***($***-***),******** **** ****($***), ******* ******* ***($***).

****, **** *** ***** is ******* ***** ***, thus ************ ** * PoE ****** ** ******** (not ********) ** ********, as ****.

Compared ** ***** ***** *******

******** **** * ******** camera, *** ********** ****** from $*** (** *******, $** ******) ** $498 (** *** ******, $*** ******). **** of ***** ************ *** competitive ************** ***** ***** ****** from ***** ** *********($***-*** ********* ** ********** and **** ******), **** as *** ******/************ ** ****($**) **** **********, * total ** $***, *** most *** ****** ******, ~$300+.

************, *** ********** ******** an ********** ****** **** and ***** ****, *** required **** ***** ********** white *****. *******, ******** floodlights *** ** ********* and ************ **** *** camera *** ********** ********, unlike ***** ***** *******.

Smart ***** ************* ** ***** *******

**** *** ********** ** mounted *** ********* ** an ***** *******, *** configuration ******* ******** * user ** *** **** the ***** ******* *** and ****** ******* ***** explained ** *** ***** below:

Physical ********

** *** ********* ~*-****** video, ** ** **** the ******** ******** ** the ******** ***** ***** Light ******** **** *** components ******** ** *** box:

Transparent *** ******** *** ****** ******* ******* ***** ********

*** ******** ***** ***** Light ***** **** * transparent ***** *** **** preinstalled. *******, * **** has ** ****** ** replace ** **** * diffused ***** (*****, *****).

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**** *** *******, **** covers ******* ******* ************ intensity *** ** ** ~140 ******* ** ********, with **** * ******* drop ** ************ ** the ***** ** *** coverage ****.

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Solid ***** ********

** *** ******* *** (~4,300 ** ****), *** Ubiquiti ***** ***** ***** provided ** ** * ~180-degree (**** *** ******** LED *****) ***** ******** without * ********** *******. The ***** ********* ** the ****** ** *** maximum ******* ** ****** to ********** *** **** wall ~*** **** **** regardless ** *** ***** used.

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****, *** ***** ***** of *** **** ***** are **** ********** **** many ***** ****** ***** be, ********** ******* ******, so *********** ** ****** to ** ***** ** these *********.

** ***** ********* *** the ********* ***** ******* (~20' ****), *** ** bullet ******** ***** ****** with ***** *******'* ****** and ***** ******* ******* overexposure. *******, **** *** light ********** ****** *** the *** ****, *** image ** ******* ****** it ****** ** ******* the *******'* ****** *******.

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Built-In *** ****** **. ****** *** ***********

*** ***** ***** ***** may ** ********* ****** using * *****-** *** sensor ** ** *********** it ** * ******** camera's ***** ****** *********.

*** *****-** *** *** a ***** ** ** when ******* ** **' using *** ******** ***** mount, *** **** ***** decreases *********** ** *** light ** ******* ** the ****** ***** ** used. **** ***** *** angled ***** **** *** light ********* ** ~*-*' above *** ******, ********* range *** **** ~*.** (~4.5').

** ********, **** ***** camera **** ***, ********* ranges ** **-**' (********* on ***) **** *******.

Improvements ** *** ***** ***** ******

** *** *******, *** Ubiquiti ***** ***** ***** drastically ******** *** ***** quality ** *** ** Bullet ****** ** ***** low ***** ******.

*** *******, ******* *** light ****** **, *** scene ***** ** ~* lux ** ******, ******** to ~* *** **** it **, ************* ********* images.

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*** ***** ************ **** reduces ***** *** **** on ****** ********. *****, the ******* ******* ************ and ******* ***** ** he ***** ******* *** scene.

Improvements ** ****/** ******

** *** *******, *** Ubiquiti ***** ***** ***** slightly ******** *** ***** quality ** *** ** Pro ****** ** ****/** scenes ********* ********** ************ in *** ***** ******** to **** ***** *** camera's *****-** **.

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** *** ***** *****, the ***** *** ****** artifacts ************* ******** ** soon ** *** ***** turns ** (***** ** camera ****** *********), ******* the ******* ******** ***********.

Better *********** ******** ** ********** ***** ***** ************

*** ******** ***** ***** Light ******** ***** *** brighter ************ ** *** scene **** ** ******* with ********** ***** ***** illuminators, **** ** *** 2nd ********** *********** *******.

***** ****, *** ******** floodlight ******* *********** **** of *** **** ** to ***' ****, ***** the ********* ******'* *********** only ***** *********** *** side *** **** *****.

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*** ********** ***** ***** the *********** ** *** Hikvision **** ******* ****** using *** ******** ********** versus *** ******'* *** white *****. ** *** center ** *** ***** of ****, *********** ** similar **** ***** **** the ********** ***** ***** or *** ***** ***** Light.

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*******, ** *** **** of *** ***** ** view, ******* *** **** pronounced. *** ***** ***** Light ***** ************* ****** facial ******* *** ******* color ********, **** ****** illumination ** *** ***** behind *** *******.

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Flush *** ****** ****** **** ********* ***** ********

*** ***** *** ****** mounts ***'* ** ****** swapped ******* **** **** different ******** ***** ********.

*** ***** ***** ** the ***** ***** *** 3-13/16" *****, ******* *** distance ******* *** ***** in *** ****** ***** is *-*/*" ***** ****** it ** ** ******* onto * *-**** ********** box.

Size **********

*** ******** ***** ***** Light ** ************* *** same **** ** ********'* bullet *******, ****** ** has * "****" ****** form ******.

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********

*** ********* ******** *** used ****** *** *******:

  • ******** ***** ***** ***** - *.*.*
  • ******** ** ****** - 4.38.1
  • ********* **-*********-*(*) - *.*.*** build ******

Comments (9)

Avatar

Clint Hays

Rasilient | 09/17/21 04:47pm

** *** ******** ****** line ** ** ***** American ********** ***** **** a ****** ****, ** are **** * ****** spacing? *'** **** ******* for ***** *** ***** light ***** ** *** for ******* ** ***** could ** ***********.

Agree
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Informative
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Ilya Ignatenko

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Clint Hays | 09/17/21 03:39pm

*****,

*** ****** ***'* **** the **** ******* ******* the ******** *****.

*** ***** ***** *** 3-13/16" ******* *** ***** which ** **** **** 3-5/16" ** *-*/*" ** a ******* *-**** ********** box.

*******, *** ****** ***** has *-*/*" ******* *** holes ***** ***** *** onto * *-**** *** with *-*/*" ******* ******* the ******** *****.

Agree
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Informative: 1
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Ilya Ignatenko

IPVMU Certified | 09/17/21 05:00pm

*** ****** *** ******* with *** *********** ** the ******** ***** ********.

Agree
Disagree: 1
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Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | 09/18/21 01:19am

** *** *******, *** Ubiquiti ***** ***** ***** slightly ******** *** ***** quality ** *** ** Pro ****** ** ****/** scenes ********* ********** ************ in *** ***** ******** to **** ***** *** camera's *****-** **.

**** *** ***** **** trigger * ***/***** **********?

** *** ** *** is ***, *****’* ****** IR *** ***** ***** lead ** *** ** focus ******?

Agree
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Ilya Ignatenko

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 09/20/21 02:10pm

*********** #*,

*** ***** **** *** Ubiquiti ***** ***** ***** doesn't ******* *** ***/***** switch ** ******** ******* when **'* *** ** Auto. *** ************ ********* of *** ***/***** ****** of ******** ******* ** higher **** *** ****** of ***** ******** ** the ***** ***** *****. Therefore, ** * ******** camera ** ** *** infrared (***** ******) ****, the ***** ******* */* when *** ***** ***** on.

** ****'* ****** *** focusing ****** **** ** Bullet *** ** *** cameras ** *** ******* when ** *** ***** light **** *****.

Agree
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Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ilya Ignatenko | 09/20/21 08:03pm

****** *** *** ********.

*** ************ ********* ** the ***/***** ****** ** Ubiquiti ******* ** ****** than *** ****** ** light ******** ** *** Smart ***** *****.

** ** ******** **** the ****** ********** ***/***** changeover ****** * ****** alert?

* *** *** ***** reasons,

*) **** *********** ***** more ******** **** ****:

***** ****, *** ******** floodlight ******* *********** **** of *** **** ** to ***' ****…

*) **** ** ** the ********* **** ****** than *** ***** ********* in **** *****, ******’* the ****** ** ***** getting **** ** *** camera **** ******* ******* of ***** *********** ***/** a ****** ********** ******?

*) ***** *** ********** because *** ********** ***** take ******* ******** *******, during ***** **** ****** might ** ********, ***** at *** ********* ** the *****.

*** **** **** *** day/night ****** **** **** good */* ***** ** first **** ***** *****?

Agree
Disagree
Informative
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Funny

Ilya Ignatenko

IPVMU Certified | 09/20/21 08:32pm

*********** #*,

** ** ******** **** the ****** ********** ***/***** changeover ****** * ****** alert?

**, ** ** *** the **** **** *** G4 ******* **** ********. The ******* ****** ** BW **** **** ** there ** ** ****** in *** ***** **** the ***** ***** ***** on.

**** ** ** *** threshold **** ****** **** the ***** ********* ** your *****, ******’* *** amount ** ***** ******* back ** *** ****** vary ******* ******* ** light *********** ***/** * larger ********** ******?

** ** ******** **** in ******* ****** **** as ********, *******, *******, etc. *** ***** ***** Light ***** ******* ****** illumination ** ******* *** day/night ****** ** * camera.

*** **** **** *** day/night ****** **** **** good */* ***** ** first **** ***** *****?

** ***** ~* ******* for *** ******** ** Pro ****** ** ****** from ** **** ** color **** ***** ****** are ****** **.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ilya Ignatenko | 09/21/21 09:46pm

** ** ******** **** in ******* ****** **** as ********, *******, *******, etc. *** ***** ***** Light ***** ******* ****** illumination ** ******* *** day/night ****** ** * camera.

* ***** **** ****** that **, *** ** existing ******* *****, ** was ******* **** *** threshold, *** ***** ***** could ******* * **********.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Clint Hays

Rasilient | 09/21/21 07:47pm

* *** *** ** not ** ******** ********** cameras, *** ** * PoE *********** ***** ***** my **** ** ****. After *** ***** ** half ***** *'* ********* as ** *** **** dusk ** **** ******* any **** *** **. I **** **** ** a *** **** ** brighten ** **** **** areas ***** * **** a *** ***** *** already ** ***** *** useful. *** **** ****** is *** ***** *** they *** ********** ******** if *** *** ** use **** *** * camera. *** ******** ***** bracket **** ******* **** I ****** ** ** which *** * ****.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
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Funny
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