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Canary Pro Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

Indoor Canary Cam with 1080p Video

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Canary Pro

The Canary Pro is an indoor only camera that offers 1080p video resolution, 3 different modes (with paid subscription), 24/7 live feed, and more. It has an extended field of view of 147° which is over 30° wider than the view on the Canary Flex. Overall, performance was good in terms of video quality and audio, and the whole system pairs well with a user-friendly app.Check Price

Pros

  • HomeHealth technology monitors air quality, temperature, and humidity
  • On-board siren, 90db
  • 147° field of view (31° wider than the Canary Flex)

Cons

  • Limited features without the paid subscription
  • Requires wired power
  • No mount provided for installations on a wall

Performance

Video: Day

Good

Video: Night

Good

Audio

Okay

App

Good

10 SECOND SUMMARY: The performance of the Canary Pro camera was excellent, much better than the Canary Flex, in my opinion. It has higher video resolution (1080p) and a wider field of view (147° vs 116°), which offers good daytime and nighttime surveillance. While you still have to pay for 2-way audio via the Premier subscription, it does have a handful of nice features you can get for free.

Video: Day vs. Night

Daytime video is shot at 1080p which makes the images sharper and crisper than what you’ll see with standard 720p resolution.

Canary Pro Indoors Daytime

The light through windows did result in a little overexposure and burnout, but not too bad.

Canary Pro daytime video

Compared to the daytime footage, nighttime video quality is pretty impressive with the Canary Pro as well—leaps and bounds above the Canary Flex camera.

Canary Pro indoors night video quality
Canary Pro camera – indoor video quality

There is good definition and contrast to highlight activity as it moves across the screen. The light areas were ultra-bright and areas outside remained in complete darkness.

Canary Pro indoors night

Audio

Concerning audio, the Canary Pro has good sound detection and is also compatible with Amazon Alexa for voice control or audible alerts.

The Canary Pro has 2-way audio, but remember that it’s only available as part of their Canary Premier paid subscription service.

Does the Pro have a siren?

Yes.

The Canary Pro has an on-board siren that can be remotely activated in the case of an emergency. The siren is about 90db, or roughly as loud as a lawnmower.

Canary Pro camera review
Canary Pro camera siren is 90db

It would certainly be loud enough to get the attention of people near to the camera.

The Canary App

The Pro uses the same app as the Canary Flex, but includes a few additional features that the Flex does not.

The app allows you to:

  • Watch live feed
  • Share video / screenshots
  • View Timeline of recorded events
  • Change modes (Home, Away, or Night)
  • HomeHealth technology tracks current air quality / changes
  • Disable video or microphone for privacy
  • Tag people in video footage
  • Bookmark clips
  • Sound the siren
  • Emergency calling
  • Change address
  • Update emergency contact numbers
  • Turn instant notifications on / off
Canary app clip viewer

What is HomeHealth?

HomeHealth is a new technology on the Canary Pro that provides notifications regarding:

  • Temperature
  • Humidify
  • Indoor Quality

If changes in the air negatively affect the quality, you’ll receive a notification of the change, letting you make changes as necessary.

Canary app - health

Presence Alerts: If you’re away from the home, you can even set up presence alerts that will let you know when any comes or goes from this location.

Presence on the Canary app
Presence on the Canary app lets you know when people come and go

Canary Design

The Canary Pro camera has a matte body with a glossy lens faceplate in the middle of the camera. It is sleek with smooth, rounded edges and a flat bottom.

This camera is designed for indoor use and sits flat on any surface. There is no mount available. If you’d prefer a camera that works for a wall-mounted installation, you may want to consider the Ring Indoor Camera or the Blink Indoor Camera, which both include a mount.

Canary Pro camera

What about the back?

The back of the camera has a few simple ports.

  1. Ethernet for wired connection
  2. Micro USB for charging
Back of the Canary Pro camera

How is it powered?

The Canary Pro requires a power adapter plugged into a standard wall outlet in order to work.

It does offer wireless connectivity to your WiFi network. It also supports wired Ethernet connection as well, for improved reliability.

RELATED: Looking for a wireless Canary Cam? Check out the Canary Flex camera.

How does the mount work?

The Pro camera can simply sit on any flat surface without the use of a mount. If you want to mount the camera on a vertical surface, like a wall, you’ll want to go with a different camera.

This camera cannot attach to the wall and does not include any accessory mount.

How does it work?

The Canary Pro camera has 3 modes:

  • Away Mode: monitors any activity when all members of the household are away
  • Home Mode: customizable settings when you’re at home
  • Night Mode: custom settings to receive notifications, record activity without notifications, or disable the camera and microphone entirely

The Pro has an auto mode that can help detect activity and adjust modes as necessary.

NOTE: Home Mode and Night Mode are only available with the paid Canary Premium subscription plan ($9.99/mo)

Live Feed

The Canary Pro lets you watch a live view of the feed at any time. Pinch the screen allows you to zoom in for more detail.

If you’re not watching the feed and suspicious activity occurs, it will automatically send you a notification to your smartphone.

From there, you would have a couple options:

  1. Monitor the activity: via the live feed
  2. Sound the siren: up to 90 db for up to 30 seconds
  3. Call emergency services: alerts local police, fire, or medical services; available with or without a paid subscription
  4. Activate 2-way talk: available with paid subscription only

Timeline Video

Using the Canary app, you can also view the timeline of recorded events. Canary records 1 day of video clips before deleting old videos. If you want more than 1 day of footage, you’ll need to upgrade to the paid subscription.

Timeline of video clips from the Canary Flex
Timeline of video clips from the Canary

What’s in the box?

Alright, so let’s talk about what all is included. The Canary Pro includes the the following list of parts and accessories:

  • Canary Pro wired camera
  • Power adapter
  • User Guide
Canary Pro camera accessories
Canary Pro camera accessories

Setup & Usability

Overall, the setup of the Canary Pro is easy and takes just a few minutes.

How to set up the camera?

  1. Download the Canary app onto your smartphone.
  2. Launch the app and create and account.
  3. Follow onscreen prompts to complete the setup.

If you already have an account setup with a different Canary device, you can simply add the camera within the app.

How easy is Canary to install?

Install for the Canary Pro couldn’t get much easier. Simply set it up where you want to monitor. Plug it in and walk away. Since there is no mount, as long as you have a flat surface, you’re good to go.

There’s a short configuration to get the app setup, but it takes less than 5 minutes.

Canary Pro Camera
Canary Pro camera in hand

How easy is it to use?

Using the camera is as easy as using the app. Once you understand all of the tools and features designed into the app, you can quickly monitor the camera remotely from your smartphone.

Does Canary require a subscription?

Without a paid subscription, the Canary Pro provides the following features:

  • Motion-activated video clips
  • 1 day of video history
  • 1 mode (Away only)
  • Person detection
  • Activity zone masking
  • Custom motion zones
  • Support for up to 4 cameras
  • 1-year warranty
Canary App - premium subscription
Canary App – premium subscription

With a paid Canary subscription, you would get the following additional features for $9.99/mo or $99/year:

  • Motion-activated full-length videos
  • 30 days of video history
  • 3 modes (Night and Home modes available)
  • Safety button alerts authorities when you need help no matter where you are
  • Unlimited video downloads
  • 2-way audio
  • Desktop streaming
  • Incident support services help you document instances of theft or burglary
  • Support for up to 5 devices
  • 2-year warranty

Is the Canary Pro worth it?

Overall, I would say the value of the Pro is worth it if you’re looking for an indoor-only camera. It has some nice features and the video quality is good.

That being said, it does lose some points on value since it can’t be used outdoors. The Blink XT2 or Ring Stick Up Cam, for instance, are comparatively priced and indoor / outdoor cameras.

Another strike on the Canary is the number of features that are only available with a paid subscription.

This camera offers some unique things like Night Mode, Home Mode, 2-way talk, Incident Support Services, Safety Button… the list goes on. But all of these features require you to opt-in for the $9.99/mo paid subscription.

Canary Pro Specifications

SpecificationsCanary Flex
TypeIndoor Only
ManufacturerCanary
ModelPro
Width3"
Height6"
Weight0.87 lbs
Viewing Angle147°
Operating Temps-4 to 113°F
DetectionHuman, motion, and sound detection
Privacy ModeYes
Night VisionYes
AudioTwo-Way Audio with paid subscription only
Storage1 day (free) or up to 30 days (paid)
Orbit / PanNo
ZoomYes
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1-Year limited
PriceCheck Price

Should you buy the Canary Pro?

I would recommend the Canary Pro if you’re looking for the following in a security camera:

  • Canary Device: If you already have a Canary Cam and are looking to add another camera that works with the Canary app, the Pro is a solid option.
  • Good Video Quality: The Pro offers a high video resolution of 1080p which produces clear and crisp imagery. There is also the option to pinch to zoom into the footage.
  • Excellent Night Vision: The Canary’s night vision mode was really impressive. The contrasts of people, objects, and more was excellent, even in complete darkness.
  • Want Plunged In Ethernet: A wired Ethernet port is not typically something you see with many smart security cameras. Being able to plug in or go wireless could be an advantage to some power home users.
  • Freestanding Unit: There is no mount provided with the Canary Pro, but if you’re looking for a high-quality cam that is designed to sit freestanding, the Pro has you covered.

Click here to learn more about or to buy the Canary Pro camera.

Freestanding, All-in-One Security
  • Design - 97%
    97%
  • Performance - 95%
    95%
  • Quality - 96%
    96%
  • Usability - 96%
    96%
  • Value - 93%
    93%
95%

Summary

The Canary Pro is an all-in-one smart security monitor. The primary feature is the 1080 camera, which also includes an excellent sensor for night vision mode. The unit is freestanding, indoor only, monitors temperature, humidity, air quality, and needs to be plugged it. You can connect your network via wifi or Ethernet, a feature not often seen in types types of systems. In our tests we found the Canary Pro to be quick to setup, easy to use, and offered excellent video quality. There are a few pay-wall features that we think should probably be free, but beyond that there’s not much to complain about the Canary Pro.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.