The EZVIZ EP4 is a great home security camera for renters but its facial recognition won't stop it from spamming you with alerts when you come home

Date:
Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Description:
A super-sharp 4K security camera that fits right into your existing peephole if you don't mind getting notifications when it sees your own face.

FULL STORY ======================================================================EZVIZ EP4: one-minute review Fitting a video doorbell or security camera is often a non-starter if you rent or live in an apartment where drilling into the walls isnt allowed. Thats where the EZVIZ EP4 Wire-Free Peephole Door Viewer comes in by fitting through your front doors existing peephole, it brings almost everything youd get from a full video doorbell, without any damage that could upset your landlord.

The physical setup is incredibly easy and took me just 10 minutes to
complete. After youve unscrewed the old peephole, the EP4 securely clamps
onto the door without a power tool in sight. Once its running, the footage captured is very clear, giving you a detailed look at anyone outside. The companion app is simple to use and intuitively designed, making it effortless to check live feeds, use the two-way talk feature, or adjust security settings. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

When it comes to saving video footage, EZVIZ doesnt lock you into a subscription plan like some rivals. While the company includes a free trial
of its cloud subscription service, you arent forced to pay for it afterwards. If you want to skip the recurring fees, you can opt to install a local
microSD card (up to 512GB) to store clips locally.

However, the EP4s AI facial recognition has a notable quirk. Although it's smart enough to identify who is at your door, theres currently no way to stop the app from sending you notifications when it spots someone you know including you. Because you cant tell the camera to ignore certain
individuals, youll be alerted every time you walk through your own front
door. EZVIZ EP4 Wire-Free Peephole Door Viewer at Amazon for 179.99 EZVIZ
EP4: price and availability List price 229.99 (about $300 / AU$440) Available in the UK, but not the US or Australia No subscription necessary if you use a microSD card The EZVIZ EP4 Wire-Free Peephole Door Viewer is available in the UK for 229.99 (about $300 / AU$440), but Ive seen it discounted to as little as 159.99 during sales events. Its not yet available in the US and Australia at the time of writing, but older models are, so hopefully the EP4 will
launch more widely soon.

If you want to store your videos at home subscription-free, youll also need a microSD card (up to 512GB), so factor this into the cost. If youd prefer to store footage in the cloud, youll want an EZVIZ CloudPlay subscription. After a 30-day free trial, there are three plans to choose from: Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Swipe to scroll horizontally

Plan Type

Cameras supported

Unlimited cloud storage

7-day event-based video history

30-day event-based video history

Individual plan



1

Yes

Monthly: $3.99 (about 3, AU$6)

Yearly: $39.99 (about 30, AU$58)

Monthly: $6.99 (about 5.30, AU$10)

Yearly: $69.99 (about 53, AU$100)

Home plan



4

Yes

Monthly: $5.99 (about 4.60, AU$8.70)

Yearly: $59.99 (about 46, AU$87)

Monthly: $10.99 (about 8.40, AU$16)

Yearly: $109.99 (about 84, AU$160)

Business plan



10

Yes

Monthly: $12.99 (about 9.90, AU$19)

Yearly: $129.99 (about 99, AU$190)

Monthly: $27.99 (about 21, AU$41)

Yearly: $279.99 (about 210, AU$410) Value score: 4.5/5 EZVIZ EP4: design Discreet external camera Very simple to fit without damaging door Internal screen projects an inch into the room Visitors might not spot the doorbell button The EP4 has two main parts: the camera, which has a cable that threads through the peephole in your door, and a screen that sits on the inside. The camera has a doorbell button below the lens (though visitors might not notice it because it's at an unusual level), a motion sensor at the top, and a speaker and microphone on the side.

Its compatible with doors between 1.4 x 4.1 inches / 35 x 105mm thick, with a peephole diameter between 0.6 inches and 2 inches / 14mm and 50mm. Thats a wide range, and should be fine for the vast majority of internal and external doors, but its worth measuring yours first just to be sure. You can remove
the peephole from your door by simply unscrewing it, though if its particularly tight, you might need to use a pair of pliers to get it started. Image 1 of 3 The camera unit threads through an existing peephole and is compatible with most doors (Image credit: Future) I recommend using a spirit level to get the camera straight before securing it in place (Image credit: Future) The screws connect the backplate to the camera, clamping them to your door without damaging it (Image credit: Future) To fit the EP4, start by measuring the thickness of your door using the card template provided, and choose the appropriate pair of screws, indicated by the instruction manual. These will be used to clamp the EP4 onto your door. Peel the paper off the 3M tape on the back of the camera unit, position it on the outside of your door (I recommend using a spirit level to get it straight), thread the screws and data cable through the peephole (you can roll a piece of paper around them to avoid snagging), and press down to secure it.

Then tighten the screws a little, slide the mounting plate for the screen
into place, tighten the screws the rest of the way, plug in the data cable, and slide the screen into place. The whole process takes no longer than 10 minutes, and when you want to remove it, therell be no damage to your door. Image 1 of 4 The external camera is unobtrusive, and visitors might not realize it's also a doorbell (Image credit: Future) The internal display
gives a clear view of the area beyond your front door, but you'll get a
better picture in the app (Image credit: Future) The screen stands about an inch proud of your door (Image credit: Future) When you move, just unscrew
the EP4 and screw the original peephole back in place (Image credit: Future) Its a clever design, and the exterior camera is discreet (it comes with stickers to put on your door if you want to warn visitors they are being recorded), but its worth being aware that the interior screen stands about an inch proud of the door, so youll need to be very careful if it opens opposite a wall.

You can detach the screen unit to charge it via a microUSB cable (supplied with the EP4) and insert a memory card. Its a shame theres no hot-swappable battery you cant use the camera and doorbell while the unit is charging but battery life is quite respectable. EZVIZ suggests up to 120 days, though this will depend on how many times the camera is triggered and how often you use the internal screen to see whats happening outside. Design score: 4.5/5 EZVIZ EP4: performance The EP4 is an ingenious home security device that provides many of the advantages of a video doorbell or home security camera without needing to make permanent changes to your property. Its a great pick for an apartment, with excellent picture quality and smart notifications, though its worth being aware of a few drawbacks particularly when it comes to person recognition.

The resolution of the internal screen is fine, and youll immediately benefit from a field of view thats much wider than your original peephole, but it doesnt do justice to the EP4s 4K camera. To see footage in its full 4K glory, youll need to use the Ezvizlife app, which also gives you access to all the EP4s settings, as well as event history, saved recordings, call logs, two-way talk, and static photos. Image 1 of 3 The app's welcome screen gives you
quick access to video logs and live view (Image credit: Future) The camera records 10-second clips when triggered, which are kept in your video logs (Image credit: Future) You can browse recordings at any time, scrub through video, capture stills, and export video files (Image credit: Future) Footage in the Ezvizlife app is incredibly sharp, and theres very little lag between events happening outside and the camera starting to record. Youll notice a delay when using two-way talk, but its only a couple of seconds, and no worse than some much higher-end video doorbells weve tested here at TechRadar.

When a visitor uses the doorbell, you'll receive an incoming-call-style notification that you can choose to reject or answer to start two-way talk. It's also possible to start two-way talk at any time through the app if you can see someone at the door. Want to keep your identity private? The app
gives you two options: Uncle Tone, which deepens your voice, and Clown Tone, which makes it high and squeaky, both of which work well and will effectively disguise your voice if you dont want to be recognized. Personally, I would prefer an option that doesnt sound quite so cartoonish, but theyre a welcome feature nonetheless.

I found the fisheye-correction option particularly useful during my testing, along with the AI person-shape recognition, which correctly identifies subjects even when theyre wheeling a bike or carrying a large object that might obscure their body shape.

When a person is detected, the camera will send a notification to the EZVIZ app, and start recording a 10-second video clip, which will be saved on an SD card or in the cloud, depending on which storage option youve chosen. You can also choose to watch through the camera live at any time, trigger a
recording, or capture a still image. Image 1 of 3 Person identification works even when an individual's outline is obscured by large objects (Image credit: Future) You can see a live view through the app or internal screen any time (Image credit: Future) Check your video logs in the app, export videos, and capture still images (Image credit: Future) You can also export videos from your logs at any time, which is very useful if you're unfortunate enough to need them as evidence for the police.

EZVIZ is a Chinese company, and although the app has been localized quite well, some parts are still confusing. For example, if you attempt to toggle a feature thats still in beta, you will see a notification reading: The current status of this detection is closed. Please enable the corresponding algorithm in the intelligent detection before enabling this function.

For me, the biggest drawback and the one that holds the EP4 back from a better score is the implementation of facial recognition. In an ideal world, you wouldnt receive a notification when your own face is detected, and you could disable alerts for other members of your household as well, so youre only alerted when a stranger arrives. Unfortunately, thats not an option with the EP4, which notified me that Cat appeared each time I arrived home from work. Image 1 of 3 You can add a person to 'Familiar Faces' using an existing photo, or take a new one (Image credit: Future) Photos should be well-lit and taken from the front (Image credit: Future) Adding yourself to 'Familiar faces' doesn't mean that the app will 'ignore' you (Image credit: Future) Facial recognition works very well, and even identifies a person wearing a cycle helmet and sunglasses, but at the moment, the implementation seems back-to-front. In fairness, though, the feature is still in beta, so perhaps the developers at EZVIZ will make that change before its full launch. For
now, it's a real problem. Performance score: 3.5/5 Should you buy the EZVIZ EP4? Swipe to scroll horizontally EZVIZ EP4 score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Very reasonably priced, particularly during sales, though you'll need an SD card too.

4.5/5

Design

Ingenious design that's great for renters, though screen projects quite far into the room and isn't very high-res.

4/5

Performance

Key functions are great, but you'll receive notifications whenever it detects your own face.

3.5/5 Buy it if

You rent your home

Theres no need to drill or make any permanent changes to your door, which
will keep your landlord happy. When its time to move, the EP4 comes right
off, and you can screw the old peephole back into place.

Youre on a budget

The EP4 is a great value doorbell and camera combo, and is frequently discounted on Amazon.

Security is a real concern

The 4K footage will make it easy to identify anyone whos up to no good, if youre unfortunate enough to need it as evidence. Don't buy it if

You particularly want to watch for packages

Although the EP4 has a good horizontal field of view, it doesnt cover your doorstep, so you wont be able to see parcels left there.

You have notification fatigue

At the moment, theres no way to avoid receiving a message when you approach your own front door. EZVIZ EP4: also consider If you're not sure whether the EZVIZ EP4 is the right security camera/doorbell for your home, here are two other wireless alternatives to consider.

Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell

This excellent subscription-free doorbell earned our seal of approval due to its sharp 2K recordings, ease of use, and great battery life.

Read our full Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell review

Eufy Video Doorbell Dual

Another solid subscription-free option, with dual cameras so you can keep an eye out for deliveries.

Read our full Eufy Video Doorbell Dual review How I tested the EZVIZ EP4 I installed the EZVIZ EP4 on the door to my apartment, having first unscrewed the original peephole. I used it for two weeks, adding myself and my husband as 'familiar faces' halfway through. I used the two-way talk function to
speak to him when I received a notification that he had arrived, and we used the doorbell function to speak to one another. I kept recordings on a microSD card once the seven-day cloud storage trial expired, and used the app to review recordings, export videos, and capture still images.

At the end of the test period, I removed the EP4 and replaced my door's original peephole. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar .

First reviewed July 2026. EZVIZ EP4 Wire-Free Peephole Door Viewer: Price Comparison 179.98 View 229.99 179.99 View 212.49 View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/home-security/ezviz-ep4-wire-free-peephole-door -viewer-review


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