#68: DVR Mini U8 Covert Spy Camera Review

I don’t remember how I stumbled across the DVR Mini U8 camera, but when I did I immediately ordered it.   I purchased this spy camera for less than $20.00 on Amazon and received it in a few days because I’m an Amazon Prime member. Yeah for me!

Shape of the Mini U8

The DVR Mini U8 camera is shaped like a rectangle and slightly longer than the 808 Car Key Camera.  The length of the camera can easily be cupped in your hand and hidden relatively easy when obtaining video.  The camera shell is made of a smooth plastic but will not slip out of your hand.  I like the shape and texture of the camera.

Color of the Mini U8

The camera is black and the plastic is shiny/glossy.  This really doesn’t make a difference one way or another in my opinion.  There is an aqua colored strip that comes down the middle of the camera and really serves no purpose as far as I can tell.

Pictures, Video and Audio on the U8 DVR Camera

The video is not extremely sharp as there can be some slight pixilation on the video (at least indoors).  The video has good brightness unlike some covert cameras that will make video seem darker then they really are.  With that being said on a sunny day outside some video may look washed out.  I have seen worse video but I have also seen better.

The audio was pretty decent with the camera at arms length.  The audio did not crack and would be audio recording source if in close proximity of a conversation.

The pictures of the wall I took turned out great.  Though to be honest I never typically recommend using a spy camera to take pictures unless you have no choice but to use the spy camera to do so.

Is the DVR Mini U8 easy to Operate?

I skimmed through the operations manual and was able to get the camera into video mode and begin videotaping very quickly.  By just pressing two different buttons you begin video tapping.  The same applies to taking pictures with the camera as well.

What I don’t like about the camera operation is that once you are in video mode there is no light or indicator to let you know if you are videotaping after an extended period of time.  There is no small flashing light (like many spy camera) that let you know all is well.

What I like About the Mini U8 Camera

I like the size, shape and the easy operation of the camera.  I don’t want to have to think very much while obtaining spy camera footage.  It has to be second nature or else I will worry too much about the camera and not on videotaping the individual.

The shape and size of the camera is a good fit for my style of obtaining covert video.

What I Don’t like About the Mini U8 Camera

I don’t like that there is no ongoing indicator light to let the user know the batter hasn’t died or that it is videotaping.  Another concern is the slight pixilation when videotaping indoors.

Other than those two concerns there isn’t a whole lot that I don’t like about the camera.

The U8 Camera has the Following Functions

Video

Camera

Motion Detection Video Recording

Audio Recording

DVR Mini U8 Camera Specs

The following specifications as indicated on the box:

Image Sensor – 1/3 COMS

Pixels – 30W

Weight – 60 grams

Encoding – MPEG – 4

Video Resolution – 1280*960, 720*480, 640*480 VGA

Frame Rate – 30 Ftp

Video Format – AVI

Battery Inside – 320mah

Work Time – About 2 Hours

Charge Time – About 3 Hours

Operation Voltage – 3.7V

Charge Voltage – 4.2 – 5V

Work Circuit – 110ma

Operating Temperature – <50 degrees

Camera Size – 120x95x44mm

Conclusion

Only time will tell how the camera holds up in actual surveillance conditions.  If anything changes regarding my opinion on this camera I will let you know. Other than my aforementioned thoughts this camera should be on your radar for consideration.

At the top of this article is the video review which shows the basic operating instructions and how to set the time on the DVR Mini U8 camera.

Here is an Amazon affiliate link for this product.

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