iSpy Pens Pro 2021 Model Spy Camera Review

I was so happy that iSpy Pens reached out and asked me to review their new and improved iSpy Pens Pro 2021 model spy pen camera.  Several years ago when I reviewed their first iteration of the camera, I liked it so much that I began using it during my surveillance cases.

With any good spy camera it has to be dependable, and in my previous review i found it to be just that.

In this review I am going to share my thoughts on the following different elements associated with this spy pen camera.  The good and the bad will be discussed.

• What is in the iSpy Pens box?
• Spy Pen Camera Specs
• Video Quality
• Audio Quality
• Unique Features of the iSpy Pen Camera
• Final Thoughts

What in the iSpy Pens Pro 2021 model Box?

When opening the box, which was nicely protected in plastic, iSpy Pens kept it very simple and straight forward.

In the box you will find:

• 1 Spy pen
• Card that can be scanned
• Directions

The pen appears to be the exact same style of pen (on the outside) except they made it entirely black and it might be more of a glossy black then their previous version. Either way, it’s an attractive looking pen that I wouldn’t mind carrying around even if it wasn’t a spy pen. 

The scannable card (using your phone or tablet’s camera) will take you to the iSpy Pens website where it will give you instructions on how to set the time and date on the pen and how to turn off the timestamp should you choose to do so.

There is also an instruction guide on how to operate your pen camera.  The directions are easy to follow. Highly impressed how well the directions were presented. 

iSpy Pens Pro 2021 Camera Specs

This particular spy pen had 128GB of removable storage which is a huge amount for any camera device. The camera records video at 1080p. The internal battery has been upgraded from the previous model to 210mah.

Video Quality (for actual footage refer to the youtube review)

This spy pen records video at 1080p which has become the standard in the spy camera industry.  While it records at 1080p, a camera device of this size will have it’s limitations.  

Recording While Driving

I have been known to use my spy camera to record vehicles in front of me while on surveillance so as to not arouse suspicion when following someone.  The video from this camera thrives in a natural light environment. The colors are crisp and the quality is relatively sharp.  The camera was probably a 1 ½ to 2 feet from my face though I wasn’t trying to aim the camera specifically at my face. You will see that it only videotaped the bottom half of my face. I was driving so I wasn’t as focused on aiming the camera properly.  The sound while driving did break up which I believe had to do with the background noise of the vehicle while driving.

Recording in Stores

I recorded in two different stores; Costco and a dart store. 

Recording in a Costco

While in Costco I walked around the store with my wife while pushing a shopping cart and talked with her about furniture.  One thing you will notice is a very minor flicker in the recording. Nothing too terrible but I noticed it. It will not affect anything you are doing regarding an investigation. My wife and I conversed about furniture while I pushed a shopping cart and held the spy pen in my hand. I am no stranger to this set up and it works well for keeping the pen steady while recording. 

Recording in a Dart Store

With the video regarding the dart store, I recorded video while walking into the store which you will see it go from natural light to indoor lighting.  Again, once I entered the store there there was a minor flicker but it did not affect the sharpness of the recording and identifying people or products I was looking at.  You can hear me being greeted by the owner as I walked in and my voice clearly (My hand was by my side while holding the spy pen).  

Recording in the Dark (Within my Home)

I recorded a quick clip at night in my home with most of the lights turned off.  The quality was actually impressive considering how small the camera is.  I believe quality would be equivalent to my Canon video camera that is my daily video camera for surveillance.  

Audio Quality

Considering the size of this recording the device I would say the audio quality is adequate.  In the quiet dart store I could hear what the owner was saying as I was walking in and she was approximately 30 to 40 feet from me when I entered the store.  

There was some interference or breaking up when I was driving and recording.  It could have been related to having the air on within the car or just the sound of the car competing with my own voice.  But if you have this pen in close proximity to another person without too much surrounding noise, you should be able to pick up someone else’s voice.   

Again, considering how small this device is, to even be able to record sound is pretty awesome. 

Unique Features of This Spy Pen

No Photos Option (This is a Good Thing)

Believe it or not, the fact that this pen only records video (with audio) is unique.  This spy pen camera does not take pictures.

I asked the owner of iSpy Pens why there was no photo feature and he said that users found it too complicated on previous versions to determine whether they were taking a photo or recording video.  So they simplified it.

Personally I thought that was a very good idea because if you really want a photo of something, you can record it on video and then just screen shot the video frame that you want a picture of.  Frankly I like the idea of just simplifying the recording process. Just press the button on top of the pen for a couple of seconds and you are recording video. How cool is that?

Battery Duration

It doesn’t matter how much memory a spy camera has if it doesn’t have a decent battery.  The owner, Andrew Gilliland, told me the lithium ion battery had been upgraded 210mah.  What does that mean to you? It means that the batter will last 75 minutes which is considerably longer then most spy pens on the market that claim 60 minutes of video time.

Bundle Pack

Another thing I thought was pretty unique about this spy pen camera is the fact that you can also purchase the bundle pack that will include:

• Plug and Play Adapter (very useful for watching your spy footage from a computer, iPad, iPhone or Android device)
• 5,000mah Portable Charger for on the go charging
• Hard shell case
• USB extension cable
• Additional Ink Cartridges

All of these additional items in the bundle would be essential for anyone including of course a private investigator.  I always have a power adapter on hand for those situations where I need to power my devices when I am away from power sources.  The adapter is perfect for those who want to check on the quality of the video they are obtaining to make sure they are getting the right footage.  Being able to plug it into a tablet or phone to quickly review video documentation is a pretty neat feature.

Final Thoughts on the 1080p 128gb iSpy Pens 2021 version Spy Pen

I still have the original spy pen I reviewed from iSpy Pens from several years ago. I thought the quality was good back then and I think the quality is still very good.  

As I previously stated I like the fact that they removed the camera function to simplify the video recording process for anyone using this spy camera.  The battery time, video quality and storage for this particular version spy pen at the top of the class for this type of spy camera.  

iSpy Pens give you plenty of storage options for their spy pens to make it affordable for you having storage versions ranging from 16gb to 128gb and the price reflecting the difference.  It’s nice to have options and I am glad iSpy Pens was considering that for its customers.

Overall I think they did a great job and look forward to seeing what they do next.

Here is the affiliate link to this product. Enter “PI ADVICE” at checkout for $10 off the bundle pack.