Most security cameras record the bad stuff and leave you to deal with it later. Eufy's new TrackLight Cam S1, up for pre-order now at $299.99, takes a more hands-on approach: it spots someone creeping up your driveway, swings a focused spotlight onto them, and follows them around the yard with it.
What's new with the Eufy TrackLight Cam S1
The headline trick is what Eufy calls an auto-tracking light. When the camera flags a person, a beam of up to 500 lumens locks onto them from as far as 40 feet (12m) away, adjusting between a 10 and 30-degree spread to keep them lit. A 105dB siren and red-and-blue flashing lights are on hand if the spotlight alone doesn't get the message across.
According to Eufy, it's the world's first active deterrence camera with an auto-tracking light. It's also the centerpiece of the company's new Edge 5.0 yard protection lineup, sitting alongside the Video Doorbell S4 and the $79.99 Window Camera E10 we covered earlier this week.
Two radars handle detection across a 180-degree field out to 40 feet. You can split that into three zones so the light only fires when someone gets properly close, and Eufy says its on-device AI filters out pets and vehicles, so the neighbor's cat shouldn't get the full interrogation-lamp treatment.
The camera is a 4K pan-and-tilt unit with 355 degrees of pan and 75 degrees of tilt, which is how Eufy arrives at its 360-degree coverage claim. Eufy pairs a 4mm lens it describes as telephoto with dual-light color night vision and up to 10x digital zoom for checking out whatever's lurking at the end of the driveway.
There's a friendlier side, too. Smart Welcome Lighting uses radar and Bluetooth to recognize family members by their phones, then greets them with a soft light instead of the spotlight.
Why it matters
Ever watched a doorbell clip of someone walking off with a parcel and wondered what the camera was actually for? Most outdoor cameras are witnesses rather than deterrents, and even the ones with floodlights only light up a fixed patch of yard. A beam that moves with you sends a far more pointed message that you've been seen.
It also shows where Anker is taking its home security lineup. The TrackLight Cam S1 is one of the cameras in the MindBase Security Kit we saw at IFA in September. It also arrives just weeks after Anker folded Eufy under its own name, which is why you'll see it listed as the Anker Eufy TrackLight Cam S1.
Key details
Power comes from a 5.5W solar panel feeding a 15,000mAh battery, and Eufy says an hour of direct sunlight covers a full day of use. If your best mounting spot is a shady wall, a USB-C connection runs it continuously and unlocks 24/7 recording.
Footage stays local, either on a microSD card of up to 256GB (sold separately) or on a compatible Eufy hub. Pair it with the HomeBase S380 and you get facial recognition, cross-camera tracking, and 16GB of built-in storage that expands to 16TB with an external drive. Google Home works directly, while Apple Home support runs through the HomeBase.
- Camera: 4K, 1/2.8-inch sensor, 355° pan, 75° tilt, up to 10x digital zoom
- Field of view: 110° horizontal, 60° vertical
- TrackLight: up to 500 lumens, 10° to 30° adaptive beam, up to 40 ft (12m)
- Floodlight: up to 400 lumens, 120° beam
- Detection: dual radar, 180°, up to 40 ft, three zones
- Siren: 105dB with red and blue flashing lights
- Power: 5.5W solar panel, 15,000mAh battery, USB-C 5V/2A
- Storage: microSD up to 256GB, or up to 16TB via HomeBase S380
- Smart home: Google Home, Apple Home (via HomeBase S380)
- Durability: IP65, 14°F to 122°F (-10°C to 50°C)
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
The TrackLight Cam S1 is available to pre-order now from Eufy's US store for $299.99, in white or gunmetal, with shipping expected by October 25. A bundle with the HomeBase S380 costs $499.98, and Anker says Amazon listings will follow in late October. The camera is also heading to the UK at £249.99, though Eufy hasn't confirmed when it'll land there.
Worth the pre-order?
On paper, this is one of the more interesting outdoor cameras I've seen this year, because it actually does something when trouble turns up instead of just filing a report. If you've got a long driveway or side path that a fixed floodlight can't cover, it deserves a spot on your shortlist. If all you need is eyes on the front door, a cheaper fixed camera will do the job without the moving parts.
Eufy's claims that an hour of sun powers a full day, and that its AI keeps pets and cars from setting it off, are what I'm most curious about. It'll be worth seeing how those hold up through a wet winter of real-world use. We can't wait to get one on the wall and find out whether a spotlight that follows you around is as unnerving as it sounds.
