Full Disclosure: I do not get any kick backs from Ubiquiti for writing these articles. I just write them because I like Ubiquiti products, I sell and install Ubiquiti products, and I hope someone reads the articles and can get some use out of my ramblings.
The Ubiquiti line of G3 cameras are lower resolution (not really low but not 4K like most of the G4’s), but they are still very powerful and very relevant to consider when building your UniFi protect system.
Which cameras make up the Ubiquiti Cameras – the G3’s? You have four different cameras in this series starting with the least power and going to the most powerful: the G3-Instant, the G3-Flex, the G3-Bullet and the G3-Pro. Let’s take a closer look at each camera, its specs and its role in your UniFi protect system.
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 Instant
The Ubiquiti G3 Instant camera is a new addition to their Unifi protect lineup. The instant is made to be placed anywhere in a home or business where quick camera coverage is required. The G3-Instant can sit on a counter or table or it can be mounted to the wall.
The camera is powered with a USB-C adaptor or an 802.3 af PoE to USB-C adaptor. That is, if you have a PoE jack that provides 802.3af connection, you can plug a patch cable in and use the PoE to USB-C adaptor to power the camera.
The camera can be quickly adopted with the UniFi protect app and save its footage to the Ubiquiti NVR either on the UDM-Pro Dream Machine or a UCK-G2-Plus with built in NVR or the stand alone NVR from Ubiquiti.
The G3-Instant is small but not without capabilities. It has full 1080P HD video capability at 30 FPS. It has night vision as well.
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 Instant – Incredible Flexibility
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 Flex
The Ubiquiti G3-Flex is one of my favorite cameras in the entire Unifi Protect line-up. I love how small this camera is and how many mounting options it has. I have deployed the G3-Flex using its ceiling mount (sold separately) in a dropdown ceiling. We mounted the camera upside down. It instantly recognized its orientation without any configuration. You can adjust the lens easily as well because its module swivels up and down. The camera captures footage in low light very well. Even with very little ambient light, I have seen this camera perform well. I have a crush on this hardware.
The camera is capable of 1080P full HD video with a max capture rate of 25 FPS. It is powered with 802.3 af PoE and is easy to setup and adopt with the Unifi Protect app. You do have to have the dream machine (UDM-PRO) or network NVR or the UCK-G2-PLUS to adopt and use this camera. Something has to run the Unifi protect software on your network.
Ubiquiti Cameras -G3 Flex – Mini Powerhouse!
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 Bullet
The Ubiquiti G3-Bullet is a powerful full HD 1080P,30FPS camera that has some weather resistance capabilities. It is not fully water proof as it does not even carry an IP67 rating. It has night vision capabilities that can be extended with an IR extender. The camera is powered with 802.3af PoE. It has Magic Zoom (Ubiquiti’s version of digital zoom) for blowing up images, but it does not have optical zoom.
The camera is weather resistant and you can deploy it outside if you follow the install directions including the weather sealing cord grip. You also must use the ethernet surge kit that will protect the camera from power surges in your system.
Overall, the G3-Bullet is a vary capable camera with adequate but not outstanding weather resistant features. It fits in the Unifi Protect system as a good area protective camera that can be used inside or outside your building.
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 Bullet
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 PRO
The top of the line G3 camera in the Ubiquiti Cameras line is the G3 PRO. I am not trying to throw shade on the other three cameras in this line because they each have specific fits in the Unifi Protect system. However, the G3-PRO is an awesome camera. It comes with a full IP67 rating (not top of the line but very solid for some pretty good water proofing).
If the camera is installed properly with the cord grip and the surge suppressors, it should withstand most weather conditions. The camera captures video at a full 1080P HD and 30FPS. It performs well in low light as long as there is a little bit of ambient light or a night light in the area. It can capture in full dark, but if you put a small light in the area, you will get even better results.
You can equip the camera with an IR range extender as well to extend your night vision capabilities. The mounting system for the camera is very flexible so that you can change what you are looking at to pretty much any angle. Setup is easy with the Unifi Protect app. Overall, I love this camera. It is expensive but not prohibitively so, and if you don’t need 4K recording this camera is a great option.
Ubiquiti Cameras – G3 Bullet PRO
| Model | SKU | Indoor / Outdoor | Resolution | PoE? | Other Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G3 Instant | UVC-G3-INS-US | No | 1080p Full HD, 30 FPS | Yes, 802.3af to USB | 2 way built in microphone; night vision; sits on a table or can be wall mounted; wi-fi camera | $79 |
| G3 Flex | UVC-G3-FLEX | Yes | 1080p Full HD, 25 FPS | Yes, 802.3af | built in microphone; night vision even in low light; very flexible mounting options including outside on a pole. It can sit on a table as well. This camera is very small, but it is powerful. You can move the lens up and down and mount it upside down with the ceiling mount. Very nice. | $29 |
| G3 Bullet | UVC-G3-BULLET | Yes | 1080p Full HD, 30 FPS | Yes, 802.3af or 24V passive PoE | built in microphone; flexible mounting on wall or ceiling; mount swivels in all direction for excellent adjustment; low light capture as well; this is a nice camera. They offer a range extender as well for better night viewing. | $149 |
| G3 Pro | UVC-G3-PRO | Yes | 1080p Full HD, 30 FPS | Yes, 802.3at/at PoE+, 24V passive PoE | 3X optical zoom; built in microphone; IP67 rating; | $299 |
Old School Other Articles Links
If you are looking at Ubiquiti cameras, you should be looking at the UDM-Pro (Unifi Dream Machine Pro). It accommodates a hard drive for your NVR (Network Video Recorder) storage and can run the protect, access and talk apps. I have this router, and it is a solid unit. The new UDM-Pro SE (special edition) is much faster and includes wi-fi and some PoE, but the base UDM-Pro is pretty awesome. Check out the following article for more details. LINK