Sonoff Cam Slim Gen2 Review: A Tiny, Budget Indoor Camera with RTSP for Local Setups
Sharp 1080p video and real RTSP support at a low price, though a memory card and Google Home setup can be fiddly.
The Cam Slim Gen2 is a compact, wired indoor camera aimed at buyers who want basic pet, baby or workshop monitoring without spending much. Owners consistently praise the image quality and ease of setup for the price, and its RTSP support is a real standout for anyone who wants to pull the feed into their own NVR or Home Assistant setup without relying on the cloud. The main trade-offs are that it ships without a microSD card, some users hit friction getting Google Home to recognize it, and enabling local/RTSP access still requires first creating a cloud account. For casual indoor monitoring on a tight budget, it is a strong value pick.
- Budget buyers
- Pet and baby monitoring
- Home Assistant and RTSP/NVR users
- Renters wanting a simple indoor cam
Pros
- Sharp, clear 1080p video for the price
- Quick, straightforward setup
- RTSP support for local/NVR and Home Assistant integration without a subscription
- Effective night vision and motion/people detection
- Two-way talk and customizable motion zones
Cons
- No microSD card included in the box
- Cloud account required even to enable local RTSP access
- Some buyers report trouble with Google Home compatibility
- Not weather-resistant, indoor use only
- Rear cable position makes some flush wall mounts awkward
Who is the Sonoff Cam Slim Gen2 for?
This is a small, wired 1080p indoor camera built for straightforward monitoring: keeping an eye on a pet, a kid's room, or a workshop corner. Buyers repeatedly mention using it to watch cats and kittens, check on children, and monitor equipment like a 3D printer, which lines up with its compact size and simple two-way talk feature. Because it lacks weather resistance, it is strictly an indoor device, and with no rechargeable battery it needs to stay plugged in near a wired connection.
What buyers love
The recurring theme in reviews is value: buyers repeatedly call out the price-to-quality ratio, describing the 1080p image as clear and the setup as quick, matching the camera's HD video and 130 degree field of view specs. Night vision and AI-based motion and people detection also get positive mentions for keeping false alerts down. Tech-savvy owners specifically highlight RTSP support, which the spec sheet confirms, as a way to feed the camera into Home Assistant or a local NVR without being tied to Sonoff's own app or a subscription for basic viewing.
What to know before you buy
A few caveats show up consistently. The camera does not include a microSD card in the box, so buyers need to supply their own to use local event recording, even though the microSD slot itself is built in. Cloud storage is subscription-based, and more than one reviewer was surprised that even local RTSP access requires first setting up a cloud account and granting internet access, a design choice worth knowing about if privacy or offline-only use is a priority. A couple of owners also ran into trouble getting Google Home to recognize the camera, so if smart-home voice control is a must-have, it is worth confirming compatibility with your specific setup before buying. One reviewer also noted the rear cable placement makes flush wall-mounting awkward at certain angles.
Is the Sonoff Cam Slim Gen2 worth it?
At its low price point, the Cam Slim Gen2 delivers more than expected: solid 1080p video, working night vision, motion and people alerts, and rare-for-the-price RTSP support for local integrations. It is not a feature-packed flagship camera, there is no 2K/4K video, no weatherproofing, and no included storage, but for indoor pet cams, nursery monitoring, or a cheap add-on to an existing Home Assistant or NVR setup, it is a budget-friendly camera that consistently earns praise from its owners.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Sonoff Cam Slim Gen2 need a subscription?
Cloud storage requires a subscription, but the camera also supports RTSP, so it can be viewed and recorded locally through Home Assistant or an NVR without paying for cloud access, once a microSD card is added for local event storage.
Does it come with a microSD card?
No. The camera has a microSD card slot for local storage, but no card is included, so buyers need to supply their own to store recordings locally.
Does the Sonoff Cam Slim Gen2 work with Alexa and Google Home?
It supports both Alexa and Google Home integration, though a small number of owners have reported difficulty getting the Google Home connection to work reliably.
Is the Sonoff Cam Slim Gen2 weatherproof?
No, it is not rated for weather resistance, so it is designed for indoor use only.
Does the camera support RTSP for local viewing?
Yes, RTSP is supported, which lets advanced users pull the video feed into Home Assistant, an NVR, or other local software instead of relying solely on the manufacturer's app.









