Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: impressive 360° coverage, but lacks innovation

It's no secret that Ring is known for making some of the best security cameras available, with many of its models adorning homes across the globe. However, as competition intensifies, the brand must consistently evolve to address modern demands, and I've been putting its latest innovation to the test.

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera marks the first time Ring has added a motorised base to one of its security cameras, eliminating the need for consumers to purchase a separate attachment. Whilst this functionality isn’t entirely new to the industry, it is a notable advancement for Ring, particularly given the brand’s rapid evolution.

Keep reading to find out my thoughts on the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera, and whether it deserves a spot amongst the best.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: price and availability

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera has an RRP of £69.99/$79.99/€79.99 and can be purchased from Ring and Amazon, as well as a few other retailers.

It's available in white or black, but the US can choose between Blush, Charcoal and Starlight as well. The camera comes with an included 30-day free trial of Ring Home – the new name for Ring Protect.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: unboxing and set up

If you've set up a Ring product before, you'll know that it's an extremely easy process. All you have to do is plug the camera in, download the Ring app (if you haven't already) and scan the barcode on the back of the camera. This will pair the camera to the app via Bluetooth, which will take you through the last few steps.

As Ring is owned by Amazon, it’s no surprise that the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera can integrate seamlessly with Amazon accounts. I linked the camera to my Echo Spot, meaning I could view what was going on via the Amazon Alexa app as well as the Ring app.

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera also comes with a mounting plate, bracket, raw plugs and screws, allowing for easy wall installation. Since this is a review unit, I’ve been testing it as a standalone unit.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: design and features

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera offers almost the same features as the Ring Indoor Cam (2nd gen), just with a large motorised base now attached. Like the Indoor Cam, it delivers 1080p HD video quality, colour night vision, two-way talk, and a manual privacy cover, which debuted with the 2nd Gen Indoor Cam. It also shares the same requirement for Ring’s subscription plan (£4.99/$4.99 per month or £49.99/$49.99 annually) to access features such as person detection and video recording.

The new standout feature of the Pan-Tilt is its smooth panning and tilting capability, allowing full-room visibility with just one camera. Users can easily control the movement directly through the Ring app, either to enter Live View or use the intuitive menu to move the camera left, right, up or down as needed. You can also designate a Home position to which the camera will automatically return when Live View ends.

One of my favourite features is the camera's manual privacy cover. It works as a physical shutter that can be slid over the camera lens to ensure it won't capture any video or audio when in use. This feature is especially useful for those who want control over when the camera is actively monitoring their space, adding an extra layer of privacy alongside app-based controls.

Some reviewers have expressed disappointment that the manual privacy cover can't be remotely controlled, but personally, I find it adds a reassuring layer of physical security. Whilst it might be slightly inconvenient if you leave in a hurry and forget to open it, it's an ideal feature for shared living spaces or any situation where you don't need constant monitoring.

It's safe to say that if you're looking for a security camera that will blend in, I wouldn't go for this one. Its motorised base is on the larger side, measuring nearly half of the camera itself. Hopefully this is something Ring will improve in the future, but it's hard to tell.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: performance

Whilst using the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera is a pretty seamless experience, there are a number of factors that let it down. The first has to be its lack of automation, which feels slightly amiss compared to a lot of other security cameras on the market today. It doesn’t automatically track or follow motion, and there’s no way to set up periodic scans or quick access buttons for preset views.

Despite this, Ring’s pan-tilt mechanism is smooth, covering a full 360 degrees horizontally in around 9 seconds and a 169-degree vertical arc in about 4 seconds. There's a slight 1.5-second delay in response to commands, but this is hardly a problem when it has such a wide viewing coverage.

I found that the two-way audio worked well, and both sides of the conversation (me and my dog, of course) were able to hear each other easily.

The 1080p camera quality is nothing to write home about, especially when compared to similarly priced 2K or 4K models. However, I was satisfied with the clarity of the daylight footage, and it was sharp enough to see what was going on.

On the other hand, the colour night vision fell a bit short for my liking. It’s a feature I’ve found somewhat lackluster on other Ring cameras, and whilst it might be alright for some, I prefer to stick with the more reliable black-and-white infrared footage.

Whilst the Ring Pan-Tilt comes with a 30-day free trial of Ring Home, it's a pretty useless camera if you don't pay for a subscription once the trial ends. Features such as video recording, video storage and detection alerts are all part of the Ring Home package, so there's really not a lot you can do without paying unfortunately.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: verdict

Overall, the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera is a solid security camera that comes with a number of useful features. Its impressive viewing coverage positions it among the best in the industry, and the Ring platform remains a trustworthy system. However, I found its bulky base and limited automation disappointing, indicating a lack of innovation. Additionally, once the trial period ends, it's almost useless without a Ring Home subscription. Still, for those already in the Ring ecosystem, I can see it being a valuable addition.

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera review: alternatives to consider

One security camera I have to recommend is the EZVIZ CP1 Pro 4MP Indoor Pan and Tilt Camera. EZVIZ is known for its high-quality smart home products, and this camera is no exception. Not only does it have an array of impressive AI capabilities, it has a better resolution than the Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera with its 2K lens. Oh, and did I mention it was £20 cheaper?

If you're a fan of the Ring brand, you could always go for the classic Ring Indoor Cam (2nd gen). It’s nearly identical to the Pan-Tilt model but without the rotating base, making it an excellent choice if you don’t need the pan-tilt functionality and would like to save an extra £20.