Summer Infant Panorama Digital Video Monitor review

US-based brand Summer Infant has a range of products from feeding to sleeptime aids.

The Panorama Digital Video Monitor is the newest in a range of monitors by the brand, which also includes the wearable Babble Band monitor, and boasts a 5” display, automatic night vision and remote control pan, tilt and zoom.

It’s comparable to BT’s latest model, the BT Video Baby Monitor 6000, due to the large screen size and style of the product. The Summer Infant monitor is £30 more expensive, even though it has a similar picture quality, slightly worse sound quality and a shorter battery life. It is much easier to use than the BT offering though, and I like the dual colour nightlight.

Buyer’s guide to baby monitors

The Summer Infant monitor is less pricey than the Philips AVENT uGrow Smart baby monitor (£163.99), which has excellent sound and picture quality and is controlled via a smartphone app rather than a parent unit.

You can buy the Summer Infant Panorama Digital Video Monitor from Summer Infant, Argos, and Amazon.

What is the sound quality like on the monitor?

The sound quality is a little tinny sounding, not quite as crisp and clear as the BT Video Monitor 6000.

What is the picture quality like?

The picture quality is a bit grainy, but the quality is good enough to be able to see your baby sleeping or moving around.

What’s the night vision quality like?

The night vision is very clear and I was really impressed with this. Given that I presume night time is when baby monitors are most often used, the night vision probably matters more than the daytime picture quality.

Watch 5 things you need to know about the Summer Infant Panorama monitor

Is there a temperature indicator? Is it accurate?

There is a temperature indicator and it is accurate - it matches what my thermostat says.

Is it hack-free?

The Summer Infant Panorama Digital Video Monitor doesn’t use a wifi connection so it should be safe from hacking.

How to keep your baby monitor safe from hackers

What do you think of the multi-colour nightlight?

I like that there’s an option of a soft red (to get babies to sleep) or blue (to soothe them during the night) glow, and it’s useful that I can control this from the parent unit.

The display also shows whether the red or the blue light is currently on for your baby.

How was it with background noise?

I live on a fairly busy road and it doesn’t pick up the traffic noises from outside.

How easy was it to set up/operate?

It is extremely easy to operate. There are few functions, but it has all the necessary things like a talk back function, zoom, pan, tilt, camera settings and the night light.

It couldn’t be easier to set it up and use it.

10 of the best baby monitors

Does it have lullabies?

There are no lullabies, so that might be something you should bear in mind as you’ll need to purchase a separate product if you’d like to play lullabies to your baby, such as the Summer Infant Slumber Buddy.

What do you think of the talk back function?

It’s very easy to use; you just press and hold the speech bubble button. My voice seems to come out very clear on the other end, and I managed to soothe my baby back to sleep using it!

Is it easy to clean?

Both the parent unit and the camera can be wiped clean very easily if necessary.

Is it easy to move about the house and transport?

The parent unit is really light so it’s easy to carry it around the home with you, and you can stand it up on any surface due to its handy stand. I would also find this easy to take on a trip or holiday because it is quite compact.

Would you recommend this monitor?

I would recommend this product if you are looking for an easy to use baby monitor. The stated range is 240 metres, but I found if I went downstairs from my first floor flat to the ground floor and then stepped outside, it stopped picking up the picture and sound a few steps away from the door. For use inside the house though, it works well.

The sound quality is quite tinny but the picture quality is good. The night vision is also impressive, and it’s a highly practical and simple piece of kit.

The battery life is around five hours with moderate use, so you’d need to make sure it was charging if you were using it overnight.

I didn’t attach it to my wall but I found it worked well balanced on a surface near the cot. The angle of the camera can then be adjusted using the arrows on the parent unit.

How long do the batteries last? Do they last as long as advertised?

There is no stated battery life for this product, but I found with mild/moderate use the fully charged parent unit batteries lasted five to six hours before they were completely drained.

What do you think of the low battery indicator?

When the battery is low, the parent monitor makes beeping noises every few seconds to alert you to charge it which is useful.

After several beeps, the battery indicator on the display turns red, is empty and a red light appears where the sound sensor lights normally are. You’re not going to forget that it needs charging with all of these alerts!

Is the unit or camera rechargeable? Does it charge quickly?

The camera must be plugged in at all times in order to work, whereas the parent unit is rechargeable using the mains power. It charges from completely empty to full in under an hour.

MadeForMums verdict:

I like the Summer Infant Panorama Digital Video Monitor for its ease of use, but not so much for the sound and picture quality (except for the night vision which is great).

The battery life of the parent unit is only around 5 hours, but I like that the video turns off to conserve battery when not in use.

The range could be better as it does not match the advertised 240 metres. I do however like how simple it is to set up and get to grips with, as well as the parent-controlled dual colour nightlight.

I’m not sure it’s worth the £149.99 price tag, especially given that the BT Video Monitor 6000 (which doesn’t have a nightlight but does play lullabies) is available from £119.99.

We’ve got more baby products here:

• 10 of the best baby monitors
• 11 of the best baby mattresses
• The best baby blankets
• 15 of the best buggies suitable for a newborn

MadeForMums product reviews are independent, honest and provide advice you can have confidence in. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links. However we never allow this to influence our coverage. Our reviews and articles are written by parents who are professional journalists, and we also include feedback from our parent community and industry experts.