Maxwell Anderson

One quick way to narrow it down is to try focusing in live view. If live view shots are sharp but viewfinder AF misses that points to front/back focus and which you can often correct with AF fine-tune (microadjustment), otherwise it may need service. Also double-check the lens/body AF-MF switch and that the viewfinder diopter hasn’t been bumped.

If you skip the car seat frame a used Baby Jogger City Mini or City Mini 2 usually meets your checklist and often lands under budget, while still being easy to pop up curbs but then... steer clear of ultra-tiny travel strollers like the GB Pockit for a 3‑month‑old unless there’s a true near‑flat recline kit. When you test, make sure the fold self-stands, the front wheels can lock for rough sidewalks, and use a carry strap; also avoid hanging bags on the handlebar so it won’t tip when you lift it on stairs.

We had a similar setup with our little one, nursery on the second floor and us mostly downstairs in the living room... What worked for us was focusing on monitors that use a direct radio frequency instead of relying on home that model, since those can be spotty through walls and floors. Look for ones advertising a range of at least 800 to 1000 feet in open air, but remember that's ideal conditions, so in a house it might be less, but still sufficient for two stories. Setup-wise, the simpler ones are plugging in the camera and turning on the handheld unit, no apps or complicated pairings needed. For battery life, aim for something that lasts 8-12 hours on the parent unit and which covers most outages we've had. Yeah. And since you're on a budget and check for deals on models with good reviews for reliability without all the fancy extras like night lights or lullabies, keeps the cost down. One thing that helped us was positioning the camera higher up in the nursery to boost the signal a bit, and avoiding thick walls if possible. Congrats on the new baby, by the way, it's an exciting time even with the stresses.

Thanks, this is super helpful. I'll try a cooler spot, aim a fan at the vents, start with cold water, and switch to the large setting, then dump ice to the freezer. If it still struggles in my warm kitchen, that model you mentioned might be my next step.