- Read the SUMMARY for a quick idea, or the DETAILED section of each criterion for more information.
Purchased for 37 euros, 5/9/24
I will judge the performance relative to its price always.
SUMMARY:
Pros:
1 - Good image quality
2 - Good night vision + LED spotlights
3 - Very sturdy construction
4 - Long cable in the package + detachable
5 - User-friendly App + PC Client and easy initial setup
6 - 24/7 recording capability - Event Recording - Cloud Recording
7 - Quite good motion detection with many settings, masks, and zones.
8 - Two-way audio
Cons:
9 - DOES NOT support ONVIF or RTMP/RTSP.
10 - Does not stand alone without being screwed in
11 - No sound detection at all
DETAILED:
1) The image quality is very good, with 3 resolution options, which you can adjust through the app.
One can also set the frames per second, up to 15 though. I would like there to be an option up to 25. But 15 is sufficient.
2) It has a floodlight (LED spotlights), which is pleasant, as well as night vision with infrared LEDs. The spotlights turn on with motion detection, and the user can also adjust their brightness from the app.
3-10) The construction seems very sturdy and can be placed practically anywhere. Both on a wall and upside down on a ceiling.
However, it MUST be screwed in. It does not "stand" on its own, e.g., on a piece of furniture, due to its peculiar center of gravity. A similar construction is also found in the Tapo C110, but that one stands perfectly on its own.
It is worth noting that the base of the Reolink screws onto the camera with a screw just like those that cameras have, e.g., for tripods for those who know. HUGE pro, as one can screw it onto a makeshift base, although the provided one covers all scenarios, I believe.
4) In the package, it comes with a fairly long cable (I didn't measure it, but it's about 5 meters) which has a plug near the camera. There, logically, if someone wants a longer one, they can connect an extension. Of course, a small piece of cable is PERMANENTLY on the camera. In case of damage to the cable, a workaround is needed. The TP-Link solution with a "DC Barrel Jack" plug on the camera itself is, I believe, better. It is worth noting that Reolink DOES NOT use the classic 5.5/2.1-2.5 mm Jack but a smaller one similar to that of old Nokia chargers. I mention this because they are harder to find in the market.
5) The Reolink App is very user-friendly, as one would expect; I didn't notice anything strange. The initial setup is super simple with the camera reading a QR Code from your mobile and connecting to your chosen network.
I don't have anything simpler.
6) Without much fuss, the option for recording to an internal memory card (which you buy separately) is obviously provided, as well as Cloud recording for a fee, of course. Recording is supported both in Loop 24/7 and with every motion detection, where you can also set how many seconds you want to be recorded beyond the end of the detection.
7-11) The motion detection is quite good to excellent both during the day and in the dark. There is the option to control sensitivity as well as extra settings such as the size of the object to be detected, so you can set it to detect (or not) very large objects (e.g., a car) or very small ones (e.g., a cat), and there is also the option for defining masks or zones.
To detect motion (or not) exactly where you want it, and not, for example, on a street beyond your house.
However, it is worth noting that sound recognition is absent, e.g., for breaking glass or recognizing a baby's cry. (which the Tapo C110 has, for example, and works flawlessly).
8) Finally, it supports two-way communication, which means you can hear the camera, but you can also speak into your mobile phone and those next to the camera can hear you.
9) VERY IMPORTANT - The camera does NOT support ONVIF/RTMP/RTSP protocols, which means it CANNOT be connected in any way to an NVR recorder or recording software (e.g., AgentDVR, BlueIris, Frigate, etc.). I learned this the hard way (after I bought it), but you know it earlier. :) (For reference, even the Tapo C110 for 25 euros supports ONVIF)
It is NOT a problem for those who will simply use it with its app, but if you want to connect it elsewhere, unfortunately, it cannot be done. This functionality is supported standalone only in larger models.
With the Lumus and E/E1 series, you can achieve something like this only through Reolink NVR or Reolink Home Hub.
That's it. Generally, it is a good little device, especially at this price, but I would like to see ONVIF support as well as sound recognition. Hence the 4 stars.
P.S. Sound recognition, as well as ONVIF support, could easily come with a firmware update, but I think the company does not do it, wanting to sell its more expensive, feature-rich models.
I hope I helped you.
Happy shopping!