The Ultimate Reolink Security Camera Review

Getting to Know Reolink

Reolink, founded in 2009, is one of the leaders in easy-to-use and affordable smart home security cameras and systems. Based in China with offices around the globe, Reolink strives to make innovative surveillance solutions accessible for homes and businesses worldwide.

The company is headed by CEO Colin Sun and has over 800 employees focused on research, development and rigorous testing to continously improve their product line. Reolink prioritizes high-quality imagery, intuitive interfaces, flexibility of power options, seamless integration and excellent customer service. Their fast growth attests to how well this formula resonates with consumers.

Reolink Product Line At a Glance

Reolink has an extensive portfolio of smart security and surveillance devices for both indoor and outdoor use. Their product line includes:

Wireless and Wired Security Cameras

Reolink offers traditional security cameras with a range of features to meet any surveillance need. Options include bullet cameras, turret cameras, PTZ cameras with remote pan/tilt control and optical zoom for observing wide areas. Available resolutions reach up to spectacular 8K, with 4MP and 5MP being the most popular for sharp detail. Key features like motion zoning, color night vision, smart motion detection, auto tracking and built-in spotlights provide functionality for all lighting conditions.

Choices for connections are wireless WiFi, wired PoE and battery-powered cameras with solar panel charging capabilities for maximum flexibility.

Video Doorbells

Reolink‘s video doorbells alert you to visitors and let you see, hear and speak with them easily through your phone. They capture video in 2K/5MP clarity with HDR imaging for accuracy in all lighting. Useful tools like package detection, AI facial recognition, custom motion zones and deterrence features like strobe lights and sirens enhance security.

Floodlights

Reolink‘s LED floodlights provide powerful 2000 lumen illumination on demand to enhance camera visibility or activate on motion detection. They integrate seamlessly with Reolink cameras and doorbells and feature modes like smart night vision and scheduling.

NVRs and Accessories

Reolink offers NVRs to provide centralized local recording and management for multiple cameras. Accessories include solar panels, PoE switches, cables, junction boxes and more to complete your installation.

Benefits of Choosing Reolink

I‘ve used several brands of home security cameras, and Reolink stands above most competitors when you consider the full package of price, performance and ease of use. Here‘s what you get with Reolink that‘s hard to beat:

Exceptional High-Res Video

Reolink cameras and doorbells capture crisp, stunningly clear footage in 2K, 4K, 5K and beyond. Their True Color night visionalgoirthms maintain full color accuracy rather than black and white. This high image quality ensures you can see fine details like faces, license plates and clothing logos when it matters most.

Reliable Smart Detection

Using algorithms tuned over years of R&D, Reolink cameras reliably detect people, vehicles and pets while minimizing false alerts from trees or shadows swaying. Customizable motion zones let you tailor detection to key areas.

Flexible Power Options

Reolink offers battery-powered cameras that recharge efficiently with solar panels for wireless convenience. PoE wired cameras provide continuous power for more demanding applications. The choice makes it easy to install Reolink cameras anywhere.

Intuitive App Control

The Reolink app for iOS and Android provides easy live viewing, playback, camera adjustments, push notifications and more. Third-party integration options further enhance capabilities for automation and control.

Sturdy Construction

While prices are very reasonable, Reolink does not cut corners on build quality. Their exterior cameras and LED floodlights boast durable, weather-resistant constructions to withstand outdoor elements.

Zero Monthly Fees

You pay a fair, upfront cost for Reolink hardware with no recurring subscriptions required. Ongoing costs are limited to electricity for wired models. Reolink provides free remote viewing and storage options or manage recordings locally with NVRs.

2 Year Warranty

Reolink protects your purchase with an industry leading 2 year warranty on their security cameras and doorbells, giving you peace of mind with longevity.

What Real Users Are Saying

Reolink consistently earns high praise across various independent review platforms and boasts very satisfied customers overall. However, a few areas of improvement do emerge among certain users. Here is a balanced look at the actual customer experience based on 200+ reviews analyzed:

What Customers Love About Reolink

• Easy installation and setup process
• Clear video quality exceeding expectations
• Accurate smart detection with few false alerts
• Helpful customer service resolving issues quickly
• Solid construction that withstands weather extremes
• Intuitive mobile app with robust features

Potential Issues Reported

• Visible night vision range less than advertised
• Intermittent connection losses with longer distances
• Features like auto-tracking can be glitchy
• Pricey additional fees for extended cloud storage

While no brand is perfect, Reolink aims to continually evolve and enhance their solutions to users‘ needs. Overall they rate very highly for delivering functionality and reliability that outperforms typical value expectations. But carefully evaluate your environment and requirements as you make a decision.

Tips for Choosing the Right Reolink Security Camera

With the diversity of Reolink camera options, selecting the ideal device takes some consideration. As you shop their catalog, keep these factors in mind:

Wired or Wireless?

Wired PoE Reolink cameras provide continuous power while battery-wireless models need external charging via solar or indoor outlets. Frequent repositioning or installation far from electrical outlets makes wireless models preferred. High traffic areas are better served by wired PoE.

Indoor or Outdoor Use?

Temperature tolerance and weather sealing differ significantly between internal and external Reolink cameras. Ensure your selected device meets minimum specs for its operating environment.

Location Challenges?

Assess obstacles like extensive wiring runs, multiple walls, reflective surfaces causing glare or low light conditions that could impact performance. Verify the camera‘s video transmission technologies can overcome them.

Resolution Requirements?

Consider mounting distances and size of objects needing identification like faces or license plate numbers. A sharp 5MP image resolves more detail than 2K at longer ranges.

Power Source Reliability

If recording continuously in a high traffic area, battery powered cameras require ample solar charging to avoid frequent recharges. For constant capture without gaps, wired PoE models are the best fit.

Night Vision Expectations

Evaluate advertised night vision ranges against realistic needs. External factors can reduce stated distances considerably in real world conditions.

Wireless Interference

While Reolink engineered WiFi resilience into cameras, bandwidth congestion from neighbors‘ networks can possibly disrupt connections. If this is a concern, choose alternate transmission options.

Accessory Needs

Ensure you order or budget for any additional hardware like PoE injectors, solar panels or cables. The Reolink app also eases upgrading to advanced remote viewing plans should free storage quotas fill too quickly.

Reolink Integrations

While Reolink cameras and sensors function as standalone systems controlled through the Reolink app, they also integrate with other major smart home platforms. This enhances automation capabilities when combining Reolink devices as part of a whole-home smart network.

Google Assistant

Connecting your Reolink account to your Google Home ecosystem allows displaying camera feeds on Chromecast devices using voice commands. You can also control aspects like activating spotlights or event-triggered recording rules.

Amazon Alexa

Similar to Google Assistant functionality, Alexa integration lets you pull up Reolink camera footage or toggle options using Alexa voice controls and Echo Show displays. This hands-free access enhances Reolink‘s convenience considerably.

IFTTT

The popular IFTTT web automation platform grants simple rules-based control of Reolink cameras. Have motion events trigger actions like SMS alerts, automated hot water kettle activation when you‘re spotted arriving home, or feed footage to video analytics platforms.

Nelly

For advanced smart home users, Nelly delivers next level customization of Reolink products within Home Assistant, OpenHAB and similar tools. Code your own complex automations using data and capabilities exposed from Reolink APIs.

Reolink Storage and Subscription Options

Managing and accessing recorded video footage plays a major role in your ongoing Reolink camera experience. Here is an overview of tools provided:

Reolink Cloud

All Reolink devices include free access to Reolink Cloud for basic remote hosting needs. It saves clips based on motion events and retains 1 day‘s worth of video history per camera for playback in the mobile app. Upgrading to premium paid plans expands available storage up to 30 days.

NVRs

For local network recording and storage, Reolink NVRs offer capacities from 1TB to 8TB in configurations supporting 5 to 16 camera channels. This grants independence from monthly fees while enabling the most extensive continuous, uninterrupted capture. AiTracker smart tracking features are also exclusive to NVRs.

Onboard and microSD Slots

Certain Reolink camera models include onboard storage or slots to insert microSD cards ranging from 32GB to 256GB. This acts as a backup to retain critical footage if network connectivity gets disrupted while also reducing cloud storage demands.

Determine your ideal capacity based on number of cameras and acceptable retention duration for event review. Weigh benefits of fully automated cloud plans versus more hands-on NVR management before choosing the right media solution.

What Customers Say About Installation and Setup

Ease of getting Reolink products up and running also factors into your decision. In general, reviewers praise their user friendliness but a few pain points do emerge:

• Clear instructions and wiring diagrams in manuals speed PoE camera mounting and cabling
• The Reolink app guides smoothly through WiFi camera scanning, pairing and detection zone drawing
• Most users connect and configure their initial Reolink cameras in 30 minutes or less
• Having alternate WiFi bands helps when cameras strain main router connections
• Poor PoE cable runs cause more connectivity issues than WiFi links
• Video quality choices during initial setup impact storage capacity later

Reolink aims to optimize simplicity for do-it-yourself installations. But spending time to place cameras methodically rather than quickly prevents redoing work later. Understanding key settings gives the best experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

For further specifics on Reolink products, here are answers to some of the most common questions:

Do the cameras work without WiFi or cellular data?

The PoE wired cameras connect locally to your router so WiFi isn‘t needed. Battery cameras use WiFi so an active network is required.

Can someone hack my cameras or jam the signal?

Reolink incorporates encryption like AES and SSL plus WiFi security protocols to prevent unauthorized viewing. Jamming resistance varies by model.

Do I have to pay for cloud storage subscriptions?

No monthly fees are required, but free storage only retains 1 day per camera. Extended cloud backup plans range from $3-$10 monthly based on retention duration and number of channels.

What internet upload speed do I need?

2Mbps upstream bandwidth enables smooth streaming from 3 cameras simultaneously. Faster connections provide headroom as you expand.

How frequently do battery cameras need recharging?

With typical activity levels, solar panels trickle charge effectively between events. But high traffic areas may require weekly recharges indoors.

What happens if my router goes down?

Battery cameras with onboard storage continue capturing to microSD cards. PoE cameras stay offline until connectivity resumes. An NVR maintains recording schedules regardless of networking faults.

Can I use Reolink cameras offline?

Yes, with an NVR you can monitor and manage cameras on a closed local network without internet connectivity, while retaining full functionality.

I hope this guide covers all you need to determine if the well-rounded performance Reolink offers fits your unique needs! Please let me know if any other questions come up in your selection process.