If you’re in the market to add security cameras to your home or business, the list of options is endless. This means you’ll need to be pretty specific about your requirements in order to narrow the field.
The Reolink Altas 2K is a formidable contender in the home security market, offering a compelling blend of advanced features, ease of use, and the convenience of solar power.
This review delves into our experience with the camera and its accompanying solar panel, exploring its design, performance, and overall value proposition for Australian households.
Design
The Reolink Altas 2K sports a modern and robust design, fitting for an outdoor security camera. Its weatherproof IP66 rating ensures it can withstand the harsh Australian climate, from scorching summers to winter downpours. The build quality feels solid and durable, inspiring confidence in its longevity.
Compared to some of its bulkier competitors, the Altas 2K is relatively compact and discreet. The included mounting hardware makes for a straightforward installation, and the cameras unobtrusive design allows it to blend into most home exteriors without being an eyesore.
With a wireless camera, you have the benefit of installing it virtually anywhere, but the downside of course is the need to routinely take it down to charge it. The camera is of course offline during this time, creating a gap in coverage and while unlikely, a break-in could occur during time.
One solution is to grab the solar panel accessory which will feed power into the camera’s battery during sunlight hours, allowing the camera to stay charged (night time use doesn’t expect the battery). This allows 24/7 recording, but the biggest benefit is just to turn your security solution into a hassle-free setup, something you just don’t have to think about.
The mobile app from Reolink is really feature-rich. Naturally you can view the camera footage live, with great video quality, but the really impressive piece is the Playback section. Motion events are captured, analysed and presented on a timeline to skip back through. Depending on your camera placement, your timeline may be full of mundane events, but getting to the important recordings is made easier by small icons in the top-right of the preview.
These icons include cars, people and even animals. This helps get you to the clip you want faster. Imagine a dog owner leaves a present on your front lawn, you can quickly skip through the timeline to the event with a dog icon and you’ll have the necessary evidence to go knock on their door (or share on your local Neighbourhood Watch Facebook group).
I only have a single camera at this stage, but the app supports multiple, with some great display options. Something I appreciated was the Cloud storage option wasn’t forced down your throat. I don’t have a subscription, instead I can fire up the app and access the livestream or the recordings on the local microSD card in the camera. This sounds simple, but is certainly not normal among other security devices.
Performance
In our testing, the Reolink Altas 2K delivered impressive performance. The 2K resolution provides clear and detailed footage, making it easy to identify faces and other important details. The standout feature, however, is the cameras intelligent motion detection.
It accurately distinguishes between people, vehicles, and general motion, significantly reducing false alarms from things like birds or swaying trees. This smart detection is a game-changer for those who want to be alerted to genuine security events without being inundated with irrelevant notifications.
The 10-second pre-recording feature is another highlight, capturing footage from before a motion event is even triggered. This provides valuable context to any recorded incident, but it is worth noting this is done using a lower frame rate.
Paired with the 6W Reolink Solar Panel 2, the camera’s 20,000mAh battery is kept topped up with just an hour of direct sunlight a day, ensuring continuous operation without the need for manual recharging. This synergy between the camera and solar panel makes the Altas 2K a truly set-and-forget security solution.
The ColorX Night Vision is also a notable feature, providing full-colour footage in low-light conditions without the need for spotlights.
Features
What truly sets the Altas 2K apart is its comprehensive feature set, which blends intelligent AI with practical hardware solutions for a complete security package.
Heres a breakdown of the key features:
Smart Detection
The camera intelligently differentiates between people, vehicles, and animals, sending you only notifications that matter.
10s Pre-Recording
Captures video from 2-10 seconds before a motion event is detected, so you see the full picture (does use lower frame rates).
Solar Powered
The 6W solar panel keeps the camera’s long-lasting battery charged with minimal daily sunlight.
2K Resolution
The camera records in great quality, 2560×1440 pixels isn’t the best resolution on the market, but will more than service your needs to identify number plates on cars, or characteristics of intruders.
ColorX Night Vision
Incidents can occur any time of the day and may be more likely under the cover of darkness. Thanks to the full-colour video at night, without the need for spotlights or infrared lights, you’ll be able to get great detail in the footage, thanks to an F1.0 aperture and 1/1.8″ sensor.
Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6
By supporitng WiFi 6, it ensures you’ll be able to place the camera in locations around your home or business and maintain a stable and secure connection to your network thanks to wider coverage.
Flexible Storage Options
Relink supports up to 512GB via a microSD card, which are fairly affordable these days, and if that’s still not enough, you can consider Reolink’s cloud storage service.
Two-Way Audio
The camera features the ability to communicate with visitors or deter intruders with the built-in microphone and speaker.
Issues and Opportunities
While the Reolink Altas 2K is an excellent security camera, there are a couple of areas for potential improvement.
The initial setup, while generally straightforward, could benefit from a more streamlined process within the app for users who are less tech-savvy. Additionally, while the smart detection is highly effective, the sensitivity settings could offer more granular control to further fine-tune the detection parameters for specific environments.
Price and Availability
The Reolink Altas 2K camera with the solar panel is available in Australia for around $229. You can purchase it directly from the Reolink Australia website and other authorised retailers.
Reolink Australia: https://reolink.com/au/
JB Hi-Fi: https://www.jbhifi.com.au/collections/reolink
Overall
The Reolink Altas 2K with Solar Panel is an outstanding security solution that offers exceptional value for money. Its combination of smart features, reliable performance, and the convenience of solar power makes it a top choice for Australian homeowners. The ability to intelligently detect motion and pre-record events sets it apart from many competitors in its price range.
This camera is ideal for anyone looking for a low-maintenance, high-performance security camera that provides peace of mind without the hassle of frequent battery changes. If you’re in the market for a smart, reliable, and affordable home security camera, the Reolink Altas 2K is a fantastic option that is well worth your consideration.
https://techau.com.au/review-reolink-altas-2k-with-solar-panel-a-smart-solar-powered-security-camera-that-looks-ahead/
