TP-Link Tapo 2K Pan Tilt Security Camera, Baby Monitor, Dog
TP-Link Tapo 2K Pan Tilt Security Camera, Baby Monitor, Dog Camera/Motion Detection, 2-Way Audio, 3MP, Night Vision, Cloud &SD Card Storage, Works with Alexa & Google Home, No Hub Required (Tapo C210)
From the brand
| Weight: | 190 g |
| Dimensions: | 8.54 x 8.68 x 11.77 cm; 190 Grams |
| Brand: | TP-Link |
| Model: | Tapo C210 |
| Colour: | White |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | TP-Link |
| Dimensions: | 8.54 x 8.68 x 11.77 cm; 190 Grams |
What you get for the price
It’s definitely worth every penny
Security, peace of Mind , recordings, sound 360 vision.
Perfect to keep an eye on elderly people, also gives them a slight sense of reassurance knowing it’s there.
Brought plenty & would recommend without a doubt.
Using this camera to monitor the back door of the house and also the dogs when we’re out of the house. The ability to pan the camera and follow the dogs is great and also communicate if they are being naughty. The app is also quite handy with the ability to stop monitoring when we are at home.
Box was ok (said it was damaged). Item very dirty, but works just fine. The item works with Blue Iris, which is a bonus.
Long enough power cable cable.
Setup via the TAPO app, and away you go.
One star off because it was grubby rather than box damaged.
For the price this is an amazing camera,
i can see the difference in quality between my other tapo camera that has 1080 resolution (but it’s nowhere near the difference sellers put in their adverts with a fuzzy picture for ‘other cameras’ and theirs beeing crystal clear).
The difference is mostly noticed when i zoom in on part of the image (as you’d expect) and reading the writing on posters on the wall.
works very well in low light, when it does switch over to black and white there’s that nice little click as the IR filter is moved over… amazing a camera this cheap has that feature.
the pan and tilt is pretty slow, it can move faster, as it does so if you set up ‘viewpoints’ and then the camera moves at more than double the speed when it’s moving between stored positions, it’s just slow when manually moving the camera.
my only complaint is that i wish it could tilt downwards maybe another 5 or so degrees
Purchased for the first few days of welcoming our puppy home, really good night vision and quality for the price. Tilt worked well and quickly live streamed to the pup when away from home.
Used through a window so night vision not really needed but work fine. The application to view is good as can be used remotely. Did not go for the subscription based option as of yet but using SD card
This is the 3rd tapo camera I have bought, for the price you can’t really argue. Very easy to install and setup – if you are practically minded. This camera was for another family member and gives a bit of reassurance during the dark winter months and a deterrent to potential scallywags.
So far, I’m seriously impressed with this camera. Sturdily built, a good price and easy to set up. Even managed to get it going with the Alexa app so it could display on my Echo Show although it takes a few seconds to connect each time. I added a 128GB micro SD card and a 5 metre DC power cable extension so that made the price a little higher but it’s still worth it.
This little indoor security camera is an absolute bargain, really good 2K picture quality and so easy to set up and get going straight out of the box. The Tapo app is intuitive and after 5 minutes getting familiar with it I find it very easy to use. Bought this as a bit of additional indoor security to compliment my outdoor camera system. My Intended use is only for when I’m out of the house.
Cameras good , the company though are crap , even with a two step verification to a phone without internet I was still hacked six times, which also meant knew cameras .
Tried to talk to company not interested in fact took one years subscription and so I just did it monthly in the end good job I did because they did nothing.
Talked to someone who called themselves Ice Talibon wouldn’t do anything to help would be very cautious about using them especially when monitoring your children and home.
I have the indoor Tapo camera’s as well as this outdoor one. And on both I find they are very light sensitive, and sends false notifications very often. This outdoor one I have on the front of my driveway, but at night when cars go past, just the light from their headlights set of the motion or area intrusion. The camera is not even facing on the road, just the light does this. I have tried all the settings, even turning the sensitivity down to 1. And in the Summer, if the sunlight is strong, that can do the same thing. It can be annoying getting so many notifications.
Tapo have a range of cameras. I have bought 2 models and for the price, I am well pleased. Night vision is awesome and the motion detection gives you that peace of mind that any movement will be detected. The models I bought are WIFI enabled and can be viewed via an APP on mobile devices so you can keep your eye on things.
For the price, this really is an excellent camera. I have Google nest cams externally, and wanted an indoor camera to keep an eye on our new puppy but didn’t want to pay Google prices, so gave this Tapo a chance. Quality is excellent, app functionality is very good (dare I say, better than googles) and the optional memory card function is a great touch for those that don’t want a subscription. I am seriously considering effectively downgrading my outside Google cameras to Tapo, but the only thing I can’t really comment on or evaluate is the motion detection AI system as I don’t have it activated for the indoor Tapo (just have it set to detect baby crying, which works fine for detecting the dog whining!) The volume when you speak through the app into the camera isn’t amazing, but does the trick if you speak close to the mic on your phone.
Very happy with this Tapo 2K 3MP Pan Tilt Security Camera.
Great indoor day and night picture quality.
Smooth rotation movement, and can barely hear any noise from motor when it moves.
Very good quality recordings even outdoors through a window during day time. Unfortunately at night time the infered light reflects on the window/ glass so you can’t see anything. However, not an issue for me as it’s used for indoor recording and occasional daytime pointing to outside garden through window (with very good picture quality).
Good quality zoom, when viewing through a smart phone.
Handy that you can set several position markers so camera can move to each of them quickly.
Very good clear mic/sound 2way conversation.
There is also a optional loud siren alarm feature if it detects motion/intrusion that you can activate (which I rarely use but handy to have).
I like that you don’t need a cloud subscription, and can use a separately purchased micro sd card to record movement or continuously.
There’s also scanning movement feature when camera auto rotates and tilts, like a sort of security check of the room/area.
Good security when setting up to share camera views/alert with another (family) member/person.
I’m very happy and impressed with the this camera and Tapo brand that’ll I’ll be looking to replace my existing yihome ones (which I’m constantly getting lots of problems with, since they were taken over by kami).
I have it in my porch and is handy to have, the only drawback from 5 stars is that even after altering settings it is still too sensitive for motion. A car light passing is picked up even when the car is not in view.
The only thing i have against these is having to pay for off site storage, or rely on the internal storage. It would be better if coverage was transferred to some internal storage, however i knew this when i bought it, and it does its job really well. The app works well too, You need to be able to feed power to it, but once you have that sorted, it just sits there working
OMG can’t praise this enough! So much stuff you would expect from a camera that cost so much more! And so easy to set up on your mobile, I’m no technical expert, far from it! But within 10 minutes up and running. Great instructions on the app. For this price you would be crazy not to get this guys. Going to order another now for another room! …. (do you get the impression i like it?)
Using this to watch what my cats do when I’m away. The pictures are very clear, the movement detector picks up whenever they come in (it rotates to face the movement so seldom fails to see them). Night vision is good, obviously not as clear as day but quite adequate. Can be triggered spuriously by eg moving shadows from trees outside or moths at night (yes, that sensitive) but that just gives a few unwanted shots. You can watch it remotely via the app, and by paying extra, keep a months worth of videos of every detected movement (that’s quite a lot). So overall, a very good, fair priced item, recommended.
Bought this to keep an eye on Mother who has dementia. It is reassuring to check in occasionally and see her moving about and make sure she hasn’t had a fall.
The 1st month, short videos were kept and then you either have to subscribe for a minimal fee for this to continue or install an sd card.
We have done neither yet, but just being able to see her is all we need at the moment.
Perfect as a security camera also and very good quality picture, with a zoom and pan facility, all usable via an app on your phone.
Would definitely recommend whatever your reason for needing it.
Used this almost as remote assistance and peace of mind to keep an eye on an elderly relative. The ability to pan the camera and use it for two way communication was a great feature. It obviously does have a delay between sending the command and it responding but then that is to be expected given the signal is going halfway round the world each time via the internet.
The software to control it was simple enough and enabled several people to monitor the camera (although only the ‘main’ user can do certain things and the others are more restricted).
All in all a very good buy for the money. Cannot fault it.
The camera with a 128gb sd card purchased separately records anytime someone comes by or up to the camera. It works well at night, too. I was able to move it around remotely from another country via my mobile to follow the kids in my office – and listen to them too. I could speak to them but that would give away my eavesdropping! 😉
The camera goes up/down and to the sides, but not 360 degrees.
It’s only for indoor use. Be careful not to set too close to the windows as the uv will bounce off and blind the camera at night. I have this issue with another camera looking out the window.
Finally it’s worth mentioning the power cable is decent but I really wish it was USB type and more universal.
Setting up this camera is strange until you realise that you are making a LAN of your phone or tablet with the camera connecting through the router. Your device disconnects from the internet and you lose conction to the instructions. Once you connect another device to the instructions things go well. The picture quality is excellent and the motion detection works really well. Highly recommended to put a mini SD card in so that you can record. The motion detection makes it easy to play back the movement. An excellent product and a pleasure to use.
Bought to keep an eye on my dog when I go out and general security. Wasn’t expecting anything amazing for 25 but very happy. Easy to set up. Paired it with a cheap micro sd card and can record footage on it. Two way mic. All done through handy app on phone. Can be mounted or just stand on a surface. Rotates and can set certain spots for it to focus on at click of a button. Not obtrusive in size. Can adjust brightness and has night mode. Very good little camera
Setting up the camera was easy, including adding it to the app. Installing the storage card was straightforward once I researched how it’s done on the internet because the instructions weren’t that amazing.
Since using it for the last month or so, I learnt that the changing tenants don’t even go into the disaster zone that is the garden on their side, so the only person the camera caught was me hanging out my laundry. I also learnt that the fox cubs have grown up and either don’t play anymore or are very smart foxes because they never seem to come into the garden anymore. Go figure.
The motion detection is great. Every time the wind blows, I get a notification that my tall grass moves, but fortunately, you can adjust in settings whether you want to see this. Person detection is good enough. On installation, I set the alarm to test it and got the fright of my life. Imagine a large ship horn right next to your ear. When you view the recordings, it’s possible to zoom in and out. I also like that you can remotely pan and tilt the view. Very handy. If you place the camera in a fixed position, it is possible to create shortcuts to set views to change the view quickly.
The night detection mode is worth a mention. It is very sensitive. I never knew so many bugs visited my windows at night. It’s all primarily dark and bright, but they certainly have a better nightlife than I do.
Overall, I found this little camera a fun addition to my home, even though the most exciting thing I catch is my own movement.
Fastforward to the present – I bought a different Tapo, the C210. The good and the bad, in short:
THE TAPO C210:
+ The camera is ‘built’ on a ball/rotating system, which you can adjust up and down, left and right, remotely, from your phone/the app. It’s really convenient if you want to look around the room and see what’s going on. It’s perfect for pets/children/general security. (See image 1)
+ You can save ‘fixed’ camera positions – i.e. if you find a really good angle, you can ‘save it’ and toggle between them easily rather than adjusting the camera manually on the app. (See image 2)
+ There’s a mode that enables the camera to ‘follow’ movement, so if your camera is angled at the door, for example, then somebody walks into the room, the camera will follow them. (This can be turned off – the camera can be fixed to a still position). (See Image 4)
+ There are various ‘modes’ you can select, depending on what you are using the camera for e.g. to detect a baby crying, motion, people etc. (Motion and people are different, as explained below) – simply turn those modes on and the camera will heighten its sensitivity to those issues. (Although I cannot say how responsive it is to a baby crying, but even with the ‘baby crying’ feature off, it detects dogs making noises/whimpering).
+ You can modify the sensitivity to motion (i.e. light/medium/sensitive). My camera has detected a rustling bin bag on all three sensitivities, so it is effective. I have not messed around to determine levels of sensitivity, other than this. (See Image 3)
+ You can adjust the ‘area’ within the camera screen (i.e. to only detect motion on a specific part of the frame). It’s a handy option for people whose camera coverage also overlaps public space. (See Image 3, also)
+ Motion vs People detection. – there are separate detections for people and objects (which you can adjust/turn on or off). It’s a handy option, depending on what you are using the camera for. (See Image 4 – ‘AI Detection’ and ‘Motion Detection’ are separate).
+ Notifications for movement in general, or people, are separate – the notification will also clearly identify if there’s just something moving or if there’s a person identified. (See Image 5 – I use an iPhone)
+ I haven’t tested them, so cannot comment on effectiveness, but there are sound and light ‘alarms’ on the cameras, which I assume go off on the camera, and are to deter intruders. (You may wish to check this – but it seems like a good feature). (See image 4)
+ Sound quality itself is good – I can hear everything that goes on in the home.
+ Sensitivity to sound is (a) great quality – a good feature, and good in quality itself.
+ Fantastic price for the item.
+ Good quality image, even at night.
+ No subscription necessary – although you may wish to buy a micro SD card separately to record movement. (Note: nothing over 256gb is supported)
+ Easy to use app – very simple and straight forward options, as far as apps go.
+ Quite easy to setup – although a tiny bit of messing around when connecting to wifi.
+ Easy ‘recording’ features – although I am awaiting my memory card, so will report back with any useful findings/issues.
– The instructions aren’t the best. If you aren’t ‘tech-minded’ you may struggle slightly to set it up (although it is not a complicated set up, by far, it can be a bit finicky) – I’d recommend watching a YouTube video, as I imagine they will be substantially better than the small instruction book. (Although when I had issues, I didn’t resort to this, fiddled with the wifi a bit and it worked).
– The instructions for app use/features is poor too. I have had to mess around with the item to work out how best to use it. It wasn’t until messing around with the app that I discovered the features within and things like people/motion being detected differently.
– If you plan to use this facing out of a window, I wouldn’t recommend it. Night vision is good generally, but there is a small light on the camera that reflects on windows so visibility outside becomes distorted.
– A small issue that I experience – sometimes the app isn’t the best with data connection. Not awful if your camera is recording constantly, but if you get a notification whilst you’re out and you want to check, it can take a while to load and/or a few attempts, and you may have missed the movement (especially if using this camera without recording etc – i.e. ‘live’ only).
All in all, a fantastic budget option with various settings to meet the criteria of many. Some minor issues that will need to be rectified to improve it, but as far as use, price and features go, it’s an item that will cater to a lot of needs.
1. **Packaging**: The product came impeccably packed. Clearly, the brand prioritizes the safety and presentation of their product during transit.
2. **Memory Card Installation**: This was akin to a mini-adventure. The slot for the memory card isn’t immediately evident, making it a tad challenging to locate. That said, this discreet placement can be seen as an added layer of security.
3. **Night Vision**: The night vision functionality is top-notch. The camera doesn’t miss a beat even in dim conditions, ensuring everything remains visible.
4. **Image/Video Quality**: I was quite impressed with the clarity of the video feed. Human faces pop with clarity, making it a fantastic tool for security and monitoring.
5. **Pan/Tilt Feature**: This feature delivers exactly what it promises. With easy maneuverability, I was able to get the exact viewing angles I wanted, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
6. **Cloud Recording**: The cloud storage and recording aspect of this camera worked seamlessly. It gives me peace of mind knowing I can retrieve past footages at any time.
7. **Motion Detection**: Here’s where I faced a minor hiccup. The motion detection can be a bit sensitive, especially with lighting changes. To counteract the frequent alerts, I opted to disable the app notifications. It’s a workaround, and I hope a future software update can provide a more refined solution to this.
8. **Final Thoughts**: Despite the motion detection sensitivity, the Tapo Security Camera has been a stellar addition to my security setup. Its top-tier features coupled with the overall dependable performance make it a solid 5-star product. If you’re seeking a security camera that offers clarity and reliability, the Tapo is a strong contender.
I trust this review provides valuable insights to potential buyers. Cheers to the Tapo team for producing such a commendable product!
The motion and people detection can be a bit hit and miss because of the above. I have checked the saved videos for any detected motion. Sometimes they pick up on movements, without people. Sometimes they pick up people as just movement but not because it recognised people have walked pass.
Sometimes it doesn’t record at all even when there were people walking or cars driven pass. Not sure if it is all down to the reflection in the glass.
When it picks up on motion, sometimes the the lens will follow the movement even if it had to spin round 180 degrees. However, other times looking out the window, it doesn’t really follow the motion, even though it has detected that there was motion.
Overall, I still like them. So much so, I have a pair watching the front and the back of home for activities.
You may have a different reasons for being here looking at IP cameras. You could be doing it for home security, or perhaps for monitoring babies, children or pets. I’m writing my review from the perspective of a pet owner who likes to know what his border collie is up to, but also with a nod to home security.
I already have in place several security camera systems around my property which have different benefits and weaknesses. We have an 8-channel Swann CCTV system, which is a more traditional wired product using BNC cables and requiring a lot of wiring and thought about placement. While being accessible from an app anywhere in the world they record all of their footage to a base unit. They can be very incredibly expensive to buy, difficult to install and a challenge to set-up, but once in place they are very good quality. They’re not for everyone, though, and aren’t as long-living as their price might suggest. I also have an existing IP camera system, from a company called Victure, which I assembled over several months with purchases from Amazon some four years ago. Amazon no longer sell them, and the quality was rudimentary. They got the job done, but they were showing their weaknesses. A recent upgrade of our home internet with a new router that the Victure cameras refused to connect to was the last straw, which set me on a path looking for a new IP camera supplier.
An IP camera system is generally much simpler and cheaper to set up than the traditional system. You buy the cameras individually and they can operate independently of any other devices, or you can add to them over time to create a really large network of cameras that you can control through a single app. You record either to a memory card which is either in the camera itself or in a central hub, or you can subscribe to a cloud based service. A memory card can be typically 10-30 so you need to factor that into your budget, but that cost is quickly returned after perhaps 9-12 months of paying for a cloud subscription.
IP cameras are normally powered by either a USB (USB-C or USB-A) cable or a DC adapter, although some cameras can be powered by a solar panel. They’re typically quite a bit more expensive though.
There are hundreds of different manufacturers of IP cameras when you look around, and they all have their own app to control them. I mention this because it’s very tempting to buy whatever camera is on offer at that time and find yourself with several cameras from several different brands requiring different apps to view the footage. You’ll get frustrated hunting through the apps that control the camera you want to view so one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give is to find a single manufacturer that you’re happy with and stick to their ecosystem. And, with that in mind, you ideally want a brand that is reputably, reliable, and is going to be around for some time. TP-Link are just such a company.
If you’re not familiar with them, TP-Link manufacture some of the very best WiFi routers, smart sockets, range extenders and network switches. I have examples of all of these in my home and I’ve never been let down by them. They also make a wide selection of IP cameras for different purposes, and the range is continuing to grow. The make internal and external cameras, mains powered or solar powered, static or rotating cameras in different qualities of image resolution. They gave me confidence that if I did invest in a number of cameras I wouldn’t find myself in a dead end in a couple of years time.
My current IP system is 8 internal cameras and 2 external. My intention is to replace all of them. Although I was happy with the brand, I did have my concerns about a couple of things. Firstly, I’d noted that the power delivery to the camera was by a DC adapter and 3m long cable. All of my previous IP cameras were powered by USB cable which are easily and cheaply replaced should you need a longer cable. And, that’s the issue with security cameras. You normally mount them somewhere where they’re not necessarily close to a power socket. I was concerned that I was going to struggle to wire the cameras up in a method that was safe and visually tidy. Additionally, the app is your main interface and you’re never too sure of how good the app is going to be. I’ve tested a lot of camera apps for Amazon over the last few years and more often than not they’re clunky at best. They struggle to connect, even more so to remain connected, don’t offer much in the way of parameter customisation, and either don’t show live screens or only show one camera at a time. I didn’t know what the TP-Link Tapo app was going to be like.
I decided to buy one each of the C210, C225 and C320WS cameras to try them out before I committed to buy the full system. Each of these are the top of the TP-Link Tapo range of their particular styles. The C210 is the traditional internal dome camera, the C225 the brand new internal dome camera with motion tracking ability, and the C320WS is the external camera. There are battery-powered external cameras also available at a higher cost, but these aren’t what I was looking for, so these three cameras are the best available for my particular needs. I should also note that care must be taken in selecting the right camera. TP-Link and Amazon continue to sell older or lower specced versions of their cameras. With some cameras being on offer at different times it can lead you to believe that a more expensive camera is the better specced camera, which isn’t always the case.
Inside each camera’s box you get the camera itself, a DC adapter with fixed 3m cable (note that it’s a 9v DC adapter with the C210 and C320Ws and a 12v DC adapter with the C225), wall fixings with screw marking guide and a basic instruction manual. To set up and operate the cameras you will also need to download the Tapo app for Android or iOS.
My concern over the cameras being powered by DC adapter was realised, and the cables were too short for the locations I wished to place the camera. Fortunately you can be extension cables for DC adapters, so I purchased a twin pack of 5m cables for 8 off of Amazon. Not ideal that it was additional expense, but it was a problem that was easily solved.
The cameras are really straightforward to set up. After you plug the camera in you go into the Tapo app and select add camera. After a few moments the status light on the camera flashes green and red to signify it’s ready to connect. You go to your internet settings on your phone and connect to the TP-Link WiFi that will have appeared, and go back to the app. You’ll hear a voice coming out of the camera to say it’s connecting, and then has connected, and that’s it. The camera will be connected to the app. You can then tailor the settings to suit your requirements. You can set up scheduled recording between certain times or have it recording 24/7. You can change what resolution it’s recording in, which effects how quickly you’ll fill up your memory card. You can adjust when you get alerts to your phone, or no alerts at all. Set up privacy zones so that neighbours aren’t getting recorded, for example. You can also invert the image which allows you to mount the camera upside down should you wish to attach it to the underside of something.
And, most pleasingly of all, you can view up to four screens live all at once. That means I can see the live images from four screens constantly without having to swipe across or back out and choose another camera. That to me is worth so much. My iPad sits above my laptop and I can see the four locations that my dog is likely to be around the house with just a glance. No further interaction necessary. I genuinely can’t tell you how valuable that is. It’s pretty standard for a traditional CCTV system like my Swann, but I’ve not seen that in any other IP camera system I’ve used.
My only complaint with the app is one that irritates me about several apps. The majority of the interface in the app is in portrait mode. If you mainly use your phone for viewing the app then you might not worry about that, but tablets such as the iPad are usually used in landscape mode. Quite a lot of apps don’t take that into account so you’re forced to tilt your head if you’ve got your tablet on its stand. It is a pain, but not the end of the world. Fortunately, when you go to watch the live view of the cameras the orientation does change to landscape if you wish. And that’s where the app will spend the majority of its time, so I can live with that.
I’ve spent two weeks with the cameras and app now, and despite my concerns about a couple of details prior to buying them I have to say that on reflection the cameras have exceeded my expectations considerably. The quality of the image from the cameras are superb. All of them, not just the new C225. All have excellent low light capabilities, even when remaining in full colour. When it does go to night vision the image is crisp and clear. Reviewing footage is also very simple. You can see activity along a time line, or pick out the activity from a list showing times, type of motion detected and a freeze frame. It works very well, rivalling my Swann system and an Arlo 4 Pro I also have which was close to 200 for a single camera. The general footage throughout the day is so much better than what I used to get with my old Victure cameras, I really have been very impressed.
The C210 is highly recommended, especially when on offer. It’s not got quite the overall build quality or motion tracking features as the C225, but it’s also a lot cheaper. If you’re building a multi-camera system then I would go with those. If you’re only wanting one or two cameras then the C225 becomes the better camera.
Are the cameras perfect? No, there’s always ways to improve any system. The DC power cable was a pain for my application and I’d rather it had been USB, but it was a problem that I got around and I’m sure most people wouldn’t even notice. The app being mainly in portrait mode was irritating, but the important views are in landscape so I’m not going to complain too hard. The footage is exceptional for the price of the cameras. I can see what the dog is up to at all times, in any lighting condition.
Overall, despite my initial misgivings that had me thinking it was never going to be more than a four star product I have to say that the TP-Link Tapo cameras have turned it around and delivered three products that I would happily award a five star review to.