TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Outdoor Security Camera, IP66
TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Outdoor Security Camera, IP66 Weatherproof, Motion Detection, Starlight, Built-in Siren, 4MP, Colour Night Vision, Cloud&SD Card Storage, Works with Alexa&Google Home (Tapo C320WS)
From the brand
| Weight: | 210 g |
| Dimensions: | 14.23 x 6.43 x 10.34 cm; 210 Grams |
| Brand: | TP-Link |
| Model: | Tapo C320WS |
| Colour: | White |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | TP-Link |
| Dimensions: | 14.23 x 6.43 x 10.34 cm; 210 Grams |
This camera was easy to set up, if anything the leads could have been a little longer. Going through walls on an older house was a challenge. But, works well and IMHO is value for money.
Easy to set up and quality of picture especially night time colour
Best priced and quality rechargeable battery cameras out there I’ve tried a few
Sends notifications to your phone if triggered
The set up is really easy piece of mind now
Bought this for inside to protect my back door. It’s really small which I like. Feels like a high quality camera. Set up was real easy, just download the Tapo app and follow the instructions. Took about 10 minutes to setup. Quality is really good for the size and price. Clear at day and bright. At night the colour option is nice but prefer in black and white infrared mode as looks clearer. Like the alarm feature which was the main reason I bought it. Would highly recommend this camera.
For the price I wasn’t expecting the world when it came to performance but I was shocked how feature filled and good quality this little camera is, it was easy to hook up and install and runs without issues for multiple weeks at a time. If you have a steady internet connection you can get away with just using the cloud storage option and bypass using an sd-card. If you would like more security and backups you can use them in tandem.
The peace of mind this provides for the price is great and I’d highly recommend this to people looking for an inexpensive security solution.
Now don’t go thinking your getting 4k crystal clear images like you would on a wired system. This is wireless and thus has limited image resolution. Its enough that I can read a number plate about 10m away but anything further its really not going to do much for identification. It’s a great deterrent but if you want to be able to clock number plates and faces etc your best off with a proper wired 4k system.
Great picture very clear ordered another one for the front of the house.
Easy to install, plug in to power and setup.
Buy a new memory card and format it in the camera. Software simple and straight forward.
This item is far in advance of the money you pay for it…
I am pretty gobsmacked by just how much you can do with this item for the money it costs!
This has been put outside my moms home who has dementia and Outzimers to make her feel safer at night, and is shockingly good!
This is a very capable system at a very reasonable price. The only issue I have is that the motion sensor can be a little too sensitive (even when sensitivity is turned down) and has falsely triggered in the rain. Can’t comment on its durability until it’s been in use for a longer period of time.
Videos should las longer when person is still in view . Also volume isn’t loud enough .
Bought the camera for my security, but needed louder volume for evidence when my nightmare neighbour becomes abusive towards me .
great picture day and night in full colour , i am conected to fibre wifi , however it can be conected on a mobile phone signal , i have a 128gb micro sd card on board , 24 hrs recording is about 2.5gb , i also have a 128gb micro sd card on my kitchen 10 inch tablet , do not need to go outside to see what is going on outside , i turned motion detection alerts off , in the settings , when i download,captured video,it arrives onto my tablet and phone, after a power cut or if you switch off wifi , * you have to reset the camera * unfortunately , you do this by removing the micro sd card cover underneath ( small pozidrive screwdriver ) then use a small slotted screwdriver to push the black button ” gently ” for 5 seconds , after this it conects back to your internet signal , button is a little awkward , but not disastrous access , power cuts and wifi stopping are , rare , however keep this in mind , i give the camera , ten out of ten , i feel safe and happy , thanks amazon and tp link ……….
A little sensitive, but all in all, very good value for money
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.
1. Facility to use long ethernet cable if camera is too far away from a wifi source.
2. A ‘Bulb’ icon on the app, to manually turn the light on the camera
3. More night mode settings: Infra Red, or Full Colour (using built in spotlight), or Smart Mode (which switches from infra red mode to full colour when an event is detected)
4. Even more detection methods if needed. So besides the normal motion detection including activity zones, there is Line Crossing Detection Mode, Area Intrusion Detection Mode, Camera Tampering/Obstruction Notification Mode
The camera also serves as an automatic outside light, with the option to record any intrusion in full colour (at night), due to the inclusive white lights.
The main feature though, is the quality of the image recording. With many cameras, it’s almost impossible to make out activity a fair distance away, but this is not the case with this C320WS camera.
Personally, having inserted a micro sd card into the camera, I prefer to use detection and continuous recording (all adjustable from the app). With a 128gb micro sd card, I am able to record CONTINOUS (including detected events) for 3 weeks, before the old data starts to be overwritten with new data.
I genuinely am delighted with this camera, and just cannot fault it in any way.
The tapo app is no where near as polished as ring and occasionally won’t load (just have to close the app down properly and restart it) but is certainly capable.
The motion detection is ok, it is highly customisable so much so with some very careful tweaking I have ruled out a lot of false alarms. But … It is very sensitive to headlights shadows and the condensation from a boiler flume for example… Something ring had managed to almost overcome.
There are a hell of alot of improvements tapo needs to make but if you you want highly customizable motion detection on a platform that is playing catch up after doubling down on smart home security … This could be the camera for you.
3.5 stars (but I am giving it 4 because you don’t need the subscription tapo offers to make this a good home security device)
Video quality is good but at the expense of reduced storage, though this camera can take a 256Gb card whereas the the C310 can only take a 128Gb card. The only downside of the micro SD card is if your camera gets stolen so does the recording unless you use the online storage offered by TP Link.
The only real negatives are the software. The preview picture is just too small. I’d like to see a larger preview so I can identify what activated the camera whether it was a person, animal or weather. As it is I need to run the video. On a rainy and windy night there can be many alerts dependent on the sensitivity setting.
Good camera, fairly easy to work and set up, but the screws to get into the memory card is a joke. Fat to tight and jus get rounded from the screw drivers! For something at this price you’d expect screws to work.
*Long term image storage is available by subscribing to CLOUD but I have chosen the free option of saving to an SD card and this still gives the most important camera options such as movement detection and activity zones etc
The images are clear and very clear and good and night images are also very good
*The many options within the software are clear, easily set and really well designed to enable a wide choice of functions.
*I am really impressed with what the camera and system offers and the continued excellent performance is beyond expectations with the added benefit of unlimited customer support — Excellent value for less than 50 plus the cost of an SD card of choice