Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel Review

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel is a wireless pan-tilt camera that has impressive features like motion zone sensitivity and the ability to rotate the camera remotely through your phone. It comes equipped with a 10-watt solar panel that effectively recharges the camera’s battery freeing you from the battery replacement routine.

As long as it’s installed correctly, you can expect Argus PT to last a long time in your yard, with the durable and waterproof construction. But the security system has a few downsides.

The plastic camera mounting bracket is pretty flimsy. Also, downloading videos on the app is slow and time-consuming, and when compared to other cameras, the battery life is unimpressive, so make sure the solar panel gets enough sunlight to top up the battery on daily basis.

Reolink Argus PT Product Specs

What Comes in the Box?

With Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel pack, you get the security system, installation accessories, and the guide.

1 Reolink Argus PT with a rechargeable battery.
1 Solar panel.
1 Antenna.
1 Camera bracket.
1 Reset needle.
1 Micro USB cable.
1 Mounting hole template.
1 Pack of screws.
1 quick start guide.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel is best suited for those who need a CCTV system for a larger yard. The pan and tilt feature covers a wide area and allows you to look around with your camera.

It is also suited for those who want high-quality video footage and anyone worried about intruders in their home, especially with the siren and advanced motion detection.

Also, those who want flexibility in their storage options can choose this. If you have a smart home, it’s also good to buy the Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel.

But this security system is not recommended to those who want a wired CCTV camera.

Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel Features and Benefits

The Reolink Argus PT system with Solar Panel comes with high-quality features that offer good value for your money.

Infrared Night Vision

The Argus PT has an infrared night vision sensor (PIR), allowing you to see up to 10 metres away at night in the black and white picture.

The infrared sensor relies on Infrared lights, that are not visible to the human eye. If you are not satisfied with night vision image quality – you can install additional infrared lights so there is more IR(infrared light) for the camera’s PIR sensor to capture. We were impressed with the quality of the night vision offered by Reolink Argus PT.

PIR Sensor

Argus PT has a sensitive digital PIR sensor that triggers camera recording and sends a push notification to your phone via the Reolink app as soon as it detects movement in the motion zone. Live view from the camera is also available through the app allowing you to see what is going on from your phone right away. A convenient way of knowing when the courier delivered a parcel to your front door.

“Reolink” App

One of the best features of Reolink security systems is the Reolink app, a great control base for the entire system, making it easy for you to view, access, and download footage.

Reolink App Settings

Motion Detection Settings:

The motion detection settings are fully customizable through the Reolink app. The camera features motion zone adjustments allowing you to grey off locations in the Camera’s field of view that you do not want to trigger the camera. For example, if there is a road or sidewalk in camera FOV – you probably don’t want to receive a notification and record footage every time the car drives by.

Camera Stats:

On the Reolink app, you can check the battery status and see if the solar panel is charging the camera. If the battery charge is decreasing day after day – consider repositioning the solar panel so it gets more sunlight throughout the day. The app also has settings for changing your video resolution quality, hiding the camera name and timestamp on a video, and enabling or disabling the camera siren.

Useful In-App Features

Live View:

The Reolink Argus PT features a live view, offering a real-time view of what the camera is facing. Up to eight devices can access the live view simultaneously, which I like as I can share it with my family members.

Cloud and Internal Storage Access:

You get local storage of 128GB, but you have to buy the SD card yourself. There are also settings to upload all recordings to the cloud rather than leaving them on the internal SD card. We recommend storing videos in the cloud since the camera may get stolen together with the internal SD card resulting in lost footage.

Video Download:

You can download footage videos to your phone or desktop through the Reolink app. I liked this feature until I found out how slow it was. The videos can only be downloaded in 30-second bits, so if you have a 2-minute video, you’ll have four different videos. Still a good option and usually 30 seconds is enough.

Push to Talk Feature

People like me who always have deliveries will find the push-to-talk feature useful to talk to the couriers. Although it’s also handy for warning intruders and trespassers. You can talk to whoever is in front of the camera from your phone by holding the push to talk button in the app. But, there’s a two-second lag when talking to others, making conversations a bit confusing until you get used to it.

PTZ

The app also has pan, tilt, and zoom features (PTZ) settings. With Argus PT, you can zoom in and focus near or far and use pan or tilt mode with the camera. This feature really makes Argus PT stand out in front of the competition. The camera has a comparatively small field of view of 105 degrees (diagonal) while the competition has 120 to 135 degrees FOV. This is compensated by the ability to rotate the camera side to side and up or down remotely through the app.

Access:

There are different settings in the Reolink app for controlling access, including who can view the videos on the app and the web browser. You can share access to eight and twelve people, respectively. This way, everyone can keep watch!

Push Notifications

Reolink Argus PT provides push notifications to your mobile device whenever it detects a person, animal, and vehicle in the motion detection zone. The app also sends an email alert simultaneously, with a picture and video attachment of who was at the door.

Alexa Integration

You can easily add your Reolink cameras to Amazon Alexa, and this is one of the best features this CCTV system offers. I love the idea of a security system optimized for a smart home, as this provides the convenience that we are all looking for with technology.

Alexa Voice Controls

If you have Amazon Alexa and connect it to your Reolink, you can view live footage and do more. Your Alexa doesn’t only work for playing music or making calls but can show you the specific cameras you want and more. For instance, ‘Alexa, show me the camera in the backyard.’

Data Storage

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel has an internal SD card and cloud storage for flexibility.

Internal SD Card

The internal SD card can take up to 128GB worth of footage, but you’ll have to purchase this yourself. You won’t have to worry about exceeding space with the cloud storage plans.

Cloud Storage

Reolink Cloud will store your videos for all the time motion was detected, so you don’t lose anything even if your camera gets broken.

Free Plan:

The basic plan is free and offers 1GB of cloud storage. You also get a 7-day cloud video history and one camera support. You don’t need to submit your credit card to get this plan.

Paid Plan:

If you have more than one camera in your home and need longer than just seven days, three paid plans are offered.

Standard supports five cameras, 30GB of storage, and a 30-day cloud video history for $4.99. Then, Premier can be purchased for $9.99 and supports ten cameras, 80GB of storage, and a 30-say cloud video history.

The highest plan is Business, with up to 20-30 cameras supported, 150GB storage, and 60-day history. The price depends on how many cameras you get.

Two-Way Audio Built-In

With the two-way audio built into the Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel, you can talk to others in front of the camera and hear them when they respond.

You can even use this feature when you’re not home, telling the delivery man to leave the box at the door or informing your neighbour that you’re not home.

How it Works

It’s not surprising that the Reolink two-way audio is easy to use. You can use an app or client to talk to others by clicking on the speaker and microphone icon to talk.

Siren

The custom siren will come on whenever motion is detected, warding off intruders.

I especially like the custom siren because it attracts the attention of neighbours. Also, if I have an intruder or a nosy animal sniffing around my house, it scares them away. 

Field of View

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel has a 105° field of view. Aside from this, it can turn 355° horizontally and 140° vertically.

Remote FOV Adjustment Through the App

You can adjust the head of your Reolink camera remotely, thus adjusting the field of view. The app features settings for this feature, making it easy to check specific parts of your yard.

Motion Detection

Motion detection is essential in any CCTV, and the Reolink camera offers an impressive and sensitive sensor. The smart system accurately detects humans and vehicles correctly and reduces false alarms. You can even filter your playback recordings to only show humans or cars.

Video Quality

The Reolink Argus PT has impressive video quality during the day and night. With the 4MP camera, you can easily view footage without stress.

Resolution

The resolution is 1080p HD, which is an industry-standard for surveillance cameras, so you can quickly identify humans, animals and plate numbers.

FPS

The Reolink camera can record up to 15 frames per second. This frame rate is considered low for standard cameras. However, this helps to save disk space when recording video footage. A low frame rate does make recordings less smooth, but image quality still allows to clearly see all important details including number plates and faces.

Camera Installation

The camera mount is attached to the wall with 2 bolts. It is necessary to drill 2 holes for the bolts. Such installation is not the easiest. However, it makes it harder to steal the camera. We recommend installing the camera at 2.5 metres or higher so that it is not easy to get to for the average person.

Unfortunately, the camera mount is made of plastic making it fragile compared to the aluminium mount.

Solar Panel Installation

The solar panel is installed similar to the camera. It has its own mount that also requires drilling holes for bolts. Make sure the solar panel is installed in a place that gets enough sunlight. Otherwise, the power output of the solar panel may be insufficient to top up the battery.

We do like the separate solar panel mount since it allows you to install the camera in the shade while putting the solar panel in a sunny location. Note that you might need to get a longer cable to connect the camera and solar panel since the provided cable is just 2 metres long.

2.4Ghz Network Connection

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel features a 2.4Ghz network connection, so ensure that your modem supports this feature. The camera will not work with a modern 5 GHz WiFi router.

IP65 Weatherproof

The Reolink camera meets the IP65 weatherproof standard, protecting it from rain, snow, water jets, sprays, and condensation.

Reliability and Warranty

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel comes with a 2-year warranty and durable construction. Keep in mind the camera mount is made of plastic and would shake during strong wind. As long as you’re careful with installing it, you can enjoy a reliable camera that requires little maintenance.

What Real Users Report About Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel

Although I was generally impressed with the Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel, I scoured the internet to see what others said about it. Many reviews were impressed by the cameras, praising the push alerts, camera quality, easy set-up, and solar power.

The major complaint is with Reolink as they have very poor customer service. Many customers can barely get their complaints resolved.

Some customers also stated that the recording response whenever motion is detected is slow. So, you might not get a full video of what happened since it was recorded late.

Generally, Reolink has great cameras but poor service.

Verdict

The Reolink Argus PT with Solar Panel is a fantastic choice for those who want a reliable CCTV camera in their home or shop. The mobile app offers extensive control, down to the field of view and motion zone.

As long as you don’t need customer service, you can seamlessly use this system to keep intruders away and stay safe. Although there are a few downsides, there are no definite dealbreakers.