Reolink are a household name when it comes to security cameras. They offer outdoor as well as indoor options, and include door bells as well. What sets them apart is the fact that they don’t need subscriptions like most other manufacturers. With the Reolink Duo 3 POE, they offer a security solution that offers professional service. This is reflected in the fact that it is actually powered via POE (Power Over Ethernet), allowing you to power the device with a single cable.

Reolink Duo 3 PoE – Features

Features two 4K image sensors, offering a 16MP UHD image, offering both colour and night vision.
Featuring F1.6 aperture and 1/2.7″ CMOS sensor, and 6 infrared LEDs to be able to see up to 100 feet at night.
180 degree panoramic view and motion tracking, thanks to the cameras stitching images together.
Motion Track features allow you to track complete movement of any target in one picture.
Software offers smart detection of persons, cars or animals, and reduces false alarms.
Push notifications allow you to access the camera image instantly.
2-way talk also allows you to communicate with anybody at your door/in your area.
IP67 Weather proof, allowing you to mount this anywhere.
PoE tech means you only need one cable to hook this to your internet system, making it an easier setup.
Clever app to make usage easier with features such as live tracing and time-lapse.
Data compression to transmit video faster
SD Card storage to allow data storage

Setup

One of the issues with being a hobbyist reviewer is that I sometimes lack the sort of setup that one may need for certain things. This was the case for this equipment as I lacked a PoE switch. Luckily the camera comes with a 12V adapter port (no power supply though), so I was able to use an alternate source of power with my standard router. I was then also able to borrow a PoE ethernet router from a mate which helped me use that setup too. Both of those work reasonably seamless, so not much to say once you are all plugged in.

Once wired and powered up, just install the Reolink app, create an account if you don’t already have one, and add your camera using the QR code on it.

Before you mount it, it is obviously advisable to get a feel of the picture to ensure you get the best possible out of this camera.

Look and feel

The device comes with a wall mount, and the price for the quality you get is the fact that it is a bulky device, making it highly notable. This is not necessarily a bad thing. If using as a security camera, you probably want to ensure that it acts as a deterrent too. But it definitely won’t act as a hidden camera.

For my back garden to catch the occasional fox that pops up, this was not an issue.

Otherwise, the main thing to be aware is that you will obviously have the cable (or 2 if you need the power supply too) to run to this camera. Once mounted, the cable is hidden away and is weather proof within the setup.

Usage and quality

One of the things to be mindful of with this camera is the stitching that happens with the two image sensors. You basically get a dual fish eye lens image effect, which almost looks a bit like the image you may expect from a VR device on a normal screen. However, the image is as flat as possible, making it fairly easy to see what you need to see.

The video quality is immaculate. My cats were a particularly interesting subject for me in my back garden, though annoyingly they mostly prefer to sleep on the swing chair rather than be physically active. They must be getting old! You get 20 fps, which is plenty for the human, and captures action quite well.

Streaming live video is quite good too, thanks to the compression algorithms being employed.

Features of interest

Some of the features that come with this are fairly popular and normal. For example, you can block out certain areas, so it doesn’t trigger alerts. A branch that has a habit of constantly waving on a breezy day? Yeah, block it out. Want to catch a bird on the bird feeder? You got it.

Similarly, it must be mentioned that there is no cloud feature by default for this. The complete video is stored in the SD card, so you need constant connection to the camera to be able to view what has happened.

I particularly like the time-lapse feature, but what really sets this apart is the Motion Tracking feature. It takes a moving subject and places it in multiple locations in the image to track their movement. A bit like a timelapse, but all on one image. Once again, really cool for cats and birds, but also very interesting to track people.

More information

More information on the Reolink Duo 3 PoE camera can be found on the Reolink website. It can be bought directly off their website, where they are offering a 15% off (at the time of writing). It normally retails for £179.99.

It is also available on other online retailers such as Amazon.

Verdict

Many security solutions exist these days, but with the Reolink Duo 3 PoE, Reolink have managed to pack quite a lot in the price. The fact that you don’t need subscription helps with the economics too. That packed with the great 180 degree video quality and features such as Motion Track really make it a great use of your money. A definite recommendation from me.