Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam, solar camera with floodlights

The Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam combines a battery-powered Wi-Fi camera, an integrated solar panel, and two floodlights. Its most interesting use, in my opinion, is to monitor and illuminate an entrance without running electrical power to the camera. Above a garage door or near the entrance of the house, it can light up arrivals while recording detected events.

You just need to choose its location, considering both framing and sunlight. The panel is part of the same unit: it's one less element to install, but the camera must have sufficient exposure to recharge.

Who is this camera for?

I would consider it for an entrance, a garage driveway, or garden access when you want a battery-powered installation with lighting triggered by movement. It connects to the home's Wi-Fi at 2.4 or 5 GHz. So, you also need to check that the network properly reaches the chosen location.

For the inside of a camper van, I prefer more discreet models. Floodlights that turn on inside at night can make the interior visible from the outside if the windows are not covered. This Solar does have an infrared mode and adjustable lights, but its floodlights are precisely what makes it interesting for home use.

Key features to know

The image is recorded at 2,560 × 1,440 pixels, up to 15 frames per second. Reolink presents it as a 2K camera with 4 megapixels. Its field of view reaches 124.5° horizontally and 150.5° diagonally: a wide coverage to observe access with a single camera, provided you choose the right framing. It is not a 180° horizontal panorama.

The infrared night vision is advertised up to 10 meters. When the floodlights illuminate the scene, the camera can film in color. The casing is rated IP66, and the whole unit weighs 799 g with its mount. The technical sheet groups the detailed values.

Floodlights to welcome and deter

The floodlights deliver up to 1,000 lumens, with adjustable brightness and a white balance adjustable between 3,000 and 6,000 K. The idea is as simple as it is useful: illuminate the driveway when you return in the evening, see who approaches the door, and make a presence visible. The lighting can contribute to deterrence, without guaranteeing that an intrusion will be avoided by itself.

The detection distinguishes between people, vehicles, and animals. You can select the categories that trigger the light alarm. To turn on when a person or car arrives without illuminating every passage of the cat, you need to configure this filtering and disable the general lighting when the PIR sensor wakes up. Selecting animals in notifications alone does not necessarily resolve the lighting.

Integrated panel: easier installation, exposure to consider

The 3 W solar panel recharges a 7,800 mAh battery. Reolink announces a battery life of three months and recommends at least one hour of direct sunlight per day at the installation location. Personally, I would keep a margin on exposure: the weather, traffic, and the time the floodlights take to turn on change the actual needs.

With a remote panel, you can place the camera in the shade and the panel further in the sun. Here, the integrated panel is fixed and not detachable. Installing the unit under a deep awning or inside a garage does not allow normal use of this panel. However, Reolink does plan for the connection of an additional external panel: this option deserves consideration if the surveillance point is poorly exposed.

A USB-C recharge is also provided. The solar power serves to maintain the charge over the days; it does not turn this model into a continuous recording camera. The mode announced for the Solar Floodlight Cam is event-triggered recording.

Store videos without cloud subscription

You can record on a microSD up to 512 GB, centralize the cameras with a compatible Reolink Home Hub, or integrate the Solar into a suitable Reolink NVR. These local storage solutions do not require a cloud subscription. Card, Hub, and NVR should be considered according to the chosen equipment.

I have already tested the Home Hubs, and I find them practical when you start having multiple cameras. It's a solution that can suit many individuals without going directly to an NVR. You can find our presentation of the Reolink Home Hub. For an NVR, the hardware version and firmware must be compatible with the battery-powered cameras.

Application, notifications, and two-way audio

The Reolink app allows you to view the live feed, find recordings, and receive alerts. The built-in microphone and speaker also allow you to listen to what is happening and talk to someone in front of the camera. On iPhone, critical alerts can come through even in silent or Do Not Disturb mode, after activating the corresponding permissions.

Why buy from Vantour?

The purchase button directs you to the official Reolink store: the order, availability, shipping, and after-sales service are managed by the brand. The commercial warranty announced for this model is two years. Our sheet allows you to find the characteristics, usage limits, and offers associated with the partner.

On the pricing side:

Our view on the Reolink range

I have tested dozens of Reolink cameras, but I do not yet have this Solar Floodlight Cam in hand. My orientation is therefore based on its features and my knowledge of the range. If your need concerns van life, check out our selection of cameras for the inside of a camper van.

To understand the uses I envision and the points I want to verify, find my presentation of the Solar Floodlight Cam.