Tapo C500 1080P Full HD Outdoor Pan/Tilt Security Camera, 360°Motion Tracking, IP65, Smart Person Detection, Colour Night Vision, Cloud and Local Storage, Works With Alexa and Google, No Monthly Fee

Security cameras are a really useful and relatively cost effective investment for any home. The provide peace of mind when you are away and keep a beady eye on things for you. Unfortunately, they can be a pain to set up. We have several dotted around the house and outside but, up until this purchase, they have all been mains wired and a little tricky to position.I held off buying a battery powered camera due to fears about battery life, but there was really no other option in the location I wanted a camera, so I went for this Tapo TC82 with solar panel charger.After unpacking everything, it was a pretty speedy setup. Charge the battery to full, fix the camera in place, connect the solar panel, connect the camera to the home WiFi via the excellent Tap app. Battery charging aside, installation took around an hour.Picture quality is very good, motion detection is also good, although it doesn't detect beyond around 25m. That might be because the motion is directly towards the camera. I think if it had been 90 degrees to the camera, motion detection would have been a little further.Battery life has been good so far. Camera has been in operation for almost a month and the battery was at 98% when I installed it. It is now at 91% and that is with the solar panel facing NW in January! I think, as Spring arrives and the sun rises higher in the sky, the battery will be able to charge to 100%. I will, hopefully, update the review accordingly.Overall, very happy with it so far - I think that I am only going to use battery powered cameras going forward. Maybe if I need a motorised camera I will have to opt for mains power but the field of view on this is so wide that constant adjustment isn't really needed. The price point is also good, and none of the other Tapo devices we have around the house has let us down yet - it seems a very good brand and excellent value for money.Highly recommended.UPDATE: two months in, Mid March now, and battery is holding at 90%. Solar panel still facing NW with no direct sunlight as yet. Camera working beautifully.

Good quality image, easy to set up and the app works well. The solar panel keeps the battery topped up as well and hasn't needed charging yet.

To be honest, this is the first first camera I have purchased, and I was so impressed by it that I purchased the C510W the same day with next day delivery, from Amazon.Setup was a little fiddly due to bandwidth with full fibre, but after temporarily disabling 5k the device picked up 2.4 easily and connected without issue.The micro SD card, (not supplied), requires formatting and this is done through the phone app. It's probably best to purchase a new one, as it suggests not formatting through any other device, such as laptop etc. Here, if I had anything to complain about, would be it. Accessing the SD card slot. Such fiddly little screws that I spent more time locating a screwdriver that would fit than actually installing the camera through drilling holes, (little template provided), to setup on the app. (I then purchased a screwdriver set).The picture quality is pretty good but unable to read car registration numbers some 30 metres away approximately, hence the purchase of the C510W which is 2k resolution where this is 1080p. That said, it's ideal for detecting and tracking individuals that approach or enter into your property, it's just when you zoom it becomes pixilated.The app which you scan the QR code for on the instructions leaflet, is easy to follow and actually necessary for formatting the SD card. You have the option of cloud storage for a fee, or recording to the micro SD card which is a one off cost of the price of the card. The setup of the 2nd device I purchased was very quick and easy, already having the app installed, it was just a case of add device. It appears that there is room for 32 devices, too, so inside and outside the home, along with garage and shed and anywhere else you can think of where 32 devices could go should be a doddle.Overall, it is a sturdy piece of kit and the price is excellent, (currently on offer). As stated, I was so impressed that I bought the 2k C510W to capture car registrations should the need ever arise.

This camera with solar panel delivers excellent performance for the price. Installation and Setup is straightforward, requiring minimal technical expertise. The included solar panel keeps it juiced up and keeps the camera running, . The camera's motion tracking feature is good, effectively following detected movement. Image capture is sharp and clear, both during daylight and in low-light conditions. I would have loved better integration with Google home, at the moment you have to launch the tapo app, for full feature. But I am hoping this is fixed in a firmware update. Overall, this camera offers impressive functionality and value, making it a highly recommended choice for home security.