Reolink video doorbell & floodlight cameras
True story, I had to be out of the country on some international travel for a couple of technology trade conferences.
Nothing unusual there so far.
But, also true, I had planned to extend the trips I was doing to some far-flung places. How far-flung? Well, Anchorage, Alaska… and Seoul, South Korea to be exact. Two places that my wife and I had always wanted to visit.
But, as good as it all sounds… our apartment in the UK was scheduled to undergo maintenance on the inside and outside (window seals, exterior brickwork, you name it) while we were going to be away, so I needed to get my hands on some really good home monitoring cameras to make sure I could see who was in our apartment and what was going on.
I had an existing Ring camera that I had never mounted as a doorbell, but I needed more.
Reolink 2K+ Video Doorbell
As I think any prudent buyer would do when faced with a challenge like this, I decided to get something more current than Ring (I know they are still in business), so I went for Reolink.
I’ve often wanted a really portable camera that I could leave in hotel rooms while at conferences and there is an application of that here with the Reolink 2K+ Video Doorbell. This is a USB-C battery-charged device that you don’t need to plug into the mains (I got the mains plug version too, but more on that in a moment) and the unit is a high-resolution (2K+/5MP) device with dual-band WiFi stability and what its makers call “advanced person detection” without the need for a subscription.
This worked out well for me because a) I could hide one camera inside a bookshelf away from the electricity mains and b) I could use another camera in the bedroom on mains power, which meant I knew that the main access point into the apartment would always be viewable, even if the battery didn’t last in the charged-up version.
In fact, the battery version lasted for six weeks and because I knew which day to start viewing the activity inside our apartment, I could restrict my viewing to the key day… logging in from Alaska and the Korean mainland, as I honestly did.
Why a doorbell?
Why not just use a video camera you may ask? Because this was winter 2025 and I needed cameras that were capable of working with outside temperatures because a) we were out of the house with the heating off and b) we were having windows replaced, so it was definitely cold!
The Reolink 2K+ Video Doorbell works at an operating temperature of 10°C to +55°C (14°F – 131°F) and an operating humidity of 10-90% with an overall IP65 rating.
The frame rate is mainstream: 10fps – 15fps (default: 15fps) and substream: 10fps – 15fps (default: 15fps). The no subscription element was very appealing and there is no monthly subscription for basic features, dual-band WiFi and local storage options.
Are we done with 16:9?
The video format on the Reolink app is a square 1:1 video format, as shown in my real image below. Perhaps landscape would be nicer, but it doesn’t really make a difference. In fact, Reolink says that, “Unlike traditional 16:9 doorbell cameras, the Reolink captures a full vertical view, making it easier to see visitors, parcels on the ground, or activity close to the door.”
The battery-powered design obviously removes the need for mandatory hardwiring, which made it really appealing to me, I often want to move cameras around depending on the time of year (and in the case of the workmen when I am home) depending on where work is being carried out. The unit also supports 8–24V AC or 24V DC connections, if you do want to wire it up.
Video is recorded at 2048 × 2048 resolution (4MP) at up to 15 frames per second, using H.265 encoding for improved storage efficiency.
“Two-way audio is built in, supported by noise cancellation and echo suppression. This allows users to communicate with visitors or delivery drivers without opening the door,” said the company, in its descriptor pages… if you want to use it as a doorbell of course.
“Smart detection features include person, vehicle and package detection, reducing false alerts compared to basic motion detection systems. Notifications are delivered via the Reolink app and the doorbell integrates with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice assistant compatibility,” states Reolink.
Video footage benefits from local storage with this device, it can be stored on a microSD card of up to 256GB, which again acts as a way of circumventing ongoing subscription fees or indeed concerns about data ownership.
Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi
Because I can’t hold back on these things, I also got hold of the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi unit too… and this is really a device for the outdoors. I installed it with a view to potentially using it for building work tracking, but it’s so imposing (which it’s no doubt meant to be, for external security use) that it looked like too much to leave inside the apartment.
For completeness, then in terms of product overview, this is a dual-lens PTZ hardwired Wi-Fi camera, with 360° coverage. 3000-lumen adjustable floodlights to deter crime while illuminating spaces. Reolink says that via its local AI search, users can instantly find people, vehicles, or animals… and no subscription is needed.
Users enter a search term and Reolink’s AI Video Search pinpoints specific footage from your own recordings. Driven by ReoNeura technology, the system interprets users queries and rapidly scans through extensive video archives to surface relevant clips within seconds.
“High-performance LED floodlights deliver exceptional coverage with adjustable brightness reaching 3000 lumens and an impressive 40-foot range. Experience superior visibility and effective deterrence with your choice of lighting: warm 3000K for a welcoming atmosphere or crisp 6000K for maximum security clarity… this product makes light both a guardian and a companion,” reads the product guide.
This is very much a wall-mounted high-end device, but it’s nice to have the whole Reolink family, so to speak, or a selection of some at least its most current star devices.
Reolink E331 Indoor WiFi Camera
Just to be counter-intuitive with myself, I also grabbed the new Reolink E331 Indoor WiFi Camera (yes, not actually a doorbell or an outside security camera for once) and this is the most current product in the company’s product line-up. This is the brand’s first indoor model of this kind – and it also has local storage, smart app controls and some on-board AI technology services.
The E331 has enough built-in AI to be able to recognise people, pets and a child crying (Reolink didn’t program in enough AI for construction workers, but that specificity will come one day, no doubt) – and this also features the ability to switch on “privacy mode” via the Reolink app with a single tap. This function pauses both video and audio, all without the need to unplug the camera or adjust any other app settings.
I’ll mention the price on this one, it’s £39.99 at the time of writing.
This device comes with a 2K+ (5MP) super HD resolution camera, a 360-degree pan and tilt function (again accessed via the app) and auto-tracking. It has infrared night vision with a range of up to 12 metres, two-way audio and 256GB of local storage.
After Alaska
Did I come home and tell the builders that I had dialled in from Alaska to see what they were doing in the spirit of openness and data sharing?
I did indeed and all images were deleted afterwards and no privacy guidelines were breached as per the government’s workers’ rights stipulations as noted on UK GOV here.
