Reolink AI POE Cameras Compared - 12MP vs 8MP vs 5MP Video Quality Day & Night

Today, we are going to check out the newest AI (Artificial Intelligence) PoE IP NVR cameras from Reolink. I have the 5MP - RLC-510A, 8MP 4K quality - RLC-810A and the new 12 MP 4096x3072 pixel resolution RLC-1220A. On this video, we will compare the specs and features of these cameras and also I'll show you the video and audio quality day and night and see which model of Reolink PoE NVR cameras will be a good choice for your home.
I'll be setting this up with Reolink's NVR and I'll be doing a Part 2 video when I replace my Swann 4K system with Reolinks... I'll be testing more the person and vehicle detection then when all cameras are setup and see if Reolink's AI is reliable enough that I will turn ON alert notifications.
00:00 Intro
02:00 12MP Ultra HD PoE Camera specs
02:59 Camera Features Comparison
05:10 Video & Audio Quality Daytime
08:55 Side by Side Comparison
09:52 Video Quality at Night - Night Vision ON
12:33 Video Quality at Night - Motion Lights ON - Color recording
15:49 Motion Alert Notification Speed (Person | Vehicle Detection ON)
16:51 Detection Distance Test
17:46 AI Person Detection Reliability & Settings
18:28 Confusing Settings in the App
19:20 Final Thoughts
#lifehackster #reolinkAIcameras #reolink12mp
Shop: (Paid Links)
Reolink RLC-510A - amzn.to/3n6JSfC
Reolink RLC-520A- amzn.to/3n6JSfC
Reolink RLC-810A- shrsl.com/2o6uy
Reolink RLC-820A - amzn.to/3nkaJVi
Reolink RLC-1220A -shrsl.com/2o6uw
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[@boyka1827]

I'm glad I found this channel. A high-quality camera review channel. You can tell this guy invested lots of his time in every single video. I'm trying to get the high-quality 4k cameras for clarity on top of the ring cameras that I'm having. Ring cameras, they are good but they are 1080p.

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[@leatherindian]

These are the cameras I’ve been looking at and your review answered ALL my questions. That was worth a subscription. Well done!

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[@explod329]

The 8 MP looked and performed the best for me. I currently own the 8MP system and couldn't be happier. I tried a few of the 12MP cameras and returned them.

[@---GOD---]

5MP looks like it has a much wider vertical angle 8MP looks like it has good picture quality 12MP looks like a waste of money

[@michaelmitroff2318]

I honestly think he forgot to change the aspect ration of the 12mp to 16:9

[@IAmZen_007]

@@michaelmitroff2318 it’s 4:3

[@Koj0]

Lmao foreal

[@somethingelsehere8089]

but the night performance of the 12MP one was killer.

[@igla2187]

Thank God for this summary of the video 😜

[@WarTitan888]

I think the biggest reason that the 8mp looked better than the 12mp was the frame rate difference. A five frame per second difference may not sound like much but it is.

[@DS_92]

Excellent! I don't think anyone does as in-depth as you do! God bless your wife for sacrificing your home with holes everywhere to test and operate new cameras haha! Really love this channel and hope it continues to grow.

[@cryengine_x]

lol if you notice he has a second board attached to his siding, so he screws that to his home once, after that all camera mounts are just tearing up that secondary piece of wood not his house

[@daijoubu4529]

For the curious one, the 5MP (as most others Reolink 5MP) have an Omnivision OV05a10 sensor, 8MP Sony Starvis IMX415, 12MP OmniVision OS12D40, you can determine the sensor by looking at the firmware filename

[@okyguzman8916]

Thanks!!! Definitely sony sensor makes the difference. As expected sony its #1 at picture quality and motion. Hopefully Reolink use another sony sensor for the next 12MP release since they discontinued current 12MP the product for obvious reason

[@xxrs2009]

interesting, so the RLC-833a also has the sony IMX415 sensor?

[@macster1457]

8MP looks best during daytime.. 12MP for night time.

[@Twelvegoldteeth]

True BUT understand, if you’re using them for your front yard or where you can get another light source...the 8mp looks really good in color mode at night. I use night vision for the backyards but color for the front and it looks GREAT.

[@macster1457]

@@Twelvegoldteeth yup. so if I were to buy these, I would def get the 8 MP one.. but, Im happy with my Wyze cams.. even more now with the v3 😉

[@HDBoyWonder]

Does ReoLink typically release NVR software or camera firmware updates that correct or improve camera sensor’s images? Does ReoLink or any security camera vendor use 12-or 16-bit p/p HDR cameras?

[@gervas4935]

@@Twelvegoldteeth Good idea

[@jordantaylor5552]

Thanks for the excellent straight to the point video. I was going to get the 5 meg but decided I needed 8

[@BuddysDIY]

Solid review my man. Just set up my 8mp Poe system today. I was considering getting 4 12mp cams as a add-on down the road. I think the im gonna stay with the 8mp.

[@mardaliakhmedov9434]

How are they? Do you recommend?

[@inthedarkwoods2022]

bad decision

[@uglyjoe4390]

Thank you for an excellent honest review. Showing side by side displays really helped. And it’s always good to end the review with which one you prefer.

[@LifeHackster]

Glad it was helpful!

[@steves5933]

Great Video, LifeHackster. I was waiting for your test of the RLC-1220A. It seems to me as pretty convincing. I can't wait for the follow up, when you install the NVR.

[@damagecontrol7]

Great job! You make the most detailed cctv reviews. Thanks

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[@Largamelion]

I 've been waiting for this video for a while now. Funny that it's finally there the day that I ordered my RLC-510a :). Thanks and looking forward to part 2!

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you.

[@Largamelion]

@Brandon DiGuilio I think it's alright but I have quite a bit of light up front from the street so it's hard to tell. I leave infrared off but do use black & white mode. I noticed that it gives a lot more false alerts with coloured mode at night. Alert-wise it is quite reliable during the day. However, I and one of my colleagues did notice that the app sometimes doesn't alert immediately when your phone has been inactive for a while. As soon as you turn it on, the alerts are there. Battery saver is turned off for the Reolink app.

[@Largamelion]

@Brandon DiGuilio no worries man, I really think they're a bargain for what they do. The vehicle/person detection might not be perfect but it's gotten to a point where I don't have to disable my alerts anymore. I still have my two old 410's at the back of my house but they only record motion. They're impossible to configure for accurate alerts. I'm quite sure I will replace them with A-versions in the future. Best thing about these cameras is the image quality and the fact that you don't need any subscription.

[@EveronesInvited]

The man did a nfl combine with the license plates. Much respect

[@wolfman1549]

It’s really nice how your notifications keep going off while you’re making the video

[@largelarry2126]

Something I did was replace all my outdoor flood lights with halogen lights. LED lights don't produce much IR light and are of little help for your cameras at night. On the other hand halogen lights make a lot of IR light and will make a huge difference after dark even at longer distances.

[@luanpham7469]

Great idea ! I will do it to see if any better.

[@deetaylor]

@@luanpham7469 did it help?

[@desertfox12345]

Apparently not.@@deetaylor

[@metaltuman]

First of all - to see the difference viewers must change the youtube quality options to 4k UHD (if its available for this video) and have the monitor that support this quality. The main parametr for CCTV is pixel density. 2Mpx camera with motorzoom or cheap robot with motorzoom can give us the same result. If you record video in 12Mpx you must increase the storage space. It's not a problem if you configure only motion detection record, but in case of big zone activity it's will be much complicated. Installers don't like to chose different lenses cameras for each installation, it's not a good practice. Try to use Axis lens calculator. It's good tool to understand how to chose a right camera (not only Axis) for client requirements. Wide-angle cameras have some optical problems like distortion. As for me it's better to use several 4Mpx cameras with 40-70°. Thanks for video.

[@ChinitFxt]

Dope the night vision on the 12mp is crazy plus fast notification

[@classicsalsa3589]

Funny how 8mp looks the best out of 3 during the day and 12mp is the best at night..

[@kenmunford4971]

need to merge the 8 and 12 to get the best of both. i.e 12 for night vision and 8 daytime for sharper picture

[@ILL21]

Spoiler Alert 😂

[@ahh_nai]

I came across your video as I am looking to upgrade my security system, and wow you are amazing. I love your reviews, how you test out each camera. Best channel for honest camera reviews. You rock!

[@cranny41]

Thanks so much for taking the time to make this video mate .... so helpful.

[@LifeHackster]

My pleasure!

[@Bara885]

You're the reason I bought 5 blink cameras just by watching your reviews on them. Now from experience I'm telling everybody out there who watches these videos, please don't buy raggedy ass blink cameras. Not only they making you pay for the clips recorded by your own camera but the delay on motion detector is horrible. After few days of the installation everything changed from good to terrible.

[@derikdang8829]

Thank you LifeHackster for the thoroughly reviews of the Reolink IP camera reviews. Keep up the great works.

[@jkfl32238]

Amazing channel! You go so in depth it's incredible! The time spent is just amazing! If only more channels would be like you! You have my subscription!

[@Valay.]

Reolink sure makes the best surveillance cameras, our tapo 1440p cameras look like 480p

[@MrFreeze79]

I was kind of upset that I received my 8mp cameras today when just finding out the new 12mp cameras are now coming out!! but, after watching this video I'm quite happy that I bought the 8mp cameras. thanks!!

[@MrMoe158]

Had nine cameras 4K 8mp put up last month and i love them. Upgraded my hard drive from 3TB to 9TB and eventually down the road i will upgrade again to 12TB

[@jaycranmer2001]

Did you use a third party hdd or did you use reolinks hdd storage?

[@BrianKlimes]

Great comparison and information- helps me make some decisions on which camera to get for some projects and my house. I like the RLC-810A cameras on this video.

[@0doubledseven589]

Big improvement at 8MP. 12MP was nothing to write home about. Good vid thanks.

[@rWirthlin1983]

12mp at night even can see the phone light up in your pocket. Great review of the 3 cameras. I can already tell I want a mix of the 12mp and 8mp cameras

[@johnpoltrock1816]

Thanks for doing this! It helped me decide which to go with. Got the 12s and they’re awesome!

[@mattjohnson7835]

Well done! I have Reolink at home and my small business. The small business has an NVR system, which I like. I currently have 4 cameras on the NVR, but it can hold 8 and it provides the POE out to the cameras. I will watch #2 when I get more time.

[@mje1625]

What an amazing video! So informative! Thank you for taking the time, effort and expense to produce this video! You earned a like and subscriber!

[@LifeHackster]

Thanks so much!

[@paulmiyagishima7655]

Wow. A lot to digest. I agree with some of the viewers about the 8mp being better during the day, but the 12mp being better at night. The alert detection being so fast is very impressive. If you are concerned about possible intruders or burglars these cameras will alert you the quickest. Because there are so many porch pirates I am hoping that these cameras will capture license plates or at least more detail of people coming by your home. Can't wait for part 2. Thanks again!

[@joebrewer5885]

You need to do a complete install, from where to buy, what to buy, how to connect, with advantages and disadvantages of various components. Cloud vs NVR storage. First thing burglars should take is the NVR. Can you mix and match components? I want to install a system but can't find answers to basic questions.

[@jeremywilson8334]

Yes, that would be a very helpful video

[@aceramone4820]

EXCELENT REVIEW One of the best reviewers I've seen on KZbin. Thanks. I am able to make my decision and even saved some $$.

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[@matthoyt4015]

With any of the AI reolink cameras that accept a memory card in the camera it's self, will the camera record both on the camera memory card and NVR at the same time, acting as a back up, if the NVR system gets compromised? I am thinking of purchasing the reolink RLC-810a and RLC-822a. Keep up the good work on the cameras!

[@mobgma]

4:3 ASPECT RATIO IS A DEAL BREAKER ....

[@Samzep]

You mean no deal hahah

[@ArdnthatN00b]

4:3.. "The new way"

[@andrewharris131]

Awesome Thank you so much for all your patience and hard work.

[@LifeHackster]

You are welcome.

[@databang]

Thanks for your informative and comprehensive comparisons.

[@GGiblet]

You really do such a great job on these!!🙌👏👏👏

[@Preske]

the 12MP looks like it's squished from 16:9 to 4:3

[@FalcoINC]

Wait a min....you list the cameras in reverse order? At 9:05 you list them as the 12, 8, and 5 but are pointing to the ones I though was the 5, 8, 12? No wonder the 5MP looked amazing lol. It had to be the 12mp one? great video and demo but Im totally confused on which one is which lol

[@Airbag888]

Reolink IP Cams went the way of the RTX3k series graphics card... great reviews, no stock

[@MBBeier]

Thank you so much for your outstanding videos! Its quite a jungle out there, but you really put the quality into perspective... ... I don't mind the hard wiring (in fact prefer NOT having to worry about battery), I was looking at ARLO ESSENTIALS, EUFY CAM 2 PRO and Reolink 5x0 & 8x0 - your videos made it very obvious that despite what review sites says, its not even close - completely different level of video quality. Thank you sir.

[@KiiiNG_ABE]

Wonderful review my brotha! This definitely helped me determine a proper set up.! You the man 💪🏾

[@jameela1058]

Would you choose the 8MP or 12MP Reolink camera to monitor a pool area? Also any pro/cons of bullet vs turret style?

[@TontosVotanPaSocialistas]

Great review. I've just received 5MP Camera System. I tested it for 3 days now and I have to say it is very good, but I have EZVIZ 4K 8MP 4CH NVR System, Annke NVR 4K (4 cameras SHD , 4cameras 4K 8MP) , both POE and they are far better in all aspects.

[@jorgelbarral]

Great review. Very detailed. Also loved to see the guava tree in the backyard :)

[@GulfCoastToad300]

Reolink's notification strategy confounds me. Why in the hell would I want to see the live view when clicking on a notification? SHOW ME THE NOTIFICATION WHEN I CLICK ON THE NOTIFICATION.

[@LifeHackster]

They really need to add rich notifications on their cameras like on their WiFi doorbell.

[@stanleygavin9439]

Very, very well done! Thanks for doing such a good job. You’ve really helped me make the decision to get the 8 MP camera system.

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[@Hendmejd]

Best review which I have seen for those cameras

[@LifeHackster]

Thank You.

[@colekramer4014]

Yo man love the videos. Quick question how did you get the reolink 12mp camera in a NVR system I’m looking and can’t find them

[@jeremywilson8334]

Good question

[@rodrobinson6111]

Great video!! 12mp was the best! Looking forward to the next videos. Thanks!!

[@Aqua_Man84]

Hey love the video man.. been looking at these cameras for my home and what a great review. Quick, to the point and loads of info and details. Appreciate the time you took out to do this and will be purchasing next week. Thanks again and keep up the good work. You have a new sub 😉🙏

[@GITSSAC]

Which ones did you end up getting? Do you recommend what you got?

[@johnblas-john]

Totally disappointed with the 12 megapixel camera. I can't believe the 12 megapixel camera by day is worse than the 8 megapixel camera, since the 8 megapixel camera by day looks incredibly spectacular. On the other hand, the 12 megapixel camera at night in total darkness looks spectacular than the others. I was not convinced by the 12 megapixel one at all, unless with the NVR in the settings ,the contrast is fixed and it looks much better by day.

[@ourkid2000]

Well done! That was really thorough work!

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you.

[@perryleo2544]

For those of us in the UK, don't get your hopes up 😞 Reolink told me the 12mp 1220 was not in their "Plan" to be sold in the UK 😭

[@JeffBujak]

Thank you so much for the detailed review. This was exactly what i was looking for.

[@waynekerrr9027]

Wow..Do you get notifications every 10 seconds 24/7 by having 1000 cameras hanging off your house .😂😂😂

[@LifeHackster]

:)

[@gojeffgordon24]

12mp looked choppy in the day like it had a lower frame rate. 8mp was better in the day in my book. Shame the 12mp wouldn’t switch to color at night with the lights on. It was much better in the IR mode.

[@chequesmar8970]

The best video about security cameras... 👏

[@superlight47]

I will use a combination of the 8 and 12 MP Cameras in a NVR set up because, I lake the wider viewing field of the 8MP and I like the night quality for the 12MP. The 5mp I will not consider. What I will not like is the in the app as use state is one setting affect all the cameras. I like the ability to set different sensitivity of each cameras and I think Reolink need to fix that.

[@geomatrix5452]

Always great reviews from you! Thanks. I would like to have liked to see the RLC-1220A in 16:9 view though.

[@hosslife645]

Spot on video with details! Thanks brother:)

[@markd.songsandstuff7728]

Thanks for all your videos. You help people make better decisions before they buy. In my front yard I've been experimenting with my Blink XT2, Reolinks Argus PT, Argus 3, 510A, 810A. At night with my outside lights on (Argus 3 spotlight off), they all switch to color night vision except for the 810A. The 810A stays in black/white IR. I assume it needs more lumens to switch unless it is because it faces the street a little more than the other cameras. In the app I can set it to color 24/7 but at night this reduces the view. As your video shows, Reolink's 12MP needs more lighting to switch to color at night. So far Reolink's human vehicle detection is working good for me. There are better color night vision cameras like Hikvision ColorVu but they are more expensive.

[@KeyBored101]

I'm looking forward to the next video

[@SperVxo]

I wish it would send a picture in the notification. On Logitech circle 2 with HomeKit you can even start the video in the notification panel. Really nice. I’m getting the 8mp any day now :)

[@grayman4232]

Decisions decisions decisions so much to choose from out there, thanks.

[@indranisbrunswick3260]

Excellent informative and well done. Thanks man.

[@LifeHackster]

You are welcome.

[@kristijanpet1]

Feedback: I can read the specs for the camera online. What I would like to know/see how the set up is done, can the video footage stored on a local nas server? How complicated is to set up the entire system can you connect camera video stream with other free software solutions...

[@fenderr2007]

Great Review, well done. Just a query though, for the night shots was the IR on on all cameras at the same time? Could this be the reason why the 5mp and 8mp images were washed out? Cheers, this info will help with my decision as I'm leaning towards the 8MP

[@LifeHackster]

I turn off all the IR on the other cameras when I do the night vision test. Thanks.

[@stayanonymous6430]

Thanks for the outstanding comparisons! Do you know which companies provide IP cloud storage for these residential cams? I do not think reolink provides it for these cams at this time and have not had much success googling any 3rd party cloud service providers. Thank you!

[@carlos.75]

Great review definitely will help me make an educated decision on my purchase.

[@ac0nsum3rbrown35]

Any word about when the 12MP will be available?

[@MorganMadej]

Thank you for an excellent video analysis, so comprehensive and detailed! Looking for the best and most suitable system can be a Dilemma? Looking forward to your next video, needless to say I have subscribed!

[@alexmarin1104]

How to prevent these types of cameras from being stolen? It is very easy to twist the camera a bit to remove it and disconnect the network cable to steal it.

[@myprivacy998]

They are screwed in so the person would need a screwdriver as well as a ladder.

[@joseucoelho1]

amazing review well done! thanks!

[@LifeHackster]

Thanks for watching!

[@scottjacobs2609]

Will you be doing a review of the 811A?

[@jeremywilson8334]

I hope so

[@DevD750]

I have 4 8mp cameras im installing next week and I just order 2 of the 12mp cameras. Thanks for the review. Also do we have an updated dvr / ring home security video coming up soon. Your last one was 2017. Great video!!

[@eacquaah1383]

Your videos are excellent. Thank you!

[@franky9868]

Great video! Can I ask you if I should pick 520a or 510a for my office indoor? They look quite identical from many perspectives

[@LBstrikesagain]

Very thorough review Thank you

[@LifeHackster]

Glad you liked it

[@user-cw3nb8rc9e]

Great video test. Good effort.

[@bkbrown5881]

Nice job on this. Very informative.

[@mobgma]

12MP 4k LETS GO!

[@jaypr69]

Great video as always. It’s nice to see Reolink finally making an effort, although I still can’t believe they’ve not included two way talk with these. Like you, I have Reolink cameras with motion notifications switched off and rely on my Ring doorbell for actual notifications. Would love to see your opinion on the Hikvision DS-2CD2347G1-L(U) with colour night vision and the Hikvision DS-2CD2386G2-I(U) which has dark fighter, siren and two way audio. I believe both can run independently without an NVR too as they support SD cards.

[@LifeHackster]

I have to check it out. Thanks.

[@ICHOOSETHEENDING]

Excellent video! it's very informative!

[@LifeHackster]

Thank you.

[@donaldstephens11]

Best review ever.

[@iandudgeon7007]

Thank you for your excellent review. I discovered this company today (I’m in the UK); I currently have a Nest Cam IQ and I’m bitterly disappointed with it for innumerable reasons. Here in the UK, we don’t appear to have any of these new cameras yet, but there is a sale on currently for the 4K 8mp system RLK8-800 B4. I appreciate that this older camera (and recorder) doesn’t have the person and license plate recognition, but leaving this aside, can I expect similar quality of video and general performance to this new 8mp camera please? The sale price is a few hundred $ less than retail (which seems like a great bargain), but obviously not if these new offerings are going to leave it for dead! Many thanks.

[@dnegrichjr]

I'll ask you since you seem very knowledgeable, in fact I bought my 12mp Reolink system because of your wonderful content. That said I have a RLN8-410 and 4- 12mp cameras. I did an update to the NVR so It "Handles" the resolution (Version 3.0 on a n2mb02 HW model. It plays 12 video great on screen, phone, even the Mac or windows app etc. But if I try to download the "Clear" version to a phone or desktop from web, phone, native clients in clear resolution. The right side of the video (About 1- 5th of the screen is Gray) its cut off all the way thru the video. if I download the same video in lower quality, looks great or I'f I just look at it on any device it looks great. Its a download problem, not a playback or live view problem. Support only tells me to reset the cameras with the switch and restore the NVR. I have many times. Any thoughts?

[@LifeHackster]

Mine actually cannot download in my phone right now...I have to get the footage directly from the NVR..it is just for the 12MP though..other cameras..4k and 5MP downloads fine to my phone..try lowering the resolution of the 12MP to 3840x2160 and I am able to download...hopefully they are able to fix this soon...

[@dnegrichjr]

@@LifeHackster Thank you. I will try that and I hope they fix it soon. I know its new so I'm giving them some room. I really do like the system and I love all your content. Its Extremely well produced and full of interesting facts. Thank you for your efforts. I'm recently a happy subscribed fan!

[@efmajacksonrosario1390]

Seems like the 5MP camera's are the best value for your money as they have 30fps and have wider vertical angle ideal for places like garages and backyards. 4K is just wider and quality is not noticeable unless you have a 4K monitor/display.

[@Johnno1979]

822A offers 3x zoom so is pretty flexible. Quality on 8MP is noticeably better than the 5MP in the day. At night they are about the same.

[@Transcona]

I thought theres gonna be a part 2? Where is it sir?

[@Semaj.18272]

The 8mpg looks and sounds the best

[@UKEdward]

Thanks for your video review. I just looked at this system on Amazon UK. People are complaining in the amazon reviews that the DVR has no fast forward function for playback and only one USB port. Is this correct?

[@jeremynewell9903]

Very practical video, thanks!

[@TripleMachine]

Did you explain why the 12mp camera was 4:3 ratio? Can it be changed to regular wide ratio like the other two?

[@slicktype001]

All of them blow my RING spot and floodlights out of the park. Damn! Now I'm torn about how to proceed with my camera setup. I'm pretty heavily invested in the RING ecosystem too. Ughh..

[@LifeHackster]

Remember, NVR PoE cameras like this one has limitations too... like it doesn't have rich notifications, motion notifications has improved a lot but still not 100% , it doesn't have 2 way talk or a siren.

[@leatherindian]

I’ll be using these plus a doorbell camera.

[@b3d3g69]

Excellent video! Thanks a lot!! I wanted know what settings you use for your push notifications.. The app and dvr(which I am using with a POE switch). I'm getting inconsistent results... Thanks

[@LifeHackster]

On the notifications -> schedule -> just choose person and/or pet and vehicles…i grey out all motion.