Tp-link Tapo C520ws Outdoor Pan & Tilt Wifi Security Camera Review

Today we’re taking a closer look at the TP-Link Tapo C520WS outdoor pan and tilt WiFi security camera. Is it any good? Let’s find out!

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What’s in the Box?

What we have here is a compact 2K Pan & Tilt WiFi security camera featuring AI motion detection capabilities, including Person, Pet, and Vehicle detection. It can also record in full color at night using its built-in spotlights.

After testing the camera for several days, I can say it’s overall a great camera for the price. Setup is incredibly simple, even for beginners. Just mount it, plug it in, and connect using the Tapo app. It took me about 5 minutes total from unboxing to having it up and running.

Auto-Tracking: Not Quite There Yet

The camera supports auto-tracking; however, in my opinion, it doesn’t work very well. It’s a bit slow to respond and tends to jump between different objects rather than staying focused on the first object it detects. I wouldn’t recommend relying on this feature.

On the plus side, it does support preset points, allowing you to move the camera quickly between different positions with just a tap in the app. This function is much more useful in practical situations.

Image Quality

The daytime image quality is good for a camera at this price point. You can probably identify someone and read license plates at around 10 meters. At night, using infrared, image quality is okay but can get a bit blurry when there’s movement. The same applies to the full-color night vision.

Technical Specifications

The camera uses a 4MP sensor that records in 2560×1440 at a maximum of 25fps with a 3mm lens. It can pan 340 degrees and tilt 60 degrees. It doesn’t have optical zoom, only 12x digital zoom.

App and Storage Options

The camera works with the Tapo app and can send you instant push notifications when motion is detected, which you can then view directly on your phone from playbacks saved on a micro SD card. The camera supports up to a 512GB micro SD card.

You should also be able to connect the camera to any ONVIF-compatible NVR or software. I tested the camera using ONVIF Device Manager without any problems. To use ONVIF/RTSP, you first need to set up a username and password in the app under “Advanced Settings” then “Camera Account.” Note that the camera doesn’t have a web interface, so you can’t access it through a web browser.

Build Quality and Features

The build quality is acceptable—it’s all made of plastic. The camera is designed for outdoor use with an IP66 rating, meaning it should be weatherproof.

It also supports two-way audio, and you can use an alarm siren to scare away any potential intruders.

Setup Process

To get the camera up and running:

• Download and install the Tapo app from Google Play Store or App Store
• Power on the camera
• Tap on the plus icon to add a new device
• Select “Outdoor Cameras” and find your camera in the list
• Follow the on-screen instructions

Once connected, you can access all the camera settings. The main page allows you to take snapshots, record video, and turn audio on or off. You can also talk through the camera, use pan and tilt controls, toggle the alarm, enable privacy mode, control the spotlight, and access cloud storage options.

Real-World Performance

In daylight recordings at the highest image quality (25fps with audio), license plates are readable at about 10-15 meters, though they become blurry beyond that distance. The pan and tilt function using preset points works smoothly.

Night-time recordings maintain decent quality at 20fps with audio. The spotlights provide full-color night vision, which is a nice feature, though movement can cause some blur.

Bottom Line

For around $55, the TP-Link Tapo C520WS offers a solid combination of features and performance for an outdoor security camera. While the auto-tracking feature needs improvement, the camera excels in easy setup, decent image quality, and useful features like preset positioning and two-way audio.

If you’re looking for an affordable outdoor security camera that’s easy to set up and use, the Tapo C520WS is definitely worth considering.