SV3C 5MP POE IP Camera, 5 Megapixels Security Camera Outdoor with 2-Way Audio, Humanoid Detection, IP66 Waterproof, Power Over Ethernet Cameras Support Max 128G SD Card Record, Browser View (No WiFi)

tl;dr: Excellent image quality, decent audio, nice web interface and settings, easy setup. Great value.I've been buying SV3C cameras for a while now and they've always been a great value. I was offered the chance to review this model and it doesn't disappoint.My previous cameras have been 1920x1080 and adequate for seeing what's happening. This one is 2560x1920 and actually good enough to read license plates in my driveway.It also seems to be more light sensitive and holds a clear image later into the night before switching to infrared. Speaking of IR, the combination of higher resolution, better IR LEDs, and better light sensitivity makes for a clearer night image as well. (see image)One change that is admittedly a mixed bag is the aspect ratio. The wide screen of my previous camera allowed seeing a bit more of the street, while the more square ratio of this camera trims a bit from the edges (less street), but shows a bit more vertically. For where I have it installed, that's actually a decent tradeoff and ultimately preferable. It's also very slightly closer zoomed. None of that is really a downside, just something to keep in mind when placing the camera.For an example, see the image which shows the older image overlayed with the newer. It's not a perfect match due to the slight difference in camera positioning, aspect, zoom, etc., but it roughly illustrates the change in aspect. The camera could also be set to 2560x1440, but this just crops out the top and bottom of the image.The audio is a nice addition over my previous cameras. I've already caught a pack of coyotes howling and it also comes in handy to hear my kids even when they're around the corner out of sight.The camera web interface is another nice improvement. Previous firmware would have required a web plugin to display the video, though configuration was accessible natively. This camera displays the video natively and supports a number of configuration options like mirroring horizontally or vertically. You can also change the night mode cutoff level or force it always on or off. There are additional settings for image quality, video bit rate, timestamp and label overlays. Plenty of options to fit any installation location and orientation.I have the camera set up with Camect, where it was discovered automatically. Audio and video stream and playback just fine, all locally. And PoE allows a single cable to run everything.Because I'm using Camect, I won't be using the built-in person detection, but this is a nice feature that could fill a gap and cut down on false alarms from unimportant motion. In-camera alerts can be configured to send notifications by email or upload to an FTP server. Uploads can also be scheduled on a repeating interval.The one feature I'm still investigating is the 2-way audio. It currently requires enabling P2P access, connecting directly to the camera's WiFi network, or directly through the web interface. Of those, I'd prefer not to enable P2P so I can keep the camera traffic entirely local, I can't regularly connect to the camera-generated WiFi, and according to SV3C support, the web interface requires Flash for the audio connection. Flash of course is end-of-life and I don't currently have a way to run an old version. I'll keep searching and hopefully will find a way to use 2-way audio with a local connection. If you're not as particular as I am about keeping the camera traffic local, these constraints wouldn't apply and the audio functions just fine.There are a number of P2P or direct connection applications for Mac, Windows, iOS, Android that do support 2-way audio or at least listening.All in all this is a really nice camera, with nice features, great quality, and excellent value. I've been happy with SV3C in the past and they continue to please.

I want to be upfront with this review. A rep from SV3C contacted me early August 2020 asking if I would test and review their latest POE 5MP IP Bullet Camera with 36 LED night vision. After testing and posting my review I can keep the camera for free.A quick rundown of my setup. I have an i7 4500U laptop with Blue Iris v5 working as my dedicated surveillance dvr. I have a mix of cameras in use, 2 Wyze, 1 POE SV3C dome, 1 Knewmart Bullet, 1 POE Reolink Dome & 1 Reolink C1 Pro (indoor).The packaging it came in was nice. The box was sturdy and came with all the relevant parts and camera. The camera was padded well with an air bubble sleeve thing that I tried popping unsuccessfully with my hands. So I would think that every camera they ship out will be well-protected.The camera is well constructed with both metal and some plastic. I'm not too keen on the 2 tone colors of black and white of the camera, I would have preferred either all black, or in my case all white to match my other cameras; an aesthetic thing for me. I'm concerned with where it's located out front above my garage that the 2 colors might make it stand out, which I suppose could be considered a plus; a deterrant to would-be burglars if they spot it.Before I installed the camera, I first went to my POE switch and connected it to be sure it powered on and received and IP address. The android app CAMHI that SV3C directed me to found it right away and provided me with the IP address I would need later to configure it in Blue Iris. Disconnected and went to where I planned install the camera.Installation for me was a breeze. I replaced the SV3C dome camera (the LED night vision on it had long since stopped working), which already had an ethernet cable in place that's connected to the POE switch. The base of this bullet is a bit smaller in circumference compared to the dome, so I had to fill in the previous drill holes and create new ones. The black ring that covers the mounting screws was a little difficult to loosen and refasten after installation.The hinge on the camera has only up and down directionality, no leeway left or right, which made it a difficult to line up the camera to point where I wanted exactly before mounting it. I put in one screw and swiveled the camera left or right while watching the feed on my phone eventually pointing in the direction I wanted. Total time to install was about 20 minutes from initial connecting to completing the mount. Expect more if you're having to run your ethernet cable first.Configuring the camera in Blue Iris wasn't difficult. The defaults of the camera work well to get started. I did change the resolution from 2560x1920 (which gave a 4:3 image) to 2560x1440 (16:9) which played nicer in BI.Daylight image is great - HD and clear. Night vision is much improved with 36 LED lights. Previous cameras had a max of 8. I can see the "street snakes" in the concrete and pick up some details of my neighbor's truck. My Wyze camera in another location with poor night vision picks up the SV3C's LEDs; that's how strong they are. I wonder though if maybe they could be configured in a way to spread the IR out a little more rather than be all centered. You can see in the picture that the center of the driveway is more illuminated where the LEDs are directed. With the LEDs pointed directly ahead it washes me out all white and makes me unrecognizable when I walk in front of it. It will require me making adjustments to the video settings of the camera (contrast, brightness and saturation) to improve night vision quality, since the defaults aren't cutting it.I've had this camera installed over a week now. Haven't had any issues with connectivity. Getting a consistent 15-18 fps feed. I plan to do some fine-tuning with settings in the camera as well as BI to see if I can improve that, which should also help with night vision.My overall rating of this camera is 4 stars, because while it seems to be constructed well and offers an excellent daytime image, the default settings and/or LED placement for night vision could be improved out of the box so a person isn't washed out and unrecognizable while standing in direct line of the LEDs.***I've since improved my rating from 4 stars to 5 stars because SV3C followed through with their promise to allow me to keep the camera for reviewing it. Plus they're helping me to improve the image quality of the night-vision stream. I will post my results & settings once they're resolved.***

The price I give 5 stars. video quality is another 5 stars. The audio is not that great, it sounds too low and its hard for people to hear what I said. I can hear the person okay, its just they cant hear me, so I would give it 3 stars for that. The SD card slot for me wasn't a big deal because I have NVR, so I really dont need that to record video or audio, but for people who dont have NVR then the SD card clot is a really good feature. Nighttime video is really good, its clear, so I would give it another 5 stars for that. I also liked how it easy it was to plug it into my NVR, it connected right away so I didnt need to go crazy in connecting that properly, you guys did really well with that setting/feature. I definitely recommend this product!

I really like the cameras as they work with Blue Iris and work well. However, the POE fails and I do not have power even remotely close, so I replace them when they die. I now have 6 that have lost POE support (5 are the older 1080p and one is the 5mp). I am getting tired of replacing cameras because of something like the power. The cameras all still work. Just not with POE any more. I have also swapped out the POE router in case anyone was wondering. They also usually last a couple years before the POE dies, and I live in Phoenix, so I'm sure they get hot. Cameras are good. Longevity is not great.