Is anyone out there completely happy with their Argus 2 camera(s)?

Neoprimal®

So I've had these cameras for a few months and tried very hard to like them. So far, the issues don't seem to be hardware but more software-based (though I can't prove this). All I can really say is that one camera works a bit better than the other and I notice that the software versions are different. I have tried to find out about getting new updates (I'm even willing to try betas) but still, after all this time, none of the cameras have received a firmware update and no one has contacted me about getting beta updates or whatever. My cameras are almost unusable at this point and I'm ready to switch back to my Blink XTs.

Various issues between all 3 from annoying to what I consider, making the cameras almost unusable and what I've done to try and fix the issue.

Annoying:

White flare when the camera starts recording, no matter what time. (Reset the camera, use different microSD, move the camera)
Camera dropouts, or, I should say, times when I try to live view and it fails for some reason. My wifi network is healthy, the cameras are all getting 90%+ wifi strength and my network isn't saturated. I have other cameras working fine.

Bad, but not a dealbreaker:

Jerky! Oh so jerky. Again, I have other cameras running at 2k that are smooth, but my Reolink cameras at some point will get so jerky. It's as if the software is limiting power to the microSD or camera, I don't really know - Why I suspect power? Whenever the camera is plugged directly into power, I don't see this problem so I'm not sure what's up. They are currently on Solar, so I'm assuming the software should work the same. I have noticed that on battery only, even a foot from my router, the footage is jerky and choppy. I have to plug it in for it to smooth out. I have Samsung Endurance 32GB MicroSDs which run @100Mbps so this should not be happening. I have to put the bitrate all the way down to 7xx for the footage to smooth out and even then at times with lots of movement, it gets jerky again. I can deal with this, it's just bad. I switched to Reolink from Blink, thinking it was my answer because I thought Blink was going to go kaput, but the Blink XT cameras operate so much smoother than my Reolink that now I'm tempted to move them back.
(I have reset, several times, tried a different wifi network that I set up SPECIFICALLY for them, a mesh network, and nothing helps).

The dealbreaker, completely unacceptable:

Motion Detection is really, really bad. I have one Argus 2 in my garage and another outside my garage, viewing the driveway. I got an Argus PT and that is viewing the Front Yard.
The Argus 2 in my garage has missed my wife, walking into the garage, getting into the vehicle, opening the overhead garage door and reversing out, all with a 100w LED light on. This is not something any human can do in the time it would take even a slow camera to miss it. And yet there is no footage captured - the camera was on high sens. at the time. It misses her coming home, parking, getting out of the car, getting our son out and coming inside the home. Again, not a quick feat. This is something that can take 3-5m minimum and yet there's no footage at all. Then, suddenly, the camera will capture a speck of dust floating across the lens or me going into the garage to pick up a ladder in under 30s. Likewise, the driveway camera does the same thing. It misses my niece getting into our vehicle that is not parked in the garage. It's angled in a way to capture people walking out of or toward the home and from/to the vehicle, but it misses this on many, many occasions. It will, however, catch the wheels of vehicles driving by on the road by our home. This happens with equal result during the bright days or dark nights. It's as if the camera at times just refuses to wake up. Keep in mind, the camera inside my garage is plugged into power the one mounted to my home on the outside is plugged into solar power, they are never below 90%, the one in the garage is always at 100% so I don't know why it won't wake up or what's happening. Once they DO wake up, they seem to record OK. The one in the garage is less stuttery or jerky than the one on the driveway.
The Argus PT seems to be much, much better at motion detection, though it has a setting that should stop false detections but still catches trees and leaves moving, I won't complain about that because this is true of most cameras. I know that Human detection is not easy. It is plugged into solar power. Both of my Solar Panels are official Reolink, not a third party brand. (To fix, of course, I have tried resets, multiple times. I formatted the MicroSD cards. I made sure to get fast MicroSD cards, in case they could be to blame somehow. I gave the cameras their own network [mesh], I also tried going to medium to high sensitivity and rebooted several times, nothing helps, detection just seems to be completely random).

Anyway, I'm at my wits end. I can't return the cameras and I'm not really getting any support. I wanted to know if there is anyone out there super happy with their Reolink Argus 2, so I can get the build/firmware numbers and perhaps find some way to ask support to push that version to my cameras. If not, these things are going to end up at the side or back of my home or used as redundant cameras because there's no way I can depend on them right now for reliability reasons.

Cynthia

Sorry for all those various issues. For the motion detection issue of Argus 2, to a large extent, it is relative to the position you install this camera. Read on Installation Tips for Reolink Battery-Powered Cameras to learn more. That might be the reason why Argus PT performance better than Argus 2.
We will do our best to help you solve or improve those issues you mentioned above. Could you please send an email to support@reolink.com? Our technical support will follow up and check it for you soon. Sorry for any inconvenience caused to you. Thank you for your patience.

eduardo villela

I bought 5 cameras 1 month ago. I always had connection problems (live viewing failed), even with good wifi signal. I have to try many times to connect. Now one of the cameras (solar powered) does not connect anymore. In wifi or 4g. If it detects motion, it works and i can connect. But today, i tried 30 times and no sucess.. very disappointed.

Cynthia

Please reset this camera and try to access it again. If the problem goes on, could you please email our support for further assistance? Thanks.

ppalmernc

It's now January 11, 2020. Wondering if you had any luck with your Argus2 cameras. I just purchased 3 of them and I'm almost regretting it already. I get a lot of connection failed and they are slow at recording events. My Arlo Q cameras record 3 seconds before alert so you can see what actually activated the recording. I've complained via email and was issued a RMA. I still wanted to try and make them work to avoid the headache of returning them and spending more money on some more Arlos.

Cynthia

So sorry for the trouble caused,for the connection and recording whether you can send the UID and system status to support@reolink.com to follow up,they will help you to solve the issue soon, thank you!

j vawter50

I have two remarkable Argus 2 cameras using solar. I would be so happy to purchase your cameras. If you don't want to deal these issues just send me a message by email, or reply here. Hopefully, I'll get notice if you use this means to contact me. I use my cameras for RV security as I boondock extensively and only have 2 Argus 2 cameras but I have a different model tha I haven't installed yet. More cameras in discrete locations wll greatly enhance my security. My email is: j.vawter@mchsi.com or j.vawter50@gmail.com and I'll respond ASAP.
Jim

Cynthia

Hello Jim, it would be better if you can submit a request to our support centre support@reolink.com, our support team will help you with the issue.