Reolink 12MP 1212a Camera

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Intelligent 12MP POE Camera with powerful spotlight

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Packaging, Shape and Design

Camera came in a nice well pack package. The instructions that come with the camera because it is meant to be plug and play (if connecting to a NVR — it will automatically add if you have that feature selected.) The camera itself is a typical “bullet” style camera. However I was ver impressed with the size of the camera. One would expect it to be pretty large because of the many features. (Two way talk and siren require a microphone and speaker, the spotlight feature requires a LED) But the size is relatively small. In comparison to my other Reolink cameras which are RLC-522s, this camera has a way smaller footprint. And compared to the 15 or so HikVision outdoor rated cameras we have where I work this camera is way smaller.

Installation and Setup

Installation and setup was a breeze. Using a POE camera is much easier to install than using a camera with an extra power cord/brick requirement. In my case, I connected this camera to a NVR (RL8-410-E). I have the auto-add feature enabled which allowed my camera to be added immediately after I connected it via a CATV cable.

The mount is intuitive and easy to use. As long as you are not have to connect into brick or masonry mounting is simple. However there are anchors provided for other type surface installations.

The waterproof cable caps are a necessity for outdoor application to safely keep the camera from water damage.

I did figure out after sometime though that there are some features that are either inoperable with my NVR or inoperable with the current firmware of my NVR. (RL8-410-E — Build —H3MB16 — firmware version — v2.0.0.274_20120701) The siren and audio for some reason do not show as an option on either the app- my computer via web gui - or logging in directly to the head unit. I assume this will be functional when the firmware moves to 3.0.

Daylight Image & Night Vision
The daytime imaging is amazing. When on “clear” it far surpasses the imaging of my other Reolink cameras which are 5mp. This camera is over twice the Mexapexels and it makes a real difference. I’ve included both a daytime and nighttime video. We have our camera mounted where are vehicles park. You can clearly read the license tag numbers with this camera.

The “color” night vision is great as well. This is coupled with the automatic spotlight feature that triggers when there is motion in the FOV. It is very interesting to see night vision in color and definitely a great feature.

The spotlight is probably our favorite because where we have this camera mounted is typically dark. We were very impressed at the brightness!

Motion Detection & Alerts
We have not really played around with this feature yet.

Recording
Recording is straightforward. On our setup with our NVR it records automatically and flags the motion events for easy playback later without having to sift through 12hrs of video.

App/Client Usability
The app is easy to use and straightforward. If you have used any Reolink products in times past with the Reolink app the functionality is the same.

Third-Party Software Compatibility
We have not used any third-party software. However I will add that it is nice to be able to export videos seamlessly in the app to other programs. From experience dealing with Hikvision cameras the video has to be stripped of a security feature that prevents playing the video back on a normal video player like QuickTime. This is not the case with the Reolink video which is a blessing.

Others(comparison with other cameras, working environment and so on）
In comparison to my other Reolink cameras (522s) this camera is far superior. The quality is well worth the money as well as the other bells and whistles. In comparison to a well known security brand such as HikVision, this camera is far easier to deal with and has far superior picture quality and additional features for the price point.