Annke vs Reolink Security Cameras (2023)

The standout feature of the NC400 is the full-color night vision through its integrated spotlight (and low-light image sensor). The RLC-510A on the other hand is cheaper and comes with smart motion detection to reduce false notifications.

The Annke camera is video only while the Reolink has listen-in audio. While the RLC-510A has higher resolution, lower resolutions tend to work better for night vision which works best for the NC400.

Both cameras are IP bullet cameras with PoE for power and transmission of footage to a local NVR.

Neither camera has PTZ capabilities with a small-ish fixed 1/2.7 inch image sensor.

Both cameras are in a bullet casing and have two options for power; either power directly through the PoE Ethernet cable or direct DC power.

With PoE, you can expect a data transmission range of up to 330 feet without an additional switch or repeater.

On the camera side, both cameras have 4k Ultra HD resolution. They both have CMOS image sensors, while the Annke C800 Zoom has a bigger image sensor size which is a plus.

They both have motorized zoom lenses while Reolink has a larger focal length range from 2.7 millimeters to 13.5 millimeters. The cameras also have the same maximum horizontal field of view of 105 degrees.

As these are PoE cameras that can support continuous recording to a connected NVR as well as scheduled and motion-activated recording.

The Annke camera has more options when it comes to video compression from H264 - H265+.

For low light conditions, the Annke has true WDR which is an improvement on HDR along with some advanced video features such as BLC for backlighting, HLC for highlighting & 3D DNR.

On the night vision side, both have night vision functionality with infrared and full-color night vision. Both cameras have 4 integrated infrared LEDs while Annke has a longer infrared distance of 164 feet.

Even though Annke supports full-color night vision it does not have an integrated spotlight whereas Reolink does. This means that Reolink can support full-color night vision throughout the night whereas Annke requires ambient lighting before auto switching to black and white.

The Reolink has five spotlights integrated into the device with a maximum output of 450 lumens. Both cameras have an IR cut filter to reduce infrared distortion.

On the audio side, the Reolink is the clear winner. It has an integrated microphone. It has an integrated speaker. It has two-way audio and then through the speaker it has an integrated siren or an alarm. Whereas the C800 Zoom doesn't have any of that.

On the storage side, Reolink supports FTP alongside microSD and NVR while Annke can be hooked up to network-attached storage.

Both cameras have ONVIF support so can be used with other manufacturers’ hardware.

On the cloud side, Reolink has Google Assistant integration while the C800 Zoom does not have voice support.

Annke doesn't have a cloud offering. And the Reolink cloud offering doesn't support this PoE camera.

On the intelligence side, both cameras have motion detection capabilities. They both have personal detection which is important to reduce false alerts.

The Reolink has vehicle detection while the Annke has face detection so both have some unique features the other doesn’t.

Annke also has perimeter protection with line crossing and intrusion detection features.

On the PTZ side, both cameras have optical zoom. Annke with 4x zoom and Reolink with 5x. Neither camera has a motorized pan or tilt actuator integrated.

Both devices have a metal housing, while the Reolink camera is a good bit heavier. Annke has greater weatherproofing protection at IP67 which is important if you have severe weather.

On the app side, both cameras have Android and iOS apps available. There are desktop apps and web apps but these are dependent on the NVR that is connected.

The Reolink Lumus has a built-in spotlight with a bullet-style enclosure. Meanwhile, ANNKE’s Crater Pro is an indoor-style PT camera without a built-in spotlight.

Therefore, these cameras have widely opposite use cases. The Reolink Lumus is best for outdoor security with a focus on active deterrence. The Annke camera is indoor-only and best for discreet surveillance.

The Annke camera has a 4MP camera with a higher resolution of 2560x1440. The Reolink counterpart only sports a 2MP camera that records at 1920x1080.

The Annke camera supports PT functions. This allows it to perform 350° panning and 60° tilting. The Reolink camera has a fixed focus lens; hence, it can’t perform PT functions.

However, the Reolink camera is capable of outdoor installations as it’s IP65-rated. The Annke camera is only suited for the indoors.

Although these cameras' specs are day and night, they share some similarities.

For instance, both cameras have microSD slots with a maximum capacity of 128GB. Also, both are meant to be operated standalone with a mobile app. As such, they don’t connect with a video recorder.

Both devices also support cloud storage on their respective platforms. Apart from that, they are compatible with Amazon Alexa for smart home integration.

This means, you can control the cameras via voice commands and pull up their live view on certain devices. These include display devices such as FireTV and Amazon Echo Show.

The Annke PTZ is considerably more expensive than the Reolink RLC-823A, however, it packs a lot more technology in its casing.

The CZ800 has a massive 25x optical zoom compared to Reolinks 5x. Its image sensor is considerably bigger at 1/1.8 inch compared to 1/2.8 inch so you have a lot more detail for both daytime and night-time surveillance.

While both cameras have apps when connected to an NVR, Reolink has smart integrations, which is more of a consumer feature.

Both cameras can pan, tilt and zoom and have integrated spotlights for full color night vision. The also offer 4K resolution for fine detail, particularly when zoomed in.