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Dahua is a well-known Chinese OEM that specializes in video surveillance equipment. They also offer their equipment to other rebranders. Reolink is a smaller Chinese company that rebrands products from their parent OEM.
Both Dahua and Reolink boast an impressive catalog of security cameras. These range from PoE, PTZ, wire-free cameras, and storage devices such as NVRs.
So let’s compare some of their well-known products and see what exactly separates Dahua from Reolink.
Dahua vs Reolink at a Glance
Mid-Range PoE Head to Head
High-End PoE Head to Head
High-End Wi-Fi Head to Head
High-End PTZ Head to Head
Dahua vs Reolink Overview
Dahua is a partially state-owned and publicly traded company based in China. It was created in 2001 and specializes in video surveillance products. They are also sought out by other brands who wish to rebrand Dahua products as their own. A few such brands include Amcrest, Montavue, and Lorex.
Reolink is also a Chinese-based company that was founded in 2009. Their parent company is a separate Chinese OEM named Shenzhen Baichuan Security Technology.
Dahua sells almost every type of security camera under the sun and is more targeted at businesses or resellers. Whether they are PoE, Wire-free, Panoramic, Thermal, or video doorbells. They also introduced other devices such as network switches, NVRs, and DVRs. (along with a huge collection of highly specialized video surveillance equipment)
Reolink is more end user focused and specific when it comes to its products. They offer a similar variety of security cameras. But, they make it a point to simplify their catalog and tailor their products for both businesses and consumers alike.
Reolink has a cloud storage feature. This includes a free plan for a single camera and starts at $3.49/month for extra cameras. Their mobile application on both iOS and Android has somewhat mixed reviews averaging at 3.1/5. This is because of small bugs and connectivity issues despite providing all the necessary features.
Mid-Range PoE Head to Head
Key Differences
The Dahua camera has an integrated siren and it can also be used for two-way communication. The Reolink camera does not have such audio-based features.
The Reolink device has an 8MP camera that records footage at a 4K resolution of 3840x2160. Meanwhile, the Dahua counterpart has a 4MP camera with a resolution of 2688x1520.
On top of that, it has a smaller image sensor with a size of 1/2.7" while the Reolink device has a 1/2.49" sensor.
Both cameras can record low-light footage in infrared. However, the Dahua camera has the extra option to record in full-color night vision. This is due to its advanced sensors and in-built spotlight.
For storage features: both cameras support MicroSD, NVR, and FTP. But on top of that, Dahua supports NAS as an extra feature.
For interoperability protocols, both support RTSP and P2P. Also, the Dahua camera has ONVIF and CGI while the Reolink camera supports Synology.
Either camera supports very different protocolst. Thus, we recommend prioritizing these interoperability features when deciding between these two.
Key Features in Common
Both cameras have a bullet-type chassis and use PoE to receive power and send data. They also have decent IP ratings which qualify them for both indoor and outdoor environments.
Both of them include an in-built microphone and so, can record audio on their streams. During low-light conditions, they can both record footage in low-light infrared.
Both cameras have fixed-focus lenses. Because of that, they cannot perform any PTZ functions.
High-End PoE Head to Head
Key Differences
The Dahua N43BU82 turret-style camera is way more expensive than the Reolink RLC-822A. Yet, it offers two-way communication facilities and an in-built siren.
The Dahua camera can record footage at 30fps and produce three different streams. The Reolink camera can only record footage at 25fps onto two video streams.
However, the Reolink camera can record 4K (3840x2160) footage using its 8MP camera. The Dahua camera can only record 2K-ish footage (2688x1520) using its 4MP camera.
Both cameras support RTSP and P2P. But Dahua takes it a step further and includes support for ONVIF and CGI as well.
The Dahua camera supports NAS, FTP, NVR, and MicroSD for storage. The Reolink counterpart supports all the above except for NAS.
One noteworthy feature of the Reolink camera is the motorized lens. It can perform optical zoom while the Dahua camera cannot perform any PTZ functions.
Also, the Reolink camera has smart integration with Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Nest. Dahua cameras do not support these smart features.
Key Features in Common
The Dahua N43BU82 and Reolink RLC-822A are both turret-style IP-based security cameras. They have IP67 and IP66 ratings respectively. This rating qualifies them as weatherproof and ready for use outdoor installations.
Both of them use PoE to receive power and transmit data. They can record low-light footage using infrared. Along with that, they can include audio in their footage.
Unfortunately, neither of them can perform panning and tilting. However, the Reolink camera can perform optical zoom.
High-End Wi-Fi Head to Head
Key Differences
Both cameras support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. But the Dahua camera has the extra option for wired Ethernet data transmission. The Reolink camera doesn’t include this but instead supports 5GHz Wi-Fi.
The Reolink camera supports audio-based features such as recording audio, two-way communication, and sounding the siren/alarm.
The daylight footage captured by the Reolink device is more accurate, thanks to its 5MP camera. It records footage at a maximum resolution of 2560x1920. The Dahua counterpart uses a 4MP camera with a resolution of 2560x1440.
The Reolink camera has a motorized sensor that allows it to perform optical zoom. The Dahua camera has a fixed focus lens which cannot perform any PTZ functions.
The Reolink camera includes full-color night vision with an in-built spotlight. The Dahua camera only supports infrared night vision.
Key Features in Common
Both cameras have a bullet-type chassis and send data wirelessly. Yet, they need a wired connection for DC power.
Both devices record footage at 30fps. Along with that, it includes two simultaneous streams for storage and real-time monitoring.
Despite having different lenses, they cannot perform any panning or tilting.
High-End PTZ Head to Head
Key Differences
The Dahua 6CE445XANR uses a 4MP camera to record footage on a 2560x1440 resolution. Meanwhile, the Reolink camera records 4K footage (3840x2160) on an 8MP camera. It also includes an in-built spotlight.
Both devices support NVR, FTP, and MicroSD for storage. On top of that, the Dahua camera includes NAS as an optional feature.
For interoperability protocols, the Dahua camera supports ONVIF and the Reolink supports P2P. Fortunately, they both support RTSP.
The Dahua camera can perform optical zoom for up to 45x while the Reolink camera has a poor optical zoom that peaks at 5x. However, the Reolink camera supports full integration with Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Nest Hub.
Key Features in Common
Both cameras are IP-based PTZ cameras. They both have weatherproof IP ratings of IP67 and IP66 for the Dahua and Reolink cameras. (respectively)
Both of them have the same image sensor size of 1/2.8" and include a motorized lens. Therefore, they can perform all three PTZ functions. (Motorized Panning and Tilting with Optical Zooming)
Both devices can be used for two-way communication. Along with that, they also offer both infrared and full-color night vision capabilities.
The Dahua vs Reolink Verdict
So, this has been the comparison between Dahua and Reolink. As you can see, both have very different features which make it difficult to decide on a fixed brand.
Most Dahua products are quite expensive, (compared to Reolink) but in some cases, they tend to have better features. So when picking out a device, we recommend considering where you will install it and what sort of information you are hoping to monitor from it.
With that being said, which brand do you think is the most ideal for your home or office? Let us know in the comments below.
