The product range of TP-Link’s smart home division Tapo is becoming ever broader. The manufacturer now has many different models for indoor and outdoor use in its portfolio, particularly in the area of smart surveillance cameras. In the TP-Link Tapo C520WS test, we take a detailed look at another camera from the manufacturer. Despite its low price, it aims to score points with strong features such as 2K resolution, AI motion detection and color night vision.
Technical data
| Model | Tapo C520WS |
| Field of view | 360° horizontal |
| resolution | 2K QHD 4MP (2,560 x 1,440) |
| Audio | Two-way audio (integrated microphone and speaker) |
| Night vision | – 850 nm IR LED – Starlight Color Night Vision |
| WiFi protocols | IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz |
| Adapter Input | 100-240V, 50/60Hz |
| Adapter Output | 9V, 0.85A (DC Power) |
| Weather resistance | IP66 |
| price | € 51.99 * |
Scope of delivery
- Tapo C520WS camera
- Power supply
- Wall bracket
- Drilling template
- Screws and wall plugs
- Quick start guide
TP-Link Tapo C520WS test: Design and workmanship
Even if TP-Link had refrained from placing the Tapo logo directly on the front of the C520WS, the camera could still be associated with the brand. With its color combination of white and black, it fits in perfectly with the manufacturer’s family. As my house has a white façade, the camera can be skillfully concealed and does not catch the eye.
There are two antennas on the left and right of the housing to ensure stable Wi-Fi reception. The lower half of the smart home gadget forms the heart of the camera. This is where the camera unit is located, which consists of a 2K camera, IR sensor and LED unit. The camera can be rotated horizontally by 360 degrees, which promises an all-round view. It can also move vertically if required. The SD card slot is accessed via the back.
MicroSDs with a capacity of up to 512 GB can be installed here. In terms of build quality, you shouldn’t expect miracles from the C520WS. Anything else would be surprising in this price range. The camera is made entirely of plastic and was clearly designed for outdoor use. An IP66 certification underlines sufficient protection against water and dirt.
TP-Link Tapo C520WS test: Installation
You have two different options for installation. Depending on the orientation of the mounting plate, the camera can be attached to the canopy or the house wall. Alternatively, it can also be attached to a pole. The installation itself is child’s play. Once you have found a suitable location, simply use the enclosed drilling template to pre-drill the necessary holes. Using the plugs and screws included in the scope of delivery, you can now attach the mounting plate and hang up the camera.
This should take just a few minutes, even for non-experts. What you should consider with the C520WS is the right power supply. You cannot attach the camera to a lamp connection or other cable connections on the house wall. You have to use the enclosed power supply unit. This will then supply the camera with power. If necessary, you may need to consider purchasing a waterproof extension cable.
Installation is just as straightforward as commissioning via the Tapo app. Here you first search for the camera, which in practice works in a flash. Once found, the surveillance camera can also be quickly added as a new gadget in the app. Once you have added it to your own network, the usual settings such as location and name follow. Thanks to the clear step-by-step instructions, this is also done very quickly.
TP-Link Tapo C520WS test: Camera quality
In terms of technology, the Tapo camera offers good average performance. The camera has a 4 MP sensor with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. Moving images are recorded with up to 25 frames. Thanks to the rotatable design of the camera unit, the 3 mm lens can be swiveled by 340 degrees and tilted by 60 degrees.
In addition to an optical zoom, the C520WS also offers a twelve-fold digital zoom. The camera technology produces pretty good results. Especially in daylight, the Tapo achieves impressive images. In this price category, such quality is rather rare.
Even objects and people that are a little further away can still be seen clearly. At night, however, you shouldn’t expect miracles. While the IR sensor still achieves quite sharp results in the dark, the color vision at night is only solid. The images are quite blurred, especially when there is movement.
TP-Link Tapo C520WS test: Smart AI features
Artificial intelligence is now playing an increasingly important role in surveillance cameras. The C520WS also promises an AI evaluation of its recordings, which should make various features possible. There is no simple motion detection here. Instead, the surveillance camera can distinguish between different objects.
It can detect people, animals and vehicles. In practice, the whole thing worked quite well. In particular, there were hardly any errors when distinguishing between people and animals. The camera was always able to distinguish between me and my cat or dog and sent the correct message.
More exciting, however, is the automatic tracking that TP-Link promises. This is where the camera’s wide field of view pays off. However, this feature promises more than it ultimately delivers. Although the camera reacts as soon as a movement is registered, the whole thing is unfortunately quite slow. As a result, it doesn’t really help much with faster movements.
TP-Link Tapo C520WS test: Tapo App
At the heart of the Tapo C520WS is the Tapo app. And it also works really well with this camera. This applies not only to setting up the camera, but also to general control. There are many different setting options here, for example. For example, blind areas can be defined so that neighboring properties are not inadvertently recorded.
You can also define areas in which motion detection does not work. Push notifications are also available on request. This tells you what type of movement has just been detected when you look at your smartphone. You can also set the sensitivity so that the whole thing doesn’t happen and disturb you with every little movement. If the camera detects movement, it is saved locally or in the cloud so that you can view it later.
As the camera allows local storage of up to 512 GB, there is really no reason to use the paid Tapo Cloud as storage. This is also due to the fact that the Tapo camera is ONVIF compatible. This means you can also record the footage on a network video recorder. Integration into Google Home or Amazon Alexa is also possible.
TP-Link Tapo C520WS test: practical experience
After a few days of testing, I am really positively surprised by the Tapo C520WS. As already mentioned, the images are really good, especially in daylight. Even license plates can be read at a distance of a few meters. The recording points that can be set via the app are also really cool.
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You can easily switch between different positions via the app. This is super practical if you have installed the C520WS at the corner of your house, for example. After all, you can see the areas along two house walls at the same time. The camera then always adopts the correct pan and tilt angle.
Conclusion
With the Tapo C520WS, TP-Link delivers an attractively priced outdoor camera that scores points in everyday use with solid technology and practical functions. The combination of 2K resolution, large panning range and reliable AI object detection ensures pleasantly sharp images, especially in daylight, in which details such as license plates are also clearly visible. The color night vision is a nice extra, but is not entirely convincing with moving subjects. Thanks to clear instructions and the sophisticated Tapo app, installation and setup are quick and easy, even for technology novices.
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There are plus points for the large microSD storage space, ONVIF compatibility and the ability to flexibly monitor different areas via fixed positions. The C520WS shows weaknesses particularly in automatic tracking, which reacts somewhat sluggishly in practice, as well as in night vision quality in moving situations. However, if you are looking for a weatherproof, easy-to-use and feature-rich surveillance camera at a fair price, the Tapo C520WS is a reliable companion for outdoor use.
VORTEILE
PRO
- Good image quality in daylight (sharp and detailed)
- Large pan and tilt range
- Reliable AI object detection (people, animals, vehicles)
- Easy installation and app setup
- Local storage up to 512 GB & ONVIF support
- Weatherproof to IP66
NACHTEILE
- Color night vision blurred with movement
- Automatic tracking reacts slowly
- Plastic housing appears simple
Fazit
Good image quality during the day, a flexible viewing angle and reliable AI detection make the Tapo C520WS a solid outdoor camera for the money. However, there are weaknesses in color night vision and tracking.
I have 2 C520WS cameras, I figured up to install it to a Annke NVR but through Wi-Fi.
I can’t make it work by Ethernet, it doesn’t don’t work.
Can I receive info