REOLINK 4K Indoor Camera
By REOLINK · Indoor Security Cameras · Cleaning & Smart Home
- 8 MP, 3840 x 2160
- 3x optical zoom
- 355 degree pan, 50 degree tilt
- night vision up to 12 m
- microSD up to 512 GB
Lowest price seen
~$109.99 (approx.)
from $109.99 at Amazon
- Amazon ~$109.99 (approx.)View at Amazon
- REOLINKView at REOLINK
- eBay (used) eBay: used, open-box, refurbishedView at eBay (used)
- eBayView at eBay
Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.
Summary
A compact indoor pan-tilt-zoom camera with 4K video, 3× optical zoom and local microSD storage, so recording needs no subscription. The one thing to check before buying: every independent test covers the older 5MP version, because Reolink quietly swapped the sensor to 4K around 2024–2025 without changing the model name.
Strengths
- Sharp 4K video and 3× optical zoom in a compact body; Consumer Reports called the 5MP version’s daytime pictures among the sharpest it had seen.
- 355° pan and 50° tilt cover a whole room from a shelf or wall mount.
- Footage records locally to microSD (up to 512 GB), so there is no subscription bill.
- Person, pet and crying detection come free; owners highlight crying detection for baby monitoring.
- Two-year warranty, dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and a 10/100 Ethernet port at this price.
Weaknesses
- No independent lab has tested the 4K revision; every instrumented review covers the older 5MP sensor.
- Consumer Reports rated Reolink’s data privacy sub-standard, even with data security very good.
- Downward tilt is limited when the camera sits high; owners say it cannot tilt down far enough.
- RTSP and ONVIF are off by default, and some owners lost RTSP after a firmware update until they re-enabled it.
- The microSD slot is awkward, the card is not included, and one owner called SD card playback awful.
- It needs constant DC power, so nothing records through an outage, and the connector is proprietary rather than USB-C.
Verified specifications
| Model | Reolink E1 Zoom, current 4K / 8MP revision (originally sold as a 5MP model). |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 3840×2160 (8 MP) at 20 fps main stream; sub-stream 4–15 fps. |
| Image sensor | 1/2.8" CMOS. |
| Lens | f=2.8–8mm, F1.6 max aperture. |
| Optical zoom | 3×, calculated by Reolink from focal length rather than field of view. |
| Pan / tilt | 355° pan, 50° tilt. |
| Night vision | IR up to 12 m (40 ft) via 10× 850 nm LEDs, with auto-switching IR-cut filter. |
| Field of view | horizontal 48°–98°, vertical 37°–75°, varying with zoom. |
| Audio | two-way audio with built-in microphone and speaker. |
| Storage | microSD up to 512 GB (card not included). |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, plus one 10M/100Mbps Ethernet port. |
| Power | DC 5.0V/2A adapter (included); proprietary connector, not USB-C. |
| Smart detection | motion, person, pet and crying detection; auto-tracking pans but does not tilt. |
| Presets | 1 guard position plus up to 64 preset points. |
| Recording modes | motion-triggered (default), scheduled and 24/7. |
| Smart home | Alexa and Google Assistant, per Reolink’s current page. |
| Privacy mode, time lapse and power-off memory: yes. | |
| Operating temperature | −10°C to +55°C; humidity 20–85%. |
| Warranty | 2-year limited. |
| Dimensions | Φ84 × 118 mm; 275 g. |
| In the box | camera, power adapter, mounting screws and quick start guide; no mounting bracket. |
Full research notes and sources
The 4K swap nobody tested
Reolink quietly upgraded the E1 Zoom from 5MP (2560×1920) to 8MP (3840×2160) around 2024–2025 without changing the model name, which confused buyers comparing Amazon listings with Reolink’s website. Every independent test on record — Consumer Reports, TechHive and MBReviews — measured the earlier 5MP hardware, and no lab has published results for the 4K revision. Treat the published praise as directionally sound rather than as measurements of the camera you are buying.
Setup, app and daily use
Reolink’s page describes Bluetooth-assisted Wi-Fi pairing, and owners call setup straightforward. MBReviews scored the 5MP version 8.6/10, with image quality the standout: zoomed footage stayed clear at 50% and 100% zoom, motion detection (sensitivity up to 50, default 41) caught movement from about 30 feet, and night vision showed low noise and clear detail. The same review noted lag at high image quality — about five seconds to settle the viewing angle and about two seconds to refocus after zooming — and TechHive saw pan/tilt lag too. The microSD slot and reset button sit awkwardly. On Reolink’s own review page, owners call the motion detection unreliable in certain conditions, complain of configuration save issues, and note the box ships without a mounting bracket. One r/reolinkcam user called SD card playback awful, and another found the IR lights too bright in low light.
Privacy, firmware and connections
Consumer Reports rated data security very good — two-factor authentication and automatic firmware updates are included — but data privacy sub-standard. Its test also found no geofencing, no complex password requirement and no package detection. Reolink’s current page lists Alexa and Google Assistant support, where CR’s test of the 5MP version found neither; that gap may be firmware or regional. A privacy mode is built in. Firmware is the fussy part: r/reolinkcam users report trouble updating from older versions, and for some owners RTSP stopped working after an upgrade until they re-enabled it in the network settings. ONVIF and RTSP are off by default, and at least one owner’s new unit had connectivity problems traced to the UID option not being enabled for remote access.
Running costs and storage
There is no subscription for recording: footage writes to a microSD card (up to 512 GB, not included), and Reolink Cloud paid plans exist only if you want off-device storage. The warranty is two years limited, automatic firmware updates are included, and no user-serviceable parts are documented — there is a reset button for factory restores. Power is DC 5V/2A from the included adapter through a proprietary connector, and Reolink’s own blog review notes the camera requires constant power and does not work through an outage.
Is it worth it?
Reolink’s store lists the E1 Zoom 1-Pack (8MP, white, with auto tracking) at $89.99, marked 10% off as of 2026-10-11, and the homepage shows a sale price of $88.82 from $109.99. Consumer Reports listed it at $80.00–$88.00, and the 5MP version was $64.99 from Reolink direct when TechHive reviewed it in 2020. At $90 or under this is strong value for an indoor PTZ with 4K and optical zoom; $91–$110 is still good; $111–$140 is fair; above $140 it is weak for an indoor-only camera. If you want the same 4K-and-3×-zoom idea outdoors, the E1 Outdoor Pro is the weatherproof option at $127.49.
Which model this is
This page covers the Reolink E1 Zoom indoor PTZ camera in its current 4K / 8MP revision. Do not confuse it with the fixed E1, the E1 Pro (no optical zoom), the E1 Outdoor, or the newer dual-lens E340. The Amazon listing for this model is ASIN B07Z841XYD.
Sources
Manufacturer:
Independent reviews:
- Consumer Reports: Reolink E1 Zoom review
- TechHive: Reolink E1 Zoom review (2020)
- MBReviews: Reolink E1 Zoom camera review
- MBReviews review, page 2: zoom, motion detection and night vision
Owner reports:
- The E1 Zoom quietly upgraded to 8MP (r/reolinkcam)
- Babycam monitor thread (r/reolinkcam)
- Does everyone use the E1 Zoom indoors? (r/reolinkcam)
- A real-world user review of Reolink products (r/reolinkcam)
- Awful SD card playback (r/reolinkcam)
- Low-light video observations on the E1 series (r/reolinkcam)
- Frequent self-test calibration (r/reolinkcam)
- Trouble updating E1 Zoom firmware (r/reolinkcam)
- RTSP stopped working after a firmware upgrade (r/reolinkcam)
- Connectivity problems with a brand-new unit (r/reolinkcam)
- ONVIF and RTSP not enabled by default (r/reolinkcam)
- Is the 3× zoom rating accurate? (Reolink Community)
- Updating E1 Zoom firmware (Reolink Community)
- Reolink E1 Zoom customer reviews
Parts and stores: