Panasonic BL-C160A Outdoor Lighted MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver)

I purchased this unit and a Panasonic Panasonic BB-HCM511A Network Camera with Two-Way Audio (which is the same guts as the Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver)) to compare for outdoor use with some higher priced IR illuminated cameras. I wanted a cheaper alternative for outdoor monitoring, and what I got was a mixed bag.High end cameras have IR cut filters on them which side out of the way at night giving the camera a higher level of sensitivity, and most use IR illuminators to then light the scene without any visible lighting. To save costs, this camera does not have a filter, and does not have any IR illuminators. As a result it struggles at night. On a street well lit by street lights you can make out very crude shadows only. For instance you can tell a car is parked on the street, but even trying to give a basic description of the model would be quite difficult. Basically I find this camera is totally useless at night.By comparison, the BB-HCM511A, which has a CCD sensor, does much better at night. See my review of that product for more information.What about during the daytime? Well, during the day this camera does pretty good. Again it's outperformed by all of the higher end cameras including the BB-HCM511A, but the image is pretty decent quality. If you're looking for a weather camera or other daytime application this is a pretty cheap way to get decent quality.Pros:- Cheap! Considering you get Panasonic build quality and an outdoor rating this camera is really a bargain.- Easy to set up. The web interface is simple and easy to understand.- Lots of features. E-mail, ftp and http upload on schedule or on motion. Can tile in up to 4 Panasonic cameras to have a video solution with no computer. UPNP.- Outdoor Rated, rare at this price level.- If you dig around on Panasonic's web site, you can find full documentation of the web interface.Neutral:- The "PoE" is a proprietary injector. It is included with the unit, but you'll have another wall wart and injector running around. For one or two camera installs this is cheaper than a PoE switch and a plus, but for multi-camera installs where you have a PoE switch this is a huge annoyance.Cons:- Night / low light images are nearly worthless.- Outdoor rating is only an IPX4 "splash resistant". Needs to be protected under an eve or something if you're going to put it outside.Unless cheap is the overriding concern, I would look towards the Panasonic BB-HCM511A Network Camera with Two-Way Audio or Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver) cameras for much better quality at still competitive prices. However, if you really need low light performance you'll want a camera with an IR Cut filter and IR illuminators which probably put you up over the $500 mark, and can approach $1000.

TOTALLY DISAPOINTED! Save your money, I bought a total of 6 of these cameras. These cameras are not worth money and time you will spend. Picture focus is also very poor. - For example you cannot fine-tune and permanently set the white balance, but cannot make easily any adjustments. The motion sensors are not reliable and under no circumstances do they detect up to 5 meters @ 20-58 degrees. You can walk right up to them at night and wave your hands and they will detect you less than 40% of the time. The temperature detection is even worse. You can drive a car right across or up to the camera and it doesn't detect more than 10% of the time. When the camera does detect, it doesn't necessarily record the detection every time. The cameras are worthless at night. They simply do not work. I even went to the extreme of buying an infrared illuminator and they still didn't work. They do not have lenses that are receptive to IR. If you think you will record anything at night, don't buy these cameras.I moved some of the cameras inside, and on our large porch, in these conditions they work very well and the lights are sufficient to record. Overall, they are a complete disappointment and a total waste of money. I am buying different cameras with built in infrared, investing in a NVR hybrid in order to get some functional use out of these cameras. For indoor small areas such as a porch, washroom, mudroom these cameras are worth the price you pay for them, but they are not outdoor surveillance cameras.Having said all of this, Amazon was great. 2 of the 3 cameras had issues, in clarity. I was quite surprised that they sent replacement cameras back almost immediately, without any hesitation, few questions etc. I was not a big Amazon buyer, but this attention to customer service certainly will bring me back - even though I am totally disappointed in the actual product and see it as a complete waste of time and money - I will use Amazon more in the future. I am not returning the cameras, moved indoors, garage, porch, etc they work (not as described) but are functional, but you are much better of spending the money on proper cameras than buying these.