Reolink Altas PT Ultra security camera: 4K clarity, full-colour night vision, and battery power that lasts
Reolink Altas PT Ultra, wireless, battery powered security camera. Pictures: Reolink.
The Reolink Altas PT Ultra has cutting-edge features like 4K UHD continuous recording, full-colour night vision, and an impressive battery life. I’ve spent the last few weeks testing it to see if it’s as good as the spec sheets suggest.
Installation was a breeze, and everything you need will be in the box. I received the camera and solar panel combo for this review and had it installed in less than 20 minutes.
The camera supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6, so it can connect quickly and reliably to your network without fuss. Whether you’re placing it indoors or outdoors, the Altas PT Ultra is designed for versatility and ease of use.
The camera does not come with a microSD card, so factor one into the overall cost. I used a 128GB card I had lying around, but it supports up to 512GB cards. The camera has a slot for the card,, which is protected by a rubber flap.
One of the features I appreciated was the solar panel's compatibility. With just 10 minutes of solar charging, the Altas PT Ultra can provide 24 hours of operation, making it an excellent option for those who want a genuinely self-sustaining security solution.
The smart detection and auto-tracking features work impressively well. During testing, the camera accurately detected and tracked moving people and vehicles while ignoring background noise like swaying trees. This reduces the number of false alarms, which can be a real annoyance with less sophisticated systems. However, I eventually only left the human detection enabled for my use case.
The Altas PT Ultra boasts an 8MP sensor with a 4mm lens that delivers crystal-clear images that make identifying faces, license plates, and other critical details much easier, even from a distance.
I have reviewed many excellent security cameras, but the Altas PT Ultra's images are clear, day or night. The camera’s 4K resolution isn’t just a spec sheet filler; it translates into sharper, more detailed footage in real-world use.
One of the most impressive aspects of the Altas PT Ultra is its ability to provide continuous 4K recording. Unlike many battery-powered cameras that only record when motion is detected, it can continuously capture footage thanks to its 20,000mAh battery. It allows up to 12 hours of daily recording for eight days on a single charge. This is a great feature when you want more security and know you will be away for a long weekend or a week's holiday.
Another innovative feature is the pre-recording capability, which captures 10 seconds of footage before a motion event is triggered, ensuring you won’t miss the beginning of important events. Reolink says this is made possible by a new System-on-Chip (SoC) generation, which caches video footage before writing it into the recording once the motion sensor is activated. With other cameras, I often miss seeing who the caller is because the recording starts too late. The downside is it uses more battery.
Many security cameras claim to offer "night vision," but few live up to the promise regarding clarity. The Altas PT Ultra has its own ColorX technology, which delivers full-colour video at night without needing to switch on spotlights or IR lights.
The key here is the camera's F1.0 aperture lens and 1/1.8-inch sensor, which capture four times more light than standard IR cameras. In my hands-on testing, I was impressed with how detailed and vibrant the nighttime footage was, even in dimly lit areas. Whether it’s identifying a person or distinguishing a car model, the night vision on this camera provides unmatched clarity.
Unlike many security cameras that offer a static view, the Altas PT Ultra is equipped with all-angle pan-tilt control, providing a 360° blindspot-free view. This means you can monitor a wide area with a single camera, adjusting the angle remotely via the Reolink app or desktop client.
I found the pan-tilt control smooth at the default 15fps, but there are a few seconds of lag. However, it is nice to track subjects or focus on specific areas. The camera can also be set to follow a detected subject automatically. This might seem a little creepy, but it works great, and if security is your priority, then I’d leave it enabled.
There are no obligatory monthly subscription fees to access these features — a massive bonus for budget-conscious users. However, Reolink does offer a cloud-based storage option for enhanced security, backup, and advanced features. A standard plan costs €5.99 monthly for a 30-day cloud video history for up to five cameras and 30GB of cloud storage.
Reolink’s Altas PT Ultra offers a feature-packed experience without the recurring costs of subscription-based services. With 4K continuous recording, full-colour night vision, a robust 20,000mAh battery, and 360° blindspot-free monitoring, this camera delivers.
€220 – Reolink
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