The Reolink Altas PT Ultra is a new generation of security cameras that addresses key limitations often associated with battery-powered models, specifically the inability to record continuously. Most battery-powered cameras, due to power constraints, rely on motion-triggered recording. However, Reolink has innovated with the Altas PT Ultra, offering users a camera that supports 4K continuous recording, enhanced night vision, and more powerful tracking and storage options. This review explores these features in detail, from installation and setup to performance, battery life, and overall value, highlighting both the strengths and some minor limitations.
When the Reolink Altas PT Ultra was released, we covered the specs and features, which combine robust hardware and smart features designed for comprehensive home security. Here’s a breakdown of its main capabilities:
- 4K UHD Continuous Recording: The Altas PT Ultra offers 4K video recording with impressive clarity and detail, making it part of Reolink’s high-resolution camera lineup.
- ColorX Night Vision: It delivers full-color night vision without the need for visible spotlights.
- Pan & Tilt: With 355° pan and 90° tilt capabilities, this camera provides nearly 360° coverage, eliminating blind spots.
- Auto-Tracking: The camera automatically tracks objects, people, and vehicles, keeping them centered in the frame.
- Local Storage: Supports local recording with SD cards, as well as integration with Reolink’s Home Hub for enhanced storage and management.
- 20,000mAh Battery: The battery is large enough to support continuous recording, setting it apart from most other battery-powered cameras.
Installation and Setup
Setting up the Reolink Altas PT Ultra is straightforward, similar to most other battery-powered cameras. The package includes the camera, a security bracket, screws, a mounting hole template, a surveillance sticker, a USB-C charging cable, and a strap. The camera can be mounted on either a wall or ceiling, offering flexibility based on your specific needs.
Before installation, it’s recommended to fully charge the battery, and then the camera can be mounted using the included template for accurate drilling. The camera pairs with the Reolink app for setup, which simplifies the process by using Bluetooth to connect the camera to your Wi-Fi network. Once connected, you can configure various settings such as continuous recording, motion detection, and auto-tracking.
Feature packed: At a price friendly to budgets
The Altas PT Ultra stands out for its superior image quality. During daytime tests, the 4K resolution produced highly detailed footage, capturing fine details like facial features and vehicle license plates from up to 30 feet away. The colour contrast was excellent, even in bright sunlight.
At night, the ColorX technology came into play. This feature allows the camera to provide full-colour footage in low-light environments without the need for visible spotlights. While it performs well in ambient light (such as streetlights or neighbouring houses’ lights), the camera does rely on some external light source to maintain colour accuracy. In pitch-black conditions, the camera’s spotlights will automatically activate to ensure clear night vision. Compared to other battery-powered cameras in the market, the Altas PT Ultra’s night vision capability is a significant upgrade, delivering superior clarity in low-light settings.
One of the most critical factors for a battery-powered security camera is its battery life. The Altas PT Ultra boasts an impressive 20,000mAh battery, which is substantially larger than batteries found in comparable cameras.
Reolink claims the battery can support continuous recording for 8+ days, depending on usage and recording settings. When set to 12 hours of continuous recording per day, the battery lasted around eight days in tests which lined up with the claims from Reolink. This longevity is a game-changer for users who want continuous security coverage without frequent recharging.
Additionally, the camera can be paired with Reolink’s solar panels (available in 6W and 12W options) to extend battery life further. This allows the camera to operate almost indefinitely in areas with ample sunlight. However, the solar panel is a separate purchase for $44.95 at the time of writing this review.
In motion-triggered mode, the camera’s performance is equally impressive. The Altas PT Ultra introduces a pre-record function similar to pre-roll on the ring cameras, which captures up to 10 seconds of footage before a motion event occurs, ensuring users don’t miss critical moments.
Auto-tracking
The Altas PT Ultra’s pan and tilt capabilities make it a versatile security tool for covering large areas. With a 355° horizontal range and 90° vertical tilt, the camera can monitor vast spaces without blind spots, perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.
The auto-tracking feature is designed, and efficient at following detected movement within the camera’s field of view. In practice, this worked well when tracking individual objects or people, with the camera quickly adjusting to keep subjects centred in the frame. For example, when a person or vehicle enters the detection zone, the camera immediately adjusts to track them.
However, like many auto-tracking cameras, it can struggle when two objects move in opposite directions, occasionally losing track of the primary target. Despite this, the auto-tracking functionality is highly effective and a valuable feature for users who need a dynamic coverage range.
One of the major advantages of the Altas PT Ultra is its support for local storage, avoiding the need for cloud subscriptions or a permanent internet connection. The camera has a built-in SD card slot, allowing users to store recordings directly on the device. For more comprehensive storage, the Altas PT Ultra can be connected to the Reolink Home Hub, which supports up to two 512GB SD cards. This integration enables seamless management of multiple Reolink devices, with all data stored locally and protected from potential data breaches associated with cloud storage.
The camera also supports NAS (Network Attached Storage) and RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol), making it a flexible option for those with more advanced home security setups.
There’s always two sides of a coin, here’s the pros and cons
The major pros for the Reolink Altas PT Ultra are the continuous recording, long battery life, auto-tracking movement and local storage. But that leads to a few things that are a little annoying, like the capacity to recharge via a solar panel but not including one in the package. I completely understand the business case for this, but when you couple it with a non-removable battery, that’s a frustration point.
Then you’ve got the fact that the charging cable is a bit too short to be really useful, particularly if you’ve got your camera mounted up high. So you’re forced into the position of really needing to buy that solar panel I mentioned.
Conclusion
The Reolink Altas PT Ultra is an excellent choice for users seeking a battery-powered security camera that can offer continuous recording without the need for a wired connection. Its 4K image quality, robust battery life, and advanced tracking features make it one of the best in its class. While minor inconveniences like the non-removable battery and separate solar panel purchase exist, these are far outweighed by the camera’s overall performance, particularly for users wanting comprehensive surveillance coverage.
The Reolink Altus PT Ultra is well worth the money, and it’s worth the money — for the convenience of never needing to charge — to pick up a solar panel, too. Keep your eyes on the Reolink site because they regularly run specials. But at full price, the Altas PT Ultra is $329.99 or $359.99 with a solar panel.
You can get combinations of cameras, panels and other accessories as required.
