I Put This $100 PTZ Security Cam Through Its Paces and the Results Surprised Me

Are you in the market for an affordable outdoor camera with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) functionality? I had the chance to test the TP-Link Tapo C560WS, and while it has its small list of shortcomings, overall, I think it’s a mechanized watchdog worth considering.

Price and Availability

The TP-Link Tapo C560WS sells for $100 and can be purchased on Amazon.

A Clean Look with Some Cheap Trade-offs

The Tapo C560WS doesn’t have the beefy “back off” appearance of some larger, more advanced 4K security cams, but that’s not really the vibe of the Tapo lineup. With its smooth-angled white casing and rounded lens housing, the C560WS achieves a more relaxed aesthetic. Measuring 5.8 × 2.9 × 6.5 inches (WDH), which factors in the mounting bracket, I’d say the camera is about average-sized compared to other standalone outdoor units.

What I found to be less than average, though, was the cheap-looking plastic shell TP-Link opted to go with. I was surprised to learn the C560WS had an IP66 resistance rating for dirt and moisture, because there are open seams all over the camera body. I also didn’t like how bulky the mounting chassis was, or that both the main power-data cable and the intercom speaker were built into it.

There’s a trade-off, though: once you’ve installed the included mounting hardware, the C560WS slides right in and locks into place, with no messing around with camera adapters or other mount accessories required. You’ll also be able to mount the C560WS to walls, ceilings, and poles (pole-mounting loops sold separately).

The camera housing is motorized and can be rotated up to 326 degrees and tilted up to 53 degrees. The two LED spotlights mounted above the lens are excellent deterrents and are integral for using the Color Night Vision feature.

Box contents should include the camera, a power adapter, all mounting hardware and accessories, a waterproof seal, a set of waterproof cable attachments, and a quick start guide. Should you decide to use local storage, there’s also a microSD card slot (supports up to 512GB) on the camera itself, which is protected by a silicone cover.

Terrific AI Capabilities and a Robust Companion App

Once you download the Tapo app, onboarding the C560WS is quick and easy. Conveniently, you’ll be able to choose between 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz Wi-Fi bands, which bodes well for homes and businesses with numerous web-connected devices. You’ll also be able to receive notifications and view live footage using both Alexa and Google Home. I was even able to set up an Alexa Routine that turned on one of my smart lights when the C560WS detected motion.

Speaking of which, the C560WS has some serious AI capabilities: Not only can the camera tell the difference between people, pets, and vehicles (allowing you to filter what subjects you’re notified about), but it’s also equipped with facial recognition tech.

By just inputting two pictures from my phone into the app, I trained the camera to recognize me and my girlfriend. It did a phenomenal job at labeling us properly in event recordings and live views. I also got a kick out of the “stranger” label every other human received. You’ll also be able to toggle AI Zoom on or off to allow the camera to automatically hone in on moving subjects.

The Tapo app (for iPhone and Android devices) is packed to the brim with features and settings, with the most essential camera controls laid out on a central dashboard. The live view displays at the top of the screen in portrait mode, but you can turn your phone to get a full landscape view. When you do this, several UI commands are relocated to the right side of the screen.

The Playback and Download tab does a nice job of sorting event recordings, and gives you all the controls you’ll need to play, pause, and download clips. You’ll also be able to share your recordings with friends and family.

There are plenty of other camera customizations tucked away in the settings menu, too. It took me a little while to get a lay of the land, though, and I can easily see how all these tweaks and adjustments may be overwhelming for some. But as I said earlier, all the most important controls are located on the main dashboard.

If you’re not into the idea of looped recordings on a microSD card, you can also sign up for a Tapo Care plan ($3.50 per month or $35 per year, which covers up to 10 cameras) to store up to 30 days of event recordings on Tapo’s cloud server. The subscription also gets you rich notifications with snapshots and the Smart Sort feature for event recordings.

Strong Video and Audio With a Few Quirks

The C560WS does a solid job at capturing crisp, clear footage, be it day or night. Delivering up to 4K resolution with 18x digital zoom, I had zero issues locking in on faraway license plates and distant fall foliage. Daytime footage of my apartment community was lively and colorful, though a bit oversaturated for my liking. Fortunately, you’ll be able to adjust warm and cool tones for live and captured footage in the Tapo app.

I also liked that you can easily switch between 4K, 720p, and automatic resolution by tapping the live view, followed by the resolution icon. This will definitely come in handy for those of us dealing with bandwidth bottlenecks on a regular basis. Even when locked at 4K, I noticed a little bit of banding in both day and nighttime footage, though not to an egregious degree.

The C560WS lets you choose between IR and Color Night Vision modes, both of which worked nicely. The latter requires the spotlights to be on at all times, though, and those LEDs get pretty dang bright.

Something kind of weird happened when I first set the camera up, too: everything had a blue tinge. I can’t explain why, and even after messing with the warm and cool tones, I couldn’t get things back to normal. Once I restarted the cam, everything was back to normal. I’ll chalk that up to a minor glitch, but still one worth mentioning.

The two-way audio is about what I’d expect from a camera at this price point. Voices sounded clear on both the camera and phone ends, though the former was a bit tinny.

Reolink and Eufy Are Two Solid Competitors

The Tapo C560WS isn’t the only solid outdoor cam on the market, and two other budget-friendly options with PTZ capabilities worth mentioning are the Reolink E1 Outdoor Pro and the Eufy Solocam E30.

The former is a bit more expensive than the C560WS ($140), but features AI detection and auto-tracking, a 3x optical zoom, full 360-degree coverage, and even Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. Similar to the C560WS, it also supports up to 512GB of local storage via microSD, but requires the purchase of a separate Reolink Home Hub or a network-attached storage device if you’d prefer to store your encrypted footage cloud-style.

Then there’s the Eufy Solocam E30 for $150. As far as PTZ and AI detection go, it just beats the C560WS and Reolink E1 Outdoor Pro for overall field of view. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery and comes with an optional solar panel, whereas the C560WS and Reolink E1 require wired power. But as far as local storage goes, the Solocam E30 only supports up to 128GB via microSD.

Should You Buy the TP-Link Tapo C560WS?

The TP-Link Tapo C560WS is borderline great, with its cheap build being the only thing that really sticks out in a negative way. But if you can get past the look and feel (and some of the app’s UI mazes), you’ll be treated to a solid outdoor PTZ camera with terrific AI abilities.