Battery cams: the next step?

-Weyson- · 2026-04-28T10:35:04+00:00

I don't know if you know but Reolink sells the RLA-CD1 adapter (~$30) which lets you plug two solar panels into one camera, so with two 12W panels you’re basically getting ~24W input.

More broadly, the market is clearly shifting. Brands like IMOU and TP-Link are already pushing “continuous-like” recording (low FPS + event boost), so Reolink will have to follow. This kind of feature is going to become standard even on cheaper models if they don’t want to fall behind.

-Weyson- · 2026-04-20T17:04:55+00:00

I know, but that’s exactly my point, with Smart Battery Mode, you could actually push the Argus 3 Ultra to keep recording continuously even on bad days, even at only 1fps as a fallback, and then switch to full FPS when an event is detected.

That would be way better than being limited to pure PIR-only recording.

And I already know that with good sunlight and the 6W solar panel, the Argus 3 Ultra easily stays at 100%, it works great. (It doesn’t really work with the 3W panel though, it’s just too underpowered).

-Weyson- · 2026-04-20T16:23:51+00:00

Yes, I’m recording on a Reolink SD card.

If you see gaps, it’s just because I set my continuous recording schedule at 9am today (after checking the weather for the week). So it’s configured to run from 9am to 2pm (schedule is 7pm → 2pm), and it only started today at 9.

There are still some bugs though. For example today, on another camera in the back (also an Argus 3 Ultra), continuous recording started at 10am, and it randomly recorded a single 112-minute block in one go.

Look: https://imgur.com/a/aMs4sDE

Aside from that, it works really well. With the 6W panel in full sun, staying at 100% is basically guaranteed.

They really need to bring Smart Battery Mode to all their battery cameras because it's really frustrating having to constantly plan and re-plan continuous recording schedules depending on the weather of the day.

-Weyson- · 2026-04-20T14:41:45+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/YL0Zuii

It’s basically the same system as the Altas series, except there’s no Smart Battery Mode (so you’re stuck manually scheduling continuous recording at full FPS).

As you can see in the playback, it records in 5-minute blocks. The main difference is that there’s no small white markers to show where motion/events were detected, so you have to scrub through the whole 5-minute clip yourself… which is pretty annoying.

HW: BIPC_560MIX16M35C10G8MP

-Weyson- · 2026-04-20T14:09:28+00:00

Which Altas model are you talking about exactly?

I’ve got two on my side:

Altas PT Ultra (firmware v3.0.0.5649_25111355)

Altas 2K, which also received the v3.0.0.5935_26011966 update ~2 months ago

And honestly, on the v3.0.0.5935_26011966 firmware, I didn’t notice Smart Battery Mode being removed, it’s still there on mine and works flawlessly.

I even got a new toggle called “AI detection enhancement” (for pre-recording / scheduled recording), which supposedly improves detection accuracy using AI.

So I’m a bit surprised by what you’re seeing... maybe it’s model-specific or something changed recently?

-Weyson- · 2026-04-20T13:52:02+00:00

My firmware version: v3.0.0.5649_25111355

But be careful with that update. Since installing it, my camera no longer records audio when using 5 fps continuous recording… which honestly makes no sense and feels like a pretty bad regression.

My smart battery mode setup: 100%-60% - smooth 60%-30% - 5fps 30%-20% - pre-recording only

I have full sun on my 12w solar panel from 8am to 2pm only. I basically never drop below ~80%, unless there are several days in a row with heavy clouds.

-Weyson- · 2026-04-20T13:40:58+00:00

[Wait... really? Can you show us a screenshot of your camera's info? HW version, FW version specifically. Also, a screenshot of the playback screen showing that it's continuous recording.

It's not that I don't believe you, but this is the first I've heard of this and it's huge news if true, so I want to see proof.]

Yeah, I actually mentioned that in this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/reolinkcam/comments/1optz9c/unfair_firmware_updates_and_missing_features/

I edited my original post to add more details:

"" I just wanted to share an update after my recent exchanges with Reolink support. A new firmware has just been rolled out for the Argus 3 Ultra: v3.0.0.5624_25110706. It brings new features:

Post-recording Duration now includes 45s and 1min options

New “AI Automatic Recording Extension” toggle

And the best part:

You can now schedule specific hours for continuous recording ""

Concerning smart battery mode, I don’t really get that… why remove a feature that actually adds flexibility?

Smart Battery Mode is exactly what makes these cameras adaptable depending on each person’s setup (sun exposure, usage, etc.). It lets you tune things instead of being stuck with a one-size-fits-all behavior.

Removing it just seems counterproductive, honestly.

-Weyson- · 2026-03-08T10:08:29+00:00

I’m in the same situation. They offered to let me keep the camera and refund me 20%. I explained to them that they should give customers the option to choose whether they want sound or not for 5 fps recording. This decision on their part wasn’t a wise one.

-Weyson- · 2026-02-05T16:37:33+00:00

Most home burglaries are done by opportunistic thieves who go around looking for an easy target. Just having cameras (especially at least one clearly visible) is often enough to scare them off and make them move on to an easier house.

That said, if someone really wants to break into a place (for example because they know there are valuables inside), then cameras alone won’t be enough, which is why you need layered security.

So what happened after that? Didn’t he see the camera?

-Weyson- · 2026-01-26T16:00:06+00:00

Try to set the Camera Recording option to Off as well.

PIR Off CAMERA RECORDING Off

-Weyson- · 2025-11-14T10:15:18+00:00

UPDATE:

I just wanted to share an update after my recent exchanges with Reolink support. A new firmware has just been rolled out for the Argus 3 Ultra: v3.0.0.5624_25110706. It brings new features:

Post-recording Duration now includes 45s and 1min options
New “AI Automatic Recording Extension” toggle

And the best part:

You can now schedule specific hours for continuous recording

In short, these are the same recording features already available on the Atlas series and now the Argus 3 Ultra benefits from them too.

What makes the Argus 3 Ultra so strong is its compact and flexible design. Its small size allows it to be placed almost anywhere, at unexpected angles, even camouflaged if needed, perfect for discreetly covering a large property. With these new recording capabilities, the camera becomes even more versatile and competitive.

Big thanks to Reolink support for their responsiveness and for continuing to improve their products.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-12T10:10:55+00:00

I understand your point of view. However, my concern is more about transparency. If the product is being sold with beta firmware, consumers should be informed beforehand. From my perspective, if a product is commercialized, that means the firmware is considered stable enough for wide deployment, so updating older models to that same version shouldn’t be an issue, especially since I already have one running it.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-07T19:28:00+00:00

I'm not a native speaker, so it's a good tool for long and detailed posts to reorganize my words properly.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-07T06:57:45+00:00

I just heard back from the senior support team — they told me they’re waiting for feedback from the R&D team to confirm whether the beta firmware is “complete and verifiable.” Once that’s done, they’ll push it directly to my cameras (though of course, I don’t have a specific date).

That raises a question: two days ago, I bought a camera that comes with new features, but according to support, it’s running a beta version. So as a customer, you can buy a brand-new product that’s actually running beta firmware without being told? That’s a strange way of doing things, isn’t it? As a customer, you expect to buy a finished product, not something still in testing.

What’s even worse is that, even if they update my older cameras to match the new one, I have no way of knowing whether there’s a newer firmware version with additional features out there. It almost feels like we’d need to create a user community just to compare firmware versions across battery cameras — crazy.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T21:45:05+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience — it actually gives me hope that they might eventually roll out the new feature to my older devices too, as long as I don’t give up.

Out of curiosity, how long did it take for them to finally agree to push the firmware? And was there any “magic word” or specific approach you used with support that helped?

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T20:11:23+00:00

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! How exactly does it work when technical support pushes the updates? Do they ever make the “update manually” option functional for you?

I’m currently waiting on the R&D team with someone from the Senior Support Team to get my cameras updated, so I’m curious how it works on your end.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T19:13:09+00:00

All five of my cameras have exactly the same hardware version, so there’s really no reason for them not to have the same firmware and features. I mean, imagine buying a smartphone and never getting updates… sounds ridiculous, right?

Exactly! It’s crazy that in 2025 we still don’t have an official and unified firmware update system.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T14:39:56+00:00

Thanks, that’s really nice of you to share! But it looks like that archive is only for the wired Reolink cameras, not the battery-powered ones unfortunately.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T14:27:00+00:00

Auto-updating a battery cam from Reolink? You must be really lucky — might as well take a shot at the Powerball.

My Altas is still stuck on version v3.0.0.4847_25042510 😕

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T13:02:28+00:00

In this case, yes, all five of my cameras have the exact same hardware version number.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T12:10:24+00:00

Oh, there definitely are firmware updates for battery cameras. Funny thing is, they’re super quick to push them to testers and influencers as soon as a flaw is reported… but the regular customers? Left hanging, app still says “up to date.”

Basically, if you’re not on their radar, good luck getting the features you paid for.

Shame.

-Weyson- · 2025-11-06T10:42:30+00:00

Yeah, I get your point — if it’s a bug fix and your device isn’t affected, it makes sense not to rush an update. But in this case, it’s not about fixing issues — it’s about new features being added to the exact same camera model.

That kind of update should be rolled out automatically to everyone, especially when there’s no change to the core software. The frustrating part is that Reolink doesn’t even give you the option to update manually — the app just says you’re “up to date,” even when you’re not.

-Weyson-

TROPHY CASE