Amazon's Blink cameras are catching eyes for their easy-peasy design and quick setup. Their standout trait is the long-lasting battery life, needing fewer charges, proving they're super reliable. Meanwhile, Reolink stands tall in the security camera world, offering loads of options to match different needs.
In this article, I explore and compare the key features of 38 security cameras (7 camera models from Blink and 31 models from Reolink). You can see the full list of product codes included in this research, at the bottom of the article.
Read on to discover which brand reigns supreme in this titanic battle!
The Winners
Best for Simple Security
Best for Comprehensive Security
Best for Simple Security: Blink
Blink is my winner when it comes to a simple security solution. They excel in providing a hassle-free installation process, thanks to their wireless setup, eliminating the need for complex wiring.
Most of their cameras are battery-powered and Blink cameras rely on cloud storage to store video footage securely, ensuring easy access to recordings from anywhere. This cloud-focused approach means that there is no dependence on local storage devices that can be prone to damage or theft.
One of the standout features of Blink cameras is their budget-friendly price points, making them an attractive choice for those seeking affordable security solutions without compromising on quality. (That being said, you’ll probably need to factor in the cloud cost over the lifetime of the cameras)
Despite their affordability, Blink cameras still offer advanced features such as motion detection and customizable alert settings.
Additionally, Blink cameras boast impressive battery life, minimizing the need for frequent battery changes and ensuring continuous surveillance coverage.
Best for Comprehensive Security: Reolink
When it comes to comprehensive security, Reolink is my winner.
Its cameras cater to different installation preferences and locations and provide flexibility with options for local storage using SD cards or external hard drives, as well as the choice of optional cloud storage for remote access to footage.
Reolink cameras are also equipped with advanced detection features for vehicles, objects, and even animals.
Another notable feature is the inclusion of PTZ cameras and motorized lenses in certain Reolink camera models. This allows for remote control of the camera's zoom and focus, resulting in clearer resolution and the ability to capture important details even from a distance.
Their cameras are also designed to withstand various weather conditions, ensuring reliable performance and protection even in challenging environments.
Winners per Category
As you can see below, I opt for Reolink in most categories. However, that’s not to say that Blink cameras aren’t any good. If you’re looking for a simple camera to set up, then it's well worth it. However, if you’re serious about home security, then a more comprehensive camera system from Reolink is definitely a better choice.
| Category | Winner |
| Video Transmission and Camera Power | Reolink |
| Local and Cloud Storage | Reolink |
| Smart Monitoring | Reolink |
| Microphones and Speakers | Draw |
| Video Output | Draw |
| Night Vision | Draw |
| Camera & Lens | Reolink |
| Pan-Tilt-Zoom | Reolink |
| Build Quality | Reolink |
Summary
To kick off, I evaluated the various attributes of the camera models, paying special attention to the types of cameras available, pricing options, cloud subscription services, and warranty durations offered by Blink and Reolink.
Camera Types
Blink offers a limited range of cameras for both indoor and outdoor use, which include floodlights, cube cameras, video doorbells, and pan-tilt (PT) models.
Reolink, on the other hand, has an extensive range of security cameras covering various types, including PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom), turret, bullet, spotlight, multisensor panoramic, and PT models.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, a majority of Blink cameras fall within the budget to mid-range price categories, making them an affordable choice for many homeowners. However, you need to factor in the cost of cloud subscriptions with Blink, as it is typically needed.
Reolink cameras span across budget, mid-range, to high-end. For example, at the time of writing, the Argus 2E bullet camera is available at $62.99, while the high-end RLC-823A PTZ model is priced at $314.99. Reolink Cloud is an optional extra, that most people don’t need.
Cloud Subscription Services
Both Blink and Reolink offer optional cloud subscriptions for some models, making it convenient for users to access their footage remotely.
Standard Warranty Offered
Blink provides a standard 1-year warranty for their products, while Reolink provides a 2-year standard warranty.
Video Transmission and Camera Power
When analyzing the power and data functionalities of both brands, I focused on the power options, data transmission techniques, and data formats supported by Blink and Reolink.
Winner: Reolink
Blink cameras tend to be battery or DC powered, transmitting over 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Reolink, on the other hand, has a wide variety of options to suit different requirements (PoE, AC/DC, Battery, Solar, Wi-Fi, 4G)
Power Options
Blink cameras primarily rely on battery power, with the Wired Floodlight Camera, Mini Pan-Tilt Camera, and Mini Indoor Security Camera offering wired power options.
On the other hand, Reolink cameras offer a broader range of power options, including DC power, PoE (Power over Ethernet), and battery options with solar panel compatibility such as the Argus Eco, Argus 2E, Duo 4G, and Go PT Plus.
Data Transmission
All Blink models use 2.4GHz WiFi to transmit data and are IP cameras, making them suitable for most modern home networks.
A significant portion of the Reolink models supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi bands, offering greater flexibility and performance in wireless data transmission.
Additionally, some models like the Duo 4G and Go Plus also provide 4G LTE connectivity for remote locations without Wi-Fi access.
Data Type
Both Blink and Reolink use IP (Internet Protocol) data types, which means they can send and receive data over the internet. This enables the devices to offer features like live streaming, remote access, and real-time alerts.
Local & Cloud Storage
When examining the storage and smart integration capabilities of each brand, I focused on storage capacity, available storage choices, and interoperability functions.
Winner: Reolink
While Blink focuses on cloud-based storage for easy access, Reolink has a wide array of storage types ranging from on-device SD cards to NVRs, FTP, and even the cloud. Blink cameras are generally locked down, while Reolink’s are open ONVIF support.
Storage Capacity
All Reolink models included in this research support on-board storage, with capacities ranging from 64GB to 256 GB.
Storage Options
Blink cameras are generally wireless and come with various storage options, including cloud storage and wireless hubs with USB flash drives.
Most Reolink models are compatible with microSD cards, NVR (Network Video Recorder), and FTP (File Transfer Protocol), providing a more versatile and secure option for footage storage.
Additionally, a cloud storage option is also available for models like the Argus Eco, Argus 2E, Argus PT 2K, and Lumus.
Interoperability
This feature ensures seamless integration with various security and surveillance applications and management tools.
Reolink models come with superior interoperability, offering compatibility with Synology, ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum), RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol), and P2P (Peer to Peer) in many models.
Smart Monitoring
Here, I compared the intelligence features of Blink and Reolink cameras. I particularly examined their smart integrations, customizable motion zones and sensitivity, motion alerts, and smart motion detection capabilities.
Winner: Reolink
Reolink provides more smart integrations and has more advanced motion detection features, like vehicle and animal detection compared to Blink cameras.
Smart Integrations
As Blink is owned by Amazon, their cameras primarily integrate with Amazon Alexa, Echo Show, and Fire TV, while Reolink offers compatibility with Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Google Nest Hub.
This makes Reolink a better option for those who use Google smart home devices, and Blink for those who prefer Amazon's ecosystem.
Configurable Motion Zones and Sensitivity
Almost all Blink models allow their users to customize motion zones and sensitivity. For Reolink, more than half of the models included in this research also provide this feature including the E1 Zoom, Argus 3, Go PT Plus, and E1 Pro.
Motion Alerts
Both Blink and Reolink cameras can send push notifications when motion is detected. However, Reolink cameras take it a step further by providing the option to receive email alerts. Reolink users might appreciate this additional way of receiving important notifications.
Smart Motion Detection Features
Among the Blink models in this research, only the Wired Floodlight Camera supports person detection (as of the time of writing).
On the other hand, Reolink offers various models with sophisticated smart motion detection features.
Many models, such as the RLC-823A 16X, RLC-830A, and RLC-833A, are equipped with person detection, vehicle detection, and even animal detection capabilities.
In terms of customization of motion detection settings, most Blink and Reolink cameras allow users to configure motion zones and sensitivity levels. By adjusting these features, homeowners can reduce false alarms and receive more accurate notifications.
Microphones and Speakers
In analyzing the audio capabilities of each brand, I took into consideration factors such as the quality of the microphone and speaker, the effectiveness of the two-way audio feature, and siren and alarm options.
Winner: Draw
I’ve called this one a draw with the majority of models supporting two-way audio.
Integrated Microphone, Speakers, and Two-Way Audio
Almost all Blink and Reolink cameras I analyzed have two-way audio, with integrated microphones and speakers, except for a few Reolink models that only have microphones without two-way audio functionality. (like the RLC-410W, RLC-520A, RLC-810A, RLC-822A, RLC-542WA, and RLC-511W).
Siren and Alarm Features
Among the Blink models, only the Wired Floodlight Camera has a built-in siren, with a loudness of 105 dB.
Most of the Reolink models come with an integrated siren, whereas a few, like the RLC-410W, RLC-520A, RLC-810A, RLC-822A, RLC-542WA, and RLC-511W do not have this feature.
Video Output
Here, I specifically focused on the video features of both brands, I closely looked at each of the camera’s recording capabilities, video quality, video coding format, and WDR functionality.
Winner: Draw
Both Blink and Reolink have almost the same functionalities, maximum frame rates, and video coding formats.
Continuous Recording vs Motion-Activated Recording
Blink cameras generally do not support continuous recording, whereas all PoE Reolink cameras support this feature (like the RLC-511WA, RLC-410W, RLC-523WA, and RLC-511W).
Motion-activated recording, on the other hand, is available for all Blink cameras and a majority of Reolink models also have this feature.
Video Quality
Blink cameras have a max supported frame rate of 30 frames per second (FPS), while the number for Reolink cameras varies across its models but ranges from 15 to 30 FPS.
A higher FPS means smoother video playback, improved evidence documentation, enhanced live monitoring, and finer details in recorded footage.
Video Coding Format
Reolink cameras generally support H.265 and H.264 video compression formats.
For Blink cameras, only the Outdoor 3rd Gen and 3rd Generation models specified their video coding formats at H.264 format.
Video coding format is crucial as it directly impacts storage efficiency, network bandwidth utilization, video quality, and compatibility with various devices and systems.
Night Vision
In terms of the night vision capabilities of both brands, I focused on the types of night vision, spotlight features, and infrared distance of the cameras.
Winner: Draw
Both brands offer night vision functionalities, with models also offering spotlight features for illumination.
Types of Night Vision
Blink cameras feature infrared night vision in most of their models, while Reolink offers a mix of infrared and full-color night vision capabilities.
Among the seven Blink camera models, the Wired Floodlight Camera and Outdoor 3rd Gen achieve full-color night vision through the spotlight feature.
As for Reolink, 14 out of the 31 models (such as the RLC-511WA, Lumus, and RLC-812A), also do the same, where the spotlights toggle on automatically when needed.
This can provide greater detail in the captured footage and result in more accurate identification of subjects.
Spotlights
As earlier mentioned, both Blink and Reolink offer cameras with built-in spotlights.
Several Reolink models have spotlight lumens of 700 up to 945 for RLC-523WA and RLC-823A, while Blink has two models with this feature, the Outdoor 3rd Gen with a spotlight lumens of 700, and the Wired Floodlight Camera which has the highest lumen output of 2600 among all cameras from both brands.
Infrared Distance
Reolink generally provides longer infrared distances in their models, ranging from 33 to 262 feet depending on the camera. This is in comparison to Blink models, which show a maximum range of only 20 feet in one model.
Furthermore, Reolink cameras often feature a higher number of infrared LEDs, which can lead to more powerful night vision capabilities.
Camera & Lens
Field of view, lens type, and resolution of the camera are some of the features that I evaluated when analyzing the camera and lens specifications of Blink and Reolink.
Winner: Reolink
Reolink cameras generally have higher resolution and FOV than Blink, and also offer models with motorized lenses, allowing users to adjust the field of view, enabling them to zoom in or out to capture a wider or narrower scene.
Field of View
FOV determines the area the camera captures. A larger FOV means the camera can cover more ground, potentially reducing the number of cameras you need for your property. However, it tends to do this at the expense of image quality.
Blink cameras generally have a diagonal FOV ranging from 110° to 143°, while Reolink cameras offer a wider range, with some models reaching up to 180° in the Duo multi lens.
This indicates that Reolink cameras may offer broader coverage, depending on the specific model.
Lens Type
Blink cameras included in this research feature fixed-focus lenses, which have a pre-set focal length and are less versatile in terms of adjusting the view range.
On the other hand, Reolink offers both fixed-focus and motorized lenses. The E1 Zoom, RLC-823A 16X, and RLC-833A are some of the models that feature motorized lenses, which allow more control in zooming and adjusting the focus.
This added flexibility is particularly beneficial for those looking to capture images over varying distances.
Resolution
Generally, cameras with higher resolution provide clearer and more detailed images, making it easier to identify intruders or other incidents.
Most Blink cameras offer 2MP (1080P / HD: 1920×1080) resolution. Reolink, on the other hand, offers a wider range of resolutions, from 2MP (1920×1080) up to 12MP (4512×2512) for the RLC-1224A model.
Aperture
This feature can affect the camera's low-light performance. Larger apertures capture more light and typically provide better performance under dim conditions.
While there isn't much information available for Blink cameras' aperture sizes, Reolink cameras generally have aperture sizes ranging from F1.6 to F2.4. This suggests that Reolink cameras may perform better in low-light situations.
Pan-Tilt-Zoom
In this section I assessed the pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities, tracking functionalities, and PTZ camera options of Blink and Reolink.
Winner: Reolink
Reolink has a wider range of cameras with pan and tilt capabilities and also has superior zoom capabilities with optical zoom as opposed to digital zoom in some models.
PTZ Capabilities
Pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) allow you to remotely control the camera's movement and zoom to monitor different areas of your property. These features are more prominent in Reolink cameras compared to Blink cameras.
A number of Reolink models have pan and tilt features, such as the Reolink E1 Pro, which has a pan angle of 355 degrees and a tilt angle of 50 degrees.
In contrast, only the Mini Pan-Tilt Camera from Blink has this feature, with a pan angle of 350 degrees and a tilt angle of 125 degrees.
Zoom Features
When it comes to zoom functionality, Reolink cameras generally offer both digital and optical zoom, while Blink cameras usually offer only digital zoom.
Optical zoom allows for higher quality images as it uses the camera's lenses to magnify an image, while digital zoom enlarges the image through software. For example, the E1 Zoom has a 3x optical zoom and the RLC-823A 16X has a 16x optical zoom.
Tracking
Tracking capabilities are also more commonly found in Reolink models, such as RLC-823A and RLC-523WA, which have preset and tracking features.
These features help the camera track and follow moving objects within its field of view. On the other hand, Blink cameras do not generally have tracking capabilities.
PTZ Camera Choices
When comparing indoor cameras, Blink tends to focus on compact and inconspicuous designs, like the Blink Mini Indoor Security Camera.
Conversely, Reolink prioritizes features like pan and tilt capabilities, as seen in the E1 Pro model.
For outdoor cameras, Reolink offers models with higher digital zoom magnification like the Argus 3 Pro Solar, which has a 16x digital zoom.
Build Quality
In terms of camera quality, I specifically focused on factors such as resistance to various weather conditions, materials used, suitability for indoor and outdoor use, and recommended operating temperature range.
Winner: Reolink
Reolink offers cameras with a higher IP rating than Blink and their cameras are generally made with sturdier materials.
Weather Resistance
Blink has a few outdoor cameras with IP65 weather resistance while Reolink, on the other hand, offers several models with IP65 and IP66 ratings. IP66 models are even better at protecting the camera from harsh weather conditions and water.
This suggests Reolink may offer more durable options for outdoor camera installations.
Build Quality
The Reolink range offers a number of cameras with metal aluminum cases. These metal cases are more resistant and can better handle outdoor conditions compared to the plastic cases used in some Blink camera models.
Indoor and Outdoor Use
Blink cameras are mainly designed for indoor use, with only a few models suited for outdoor installations.
In contrast, Reolink offers a more extensive range of cameras for both indoors and outdoors.
Some Reolink cameras, such as the RLC-523WA, even feature IK10 vandal-proof protection, which adds another security layer by resisting vandalism attempts.
Operating Temperature
Blink outdoor cameras can operate in temperatures ranging from -4°F to 113°F, which is suitable for most environments.
In comparison, Reolink outdoor cameras have a wider temperature range of 14°F to 131°F which indicates that Reolink cameras may perform better in extreme temperatures and are suitable for a more extensive range of climates.
Cameras Included in Analysis
| Blink | Reolink |
| Wired Floodlight Camera Mini Pan-Tilt Camera Indoor Mini Indoor Security Camera Outdoor 3rd Gen Video Doorbell 3rd Generation | E1 Zoom RLC-823A 16X RLC-830A RLC-1224A RLC-833A Argus Eco Argus 2E Argus 3 Pro Solar Duo 4G Go Plus Argus 3 RLC-511WA Go PT Plus Argus Pro Argus 2 RLC-410W RLC-520AE1 Pro RLC-820A RLC-510A Argus PT 2K Lumus Argus 3 Pro RLC-812A RLC-523WA RLC-542WA RLC-511W RLC-810A RLC-822A RLC-811A RLC-823A |