RickyWith so many choices of security cameras available, it can be a burden to figure out exactly which is the best value for money and then the cost of running the camera in the long run.
The Baseus Security S1 Lite Outdoor Solar Powered Camera is a solid piece of equiptment that’s not only user-friendly, it performs very well. With its integrated solar panel, 2K video clarity, and no monthly fees, it’s designed to be a “set it and forget it” solution for monitoring your property.
But is it really that good? I take a closer look on how well the Baseus S1 Lite performs and whether you should add it to your shortlist.
The team at Baseus very kindly sent me this device to review. As always, they have no control over the content I write and this review is my honest opinion.
Key features
- Solar powered – No need to run power to the camera
- Local storage on microSD – Say goodbye to monthly subscriptions
- 2K picture quality – Clear, wide 135° view plus 8x digital zoom
- Smart AI detection – Fewer false alerts, records what you need
- IP67 – Built for the Great British weather from snow to sunshine
Design, setup and installation
The S1 Lite is a sleek, compact bullet-like camera. It’s made from white plastic which features an integrated large solar panel on the top. Perfect to capture all the sunlight it needs to power itself day and night. This makes it a great location if mounting in locations outside where it would be difficult to get power.
Setup was quick and I had the camera up and running in no time. Download the app, then scan the QR code on your phone’s screen with the camera and it connects – never seen a camera connect in such a way before.
Next, it was time to mount the camera. For testing, I mounted on a fence post. It comes complete with a small drill diagram which makes drilling your pilot holes a breeze. The mount is extremely flexible, helping direct the camera at all angles. It’s a bit tight if you want it mounted on the wall and look down the direction of the wall… but it’s possible.
Performance
I’ve been testing the S1 Lite for the past week. We may have had some (surprisingly) good weather here in the UK at the moment, so it the camera charged very well in the sunshine.
During the day, the picture quality was perfect. It captured footage as soon as it spotted movement. The lens offers a 135° field of view which covers a broad area. I was pleasantly surprised at how much this camera captured, compared to the other security cameras I have installed.
Night performance impressed me. The quality on night vision looked great and with just a tap, I was able to switch on the 100lm built-in LED light. You can adjust the setting so when the camera spots motion this LED switches on automatically. This feature is great if you’ve placed the camera in an area that needs a little light at night if you’re there. Think the back of the garden, side alley to your home or even the front garden.
There are many options on when it captures video and each can help save the battery, or offer more performance on recordings. It uses a motion sensor to activate the recording of the event, capturing it safely to a microSD card. The microSD card is a huge benefit to this camera, compatible with up to 512gb, it is huge to capture footage.
Using the Baseus app, you can view a live feed on the camera, activate an alarm, the light and even talk through the camera. Alongside all these features, you can scroll back on a timeline to see what the camera has recorded.
The one thing that did confuse me was notifications every time it spotted movement. Yes, I wanted it to record, but I didn’t need the notifications. This was hidden away in one of the “modes”. Therefore, I just had to edit my preferences for the “home mode” – simple change, but it just wasn’t where I thought it would be.
Battery life and solar power
The fact the S1 Lite is powered by the sun, makes this camera absolutely brilliant. It’s been fairly sunny each day I’ve tested this, with direct sun in the morning on the solar panel which has charged the built-in battery well. With the battery level in the app, it always hovered around 70-100%.
I’m keen to see how this performs in the autumn and winter months. Once I’ve got the verdict of how well this performs, I’ll update the post.
Final verdict
The Baseus Security S1 is an impressive security camera for the home, especially for those that want an affordable, fuss-free and wire-free camera without the burden of monthly subscription fees. It offers solid performance both day and night and the solar panel exceeded my expectations. Local storage does make this camera stand out in it’s category.
If you’re looking for a new outdoor security camera, this is one to checkout.
For more information on the Baseus Security S1 Lite, visit baseus.com
Purchase the Baseus Security S1 Lite from the official Baseus store on Amazon, visit amazon.co.uk
Ricky
