Baseus S1 Out of doors Safety Digital camera Assessment with Auto Tilt Photo voltaic Panel

The Baseus S1 Out of doors Safety Digital camera is a curious surveillance digicam that options an built-in photo voltaic panel, a design aspect I’ve seen on the EufyCam S3 Professional and AOSU C9C-4H SolarCam earlier than. What makes this mannequin distinctive is that the photo voltaic panel can rotate and monitor the solar. Baseus claims that this permits the digicam to seize twice the quantity of photo voltaic power. I’m a bit sceptical of this declare, however I suppose it is determined by the orientation of the digicam and publicity to the solar within the first place.

Past that, this digicam is on the reasonably priced finish of the spectrum, with low cost costs being round £60.  

It then additionally advantages from 8GB built-in native storage and is totally subscription-free, in contrast to manufacturers like Arlo and Ring.

Associated Opinions

Specification

• Decision: 2K (2304×1296)
• Lens: Single lens with 145-degree discipline of view
• Photo voltaic Panel: Motorised auto-tilt, as much as 40 levels horizontal monitoring
• Video Storage: 8 GB inside reminiscence (non-expandable)
• Battery: 10,400 mAh capability, rechargeable by way of USB Kind-C, topped up by photo voltaic
• Evening Imaginative and prescient: Color and infrared, supported by 400-lumen LED floodlight
• Climate Resistance: IP67 rated
• Working Temperatures: -20°C to 50°C
• Audio: Two-way, with lively noise cancellation
• Connectivity: 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi solely
• Mounting: Adjustable ball mount with customary quarter-inch thread
• App Help: Android and iOS by way of Baseus Safety App

Options

Auto-Tilt Photo voltaic Panel

The auto-tilt photo voltaic panel is the standout characteristic, adjusting itself to comply with the solar all through the day. Baseus claims this design doubles the power harvested relative to a standard fastened panel, massively decreasing the necessity for handbook recharging. Over a number of weeks throughout a typical British summer season (with a mixture of sunny and overcast days), the S1 maintained full battery, indicative of dependable photo voltaic efficiency. The auto-tilt perform is motorised and operates quietly. In contrast to fastened photo voltaic panels, which are sometimes restricted by their mounted angle and require optimum set up to carry out nicely, the monitoring mechanism right here does present a tangible profit, significantly for installations the place daylight course adjustments seasonally or is partially obstructed.

Video and Audio Capabilities

Video footage recorded at 2K affords noticeably improved sharpness over 1080p rivals. Daytime readability is sweet, with ample element to seize faces and car quantity plates at reasonable distances. The 145-degree discipline of view covers a large space, appropriate for many home set up factors with out lacking essential angles. Digital zoom is restricted to eight occasions and, whereas helpful for shut inspection, does sacrifice picture high quality as anticipated with any digital zoom system.

At evening, the S1 achieves clear photos because of its mixture of highly effective white LEDs and infrared sensors. The color evening imaginative and prescient is enabled by the LEDs, that are brilliant sufficient to light up driveways and gardens as much as round eight metres. For conditions the place discretion is required or brilliant lighting is undesirable, conventional infrared mode is accessible, yielding barely much less element however higher for privateness.

Audio high quality is suitable for house use. The 2-way system is beneficial for interacting with supply drivers or guests, with each the microphone and speaker performing reliably except affected by sturdy wind. Noise cancellation is current, although some background noise nonetheless filters by way of in uncovered installations.

Native Storage and Privateness

The built-in 8 GB storage negates the necessity for a cloud subscription, storing as much as 1.5 months of triggered video clips relying on exercise ranges. All clips are encrypted. Nevertheless, there isn’t any choice to develop storage with a microSD card. This implies within the occasion of a theft or destruction of the digicam, footage is misplaced except promptly downloaded to a cellular system. These searching for offsite backup would want the S1 Professional mannequin with a separate base station, however that’s priced considerably greater.

Privateness controls are stable. The S1 conforms to recognised knowledge safety requirements and offers full management over when and the way video knowledge is accessed, vital for GDPR compliance and peace of thoughts. All video is retained domestically and can’t be accessed by Baseus or third events.

Weatherproofing and Construct High quality

With an IP67 score, the S1 digicam is designed to resist heavy rain, snow, and dirt. The digicam survived a number of storms and summer season showers throughout prolonged out of doors testing. The unit feels sturdy, with a stable weight and high-quality seals on uncovered factors such because the USB charging port and the reset button. The matte white plastic end doesn’t entice undue consideration and blends into most exterior wall finishes.

Movement Detection and App Settings

Movement detection is dealt with by way of a mix of ordinary PIR sensors and AI-based human detection. The twin method is efficient: the AI system reduces false positives from animals or foliage, whereas human detection sends speedy app notifications when real motion happens. Movement settings will be finely tuned, together with customisable sensitivity, exercise zones to pay attention detection on drawback areas, and ignore zones (e.g., for public footpaths or busy roads). Throughout testing, the AI system carried out nicely, lacking few real occasions and largely filtering out irrelevant triggers.

The Baseus Safety App is accessible for each Android and iOS, with an intuitive interface that simplifies dwell monitoring, customisation, and overview of recordings. Dwell preview masses in roughly three seconds, relying primarily on sign power. Key controls are accessible with out navigating by way of a number of menus, and the app permits for easy activation of sirens, lights, and two-way audio. Timeline-based occasion overview works easily, enabling fast identification of particular incidents.

Baseus S1 Professional vs S1 vs S1 Lite

Baseus has expanded the vary to cater to completely different wants and budgets:

• S1 Professional: Twin-camera equipment with a base station, rotating auto-tilt photo voltaic panels, and dual-lens setup (3K extensive angle and telephoto, 8x digital zoom), priced greater because of the inclusion of two cameras and extra recording safety.
• S1: Customary single-lens model reviewed right here, recording at 2K with a rotating photo voltaic panel. No expandable storage or base station.
• S1 Lite: Entry-level model with a set photo voltaic panel and a single 2K lens, extra reasonably priced however lacks the energy-capturing advantages of the rotating photo voltaic panel.

For many customers, the S1 affords a balanced set of options at an accessible worth, whereas the S1 Professional could enchantment to these with extra complicated monitoring wants or considerations about local-only footage storage. The Lite mannequin sacrifices some energy effectivity and adaptability for price, however could go well with much less demanding eventualities.

Unboxing

The digicam has a notable design with a big photo voltaic panel on the highest, which is related to the rear a part of the digicam, which might rotate to trace the solar.

Baseus claims this captures twice the photo voltaic power as different cameras, however I think the primary benefit is the truth that the photo voltaic panel seems to be so much bigger than most competing cameras.

The digicam itself is sort of giant in comparison with most competing choices.

Setup

Preliminary set up is uncomplicated. Cost the unit totally earlier than mounting; the primary cost will take a number of hours however ought to hardly ever be wanted once more. As soon as mounted and powered, the app walks by way of community connection (2.4 GHz Wi-Fi solely) and firmware updates.

The digicam ought to be mounted the place it receives constant daylight. The motorised panel will try to trace the solar even in partly cloudy circumstances, however shaded areas will restrict its potential. Wi-Fi sign power ought to be checked previous to finalising set up, as poor connectivity could delay notifications or scale back video high quality.

Baseus Safety App Settings

The app interface is refreshingly clear. From the primary display, customers can entry dwell view, set off recording manually, allow or disable audio, use the highlight, or sound the built-in siren. A full-screen mode is accessible to assist with detailed inspection.

Settings menus permit for:

• Tuning exercise and ignore zones for tailor-made movement alerts.
• Controlling photo voltaic panel behaviour (auto, handbook, calibration choices).
• Adjusting energy consumption modes (optimum battery life or most surveillance).
• Selecting evening imaginative and prescient mode (color by way of highlight or basic infrared).
• Managing notification settings, together with the choice so as to add occasion thumbnails.

A timeline software simplifies the overview of recorded occasions. Downloading clips to a cellphone for off-device backup is supported, although bulk switch shouldn’t be accessible and automation requires handbook intervention.

Movement Detection

In observe, movement detection is usually dependable. The twin system tends to select up people successfully whereas largely ignoring false alarms from animals and climate. Some minor tweaking of sensitivity could also be wanted to cut back pointless alerts for closely trafficked public areas or if put in close to transferring tree branches.

Customisable zones are significantly helpful for tailoring alerts to property entrances whereas ignoring irrelevant background exercise. Movement-activated spotlights will be enabled or disabled relying on the proprietor’s necessities — helpful both as a deterrent or to stay inconspicuous.

Movement-triggered recording is swift, with clip lengths starting from 20 seconds as much as two minutes, adjustable in line with energy administration preferences.

Whereas this had the power to detect people over common movement, it lacks some other superior object detection. There isn’t any pet, automobile, package deal detection, nor facial recognition. That is considerably anticipated contemplating the value of this digicam.

Day Time Video High quality

Day scenes captured by the S1 are typically crisp, with respectable dynamic vary. Faces and objects are sufficiently clear to recognise at reasonable distance, supplied lighting is affordable. Minor distortion happens on the widest a part of the sphere, however that is frequent to almost all ultra-wide house safety cameras.

Whereas fastened focus lenses usually are not splendid for studying small textual content at a distance, they carry out adequately for most common surveillance necessities comparable to deliveries, customer identification, or monitoring driveways. Saturation and distinction seem pure, with out over processed colors.

Evening Time Video High quality

Efficiency at evening is barely above common for its worth vary. The built-in 400-lumen LED offers sturdy illumination as much as eight metres, maintaining most of a typical entrance backyard or driveway nicely lit. Color evening imaginative and prescient is advantageous for figuring out clothes colors or automobile paintwork, although it’s extra intrusive than infrared and will not go well with all placement eventualities.

Switching to basic infrared mode mutes the colors however extends visibility barely additional. Footage in each modes stays freed from pronounced artefacts. The built-in app permits customers to change between evening imaginative and prescient modes or let the digicam resolve mechanically.

Battery Life

With the rotating photo voltaic panel deployed in an unobstructed, sunny place, battery efficiency is superb.

In my scenario, I opted to not cost the digicam totally earlier than use, with it being at 78% after I mounted the digicam.

Two days later, the battery was at 96%. Granted, it’s summer season in the mean time, so extra solar publicity, however I dwell within the North of the UK, and the climate has been inclement with loads of wet and cloudy days.

As compared, I put in the S1 Lite on a flat floor close to the S1, and through this time, the battery decreased very barely.

I’ve not had this lengthy sufficient to verify how nicely it is going to do throughout the winter months, however I’m beginning to assume that having a photo voltaic panel is crucial on battery-powered cameras, because it makes such a giant distinction to the battery life, and I’m horrible at remembering to cost my cameras.

Value and Different Choices

The RRP of the Baseus S1 is £100, however on the time of writing, it was discounted to £80 with an extra 25% off accessible, taking it to an affordable £60.

The Professional mannequin is far more costly, however you get two cameras and a base station. This has an RRP of £300 however there was a £45 low cost accessible,

The Baseus S1 has an RRP of £80, however there was a £30 off voucher and a 38% low cost accessible on the time of writing. Nevertheless, after I examined utilizing each, Amazon solely utilized the most important low cost, which was the 38% low cost, which equalled £30.39, taking it all the way down to £49.59.

It is usually price noting that the Baseus S2 seems like it’s about to launch. That is listed on the Baseus web site however hyperlinks to a 404 web page.

For various manufacturers, Eufy is the plain competitor. The SoloCam S230 is a 2K digicam, a photo voltaic panel, and color evening imaginative and prescient accessible for £150.

The SoloCam S220 is a greater various, being a 2K digicam with a photo voltaic panel and 2K decision which is accessible for £70

General

The Baseus S1 is an effective digicam for these on a funds. You may’t criticise it an excessive amount of on the £60 worth level, and you possibly can argue that it’s a better option than the Eufy SoloCam S220 because of the rotating photo voltaic panel.

I’m nonetheless just a little bit sceptical about how a lot distinction the rotating photo voltaic panel makes, nevertheless it does seem to carry out a lot better than the S1 Lite.

Regardless, the mix of the photo voltaic panel, no subscription charges, and low worth level makes this very interesting.

Moreover, with reductions, that is solely £10 greater than the S1 Lite, which I feel is nicely price it contemplating the improved battery life.

I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Keen about all issues know-how, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cellular, wearables, and good house units.

As a health fanatic who loves working and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related know-how, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My numerous pursuits permit me to convey a novel perspective to tech running a blog, merging way of life, health, and the newest tech traits.

In my educational pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Methods Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior examine additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the know-how curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has constantly ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many prime know-how blogs within the UK. With my dedication to know-how and drive to share my insights, I purpose to proceed offering my readers with participating and informative content material.

Final replace on 2025-08-13 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API