Reolink Unveils Altas PT Ultra Announced With Impressive Features: Wire Free, 4K Pan-Tilt, and ColorX True Colour Night Vision

Reolink has announced the launch of its latest flagship product, the Altas PT Ultra. This new 4K UHD continuous recording battery camera was unveiled at IFA 2024, marking a substantial advancement in home security technology.

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Product Specifications

The Altas PT Ultra boasts an impressive array of features that set it apart in the competitive landscape of security cameras:

4K UHD Continuous Recording

At the heart of the Altas PT Ultra is its ability to capture footage in crystal-clear 4K 8MP resolution. This high-definition capability is paired with a robust 20,000mAh battery, which is twice the capacity of similar products in the market.

The camera’s endurance is noteworthy:

• It can provide 12 hours of continuous recording per day for up to 8 days on a single charge
• Users have the flexibility to customise recording schedules via the Reolink mobile app and desktop client

Advanced Night Vision

Reolink’s proprietary ColorX technology enhances the camera’s night-time performance:

• The camera captures colour footage even in low-light conditions
• It utilises a large F1.0 aperture lens and a 1/1.8″ sensor
• This combination allows it to capture four times more light than standard IR cameras
• Sharp details are revealed even in dim lighting without relying on spotlights or IR lights

Comprehensive Coverage

The Altas PT Ultra offers unparalleled control with its pan-tilt rotation capabilities:

• It provides a 360-degree blindspot-free view for all-around monitoring
• The camera supports on-board person, vehicle, and animal detection
• Users can receive notifications for specific motion events without requiring monthly subscriptions

Pre-Recording Functionality

The Altas PT Ultra introduces a pre-recording option, a first in the home battery camera sector:

• Utilising a new generation System-on-Chip (SoC)
• The camera can capture 10 seconds of footage before an event occurs
• This feature addresses the issue of PIR-triggered delays
• Pre-recorded video footage is incorporated into the recordings once the PIR motion sensor is triggered

Dual-Band WiFi and Auto Tracking

To enhance connectivity and monitoring capabilities, the Altas PT Ultra includes:

• Dual-band WiFi support
• Auto-tracking functionality

Local Storage

For users concerned about data privacy and storage options, the camera offers local storage capabilities.

Market Availability

The Altas PT Ultra is scheduled for release on 25 September 2024. It will be available in:

• Europe
• North America
• Australia

Comparison with Altas PT and Argus 4 Pro

To better understand the positioning of the Altas PT Ultra within Reolink’s product lineup, it’s worth comparing it to two other popular models: the Altas PT and the Argus 4 Pro.

Altas PT Ultra vs Altas PT

The Altas PT Ultra builds upon the foundation laid by the Altas PT, offering several key improvements:

Resolution and Image Quality:

• Altas PT Ultra: 4K (3840×2160) resolution
• Altas PT: 2K (2560×1440) resolution

The Ultra’s higher resolution allows for more detailed footage, potentially crucial for identifying individuals or reading license plates at a distance.

Night Vision:

• Altas PT Ultra: ColorX night vision with F1.0 aperture
• Altas PT: Standard colour night vision

The Ultra’s ColorX technology and larger aperture provide superior low-light performance, capturing more vivid and detailed night-time footage.

Battery Capacity:

• Altas PT Ultra: 20,000mAh
• Altas PT: 10,400mAh

The Ultra’s larger battery capacity allows for extended operation between charges, potentially doubling the time between recharges compared to the Altas PT.

Continuous Recording:

• Altas PT Ultra: Supports continuous recording
• Altas PT: Event-triggered recording only

This is a significant differentiator, as the Ultra can provide uninterrupted footage, while the Altas PT only records when motion is detected.

Pre-Recording:

• Altas PT Ultra: 10-second pre-recording feature
• Altas PT: No pre-recording

The Ultra’s pre-recording capability can capture crucial moments that might be missed with traditional motion-triggered cameras.

WiFi Connectivity:

• Altas PT Ultra: Dual-band WiFi (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
• Altas PT: 2.4GHz WiFi only

The Ultra’s dual-band support allows for more flexible and potentially faster network connections.

Altas PT Ultra vs Argus 4 Pro

The comparison with the Argus 4 Pro highlights the Ultra’s position as a premium offering:

Design and Mobility:

• Altas PT Ultra: Pan-tilt camera with 360° coverage
• Argus 4 Pro: Fixed-angle camera

The Ultra offers more comprehensive coverage, while the Argus 4 Pro is more compact and easier to place in discreet locations.

Resolution:

• Altas PT Ultra: 4K (3840×2160)
• Argus 4 Pro: 2K (2560×1440)

As with the Altas PT comparison, the Ultra provides higher resolution footage.

Night Vision:

• Altas PT Ultra: ColorX night vision with F1.0 aperture
• Argus 4 Pro: Colour night vision with spotlight

While both offer colour night vision, the Ultra’s ColorX technology may provide better results without the need for a spotlight, which can be less conspicuous.

Battery Life:

• Altas PT Ultra: 20,000mAh
• Argus 4 Pro: 6400mAh

The Ultra’s battery capacity is significantly larger, though the Argus 4 Pro’s lower power consumption may partially offset this difference.

Continuous Recording:

• Altas PT Ultra: Supports continuous recording
• Argus 4 Pro: Event-triggered recording only

As with the Altas PT, this is a key differentiator for the Ultra.

Smart Features:

• Both models offer person/vehicle detection and two-way audio

In terms of AI-powered detection, both cameras are on par, offering similar smart alerting capabilities.

Addressing Common Pain Points

The Altas PT Ultra appears to address several common issues faced by users of security cameras:

1. Image Quality: By offering 4K UHD resolution, the camera provides clearer and more detailed footage than many competitors.
2. Night Vision: The ColorX technology aims to solve the problem of poor night-time image quality, often a weakness in outdoor security cameras.
3. Battery Life: With its large 20,000mAh battery, the camera tackles the frequent complaint of short battery life in wireless security cameras.
4. Field of View: The 360-degree pan-tilt functionality expands the camera’s coverage area, potentially reducing the number of cameras needed for comprehensive surveillance.

Competitive Landscape

While Reolink has not provided direct comparisons to competitors’ products, the specifications of the Altas PT Ultra suggest it may outperform many existing options in the market. However, it’s worth noting that other major players in the smart home security space, such as Arlo, Ring, and Eufy, also offer high-end battery-powered cameras with similar features.

The continuous recording capability, in particular, sets the Altas PT Ultra apart from many battery-powered cameras that typically rely on event-based recording to conserve power.

Conclusion

The Reolink Altas PT Ultra is, without a doubt, an impressive surveillance camera. Reolink has kitted this out with almost every feature you could want from a battery-powered camera. But the big question is how will the battery perform with such a demanding feature set? Thankfully, the large battery should provide good performance regardless, but you will have to wait until later in the month for the full review.