Smile, you’re on camera! Well, you are quite a few times every day going down most streets in the UK today. Why? Because the UK is in the top 5 when it comes to countries that have the most surveillance cameras, with over 5 million, or 7.5 per 100 people (with London hitting the number 3 spot on the most surveilled cities in the world). You really can’t go anywhere without being picked up by CCTV camera, home security cameras, dashcams and video doorbells. With domestic burglaries in the hundreds of thousands (over 500 per day) in England and Wales, unfortunately more and more homes are resorting to installing security cameras as part of their home security measures – inside and out of their homes, so burglars, parcel thieves, vandals and anyone else that is up to no good, beware and smile for the camera. And home security cameras are getting much smarter, much easier to install, budget-friendlier prices and can be viewed anywhere from your phone! Cameras such as the ANRAN C3 Pro 2K 3MP Solar Powered Security Camera that features an integrated solar panel and rechargeable battery to keep it powered.
In the past, installing an external security camera could be a pain. Mounting it to the wall wasn’t necessarily a problem, it’s just a matter of drilling a few screw holes, popping in some rawl plugs and screwing the camera to the wall. The problem arises when having to power the camera, as it generally meant drilling through the wall, door or window frame to bring the power cable from the outside to the nearest mains outlet inside. And then the cable would have to tacked and tidied on the wall whilst blending in with your home décor or even hidden as best as possible. Not with the ANRAN C3 Pro as it is a truly wireless solar powered, battery operated security camera. Whilst you still need to drill a few holes to be able to screw it to an external wall or wooden fascia etc., no more drilling through walls, no more looking for a suitable power outlet and no cabling to hide or tidy out of the way. The ANRAN C3 Pro is fitted with its own integrated solar panel which charges the internal battery. It is a truly wireless security camera and is so easy to install, configure and use.
The ANRAN C3 Pro is a wireless security camera that works on a 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi signal (it does not support 5G). It is a 3MP (2048 x 1536 resolution) camera with crisp and clear 2K high-definition image quality, whether it is day or night. Featuring Smart PIR Human Detection, with a more sensitive and accurate PIR sensor, a siren, two-way audio and LED floodlights. It is even compatible with Alexa and Hey Google.
In the box:
- ANRAN C3 Pro Security Camera with Integrated Solar Panel
- 1 Metre USB-C Cable (for charging using a power bank)
- Pack of Wall Fixtures (screw and rawl plugs)
- Positioning Wall Sticker (for drilling mounting holes)
- Manual
Features:
- 2K HD Resolution (3MP with 2048 x 1536 resolution)
- 3.6mm Lens
- 10M Day and Night Vision
- IP65 Rated (Dust and Waterproof)
- Embedded Solar Panel
- Rechargeable Battery
- Motion Detection and Alarm Tone Function
- 2.4ghz Wi-Fi Connection
- Infrared Night Vision
- Colour Night Vision
- 4x Digital Zoom
- PIR Humanoid Detection
- Two-Way Audio
- 2 600 Lumens Bright LED Spotlights
- 90dB Siren
- Supports up to 128GB MicroSD Card
- Cloud Storage (Optional)
The ANRAN C3 Pro Solar Powered Security Camera is a truly wireless external security camera with 2 powerful super-bright 600 lumens LED spotlights. It features motion detection and colour night vision capabilities as well as two-way audio. With human detection, loud 90dB siren and HD recording it is an excellent home security camera. A fantastic visible deterrent and superb at capturing high quality recordings in the event that video footage is required, whether that is in the event of a break-in, vandalism, parcel theft from your doorstep or just recording the nocturnal activity of the night-time wildlife. It has a simple, no wiring and hassle-free installation. And yes, with all rain we get it is waterproof – perfect for the British weather all year round!
Anyway, the first thing to do is to charge the camera. Whilst it is solar powered, the initial charge can be done via USB. A USB-C cable is supplied so that you can plug it into a power bank or wall charger. Whilst waiting for it to charge, take the time to download the free ANRAN app that lets you control the camera and view the captured recordings and live view. The camera will take several hours to charge. Whilst the camera is charging, you will need to decide on the best place to position it – it needs to be somewhere where the solar panel isn’t blocked and can pick up the sun’s solar rays and somewhere where it also receives a good Wi-Fi signal (it requires a strong signal of about 85%). Before grabbing your drill and mounting the camera on the wall, decide on your installation spot and go through the app where it will tell you if the signal is strong enough. You also need the best spot for the solar panel, somewhere where it can get direct sunlight – ideally it should be south facing. Once the best location is decided, installation is a quick and simple task by using the sticker to help you position the holes for the screws before drilling them (you will need a 6mm drill bit).
PLEASE NOTE: There are rules in the UK about CCTV camera placement, essentially the camera should only be recording your own property and not into the street or neighbour’s gardens etc. where possible. You should also display a notice to say that recording is in progress. You can find about more about the rules from the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) here or the government guidance on domestic use of CCTV here.
Now that you have found the best spot for the camera and fixed it to the wall, you can power on the camera (there is a power button under a rubber waterproof cap on the base of the camera). Then open the app and follow the simple instructions to complete installation. It really is simple and doesn’t take long to install and set up.
With the camera up and running, you still have some choices to make, such as where to store captured recordings. The camera has the choice of storing recordings on a MicroSD card (you will need to purchase one if you don’t already have one, it isn’t supplied with one) or you can store to the Cloud (there will be a small monthly subscription fee for this).
- MicroSD Card Storage: can support from 8GB to 128GB. The card slots in under the camera by the power button and is covered by a waterproof rubber cover. With the microSD card there is no charge apart from the additional cost of the card. With local card storage, you can easily assess the recording from within the app. Storage space is limited to the capacity of the card before it starts to overwrite.
- Cloud-based Storage: If you decide to use cloud-based storage so that recordings are stored online and accessible from anywhere, there is a small monthly fee to use (at the time of writing this is £3.69 per month). Cloud storage has a 30 days storage cycle, no time limits on recordings and playback control.
With storage decided, the camera is now monitoring your property 24/7 and storing recordings from captured events. You might want to familiarise yourself with the app and make some tweaks to configured the camera the way that you want it, but using the camera is very easy. For the most part, you can just leave it to do its job, silently monitoring the exterior of your home and garden without the need to really interact with it unless your receive a notification or there is a problem. When an event is captured, you will get alerts sent to your phone if anyone comes into range of the camera, and you will be able to review the footage on your phone. You can view real-time footage on your phone or tablet as well.
The ANRAN C3 Pro security camera has a lot more functionality than just monitoring and recording. It is equipped with motion detection so that it will detect anybody coming into its field of vision – day or night. The camera can be set for human detection (which stops unwanted notifications every time the neighbour’s cat comes into view). When a human is detected by the camera lens, the camera will start recording and send a notification to your phone. At night, if a human form is detected, the super-bright LED spotlights will activate and light up the immediate area – illuminating and capturing perfect recordings of your night-time visitor. It also features a 90dB loud siren that activates (if you enable it) if it detects a person in its view. You can enable/disable motion detection and change sensitivity levels (you don’t want it going off each time that same cat walks past) and you can set customised humanoid alarm areas (so that it only records people in that area, not someone visiting the neighbour next door).
The ANRAN C3 Pro camera works day or night in three modes. It captures perfect images during daylight hours, but the night time recordings are just as good. The camera has night vision, which captures perfect clearly visible images in the dead of night (monochrome infrared images) but once the LED spotlights are activated by any motion, the lit up area is recorded in full colour, even on the darkest of nights.
Another excellent function is the two-way audio. If someone is detected on the camera you can listen in to their conversation and even talk back to them, alerting them that you are watching, telling them to get off your property or that you have called the police. It can also be used as an intercom system to tell visitors such as the postie or other couriers where to leave a parcel when you are away from home or can’t get to the door – all from your phone or tablet (as long as you are connected to the internet).
This camera is controlled and viewed by the app, but that doesn’t mean that only the person who installed the camera and app has access to it, you can share it with multiple users; other family members or even friends so that they can monitor it in your absence (you might be on holiday or not allowed to use your phone at work).
Overall, I think that the ANRAN C3 Pro Security Camera is an excellent feature packed external home security camera. It is a bit larger than some other external cameras, but this is to allow for the battery and solar panel to give it power and excellent standby time. Packed with features, my favourite feature has to be that it is solar powered, I love that it requires no cables going through the wall. The battery is charged throughout the day, giving it enough power to work overnight and you can easily charge it using a power bank or portable charger when the sunlight is poor (although it only needs a few of hours direct sunlight to charge it). And as it is an external camera, it is also waterproof, which is perfect for the British weather – especially with all the rain we are having here in Manchester. The quality of the 2K recordings is fantastic; crisp and clear, sharp and detailed – even at night.
I love that the ANRAN C3 Pro is solar powered and has to cables, but I also love that because it has its own solar panel that recharges its internal battery, in the event of a power cut, the camera still works (only recording to an SD card as no power in your home means no internet connection for cloud storage). Whilst you won’t be able to receive alerts or view in real-time in a power cut, once the power and internet connection are restored you can review any alerts / recorded footage from the app on your phone.
But the best part has to be the quality of the images. During daylight hours they are excellent; clear and crisp, even in low-light conditions. But the night time images are just as impressive, if not more – both in monochrome infrared night vision and full colour night vision. With 2K high definition images, captured images are very clear and people identifiable.
I think that this is a superb external security camera. It is so easy to install, configure and use. With no cables going through the wall, you are not limited to where you can place it due to the length of a power cable and the closest power socket, all you need is a strong, reliable internet connection and sunlight. With high-quality recording and features it is a perfect home security camera. It works fast and seamlessly. It is very easy to monitor in real-time and the notifications are fast, especially when away from home, allowing you to instantly check what is going on. Whilst it isn’t the smallest of cameras, is also isn’t the largest, and its size does make it a great visual deterrent. The LED spotlights are an excellent addition, lighting up the area around it very brightly.
I love the ANRAN C3 Pro security camera. It is excellent at monitoring the outside of the home, whether that your garden area or viewing your front or back door, and the high-quality images that it records are very clear and easy to view, giving you peace of mind and added home protection. I love that it sends instant notifications to my phone and tablet. The two-way audio is perfect, and the siren is loud enough to scare off intruders, especially when coupled with the super-bright LED spotlights (you can even set how long they stay on for when activated – by default it is 10 seconds).
This is a superb camera for anyone that wants affordable smart home monitoring that is easy to install and easier to use. Its embedded solar panel and rechargeable battery gives it continuous power (and saves on electric).
If you are looking for a home security camera to monitor the outside of your home, one that lets you view and talk to visitors even when you are not there, or just as a visual deterrent to discourage intruders and give you a bit more peace of mind, then you can’t go wrong with the ANRAN C3 Pro. If I had to make any improvements it I would have a screw down cover where the power button, reset button and SD card are situated – as it is just a pull-down rubber cap it can be accessed quite easily if not too high up and powered off or the SD card removed. A cover that screwed on would just to make access that bit more secure.
The ANRAN C3 Pro Solar Powered Security Camera is an excellent, feature packed home security camera. It is easy to set up and use and is very budget-friendly. It would make a superb addition to your home security measures and won’t even run up your electric bill.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £39.99
For more information or to buy direct, visit anransec.com. Also available to buy from Amazon here.