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). That means, walk down almost any street in the country and you are probably being captured by at least one security camera, whether that is a dashcam, doorbell camera or CCTV camera. When I was growing up it was only businesses that really had any kind of security camera but unfortunately, in the times that we live in, it is necessary for us to now have them in and outside of our homes as part of our standard home security measures. And cameras are getting much smarter, more affordable for the masses and are now coming without any wires, so easier to install, cameras such as the ANRAN C3 Pro 2K 3MP Security Camera that uses an integrated solar panel and rechargeable battery to power it.
Installing a security camera to your home has never been simpler or more affordable. We have used several types of external camera and have always had the same issue with them, the power cable never seems to be quite long enough for where we want the camera and where the nearest power socket is. And then you generally need to drill through the wall, door or window frame to get to the power socket (unless you are lucky enough to have an external waterproof socket).
The ANRAN C3 Pro Solar Powered Battery Security Camera removes the problem of trying to find a suitable power socket or the need to drill holes through your house. You will still need a drill to mount the camera to the wall, but this is just for the screws. The ANRAN C3 Pro is fitted with its own solar panel which charges the internal battery. It is a truly wireless security camera and so easy to install and set up.
The C3 Pro is wireless security camera that works on 2.4Gh Wi-Fi (does not support 5G). It is a 3MP camera with crisp and clear 2K high-definition image quality, day or night. It features Smart PIR Human Detection with a more sensitive and accurate PIR sensor. It is even compatible with Alexa.
In the box:
- 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)
- 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 Battery Security Camera is a truly wireless solar powered 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 device – not only as a visible deterrent but for capturing high quality recordings in the event that video footage is required. It has a simple, no wiring and hassle-free installation. And as it is an external camera, it is waterproof – perfect for the British weather!
Out of the box, the first thing to do is to charge the camera. 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, download the free ANRAN app. Once the camera is charged, you will need to have a think about where you want to position the camera – it needs to be somewhere where the solar panel isn’t blocked and also gets a good Wi-Fi signal (it requires a strong signal of about 85%). Before attaching to the wall, decide on your 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).
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. 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.
With the camera mounted 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). Just follow the simple instructions in the app to complete installation. It really is simple and doesn’t take long to install and set up.
With the camera now installed and recording, you need to decide where to save captured recordings. You have the choice of storing recordings on a microSD card or to cloud storage.
- MicroSD Card Storage: If using a microSD card you will need to purchase one separately (one is not supplied). It 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 cost of the card. With local card storage, you can easily assess the recording from with 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 it is £3.69 per month). Cloud storage has a 30 days storage cycle, no time limits on recordings and playback control.
With the camera now fitted onto the wall, monitoring your property 24/7, configured the way you want it, 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. 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.
Whilst you may not need to interact with the camera much if just using it as a security recording device, the C3 Pro camera has a lot more functionality than that. It is equipped with motion detection so that it will detect anybody coming into its field of vision – day or night. When the sun goes down and the darkness starts to rise, and people think that they are protected with the cloak of night, when a human is detected on camera, 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 the 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).
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 a system to tell visitors such as couriers where to leave a parcel when you are out – all from your phone or camera (as long as you are connected to the internet).
Just because it is your camera and installed on your phone doesn’t mean that you and you alone can monitor it – you might have other family members that need to. You can share access to the camera with multiple users so that friends and family can monitor the camera as well, particularly useful if you can’t always use your phone (at work or on holiday for example).
Overall, I think that the ANRAN C3 Pro Security Camera is an excellent feature packed external home security camera. Whilst packed with features, my favourite function has to be that it is solar powered, requiring no power cables going through the wall. I love that it is charged throughout the day, giving it enough power to work overnight and that you can easily charge it using a power bank or portable charger when the sunlight is poor (although it only needs a couple of hours direct sunlight to charge it). And as it is an external camera, it is also waterproof. The quality of the 2K recordings is fantastic; clear, sharp and detailed.
Because it has its own rechargeable battery that is powered from the solar polar on top of the camera, in the event of a power cut, the camera still works (only recording to an SD card as no power in your home equals no internet connection). 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.
The quality of the images during daylight hours is excellent, clear and crisp, even in low-light conditions, as are the night time images in colour night vision. With 2K high definition images, captured images are very clear and people identifiable.
I think that this is a fantastic little camera. It is very easy to install and get up and running with the only drilling required is screw holes to mount it to the wall. No cables need to go through the wall, you are not limited to where you can place it due to the closest power sockets, all you need is a reliable internet connection. With high-quality recording and features it is a perfect home security camera. It works fast and seamlessly. It is easy to set up, use and monitor and the notifications are fast, especially when away from home. Whilst it isn’t a very large camera, its size does make it a great visual deterrent and 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 and recording high-quality images that are very clear and easy to view, giving you peace of mind. 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 very bright spotlights (you can even set how long they stay on for when activated – by default it is 10 seconds).
This is a great camera for anyone that wants affordable smart home monitoring and one that is easy to use. Its embedded solar power gives it continuous power (and saves on electric).
If you are looking for a home security camera to monitor outside the house, deter 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 the cover where the power button, reset button and SD card are situated a screw in cover – 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, easy to set up and use home security camera. It would make a superb addition to your home security measures and won’t even run up your electric bill.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £101.44
For more information or to buy direct, visit anransec.com.
More ANRAN products check here: https://anransec.com/pages/flash-deals
