Tapo C560WS 4K Wired Outdoor Pan/Tilt Camera

A wired pan-tilt camera with an Ethernet port

The Tapo C560WS is an outdoor 4K camera on a motorised pan-and-tilt head that runs from a 12V DC power adapter, not a battery. Tapo's datasheet gives the adapter as 100 to 240V input and 12V 1A output with a 3 metre cord, and lists a typical draw of 2.5 W and a maximum of 11.5 W.

It can join the network over Wi-Fi or through its 10/100 Ethernet port. The datasheet and Tapo's page both list RTSP and ONVIF support, alongside the Tapo app.

The datasheet and Tapo's page each carry a package list. The listing says a microSD card is sold separately, and Tapo's page says its H500 hub is not included, so neither form of local storage comes in the box.

Coverage: 360 degrees from a narrower mechanical range

Tapo's specification block gives a mechanical pan range of 326 degrees, which it says gives 360 degrees of pan coverage, and a mechanical tilt range of 53 degrees, giving 98 degrees of tilt coverage. The listing bullet quotes 360 degrees horizontal and 98 vertical and notes that the field of view is greater than the mechanical range.

The lens is a fixed 4 mm at F1.6 with 88 degrees horizontal, 45 vertical and 105 diagonal field of view on a 1/2.7 inch starlight CMOS sensor. Video is 3840 by 2160 at 25 frames per second in H.264, with 18x digital zoom.

The camera can follow a subject automatically, which Tapo calls 360 degree AI tracking, and the datasheet adds a patrol mode.

Detection and face recognition, processed on the camera

The datasheet lists motion, person, pet and vehicle detection, human face detection, line-crossing detection and camera tampering alerts, with activity zones that work with motion, person, pet and vehicle detection. Tapo's page lists person, pet and vehicle detection as free, and the datasheet says snapshot notifications need Tapo Care.

Facial recognition sorts faces into family, friends and strangers, and the datasheet describes selective alarms. Tapo says all facial data is processed locally without cloud uploads, and the datasheet says the app stores facial data locally. Tapo's page states that facial recognition is not available in Illinois and Texas.

Deterrence comes from two built-in spotlights and a siren rated at 99 dB measured at 10 centimetres, and both the alarm sound and spotlight brightness can be customised. Two-way audio is built in, per the datasheet.

Night view, storage and 24/7 recording

Night vision uses 850 nm infrared, which the datasheet rates to 30 metres, or 98 feet, and colour night vision from the starlight sensor and the spotlights. The listing describes three night modes: black and white infrared, full colour, and an auto mode that switches to colour when motion is detected.

Local storage is a microSD card of up to 512GB, bought separately. Cloud storage is Tapo Care, a subscription, with a 30-day free trial according to the datasheet. Tapo's page lists 24/7 continuous monitoring and notes that its H500 hub, not included, can hold a separately bought drive of up to 16TB.

The listing's Wi-Fi and weather labels disagree with Tapo

The listing's title ends with 2.4 GHz WiFi, but its own bullet, the datasheet and Tapo's page all describe dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi 6, listed as IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax. Tapo's page adds a footnote asking you to make sure the router is in range to use the 5GHz connection.

The listing's weather bullet says IP65, while its own table row, the datasheet and Tapo's page all say IP66. Tapo gives an operating range of minus 22 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 30 to 60 Celsius, at 10 to 90 percent humidity.

Size and weight also differ. The datasheet gives 5.8 by 2.94 by 6.2 inches and 453 grams, and Tapo's page gives 147.4 by 74.7 by 165.4 millimetres with the bracket. The listing says 8.27 by 6.3 by 5.71 inches and 12.3 ounces.

Mounting options and warranty

Tapo's page lists ceiling, wall and pole mounting, and says pole-mounting loops are required but not included. The datasheet also lists tabletop mounting. The smart-home list is Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa on Tapo's page, and the datasheet adds Samsung SmartThings.

TP-Link's US warranty table does not name models. Its row for Indoor/Outdoor Wired Cameras shows no period of its own, while the Security Cameras row shows one year, so the table does not settle the term for this camera. Ask TP-Link to confirm the C560WS warranty in writing.

TP-Link's terms say coverage starts on the delivery date of the original purchase, applies only to the original purchaser, needs proof of purchase and the serial number, and excludes used, open-box, refurbished and unauthorized-reseller units. It also says the limited warranty does not provide refunds, returns or exchanges under most conditions.