Security camera guide
Tapo C615F KIT 2K Solar Floodlight Pan/Tilt Camera
An outdoor wall, eave or pole with no outlet, where one camera must both light and cover the area
The Tapo C615F KIT combines a 2K pan-tilt camera, an 800-lumen dimmable floodlight and a Tapo A201 solar panel. Tapo claims 140 days per charge based on 300 seconds of use a day, and 45 minutes of sun for a full day under test conditions. It needs 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, records to a microSD card of up to 512GB without a plan, and Tapo rates it IP65.
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Published specifications
- Maker: 2304x1296 at up to 20 fps, H.264; 84 deg H, 100 deg diagonal
- Maker: pan 338 deg mechanical (360 coverage), tilt 97 deg (141 coverage)
- Maker: 800 lumen dimmable floodlight, 4000K; siren 91.5 or 97 dB by source
- Maker: A201 panel 2.5 W max; charges only at 32F to 113F; adapter not included
- Maker: 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n only; microSD up to 512GB; Tapo Care optional
- Maker: IP65 camera and panel; -4F to 113F; camera 682 g
Fit and limits
Strengths
- Floodlight, pan-tilt camera and solar panel in one wire-free kit
- Local microSD recording and person, pet and vehicle alerts need no plan
- Tapo publishes the test conditions behind its battery and solar claims
Caveats
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only; there is no 5GHz option
- 140-day battery figure assumes only 300 seconds of use per day
- Zoom, siren and security figures differ between Tapo's own documents
Floodlight, pan-tilt camera and solar panel in one kit
The Tapo C615F KIT is a battery-powered 2K camera on a pan-and-tilt head with a built-in 800-lumen floodlight, sold with a Tapo A201 solar panel. Tapo's page says the camera and panel can be combined into one unit or separated on a cable, and the datasheet says one solar panel can connect to only one camera.
The datasheet and Tapo's page each carry a package list. A microSD card is not included, and Tapo's page says the 5V 2A USB-C power adapter is not included either. The datasheet lists a 0.5 metre USB cable and a 3.8 metre solar extension cable.
The floodlight is dimmable, can switch on with motion or be controlled manually, and its angle is adjustable; Tapo's page gives the floodlight's adjustment as 240 degrees horizontal and 10 degrees vertical, and its colour temperature as 4000K.
Battery and solar claims, with Tapo's conditions
Tapo says the battery lasts up to 140 days, and the listing gives that figure for use without solar charging. Its footnote says that figure comes from Tapo laboratory tests with 300 seconds of use per day, that more use reduces battery life, and that actual life varies with settings, usage, router and environment. The listing gives a 10,400mAh battery, a figure neither Tapo document states.
Tapo also says 45 minutes of direct sunlight powers the camera for a full day. The datasheet sets the conditions: standard test sunlight of 1000 W per square metre at 25 degrees Celsius, and up to 100 triggered events a day. The panel charges at up to 2.5 W and 5.2 V, and the datasheet says charging power varies.
Charging works only between 32 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit, according to both Tapo documents, and the listing repeats that solar charging requires temperatures above 32 degrees. The panel cable is 3.8 metres, or 149.61 inches, in the datasheet, while Tapo's page describes 13-foot cables.
Coverage and picture
Both Tapo documents give a mechanical pan range of 338 degrees, for 360 degrees of pan coverage, and a mechanical tilt range of 97 degrees, for 141 degrees of tilt coverage. The listing and Tapo's feature panel instead say 130 degrees of vertical view. Tapo's page adds that the number of automatic 360 degree scans and recordings is limited per day.
The sensor is a 1/2.8 inch CMOS behind a 4 mm F1.6 lens with about 84 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees diagonal view. Video is 2304 by 1296, which Tapo calls 2K 3MP, at up to 20 frames per second in H.264.
Digital zoom is given as 10.8x in the datasheet and 12x on Tapo's page. Night vision uses two 850 nm infrared LEDs rated to 32.8 feet, or 10 metres, and the camera has two spotlights alongside the floodlight.
Detection, siren and storage
The listing says person, pet and vehicle detection need no subscription, and the Tapo documents list activity zones and 360 degree AI tracking. Tapo's page lists a single motion sensor with a 100 degree horizontal field of view. The listing gives an AI detection range of up to 60 feet and a PIR range of 80 feet; neither Tapo document gives a detection distance.
The siren is rated at 91.5 dBA at 10 centimetres in the datasheet and 97 dB at the same distance on Tapo's page. The datasheet lists a custom sound and light alarm, and two-way audio.
Local storage is a microSD card of up to 512GB, bought separately, and the datasheet says it can be password-locked in the app. Tapo Care is the subscription cloud option, which also adds snapshot and clip notifications. The listing's 24/7 capture takes still images at 1 to 60 second intervals and needs a card or a hard drive in Tapo's H500 hub, sold separately.
2.4GHz Wi-Fi only, and the weather rating
Both Tapo documents list IEEE 802.11b/g/n on 2.4GHz only, and the listing says 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi is required. The datasheet lists WPA, WPA2-PSK and WPA3-PSK security, while Tapo's page lists WPA and WPA2-PSK. Smart-home support is Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Tapo rates both the camera and the solar panel IP65, with an operating range of minus 4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20 to 45 Celsius, at 10 to 90 percent humidity. The camera measures 5.23 by 3.22 by 6.34 inches and weighs 682 grams, and the panel 144 grams.
Mounting lists differ slightly. The datasheet gives wall, eave or pole mounting, and Tapo's page gives ceiling, wall or pole; both say pole-mounting loops are required but not included.
Warranty terms from TP-Link
TP-Link's US warranty table lists one year for Security Cameras, one year for Smart Flood Lights and one year for the Solar Charging Panel for battery-powered cameras. The table does not name individual models, so ask TP-Link to confirm the C615F KIT's term and keep the receipt.
TP-Link's terms say coverage starts on the delivery date of the original purchase and applies only to the original purchaser, with proof of purchase and the serial number required. Used, as-is, open-box and refurbished units, and products from unauthorized resellers, are excluded in most cases.
TP-Link also says its limited warranty does not provide refunds, returns or exchanges under most conditions, so check the seller on the listing and its own return terms before ordering.
Check the current listing
Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Primary sources
- Tapo product page for the C615F KIT, with the Specifications block
- Tapo C615F KIT datasheet supplied with the listing
- TP-Link US Replacement and Warranty policy
Primary sources checked .
Compare with
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Side-by-side pages, this model next to: Tapo C660 KIT 4K Pan/Tilt Camera with Solar Panel.