COOAU solar camera owner praises battery life and 2K night video

I purchased two of these wireless solar security cameras for video security at a rental property. I am impressed with the quality of the camera and its IP66 rating. Be aware this camera only operates on 2.5GHZ WIFI band. This is not uncommon for wireless cameras and it actually increases the distance you can place the camera from the router. The Quick Start Guide is pretty good but you will have to read it carefully as a couple of the steps are a bit quirky. The setup using the downloaded app was not difficult but be aware that if you choose to use a micro SD memory card to store data you must insert the card first before turning the camera on for initial setup. Plug the camera charging cable which is provided in to a USB2 or USB3 adapter (not provided) and turn it on to start the setup through the mobile app. You are limited to 128GB maximum cards and I would recommend purchasing a new, well known brand name ( Sandisk, Samsung, PNY etc.) to save yourself from potential incompatibility issues. They are relatively inexpensive. The camera will ask for permission to format the new SD card for FAT32 during the initial setup. Agree and let it do its thing. Because the C5 camera has an attached fixed angle solar charging panel, placement is important to be sure you get enough light to keep the onboard battery charged as well as getting the optimal viewing area for your needs. Placement is also critical for getting adequate WIFI signal from your router. COOAU recommends at least 85% WIFI signal strength to the camera and you can get a pretty good idea of what signal strength you are getting at the camera within the mobile app. The camera had to be moved around the area a few times to find the sweet spot with consistent 4 to 5 bar signal level for my application. Take your time with this step because sometimes repositioning the device just a few feet in any direction can drastically change the WIFI signal strength If you have many devices sharing the WIFI signal on your network or if your router is far from the camera location you may want to consider a separate dedicated router or WIFI booster placed closer to your camera(s). Newer Low E glass windows and doors have a coating which can interfere with WIFI and cellular signal to any WIFI device or cell phone so keep that in mind as well when figuring out your camera location to get the optimal connectivity. There is a learning curve to using the mobile app to control the camera and view files. It's not the most intuitive app and there will be some trial and error when setting up your alert and notification parameters. Not a great deal of detail in the User Guide for how to use the app but once you get the hang of it it's pretty easy to use. Although I have not needed to contact customer support for assistance the manufacturer says they will respond quickly to inquiries and requests for tech help. The basic mobile app has free six second video clips and an alert notification is sent when you have motion detection set up. There are optional cloud video storage and advanced video and alert packages available and the cost seems reasonable if that's the route you choose to go. The battery life is exceptional so far and the new generation solar charging panel works very well to keep the battery charged even on cloudy days. The 2K camera resolution is very good even at night. There are multiple adjustable sensitivity levels which may need some tweeking to get the best setting for you. There is an Automatic function which can be selected to let the camera learn and adjust to the area being viewed. This works well when there is the possibility of high traffic at various times to keep from getting too many alert notifications. There is a two way speaker and a alarm horn which can be turned on or off as desired. I am able to monitor the cameras from anywhere using the mobile app. This is a very good outdoor security camera choice at a very reasonable price. I will buy additional ones for other remote locations