Amcrest 5MP POE Camera, Outdoor Vandal Dome Security POE IP Camera, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 2.8mm Lens, IP67, IK10 Resistance, MicroSD 256GB (Sold Separately), Cloud, NVR (IP5M-D1188EW-28MM)

I was looking for a camera to go alongside our Nest video doorbell 1st gen and was looking for a high quality camera with ONVIF support and a wide viewing angle, and since it would be low to the ground in an urban environment a tamper proof dome camera was generally the only option. This came up and I saw others’ photos and got two, both 20% off with a coupon (for a total of just under $100). If you get more than one, check around because I saw a “2-pack” for about $110 (at the time the coupon and buying two individual ones would be cheaper). After getting it installed I noticed just how awesome the camera really was. I did wish it was higher than 20 fps but it’s not gonna capture many action shots. I wound up using the other camera to mount it to a junction box with conduit on my roof 3 stories high, to replace a 2MP 1080p bullet camera and once again HUGE improvement and excellent quality. My only gripe, is the seemingly weird IR blowout. I’m not sure if it’s because of the way I angled the cameras within the dome, but the IR in both seems to reflect off the dome or something and back into the lens causing a slow fogging effect until the image is completely washed out and unusable. However the camera’s low light/ambient light performance is phenomenal and with some adjustments to its exposure and gamma you can change in the camera’s settings, it looks amazing still. It also has a substream at D1 resolution which I use for a live feed in our living room. The pricing doesn’t scream “I got some cheap cameras”, there is true value in these. Overall, I’d buy again if we are looking to upgrade some of our other cameras.

This camera was by far the easiest POE/IP camera I have setup to date. I would honestly say it was easier to setup and configure than it was to convince my wife to assist me with installing it on the back porch. That being said I did see 2 minor issues with the camera that could be a simple adjustment on my part or just a limitation of the camera itself. I test this camera out using a handful of different NVR and automation software's. Anything from Home Assistant & Zoneminder to the free to use excellent NVR software from Amcrest themselves. The motion tracking and zone configuration allowed for some pretty unique automations through Home Assistant, and the added ability to record locally on an SD card and the NVR software at the same time allows for redundancy. The image quality of this camera is leaps and bounds better than the Ring cameras I have setup that were triple the price of this one, even in low light the camera outperforms them. The only real issues that I ran into with the camera has to do with the IR LEDs on the camera. The LEDs are arranged in a circular pattern around the lens but when the camera is mounted to an eaves or a bracket that acts like an ceiling mount some of those LEDs are covered up by the housing of the camera. This doesn't affect the overall picture quality just makes the top part of the image a little darker than the rest due to those being covered. If the camera is wall mounted this isn't an issue since the lens would be pointing straight out from the body of the camera rather than out the edge of the camera. The other one is so minor it's funny, because this is a vandal proof camera the whole camera has a shell that slips over the lens to stop people from moving it, but it's a finger print magnet and makes the image a bit blurry until you find the spot. White gloves are definitely needed when placing this on after installation. Overall, I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone looking for excellent picture quality at a fraction of the cost of the competitors. Add in that it can be used with almost all NVR software (MotionEye has a bad delay) and this camera becomes the best bang for the buck that I have tested so far.

As part of my job as an IT System Administrator professional I have experience working with lots of technologies. When it came to installing a surveillance system on my home I knew exactly where to turn for my home. About a year ago I installed 6 of the Amcrest 5mp turret cameras. Fast forwarded to today and they are working great! I added the Amcrest 5mp dome camera which I am providing feedback for today. I found this version of the camera to be quite similar to the other Amcrest cameras I have, in fact it shows the same firmware version as my turret cameras. I really like how these newer cameras can show the live view in the web browser natively. I placed this new camera in my chicken coop in such a location to watch the egg boxes for the hens. I followed the instructions in the box and quickly was able to add it to the other cameras I have using the Amcrest ViewPro app. I would suggest that Amcrest includes a page in the manual on how to add a camera to an existing installation. The documentation included with the camera only had setup instructions for new installations. It would be great if part of the setup procedure also would set the system time on the camera. During the first week of testing the camera never checked in with a time server automatically and remained set to its default time reporting the year 2000. I had the camera up and running on the Amcrest ViewPro app within 5 minutes of opening the box. The camera has performed flawlessly for the time I have had it. I installed a 2gb SD card for local recording and I also use an installation of Milestone xprotect installed on a PC in my house for additional DVR functionality. Adding the camera using ONVIF was simple and straightforward. I really enjoy the quality of the image in low light. The sensor is REALLY good! I did find it curious that the torx driver included was for security torx fasteners; however the screws on the camera housing were standard torx and not security torx. Security torx screws would have been a nice addition and made this camera a little more tamper resistant.

Nice enough camera, good resolution to see my yard from the second floor. My only issue is the IR LEDs cannot be disabled under the current firmware from 3/20/22. Reverting to the previous version available on the Amcrest website solves the issue. In hindsight, from a second story if I was looking to capture passing cars I would choose an 8MP/4K camera. UPDATE AS OF 8/20 After a month of troubleshooting with support the firmware issue still has not been resolved with multiple days between responses. I'm going to return and buy something else. UPDATE AS OF 9/22 Same nonsense support issues, they actually closed the ticket on me since I didn't respond to their request of "I apologize for the inconvenience caused. I will check with the team and from you shortly."

I upgraded my video security system and chose the Amcrest 5MP POE Camera (MODEL: IP5M-D1188EWAI) after a extensive research. The combination of high-resolution video and POE (Power Over Ethernet) capability caught my attention, and it has proven to be very good. A good friend suggested them years a go. But now they are getting better and more affordable. I also have a older DVR using the old style cable and power. They work up to 8 MP, so do this NVR with the IP cameras. These are easier to install. Set up plug and play. The setup was a little tricky. But a call to tech support TONY helped me out I found the POE feature made it effortless to run a single cable for both power and data. Just a heads-up: a separate POE injector or switch is necessary, but that’s a minor investment for the benefits you gain. The camera’s intuitive design and pretty good instructions made mounting it easy, But if you have never done this before I would look at many videos first. and check out a friend or store cams, See how they are placed make out a map and see where to place them for the best view that will give you ideal recordings. So if you need to go back you have the targets caught on film. Also make sure your view is over lapping. that way you can follow and always have the target in sight. Using the camera is a seamless experience. The Amcrest Surveillance Pro software is user-friendly, and it connected to my PC in no time. It's also compatible with Blue Iris Professional, which I plan to explore. I opted for local storage on a MicroSD card (not included), but let’s not forget the available cloud storage and NAS options. The video quality is exceptional. The 5-megapixel resolution delivers sharp images during the day, and the night vision, with a range of 98 feet, performs reliably. The 103° viewing angle effectively covers a large area of my backyard, leaving no blind spots. The 8MP 4K are better but for the price these are very good. Durability is another standout feature; its IP67 weatherproof rating has held strong through several rainy days. Plus, the IK10 vandal resistance ensures it can withstand rough treatment. They are built very well and made of good material. Not cheap like others out there. The Amcrest 5MP POE Camera (IP5M-D1188EW AI) is an excellent addition to any home security system. I also bought some Amcrest bullet 5MP Cams and a Amcrest NVR, using the same vendor is better as they install almost like Plug & Play. to make it easy and made the install go well. Some times not all mixed match items may not be compatible.