Can someone explain the logic behind these gadgets? Motion-activated floodlights have been around for over 30 years. They’re inexpensive, reliable, and a good one can last a very long time—some even come with replaceable bulbs. So why are people buying Ring cameras with built-in floodlights instead of just installing a separate motion-activated floodlight above the camera?
Let’s break it down:
Ring Floodlight Cam Plus Plug-In: $220
Ring Stick Up Cam ($99) + Any motion flood from your department store ($80 at MOST) = $180
That’s $40 less for a setup that does the same thing—and gives you more flexibility. And let’s not forget, that Ring cam is only 1080p. When 4K or 8K becomes the standard, you’re going to want to upgrade, and you’ll end up paying a premium for the floodlights all over again. An LED light goes out? You have to replace the entire unit.
So why are people paying a premium for these all-in-one solutions when the camera will likely need to be replaced within a decade? It just doesn’t add up.
Probably because the light and camera are powered by a single, wired source, which eliminates the need for additional electrical work to add power runs.
Exactly. For instance, the Reolink Duo Floodlight PoE ($160) offers a 4K, 180-degree, dual-lens camera feed, along with a powerful 1800 Lumen floodlight, all powered by a single Ethernet cable. With just one cable to run, one penetration in your house, and one device to install, it’s a much simpler and more efficient setup.
Absolutely. Reolink offers good prices, no subscription fees, and great customer service. I personally have a Reolink PoE NVR setup with six cameras wired to their 8-channel NVR. I even have an older Reolink WiFi camera that records wirelessly to the same NVR. The Reolink subreddit is also a great resource, with knowledgeable fans who are always willing to help with any questions or issues.
Ring operates on a subscription-based model, meaning the only way to fully utilize your hardware is by subscribing to their service.
Moreover, if someone uses a Wi-Fi jammer, they can easily disrupt Ring cameras, leaving no evidence behind. This is because Ring cameras rely solely on cloud storage and lack any internal storage, making them vulnerable in such scenarios.
I personally use Reolink, and they offer both Wi-Fi and PoE (wired/powered using an Ethernet cable) cameras. They also have bundles that include cameras and a recorder, but it’s important to note that those specific cameras can only be used with a Reolink recorder.
However, the cameras you buy separately can operate standalone.
For me, my house already had a circular floodlight box built into it, so it was easier to just use that with a camera/floodlight combo instead of running power for a separate camera.
I see it as more than that. I see it as saving several hundred. You are likely to replace the camera and floods every time, when you could just be replacing the camera.
I prefer this setup because my floodlight is smart and only turns on when a person is detected by my cameras, rather than being triggered by every random vehicle or wild animal. I can even choose which of my cameras trigger the floodlight. Currently, I have the two cameras on the back of my house and the two on each side set to trigger the floodlight that lights up my entire backyard.