Is Your Reolink Person Detection Crying Wolf?
Reolink's smart person and vehicle detection is a game-changing feature that promises to eliminate the flood of irrelevant motion alerts that older security cameras were known for. However, when the AI gets it wrong—sending you a "person detected" alert for a swaying bush or, worse, failing to detect an actual person—it can be incredibly frustrating.
If you're dealing with inaccurate person detection from your Reolink camera, don't worry. The problem can almost always be solved by fine-tuning the camera's powerful settings and optimising its placement. This guide will walk you through the steps to dramatically improve its accuracy.
The Core of the Problem: Sensitivity and Environment
Inaccurate detections are usually a combination of two factors:
- Environmental Noise: Your camera sees everything, including shifting shadows, rustling leaves, rain, and headlights from passing cars. Complex or "busy" scenes can sometimes confuse the AI.
- Detection Settings: The camera's settings for sensitivity and object size might not be properly calibrated for its specific location and view.
By addressing both of these factors, we can teach your camera to be much more discerning.
Step-by-Step Guide to Accurate Person Detection
All of the following settings can be found in the Reolink app by selecting your camera and going to Device Settings > Detection Alarm.
### Step 1: Adjust Smart Detection Sensitivity
Reolink allows you to set sensitivity levels for different types of objects independently. This is your most powerful tool.
- Under the Detection Alarm settings, find the Sensitivity section.
- Tap on Smart Detection. You will see separate sliders for Person, Vehicle, and Pet (on supported models).
- If you are getting false alerts for people, lower the 'Person' sensitivity slider. Don't make drastic changes. Lower it by 5-10 points, then test for a day.
- If your camera is missing people, you would do the opposite and increase the sensitivity.
### Step 2: Configure Object Size
This is a brilliant and often-overlooked feature. It allows you to tell the camera to ignore anything that doesn't meet a minimum or maximum size criteria, effectively filtering out small animals or insects.
- In the Detection Alarm settings, find and tap on Object Size.
- Tap the Person tab.
- You will be shown the camera's view with two frames: one for Maximum Size and one for Minimum Size.
- Adjust the Minimum Size box so that it is slightly smaller than how a person would appear at the furthest point you want them to be detected. This will stop things like squirrels or falling leaves from triggering an alert.
- Adjust the Maximum Size box to be slightly larger than a person standing right in front of the camera.
- Tap the save icon. This is extremely effective at reducing false positives.
### Step 3: Optimise Camera Placement and Angle
The AI works best when it has a clear view of a person's shape.
- Ideal Height: Mount the camera 2-3 metres (7-10 feet) from the ground.
- Angling: Angle the camera slightly downwards. A camera pointing straight out at the horizon can be confused by distant movement, while one pointing straight down may only see the top of a person's head. The goal is to capture the full body of a person as they move through the scene.
- Firmware Updates: Always ensure your camera's firmware is up to date. Reolink frequently releases updates that include improvements to their detection algorithms. Check for this in Device Settings > Device Info.
By taking the time to carefully calibrate these settings, you can turn your Reolink camera's smart detection into an incredibly reliable and accurate security tool.