Swann OutbackCam 12MP Outdoor Photo & Video Camera

Introduction

Today I’m taking a break from my usual storage, network, and enterprise reviews to take a closer look at something completely different, the Swann OutbackCam. The OutbackCam is a rugged and portable HD video and 12 MP photo camera and recorder.

We’ve tested different surveillance cameras before, but the OutbackCam is quite different than the usual surveillance systems. As the name suggests, it is a camera designed for outdoor use. For this, it needs to be more durable and have its own built-in power source. And it is. The OutbackCam has a durable and water resistant casing as well as dual battery compartments. It is also able to work in extreme temperatures down to -20°C.

Swann equipped the OutbackCam with both day and night vision, and the later might be its biggest selling point. It can record in complete darkness with night vision up to 15 meters/ 50 feet. This ability is thanks to the 40 built-in infra-red LEDs in two groups. One of the groups can be disabled, allowing you to run it with just 19 IR LEDs when 40 provide too much illumination.

By default, the camera stamps the photos and video recordings with information such as the exact recording time with day, time, and moon phase. However, this can be turned off in the settings if you just want the images and video as they’re recorded.

The image sensor is a CMOS with an effective pixel count of 2560 by 1920 (5 Megapixels). It records colour pictures in day mode and black and white images at night, which kind of is logic. It has a 3.6mm lens that works with 0 lux lighting if the IR LEDs are turned on, and it features a viewing angle of 62 degrees.

The video features are quite nice too. It records in the AVI format for broad compatibility on playback devices, and it does so with up to 1920 x 1080 pixels. The video frame rate is specified at 15 fps, but 30 fps are possible too with 720p videos. Still pictures can be saved in 5, 8, or 12MP, it features multi-shot feature, record delay and time-limited video recording length.

You can equip the Swann OutbackCam with a 32GB SD card, and that should be plenty for thousands of photos and hundreds of videos. The recordings are also easily transferred to your system and uploaded to sites such as YouTube and Facebook this way. While some might want larger cards supported, it really isn’t needed. The OutbackCam runs on batteries and they will have to be replaced or recharged around the same time as the card would be full. The camera itself runs on 4x AA batteries and the included mounting bracket allows for another 4x AA batteries to be installed. That’s plenty, even for extended monitoring over several months with motion triggered recording.

The extra mounting bracket and battery compartment make the camera easy to set up. It can easily be mounted on trees, posts or flat surfaces in order to monitor farm or wild animals – or even capture unwanted behaviour such as trespassing, vandalism, and dumping trash.

Feature Highlights

• High definition 1080p
• Amazing high resolution 12 Megapixel camera
• Durable water resistant casing
• Powerful day & night vision up to 50ft/15m
• Wide angle view
• Convenient motion activated recording to SD Card
• Portable with battery power

Packaging and Accessories

The packaging will tell you everything you need to know before purchase. The front has all the specification highlights as well as a photo of the actual camera.

The sides and rear side have more information and the exact details of the hardware, from the sensor over IR LEDs to the package content.

Inside, besides the outdoor camera, are a bunch of notes. These include an instruction manual, conformity declarations and warranty information.

There’s also a USB connector cable and a tree mounting strap. The latter allows you to mount the camera on any tree or pole-like object for easy monitoring of the area.