TP-Link VIGI C345 (2.8mm) 4MP Full-Color Outdoor Bullet IP Camera, PoE/12V DC, True WDR 120dB, IR 30m + White Light 30m, Human & Vehicle Analytics, Two-Way Audio, microSD 512GB, H.265+, IP67, Metal Housing

The TP-Link VIGI C345 (2.8mm) is a professional outdoor bullet network camera designed for business and commercial surveillance where reliable image clarity, intelligent event detection, and practical on-site deterrence matter. Built as part of TP-Link’s VIGI professional surveillance system, this camera is engineered for 24/7 monitoring of storefront exteriors, entrances, parking areas, warehouses, perimeters, loading zones, and outdoor walkways. It combines high-resolution video, full-color-ready nighttime capability using dual illumination, strong dynamic range handling, and advanced people/vehicle-focused analytics for more actionable security workflows.

At the imaging core, the VIGI C345 uses a 1/2.7-inch progressive scan CMOS image sensor. It supports very low-light performance (minimum illumination 0.005 lux) and can operate at 0 lux when IR or white light illumination is enabled. The camera supports a shutter speed range from 1/3 to 1/10000 seconds and includes slow shutter support, giving installers additional flexibility when balancing brightness and motion clarity in challenging outdoor lighting conditions. Day/night operation is handled by an IR cut filter, and switching can be configured as unified, scheduled, or automatic based on the site’s lighting patterns and business hours.

This specific version uses a fixed 2.8mm focal length lens with a bright F1.6 aperture. The 2.8mm option is designed for wide-area coverage, making it suitable for entrance zones, storefront approaches, open outdoor spaces, and general perimeter monitoring where you want more scene coverage per camera. The field of view for the 2.8mm lens is listed as 100° horizontal, 54° vertical, and 118° diagonal. For planning guidance, DORI distance values are also provided for the 2.8mm lens: Detect 64m, Observe 27m, Recognize 13m, and Identify 6m. These values are commonly used during surveillance planning to estimate how far a camera can detect presence versus support recognition/identification tasks; actual performance depends on mounting height, angle, scene complexity, and lighting.

A standout capability of the VIGI C345 is its dual-illuminator design for night monitoring and color-friendly visibility. The camera includes two IR LEDs (850nm) with an IR range up to 30 meters, plus two white LEDs with a white-light range up to 30 meters. This dual system allows flexible behavior: IR can be used for discreet black-and-white night monitoring, while white light can be used to illuminate scenes to support color visibility and stronger deterrence. Illuminator behavior can be configured with Auto, Scheduled, Always on, or Always off control, allowing you to align lighting to policy and operating hours. This flexibility is useful for businesses that want a bright, visible camera presence after hours or prefer more discreet monitoring during operating times.

For video recording quality, the VIGI C345 supports a maximum resolution of 2688 × 1520. It also supports multiple other recording resolutions including 2560 × 1440, 2304 × 1296, 2048 × 1280, 1920 × 1080, and 1280 × 720, allowing the system to be tuned for the right balance of detail and storage. Frame rates are supported up to 30 fps (60Hz) depending on configuration. A practical note is that when image rotation is set to 90° or 270°, the frame rate is supported up to 20 fps. This helps set realistic expectations for projects that require rotated viewing due to mounting orientation.

To reduce storage and bandwidth usage while maintaining image clarity, the camera supports modern compression formats. The main stream supports H.265, H.265+, H.264, and H.264+, while the sub-stream supports H.265 and H.264. H.265+ can help lower storage costs for continuous recording and multi-camera deployments, especially when paired with sensible bit rate planning. Bit rate control supports both CBR and VBR. Video bit rate ranges are listed as 256 Kbps to 6 Mbps for the main stream, and 64 Kbps to 512 Kbps for the sub-stream, providing flexibility for everything from high-detail recording to bandwidth-efficient remote viewing.

Image quality under difficult lighting is supported by professional image processing features. The camera lists wide dynamic range capability at 120 dB (True WDR), supporting improved clarity in scenes with strong contrast such as bright sunlight with shaded entryways, or headlights and reflective surfaces at night. It also includes BLC (backlight compensation), 3D DNR (noise reduction), HLC (highlight compensation), and SmartIR. Image settings include mirror, brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, exposure, WDR, white balance, prevention of overexposure to infrared light, and HLC adjustable by client software. A key operational note is that when People & Vehicle Analytics is enabled, only DWDR is supported. This matters in planning: analytics-focused deployments may prioritize detection and classification performance while still maintaining practical dynamic range handling.

Security monitoring becomes more effective when alerts focus on what matters. The VIGI C345 supports Human & Vehicle Classification and a wide set of smart detection events. Smart events include intrusion detection, line-crossing detection, region entering detection, region exiting detection, object abandoned detection, object removal detection, loitering detection, people detection, vehicle detection, abnormal sound detection, and scene change detection. This event toolkit is designed to deliver more relevant notifications than basic motion alone, and allows you to build site-specific monitoring rules around boundaries, restricted zones, and after-hours behavior patterns.

For active deterrence and response, the camera supports alarm linkage actions including memory card video recording, message push notifications, audible warning, and white light flashing. These options allow businesses to configure the camera not only as a recorder, but as an active part of an on-site security posture—for example, triggering visible white light flashing or an audible warning when an intrusion or line-crossing event occurs after hours, while simultaneously saving evidence and pushing a notification.

Audio capability is built in for sites that need listening and talk-back. The VIGI C345 supports two-way audio, with both audio input and audio output supported. Audio compression is supported, with an 8 kHz sampling rate and environmental noise filtering, and audio bit rate listed as 64 Kbps using G.711 alaw. The camera includes a built-in microphone and a built-in speaker. The built-in microphone is specified to record activity within a 15-foot radius, supporting practical monitoring at entrances, gates, loading doors, and other access points where audio context helps validate events.

For network integration, the camera supports common surveillance and networking protocols and is designed to work in VIGI environments and broader ONVIF-based ecosystems. It supports ONVIF and provides a 10/100 Mbps self-adaptive RJ45 Ethernet port with PoE support. Simultaneous live view supports 3 main streams and 3 sub-streams, supporting flexible monitoring setups for control rooms and remote viewing. It can be used with VIGI App, VIGI Security Manager, VIGI NVR, web access, and VMS environments. Cloud support is listed as available.

Storage flexibility is included through a built-in memory card slot that supports microSD cards up to 512 GB (card not included). This allows edge recording without an NVR in smaller installations, or as a backup recording method in larger deployments where redundancy is required. The camera includes a reset button and provides both PoE and DC power options, with a DC power port available.

The camera is built for outdoor reliability. It operates in temperatures from -30°C to 60°C, with operating humidity up to 95% non-condensing. The housing material is metal, and the camera is rated IP67 for protection against dust and water ingress. Manual angle adjustment supports pan 0° to 360°, tilt 0° to 90°, and rotation 0° to 360°, helping installers achieve accurate framing across wall, ceiling, or pole mounting scenarios. Product dimensions are 74 × 184 × 74 mm, supporting compact placement in outdoor environments.

In the box, the manufacturer lists: VIGI Network Camera, Quick Start Guide, Waterproof Cable Attachments, and Mounting Accessories. Net weight is listed as 0.525 kg. With its combination of 4MP-class resolution, dual illumination for night monitoring, true WDR capability, human/vehicle-focused analytics, active defense options, two-way audio, and outdoor-rated metal construction, the TP-Link VIGI C345 (2.8mm) is a practical professional camera for businesses that need smarter monitoring and dependable outdoor security performance.