TOP-201 720P Mini IP Camera Review & Lens Colour Correction (2.8-12mm Zoom Lens)

Quick Review: 1.0MP HD 720P Mini 2.8-12mm Zoom Lens P2P ONVIF Network IP Camera

I paid approximately $30 for this on eBay.
I was very excited as it was small, cheap and included a wide-angle zoom lens!

So, what did I think?

Good Points: Good metal case with a nice bracket.
Easy to set up (same as Escam QD520).
Quality optics (sharp).

Bad points: Terrible color (No greens at all & other colors washed out). See photo above.
The hole for the lens (lens mount) was just a bit too big so the lens wobbled.

How to correct the terrible color?:
Easy... it's the zoom lens. The camera is great.
I'm no lens expert at all but I suspect the internal lens elements are not coated.
Basically it's cheap and killing ALL the color.
HOWEVER: It's a great lens, IF you are happy in b/w only!

To correct the color problem, we simply need to change the lens. (Lucky I have a lot of old analogue CCTV lens.)

Change The Lens:

To change the lens on the TOP-201, there are two steps.

• Important: On the side of the lens mount, there is a small retaining screw. Just loosen it off.
• Unscrew the lens!

I tested several lens and found them all to be fine. So I just used a standard 3.6mm lens. (Basically, identical coverage as the 2.8mm zoom version that came with the camera... not so wide as I expected!)
You can buy these 3.6mm lenses on eBay very cheaply.

Be Careful: Best lenses have glasses elements. The plastic element ones are pretty bad (blurry)! I've found that the longer the lens barrel is, the more likely it is to be a glass version. Why????
Don't hold me to that, it's just my experience.

Wobbly Lens Mount:

The lens mount on my camera was a little too wide and made the lens wobble and defocus.
To correct this, I used a little pumping sealing tape (see photo).
It's very cheap and can be bought at any home center.
Simple tightly wrap 1-2 layers around the lens barrel. It may take a few tries to get it right, so be patient.

Add The New Lens To The Camera:

First, run the computer's software so you can see the camera's image. Now, it's just a blur!
If you see any dust on the image sensor inside, DON'T touch it. Very carefully, try to blow it off.
Now... Simply and carefully, screw the new 3.6mm lens onto the camera.
On your monitor, watch for the image to become sharp.
Once you are happy with the sharpness, carefully lightly re-tighten the retaining screw... Finished.

After I had changed the lens, the color was perfect and night view was also much better.

Hope this helps.

Andy