At Synology Solution Day 2025 in Madrid, we saw all of Synology's current and upcoming camera models. Over the past six months, Synology has been showcasing its next camera models, one of which is the new bullet camera, the Synology BC800Z.
Based on the previous bullet model BC500, the new BC800Z is a rugged surveillance camera designed for harsh environments and high-quality images. Weighing 1.3 kg, the BC800Z is a bullet-shaped, metal PoE camera.
With 8MP 4K resolution at 30fps, it also boasts IP67, IP66, and IK10 protection for weather and impact resistance, making it ideal for asset surveillance in factories, warehouses, large commercial facilities, stadiums, as well as indoor and outdoor parking areas and vehicle entrances.
Among its most outstanding features are:
- Ultra HD 4K with optical zoom
- High-quality images with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and an adjustable viewing angle from 112.1° to 47.5°.
- Superior night vision performance
- 1/1.8" Starlight sensor and hybrid white/IR LEDs for color night vision up to 38 m (126 ft).
- Edge license plate recognition
- Supports license plate recognition directly on the camera without the need for additional licenses for AI features.
- Weatherproof and impact resistant
- Outdoor-ready camera with IP66/67 and IK10 ratings, protected against dust, rain
, and impacts.
- AI detection and search
- People and vehicle counting, smoke detection, intruder detection, instant search, and auto-tracking.
This model uses H264 and H265 video compression and features intelligent bitrate control. Its 8MP image sensor delivers 4K video at 30fps and it also boasts a motorized 4.38-9.33mm optical lens.
The Synology BC800Z is designed for seamless and easy integration with Surveillance Station, requiring no additional device licenses. This allows users to manage installation, configuration, and firmware updates directly through Surveillance Station.
The BC500Z is also equipped with infrared LEDs and white light LEDs to provide enhanced night vision and discreet illumination in low-light conditions, as well as full-color night vision that will result in high-quality images even in complete darkness up to 38 meters.
The camera is equipped with a microSD card slot on the bottom, protected behind a rubber-insulated metal plate. It can be used for event recording triggered by various scenarios, such as NAS disconnection, person and vehicle detection, intrusion or motion detection, as well as audio and tamper detection.
One new feature compared to the BC and TC models is that the BC800Z offers license plate recognition, as well as the new smoke detection function.
Its AI analysis functions include:
- People and vehicle detection
- Loitering detection
- Crowd detection
- Intrusion detection
- Instant search
- Automatic tracking
- People and vehicle counting
- License plate recognition
- Smoke detection
- Facial recognition (only compatible with DVA devices such as the DS1622)
Installation:
The camera is metallic and requires a sturdy surface for mounting with the included screws and an Allen wrench.
The wrench is used to unlock three different joints and rotate the camera body until it is in the correct mounting position.
The device includes a fixed PoE cable and a 12V cable, neither of which can be removed.
The camera can be mounted on the ceiling or wall with a wide range of vertical and horizontal movement. Its dimensions are 10.5 cm in diameter and 27 cm in length.
The camera is installed using Synology Surveillance Station software, which is part of the DSM operating system.
In this test, we used the Synology DS725+ dual-bay NAS and a PoE switch.
Installation and setup of the camera (excluding ceiling/wall mounting time) takes no more than 10 minutes, including the firmware update.
Synology also sells several NVR devices that can be used with this camera. Unlike standard NAS devices, the DVA series offers more features and capabilities, especially when paired with Synology cameras.
Synology DS725+ Specifications:
Processor: AMD Ryzen R1600 (2 cores, 2.6 - 3.1 GHz, 64-bit).
RAM: 4GB DDR4 ECC SO-DIMM (expandable to 32GB in 2 slots).
Drive Bays: 2 x 3.5"/2.5" SATA HDD/SSD.
M.2 Slots: 2 x M.2 2280 NVMe (for caching, not hot-swap).
Networking: 1 x 1GbE LAN, 1 x 2.5GbE LAN.
Expansion: Up to 7 bays with the DX525 expansion unit.
Ports: USB 3.2 Gen 1 (1), USB-C Expansion Port (1).
Operating System: Synology DSM.
Key Features of the Synology DS725+ NAS
: High Performance: The Ryzen CPU and 2.5GbE connectivity deliver fast speeds for intensive tasks.
SSD Cache: M.2 NVMe slots accelerate access to frequently used data.
Scalability: Grows with you, allowing for expansion for more storage.
Compact Design: Ideal for offices or homes due to its size and efficiency.
It's a robust solution for backups, private cloud, virtualization, and surveillance, especially if you're looking for performance and expandability.
The BC800Z features a 100 Mbps network capacity, as indicated by the "FE" (Fast Ethernet) speed negotiation with a PoE-compatible switch or router.
In terms of power consumption, it uses approximately 4.5-5.5 W while recording in full 4K resolution at 30 fps with active HDR.
The 12V, 2.1 mm connection is integrated into the camera, but the adapter is not included.
One of the advantages of using a Synology "proprietary" camera is that the SVS platform will detect it almost immediately and notify the user that the new camera can be configured.
To add it to SVS, you simply follow a brief setup wizard that only requires configuring the username and password for that specific camera.
Many options can be configured depending on the camera's location (indoors or outdoors), frame rate, resolution, and more.
Surveillance Station 9 Monitor Center displays the BC800Z's outdoor recording in 4K at 30 fps with HDR enabled.
Depending on the actual surveillance location and camera position, numerous configuration parameters can be set and adjusted to achieve the best possible image and video quality.
As with any compatible SVS camera, starting with the video and audio format, there are many options available in addition to the image settings.
The Synology BC800Z is equipped with infrared and white LEDs, which can be activated automatically depending on the situation or controlled manually. The white LEDs can be manually activated when needed.
The default settings are a good starting point in many cases, but it's important to test and adjust the settings depending on the camera's location, whether indoors or outdoors. HDR settings can improve image quality indoors with LED lighting, and adjusting the exposure control can help achieve the best image clarity.
Location and Environment:
Not all usage scenarios are possible in a product test like this, so we will only discuss those that were feasible.
Indoor facial recognition and zoom comparison under LED and IR lighting in a dark room are very useful for advanced AI functions, such as facial recognition. It can be used for object detection, but the BC800Z is particularly interesting for detecting and identifying people indoors, especially in scenarios involving access control or surveillance of sensitive areas.
The best results depend on proper placement and avoiding direct glare on the lens. Additionally, the automatic switching of the IR lights can cause delays in capturing fast-moving people when motion detection is triggered.
Although the camera has captured a face, visibility and clarity are poor due to glare from daylight coming from outside.
Another area where visual quality shines is license plate detection. This test was conducted with the camera positioned approximately 5 meters from the road. As shown in the image, the vehicle was detected almost instantly upon entering the camera's detection area, and license plate recognition was nearly immediate.
The 3.5x digital zoom still provides a clear image of the license plate and car model (the image shows a range of approximately 9 meters from the camera).
When it comes to detecting people and vehicles, the Synology BC800Z delivers excellent results.
Using the camera on a low-traffic residential road, the narrow passage shared by vehicles and pedestrians was sufficient for the camera to reliably capture all passing people, cars, and motorcycles, even multiple objects simultaneously.
The BC800Z's people and vehicle detection capabilities are very good. The camera is able to register a moving vehicle from a distance of 20 meters in less than a second.
The BC800Z's optical zoom ensures a sharp image while keeping the camera in a fixed position. Night mode works with the help of IR and LED illumination, which can be activated manually or set as needed.
This camera, under adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind, showed no problems with functionality or recording quality.
Outdoor recordings remain very clear and sharp, especially in daylight and favorable weather conditions. Even under cloudy skies or in unpredictable weather, the camera effectively captures the necessary details.
In terms of security, Synology cameras prioritize safety with advanced encryption, including HTTPS and SRTP for recordings. They also feature failover edge storage to enhance system reliability. The cameras comply with NDAA and TAA standards, ensuring the highest level of device security. Furthermore, they offer privacy masks and watermarks to protect sensitive images. These safeguards guarantee the integrity, privacy, and efficient management of your surveillance operations.
The Synology BC800Z supports recording to an SD card (peripheral recording) as a backup in case of network issues affecting the NAS or DVR system. Storage capacity and recording time depend on the chosen bitrate. For reference, 24 hours of recording at a bitrate of 16 Mbps requires approximately 173 GB of storage.
Furthermore, the camera's intelligent bitrate control allows for file size reductions of up to 70%.
One example of space-saving recording is time-lapse videos. The sample above was downscaled to 720p to reduce file size. The original 4K video occupied almost 7 GB for just 1 minute and 15 seconds of footage, covering 5 hours of real-time footage. This method results in approximately one-seventh of the storage space required for a full 5-hour recording at maximum resolution.
Conclusion
The Synology BC800Z features an IK10-rated metal housing, ensuring durability and reliability in harsh environments and weather conditions. Designed for asset surveillance and long-distance monitoring, this camera delivers truly excellent performance.
With built-in AI capabilities that can be further enhanced through integration with the SVS platform and DVA devices, it offers virtually unlimited customization for diverse surveillance scenarios. Furthermore, the price includes a 5-year warranty, making it a highly competitive and valuable investment for a camera of this caliber.
With cameras, DVA devices, and now switches, Synology aims to cover all hardware requirements, while Surveillance Station remains the essential, high-quality software component.
The BC800Z is a PoE camera designed for a wide range of businesses and applications. It's important to note that installing multiple cameras does not count towards the license fee of a specific DVA or NAS running Surveillance Station. This is a crucial consideration when more than two cameras are needed per surveillance device.
The BC800Z comes with a 5-year warranty and is priced at approximately €510.00 in Spain.
