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The trail camera, also known as a game camera, is a simple tool that is powered by advanced technology. It is a small, camouflaged, and weatherproof box that takes photos or videos when it detects motion. Trail cameras have been around for a while. Initially, wireless trail cameras were used to save photos to an SD card, and the owner had to physically visit the camera and pull the SD card in order to view the photos. However, with recent advances, a cellular trail camera now uses cellular technology, allowing it to send images to the owner’s cellphone or email, providing real-time alerts whenever they detect motion.
BlazeVideo 16MP Trail Camera
The BlazeVideo is an all-around quality trail camera at an affordable price point.
Overall Winner
With a 16 megapixel resolution, trigger speed of 0.6 seconds, and detection range of 65ft, the BlazeVideo 16MP HD trail camera is a quality product that ticks most of the boxes. These criteria, along with the useful features earn it our top pick.
Fast Trigger Speed Choice
Bushnell’s Trophy Cam Aggressor isn’t the fastest on our list, but it is our preferred trail camera that clocks in with a sub-0.5 second trigger speed. An impressive 100ft detection range and 14 megapixels of resolution make this a great choice for a fast trigger speed trail camera.
As more and more models become available in the market, choosing the best wireless trail camera has become as complex as the tech that powers them.
Our Selection of the 10 Best Cellular Trail Cameras:
To help you choose the best game camera for your needs, we reviewed the features of several cameras available in the market and came up with a list of the 10 best cellular game cameras for both outdoor use and home security.
1. BlazeVideo 16MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera
Megapixels: 16
Trigger Speed: 0.6 sec
Detection Range: 65ft
The 16 MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera by BlazeVideo is an ideal choice for serious hunters who want a device that has a sensitive motion sensor and allows them to capture high-resolution images. It offers you the perfect opportunity to detect and record clips of wild game and has ample storage for the photos and images it captures.
As is evident from its name, the BlazeVideo 16MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera comes with a 16 MP camera lens. This is the highest resolution of all the cameras on this list. The 12 MP lens allows it to capture high-resolution images and record HD video at 1280 x 720p. Photos are captured in full color during the day and clear monochrome at night. You can adjust the settings to choose the resolution of captured photos depending on your memory needs.
The camera can capture photos at resolutions of 1 MP, 3 MP, 5 MP (this is the default setting), 8 MP, 12 MP, and 16 MP. The camera also has a 3.26-inch color TFT screen which you can use to view photos and videos directly on the device. It is also equipped with a highly sensitive PIR sensor that detects the smallest motion or ambient temperature change. Unfortunately, since it uses only one PIR sensor, it only has a 60-degree detection angle. The detection range on the BlazeVideo 16MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera is about 65 feet.
The trail camera is tough and durable, with an exterior casing that will comfortably handle the harsh elements of nature. The exterior has a camo color scheme that will keep it camouflaged when strapped against the stem of a tree. This does not mean, however, that it cannot be used for home surveillance. You need to find a nice spot for it, and you are good to go. It also has a mount in case you need to use it with a tripod.
The BlazeVideo 16MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera comes with multiple capturing modes, such as interval recordings, time-lapse, timer, and time interval. The time-lapse mode is a great one since it allows you to predefine specific time intervals after which the camera will capture a photo. Captured photos are stamped with time, date, moon phase, and temperature info for easy identification, which will, in turn, help you plan your hunt.
The BlazeVideo 16MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera supports external storage of up to 32 GB. It also has a password and serial number function, which acts as an anti-theft feature. The password feature ensures that no one can view photos and videos without the proper password. On the other hand, the serial number helps you identify the camera’s location through the photos you receive. This means that you can easily locate it even if it gets stolen. The camera is powered by 4 AA batteries, though you should go with 8 batteries if you want it to last much longer. The batteries do not come together with the camera.
All in all, the BlazeVideo 16MP HD Trail Hunting Wildlife Camera is a good camera for hunters who want to take high-quality photos and videos in the forest but do not want to spend a fortune. For its price, this trail camera is definitely a steal.
The game camera uses multiple states of the art PIR motion sensors to ensure nothing escapes detection. The multiple sensors give it a wide, 120-degree detection angle and a range of up to 80 feet. This matches perfectly with the 110-degree field of view on the 12 MP camera lens and ensures subjects are captured just as they step into the camera’s field of view.
The Distianert Low Glow Black Infrared Trail and Game Scouting Camera use 42 black 850nm black low glow IR LED illuminators for nighttime captures. The IR illuminators have a range of 65 feet, which means that there will be some loss of range at night, leading to the possibility of blank night shots where the subject is outside the illuminator’s range. Since the LED illuminators are low glow, they will not risk intruding on the natural habitat or spooking an intruder.
The Distianert Low Glow Black Infrared Trail and Game Scouting Camera can be used for long periods of outdoor use. It is powered by 8 AA batteries which will keep it powered long enough to take up to about 30,000 images. It also has a TV-Out port, a USB port, an SD card slot, and a 6V DC external port if you want to connect it to an external source of power. Setting up the Distianert Low Glow Black Infrared Trail and Game Scouting Camera is quite easy through the 2.4-inch screen, which you can also use to view photos and videos on the device itself.
2. HCO Spartan HD GoCam Wireless Trail Camera
Megapixels: 8
Trigger Speed: 0.6 sec
Detection Range: 80ft
If you ask someone who has bought a wireless trail camera what their biggest challenge was, they will probably tell you that it was the hassle of getting the correct SIM card for their device. Most cellular trail cameras are locked to a single carrier, which means that you can only use the device with the said carrier. If the carrier has poor reception in the area, you want to set up the trail camera, woe unto you. Well, that was until the introduction of the HCO Spartan HD GoCam wireless trail camera. Built as a delicate balance between reliable performance and reasonable pricing, the HCO Spartan HD GoCam is a red glow wireless trail camera that is not bound by a SIM card. Instead, it will work with whatever carrier you choose.
The first thing you will notice once you purchase the HCO Spartan HD GoCam is its full camouflaged exterior. The exterior has deep colors that will blend well with a trail background. This makes it more of a camera suited for the trail than the home environment since it would be very easy to spot in the home environment. The device is compact and light enough, weighing just under a pound and measuring 6 x 5 x 3.25 inches. The small size makes finding a good hiding spot for the HCO Spartan HD GoCam a breeze.
Meant to be used out in nature, the HCO Spartan HD GoCam is strong and tough. The exterior casing is made with materials that will handle extreme weather conditions. While it comes with an antenna for enhanced cellular connectivity, the antennae are a bit flexible, ensuring that it doesn’t get easily broken. A broken antenna effectively ends the cellular capabilities of the camera.
The HCO Spartan HD GoCam captures high-quality photos through the strong 8MP lens. Daytime photos are clear and rich in color and detail, while nighttime photos appear in black and white. To ensure that the photos do not become blurry due to the motion of the captured animals, the HCO Spartan HD GoCam comes with blur-reducing technology. Videos are recorded at 720p using the same 8 MP camera. The HCO Spartan HD GoCam uses red glow infrared LEDs to provide illumination for nighttime photos and videos.
The camera has a trigger speed of 1.2 seconds. Though it will capture most animals or intruders, this trigger speed is still a bit slow when you consider that some cameras have trigger speeds below 0.5 seconds. The recovery time is about 60 seconds. The detection range on the HCO Spartan HD GoCam is between 70 – 80 feet. This is also not very impressive compared to some other cameras, but it is sufficient for most situations. It also has a wide detection angle which makes it suitable for use in a variety of situations.
Like noted earlier, the HCO Spartan HD GoCam is not bound by any carrier. Instead, it allows you to set up the cellular function by yourself. The setup process – which is very simple – can be done on your PC in just a few minutes. Another advantage of not being bound by a carrier is that HCO Spartan HD GoCam users can start and stop the service as they please. For cameras bound by carriers, you have to pay according to their plans. Stopping the service might lead to an extra charge. You can also opt to go for the premium GoWireless service, which gives you access to a mobile app that allows you to access the camera remotely. Through the app, you can manage camera settings, manage cloud storage and monitor battery levels.
12 AA batteries power the HCO Spartan HD GoCam. Battery life depends on the number of times that your camera gets triggered. Places with more traffic will drain their battery much faster. It is advisable to use lithium-ion batteries with the HCO Spartan HD GoCam since they are considered more consistent and deliver a higher voltage than alkaline batteries.
Despite the few shortcomings, the HCO Spartan HD GoCam is a great camera for trail monitoring. The fact that a SIM card does not bind you gives you the freedom to activate, deactivate and reactivate the service as you wish. The activation process for the cellular function is also quite simple compared to many other wireless trail cameras. Many people are also charmed by the ability to access the camera remotely through the GoWireless mobile app.
3. Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera
Megapixels: 14
Trigger Speed: 0.3sec
Detection Range: 100ft
The Trophy Cam Aggressor is by far the best game camera among those we reviewed. Built to the high standards and technology that is to be expected of Bushnell products, it is a high-quality mid-priced trail camera and the only 14MP camera on this list. Bushnell spent a lot of time developing this wireless trail camera, and the result is a camera that delivers in every aspect. They ensured that even the smallest feature on the camera is useful. This is one camera you can never go wrong with, whether you intend to use it for home security or trail surveillance.
The Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera comes will a solid, well-designed exterior casing. It has a rugged and aggressive design like the other models from the Trophy Cam Aggressor series. This camera is a bit larger than its predecessors, though it will still fit comfortably in hand. Being a trail camera meant for outdoor use comes with a weatherproof casing that will comfortably handle the best and worst of Mother Nature. As an improvement to the previous models in the series, it also comes with a redesigned, sturdy, and rustproof spring-loaded clasp, making it easy to strap up the device without the risk of slipping.
The one thing you will notice and love about the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera is the superior image quality. It offers the best optics with HD, lifelike photos. The camera has an impressive 14 MP camera, which is far much better than you will find on most other trail cameras. Most other trail cameras come with an 8 MP camera. The Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera takes full-color daytime photos with excellent depth and clarity, while at night, it takes high-resolution black and white images.
The 14 MP camera also records stunning widescreen full HD video footage at 1080p. These videos are rich in detail, and because they are widescreen, they can be viewed on larger screens with no quality loss. Night-time videos will be equally clear since the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera comes with 48 no-glow LEDs, ensuring excellent nighttime filming, with no discernible loss in quality even when the night is pitch black. Due to their clarity and rich detail, videos will easily fill up the SD card since they take up about 2MB of memory per second on the video.
Another impressive feature of the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera is the lightning-fast trigger speed. The camera takes just 0.2 seconds between detecting motion and capturing a photo, which is one of the fastest trigger speeds you will get on a trail camera. This means that you will capture a photo of whatever enters the camera’s detection zone, regardless of how fast it is. The camera can also capture 3 photos in close succession in less than a second, resulting in a batch of freeze-frame-style motion photos. Like most trail cameras, the video trigger speed is a bit slower than the photo trigger speed.
The Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera has a detection range of 100 feet, which matches that of other excellent trail cameras in the market. Unfortunately, this trail camera experiences loss of range at night since the no glow LEDs have about a 50-foot range. This might lead to some blank photos at night. The motion HYPER PIR motion sensors are also very sensitive, which means that they will detect almost anything that enters the detection range. It is actually recommended that you set the sensitivity to ‘Normal.’ A higher sensitivity might result in some false triggers.
The Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera is paired with a free iOS and Android app, which allows you to send the images to your cell phone, email, or even Facebook. The multi-image mode allows this camera to capture up to 3 images per trigger. It also comes with a free removable ARD anti-reflection LED cover. The camera is powered by 8 AA lithium-ion batteries, which will keep it going for about 12 months in an environment with not-so-frequent triggers. The batteries can still manage 6-8 months, even in a place with frequent triggers. All in all, the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 14MP Wireless Trail Camera is one of Bushnell’s best trail cameras so far. If you got the money to splash on it, you should definitely go for it.
4. Ancheer Game & Trail Camera
Megapixels: 12
Trigger Speed: 0.4 sec
Detection Range: 65ft
Designed and built with user-friendliness in mind, the Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision is a versatile wireless trail camera that can be used for warehouse surveillance, home security, wild game surveillance, and monitoring other properties against vandals, burglars, and other unwanted intruders. While Ancheer is a relatively new name in the trail camera market, they really sought to impact this wireless trail camera.
Right off the bat, you will notice that the Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision has the strong, tough, and rugged build of a device that is meant to be used in the outdoor environment. The camera’s exterior has a camo coating that allows it to blend easily with the environment. Despite being a wireless trail camera, you will notice that it doesn’t have an antenna. The camera is compact and lightweight, measuring 131.42 x 98.72 x 77.44 mm and weighing a mere 340 grams. The Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision has an IP66 waterproof rating, which is important considering that the device will be left outdoors to get rained on for days on end. It comes with a unique 304 steel lock, making it easy to secure the camera wherever you want it.
The Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision uses a 12 MP F2.4 camera lens that captures clear HD photos. The camera can be programmed to capture photos at resolutions of 2 MP, 5 MP, 8 MP, or 12 MP. Photos are captured in full color during the day and in high-resolution black and white at night. The camera can also take multiple shots, capturing up to 5 photos per detection. You can also set the camera to time-lapse mode, which captures photos regularly after a predefined length of time. For easier identification, photos are tagged with time, date, temperature, barometric pressure, moon phase, and camera ID stamps.
The camera also records HD videos at a 1280p resolution. To conserve space on the SD card, you can change the video resolution settings to 720p, which is also clear enough. The videos are recorded in AVI format with audio. Video length can be programmed to last anywhere between 5 – 60 seconds. For nighttime photos and videos, the camera uses 56 no-glow infrared LEDs to illuminate the scene. Since the LEDs are no-glow, there is no risk that they might spook the animals you are scouting or the intruder venturing into your property.
The camera comes with a 2-inch LCD, allowing the user to view captured photos and videos on the device and manage the camera settings. Another awesome feature of the Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision is password protection, which means that no unauthorized person can view the photos and videos saved on the device.
Another impressive feature of the Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision is the trigger speed. The camera has a trigger speed of 0.4 seconds, which competes with even the best cameras in the market. The PIR motion sensors on the camera have a detection range of about 20 meters (65 feet). The Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision uses a design that incorporates three PIR sensors. Each PIR sensor has a 40-degree field of view, giving the camera a detection angle of 120 degrees. This is a bit wider than the camera lens’s field of view of 100 degrees, which means that the camera captures the subject just as it enters the camera’s field of view.
The PIR sensors are highly sensitive and capable of detecting motion from small animals and cold-blooded animals such as snakes and amphibians. Additionally, the PIR sensitivity levels can be adjusted to three different levels – High, Normal, and Low.
The Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision supports external storage of anywhere between 8MB to 32GB. In addition, the wireless trail camera also has a TV-Out port (NTSC, PAL) and supports multiple languages, including English, German, French, Japanese, Russian, Swedish, and Czech. The device gets its power from 8 AA batteries, though they don’t come included with the device. Alternatively, it can be powered by 12V of external DC power. The 8 AA batteries provide the Ancheer Trail Camera with Night Vision with enough juice to capture up to a million photos.
5. LDesign Hunting Trail Camera
Megapixels: 12
Trigger Speed: 0.3 sec
Detection Range: 50ft
This is a versatile and affordable trail camera by LDesign, an American company specializing in the sale of electronics, home supplies, and security equipment worldwide. LDesign’s mission is to bring quality products to consumers at affordable prices.
The LDesign Hunting Trail Camera comes with a 12 MP high-resolution CMOS sensor that captures full-color HD videos and images. Videos are recorded in HD at 1080p at 30 FPS with audio. You can also lower the video quality to HD 1280 x 720p to conserve space on the SD card. At night, the camera switches to black-and-white photos which are also very clear. The camera supports multiple capturing modes, such as multi-shot mode, time-lapse mode, interval recording, and photo plus video mode. Photos are captured at a resolution of either 5, 8, or 12 MP. Photos are stamped with the date, time, temperature, and moon phase info for easier identification of animal movement patterns. The LDesign Hunting Trail Camera comes with a 2-inch TFT color screen that allows you to view photos and videos while out in the field.
One of the things that will immediately impress you is that the camera has a 0.3 triggers speed despite having such a low cost. We can only give LDesign a thumbs up for this, especially when you consider that some more expensive trail cameras have slower trigger speeds. The camera can take up to 7 photos per detection. This is programmable, so you can adjust it such that it suits your needs.
The LDesign Hunting Trail Camera uses PIR motion sensors with a 110-degree effective detection angle. The PIR motion sensors have a detection range of up to 50 feet. The camera allows you to adjust the PIR sensitivity levels to suit your preferences and avoid false triggers. For illumination, it uses 56 built-in 940nm infrared LEDs with a fully automatic IR filter. This means that while capturing photos and recording videos, it won’t produce any bright flashes that would scare away the game you are scouting.
The LDesign Hunting Trail Camera is weatherproof, with an IP64 waterproof rating which gives you the assurance that you can leave the camera out on a stormy night without worrying that it will stop functioning. It also has password protection to ensure that unauthorized persons cannot access photos and videos without the correct password. On top of that, it comes with a one-year warranty and lifetime customer support.
6. Spypoint Link 4G Trail Camera
Megapixels: 12
Trigger Speed: 0.7 sec
Detection Range: 100ft
The Spypoint Link 4G is a powerful trail camera that is compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile’s 4G network. This is the easiest trail camera to activate since it comes with a pre-activated camera. Once it has been set up, the camera itself chooses the best signal to use. Considering that setting up cellular connectivity for a trail camera is one of the most challenging of installing wireless trail cameras, Spypoint has really solved a big problem with this camera.
Design-wise, the Link 4G has a very cool and unique design. From the front side, it looks like a huge beetle from some alien world. It has a tough and rugged case that keeps the device protected from anything the elements might throw at it. One of the things you will immediately notice about the Link 4G is that it does not come with a long protruding antenna. Its antenna is only about an inch long. This minimizes the risk of the antennae getting broken and makes it easy to find a nice hiding spot for the camera. The camera comes with a 2.4-inch LCD screen that allows you to view captured photos on the device and manage the camera settings. The camo exterior also makes it easy to conceal the camera since it blends easily with the outdoor environment.
The camera comes with 62 high-power LEDs, which ensure great image quality even in dim light, and infrared boost technology helps maximize lighting at night. Photos are taken in rich detail through a 12 MP lens. The user can also set the camera to time-lapse mode, which allows the camera to take photos at regular predefined time intervals. The camera can take up to 6 photos per detection, with time, date, temperature, and moon phase stamps. The Link 4G also captures HD video at 720p with audio. Daytime video is recorded in full color, while nighttime videos are recorded in black and white. To ensure maximum video quality at night, the Link 4G uses infrared boost technology. The camera can capture videos that are anywhere between 10 to 90 seconds in length.
Since it captures photos of moving game and people, it has blur reduction technology that considerably reduces the blurry effect in photos. The Link 4G has a trigger speed of 0.7 seconds. While there are some faster cameras on the market, this millisecond trigger speed is still quite fast. It will hardly miss anything that passes in front of it. The Link 4G also comes with a theft alert function.
The Spypoint Link 4G has an impressive detection range, actually, one of the longest you will find in the market. Its PIR motion sensors will detect movement up to 100 feet from the camera. The LED illuminators also have an equal 100 feet range, which prevents any loss of range at night. On top of this, the Link 4G has 5 detection zones owing to the curved motion sensor.
The camera comes with a free downloadable app that serves as its user interface. The intuitive app’s setup wizard will guide the user through the account setup and activation process. Through the app, the user can view the photos and videos captured by the trail camera, manage camera settings and monitor the SD Card space usage, battery level, and signal strength. The 12MP camera captures HD photos and audio-less videos. It captures color videos by day and black-and-white videos by night. The curved motion sensor on the camera significantly improves the detection angle.
The Spypoint Link 4G is powered by 6 AA batteries. Alternatively, it comes with the option of pairing it with a rechargeable battery pack that is compatible with a solar panel. In order to conserve battery power, you can set the photo transmission to batch mode, in which the photos are transmitted in batches instead of each photo being sent immediately after it is captured. All in all, the Spypoint Link 4G is a great choice when it comes to wireless trail cameras. The only downside is the 720p video quality. If Spypoint could upgrade it to 1080p, they would have a winner in their hands.
7. MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version
Megapixels: 8
Trigger Speed: 1 sec
Detection Range: 50ft
Maxful just released their latest night vision camera, the MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version. Immediately you take it out of the box, you will notice a large and robust trail camera. It comes in with a well-built and durable case with a dull black exterior that makes it easy to hide. The design of the MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version is quite simplistic. At the top of the camera are the infrared LEDs, while at the bottom is the motion sensor. The camera lens sits in the middle of the device. Since it is meant to be used outdoors, it is dustproof and has an IP54 waterproof rating. It has physical buttons which are used to control and manage the camera settings.
Setting up the MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version is pretty straightforward. On top of that, it comes with a quick-start instructional booklet to help you with the setup. This wireless trail camera is capable of taking high-quality photos and amazingly clear video footage. It comes equipped with an 8 MP lens that allows it to capture crystal clear and brightly colored photos daytime photos every time it detects motion. At night, the camera switches to clear, high-resolution images.
The MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version can take up to 9 photos per detection in burst mode and record videos that last between 10 to 60 seconds, with clear audio. Captured photos are stamped with date, time, temperature, and moon phase info, making it easy for you to understand the game movement patterns and plan your hunt accordingly. The videos are recorded in HD at 720p. Apart from the 8 MP camera lens, the MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version also comes with a 2 MP CMOS sensor. The camera also has a light sensor which it uses to distinguish between night and day.
This wireless trail camera has a fast trigger speed of about 1 second, ensuring that you don’t miss any action that might occur wherever you are monitoring. While this is not as fast as some of the higher-end trail cameras you will find on the market, it is still sufficient since hardly any animals move that fast, let alone people. When you consider that the MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version is actually a sub $100 device, you will realize that this trigger speed is actually quite impressive.
The MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version comes with multiple functionalities, including multi-shot, interval, timer, and time-lapse functions. It also has numerous capture modes, including photo mode, video mode, photo plus video mode, time-lapse mode, and motion detection mode. In photo plus video mode, the camera takes a predetermined number of photos before recording the video.
The MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version has a PIR motion sensor with a detection range of up to 50 feet and a 60-degree angle of detection. For nighttime photos and video, the camera uses 26 blacked-out LEDs for illumination. The LEDs are low-glow, meaning they do not produce bright flashes, which might scare away animals or alert an intruder.
The MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version supports external storage of up to 32GB. However, the downside is that when the SD card gets full, the camera starts overwriting previous images and videos. To avoid this, you should transfer the images and videos to your computer now and then. The camera also has a security lock feature which prevents anyone from accessing the images and videos on the device without a password. The MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version is powered by 8 AA batteries, which will keep it running for up to 6 months. Alternatively, you can hook it up to a 12 V DC power source. The batteries and external power source do not come with the package.
All in all, the MAXFUL Hunting Game Camera with Infrared Night Version is a great camera for home security use and wildlife monitoring. It is handy, easy to set up and operate, takes high-quality photos and images, and on top of it, is very affordable.
Buyer’s Guide
We live in a world where technology advances much faster than the average person can keep up with. New devices hit the market with a ton of new features that take a while to understand. Knowing this, marketers and salespeople are quick to throw around cool-sounding technical features to confuse gullible customers. The situation is no different when it comes to buying wireless trail cameras. To make sure you do not fall for marketing gimmicks and end up with a product that doesn’t meet your needs, we have created a list of all the important factors you should consider before putting your money down for a wireless/cellular trail camera. Make sure to consider the following:
Cellular vs. Wireless
There has been a huge debate between cellular trail cameras and wireless trail cameras, and it doesn’t look like it is about to end. Ideally, the choice boils down to how you want the camera to transmit photos to you.
A wireless camera uses a Wi-Fi connection to transmit signals and photos to the user. It can also use radio frequency signals to connect to other devices. The biggest advantage of a wireless camera is that you do not need to purchase a data plan in order to receive photos from the camera. It can also transmit photos to another camera in a matter of seconds. However, the downside to wireless trail cameras is that they may have a limited range. Finding a Wi-Fi connection out in the bush might also be a bit tricky.
Cellular trail cameras, on the other hand, depend on the connection from cellular network providers to transmit photos. This means that they can transmit photos from any location as long as the location has a decent cell phone reception. This allows you to receive photos and notifications the instant it detects anything within its range. The downside to cellular trail cameras, however, is that you need to buy a SIM card and subscribe to a data plan.
Battery Life
Cellular/wireless trail cameras are meant to be left out in the field for extended periods of time. To avoid spooking animals with your scent every now and then, you should go for a device with a long battery life. This also saves you from having to buy batteries every now and then. It’s good to note that when buying batteries, it is best to buy Lithium-ion batteries. They have the longest life and are more reliable. They will keep working even in extreme weather conditions, whereas alkaline batteries might cease functioning in extreme temperatures.
Viewing screens
Some cameras have built-in LCD screens which allow you to view photos on the device itself, manage the settings as well as monitor space usage on the SD card. You do not need to have an HD screen on your trail camera since you can always view the photos on a larger screen at home. However, you should ensure that your camera has a screen that allows you to see a fair amount of detail in the captured photos since you might need to do this while out in the field.
Picture quality
Another important factor you need to keep in mind when buying your trail camera is the picture quality. The main point of buying a trail camera is to have a record of whatever takes place out in the field, so you can see why this is quite a huge consideration. Poor quality photos might make you miss some detail which would have been crucial for making your hunt successful.
Ideally, the higher the camera resolution (measured in megapixels), the higher the picture quality. However, don’t rely on the megapixels alone. Sometimes, some manufacturers may have high megapixel ratings on a low-quality lens, leading to low-quality photos despite the high megapixels. The best way to judge the image quality of a trail camera is to look at sample photos taken by the camera.
It’s also important to note that different kinds of illumination will have an impact on the quality of nighttime photos. Infrared illuminators will produce monochrome photos, while white flash illuminators will result in colored nighttime photos.
Detection circuits
This refers to the entire mechanism that detects an animal and intruder and then triggers the camera to take a photo or capture video. Trail cameras usually use a combination of motion and ambient temperature sensors to determine if something has entered their detection zone. Detection circuits are judged based on:
Trigger time: This refers to the time from when the PIR sensors detect motion to the time the camera takes a photo or starts recording a video.
Recovery time: This refers to how fast a camera can be ready for another photo after taking the first photo.
Detection zone: This refers to the area in which the PIR sensors can detect motion and trigger the camera to take a photo or record a video. The detection zone is determined by the detection range and detection.
BlazeVideo 16MP Trail Camera
The BlazeVideo is an all-around quality trail camera at an affordable price point
