Tell me about wireless trail cams

[Nick87]

Looking for some recommendations on wireless trail cams. My step dads retirement party is this week and we are thinking of getting him a couple of wireless cameras. He is closing on a 150 across farm down state in a couple of weeks(about 6 hour drive). So the wireless option seems to make a lot more sense. Thanks guys!

 

[Nick87]

Also can I use more than one brand of camera through the same app? I'm assuming that's how you get them. I know nothing about the wireless cameras.

 

[F250]

I bought two Spypoint Micro LTE cameras earlier this fall. I paid around $125.00 each. Anything involving technology is a bit difficult for me. The app I downloaded on my phone is user friendly. They take pretty good pics. If I have good cell phone coverage at the camera location, they work. If I am closer than 1/4 to the Canadian border, there seems to be a problem. Battery life seems good - lasted a few months. I am using them for scouting/trespasser surveillance.

 

[nontyp]

Ive been running 3 stealth cam fusion X since September. I’m really impressed with them. Id love to have a bunch more.

 

[Guest member 25165]

It all depends on if the cell coverage is good in your area. If not, don't even bother...none of them would be good options.

 

[seeth07]

It all depends on if the cell coverage is good in your area. If not, don't even bother...none of them would be good options.

Yup, my dad bought a set of cuddy and realized afterwards that he couldn't find a spot good enough for the cell camera to get signal. I now have them since I already had a set that I use behind my house all just linked to my home camera (so I use them linked without cell service). So I can't comment on the cell part but I'm fairly happy with them as a camera and the linking ability. The old versions had aa batteries and really sucked up batteries fast. The new ones now with D batteries last almost twice as long.

 

[Chad Gus]

I have 5 tactacam revels, they've been really good to me. They run threw an app and are fairly easy to set up. The only issue i have is when it gets cold, it will drain the batteries fast if the camera is set to send the pictures instantly. I set mine to send once a day in the winter and that helps prolong battery life a lot.

 

[Sask hunter]

I have 5 tactacam revels, they've been really good to me. They run threw an app and are fairly easy to set up. The only issue i have is when it gets cold, it will drain the batteries fast if the camera is set to send the pictures instantly. I set mine to send once a day in the winter and that helps prolong battery life a lot. View attachment 207503View attachment 207504View attachment 207505

I just got one the other day. Plan to set a wolf bait up and monitor it with that

 

[wihunter12]

3 tactacam Reveal X's for me, plan to have a few more by the Summer. They recently came out with a few newer models. In addition to the cam, you pay a monthly fee for a plan for the pics to be sent through the app.

 

[KoolBreeze]

I bought a Ridgetec Lookout about 2 months ago. They come with both ATT and Verizon sim cards, you just activate whichever works best for your area. It has dual antennas and gets a much better signal than my iphone does in the same spot. They also have higher gain antennas, external battery packs, and solar panels available as an add-on accessory.

The plan is very simple, allows you to monitor the use in real-time, and activates under a monthly plan on their system. They have different level of plans that are point based, e.g. a certain quality level picture costs x points to upload and so on. You can add as many cameras as you like under the same plan and they can share. The cheapest plan is $6.95 per month and it goes up from there.

On the things I like the most about it is that the camera is almost exclusively controlled through a web based interface. You can play the many many settings and customize it to suit your needs, all without ever touching the camera. You can also send a command to camera to upload a higher res picture or video, if you want. That said, the extensive customization may be a bit overwhelming for some.

Anyway, I put mine about 10' up a tree in the first of November with lithium batteries. The signal strength has remained in the 50-60% ever since and not a single hiccup until night before last. It's taken about 200 videos, uploading thumbnails of each one, and I've had it send the high res video on about 50 of them. I have not even come close to using all of my data, even on the cheapest plan. I noticed the battery voltage was being reported as 75% about week ago and then night before last it lost communication. Yesterday I found the batteries dead, replaced them, and it's back off the races again. I don't know how that compares to other cell cams as far as battery usage goes but I think it's reasonable considering some of my settings.

Time will tell how it does long term, but I'm well pleased with it so far.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Cell cams can be frustrating, i agree with the comment to make sure you have good service.

Be aware that a cell cam typically takes longer to recover from a picture until the sensor will trigger for another than a standard cam. This is significantly exacerbated if you set the camera to transmit pictures immediately rather than at scheduled intervals.

We have the following model cell cams:
-Browning Defender (2)
-Browning Defender pro-scout (1)
-Browning Defender Ridgeline (6 but 3 are getting returned)
-Spypoint Link-Dark (1)
-Spypoint Link-S-Dark (1)
-Ridgetec Lookout (5)
-Tactacam Reveal SK (1)


I've been happy with the original browning defenders and pro-scout models. New defender ridgeline models have been a headache. Browning's data plans are the worst of the bunch, quite expensive.

Spypoints have had great battery life and detection circuits. They are picture takin mofos. Picture quality is mediocre, cant send video. Data plans are pretty reasonable. These are higher end models, the micro models have had a lot of battery life and reliability complaints. These have been solid so far but the battery department is not sealed well and might cause issues some day.

Ridgetec are my all around favorite. They are way more configurable than any other option ive seen. Take good night pictures with no glow flash. Have good battery life. Most of all, they allow better video options and quality than others i'm familiar with. Daytime pictures are mediocre. They have been reliable thus far. Data plans are the cheapest of any for how i use them. @KoolBreeze - videos definitely eat up batteries a lot quicker than pics, especially night vids with the flash on for the duration of a video. In low traffic areas I've been seeing 6 months of battery life with lithiums and videos set to 10 seconds and lower resolution / frame speed. I have had to switch to photo in high traffic areas. I'm going to add solar/external battery to some locations to allow them to run without battery constraints next year.

Tactacam reveal SK - probably transmits the best thumbnail pics of the bunch. Lowest cost of the bunch. Detection circuit seems solid. App is the least configurable of the bunch. I'm not sure the internal battery on this one will do well in the winter. It was showing down to 30% battery this weekend with the -30 temps when it has been taking hardly any pics where it's located. Daytime checkin battery levels got back to 70%. I have a little less confidence in long term reliability of this than some of the others but that is not backed with data.

My recommendations are the following: If reliability, configuration options, and video are important I'd look at ridgetec or look into spartan. If looking for the best budget options I'd look at tactacam reveal XB or SK. I'd skip the Reveal X models as i've read a lot about poor reception/reliability on them.

Trailcampros.com has a lot of good info explaining function and attributes of various cameras if you want to educate yourself.

 

[KoolBreeze]

I did have the video length turned to 20 seconds on my RidgeTec. I’m sure it will do a lot better on batteries at 10. Thanks for the tip.

I plan to get one of the external batteries as well.

 

[Jamen]

i use the tactacam i also have the solar panels on mine. I like both the cam and the solar panel. Like stated above id check the cell service where you are placing them. Tactacam offers a verizion and AT&T you can use either or doesnt need to be what provider you have for cell phones. Wish i had known that because Verizion has better service than AT&T in my area and i bought the AT&T because that is what my cell phone is.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I have 5 spypoints. They have been rock solid. Only advice is if u go spypoint just spend the extra and get the solar charger one. I got one solar charged cam that I haven't been to in 17 months. Still sending pics and 99% battery. The app is idiot proof to. Also have the cuddelink system. Home cam and 4 remote cams. Not as impressed with them for the price point. But the cool thing with cuddebacks photo plan is you can have the pictures sent to 10 different people via text or email.

 

[targetpanic]

I have 2 Tactacam Reveal X and have been very pleased with both of them. They both pick up signal better than my cellphone where I set them up.

 

[windymtnman]

I have 5 tactacam revels, they've been really good to me. They run threw an app and are fairly easy to set up. The only issue i have is when it gets cold, it will drain the batteries fast if the camera is set to send the pictures instantly. I set mine to send once a day in the winter and that helps prolong battery life a lot. View attachment 207503View attachment 207504View attachment 207505

I have the same camera here in Colorado. It's set to send me a pic, take a short video and then whatever more pics are activated by the target. I've had a lot of action on it since I put it out last June and am still showing very strong battery strength. I'm using Lithium batteries in it.

 

[3855WIN]

I like Moultrie better than SPYPOINT.

Each company has its own app.

 

[Nick87]

Thanks guys, will help me with a little research.

 

[windymtnman]

I have the same camera here in Colorado. It's set to send me a pic, take a short video and then whatever more pics are activated by the target. I've had a lot of action on it since I put it out last June and am still showing very strong battery strength. I'm using Lithium batteries in it.

An entire herd walked by my camera yesterday after noon. I'm going to to pull the memory card and download videos today, as I'm sure they will be pretty cool, as I had endless pics of Elk butts that weren't caught centered in the still pics.

 

[nards444]

Does the cell deal eat batteries faster