List of 7 Best Trail Cameras with Buying Guide [2023]

A trail camera, also known as a camera trap, works by allowing you to take images of wild animals without notifying them. The most common use of trail cameras is for wildlife, as many animals are too shy, and cautious, or some are only active at antisocial hours. Best trail cameras allow you to capture the activity of those animals easily. They can be left in almost any kind of harsh environment because they are sturdy, weatherproof, silent and rugged.

Trail cameras work by using heat detectors or motion sensors, They are only active when there is any activity around them. This allows their batteries to last longer. Also, they can work well at night. To know more about them read this buying guide and then take a look at our list of best trail cameras.

Checklist to Watch before Buying Best Trail Cameras:

Best trail cameras are always on the alert to capture any activity on their radar. Here we have listed those factors which will help you to choose the best trail camera from our list.

Trigger Speed

In the wild, many times our animals in interest move very fastly therefore best trail cameras must be able to capture or start the video as soon as the activity starts. This is where trigger speed plays an important role, which is the amount of time the camera takes to capture the scene.

Camera Recovery Time

 Recovery time is the amount of time cameras take to capture another shot. You can also set the recovery time for a selected interval to make sure that your memory is not full with the same shots.

 Detection Range

Detection range or zone is somewhat a factor to consider. It is the range in which the subject must get to alert the motion sensor. This zone extends in a ‘V’ shape from the face of the camera A longer ranged camera will be able to capture more as compared to the shorter one, but it will fill your memory more quickly.

Resolution

Best trail cameras don’t need to have a high number of megapixels. They do not ensure high-quality images, as they only enhance what the lens captures. So, it is safe to say that lenses must be of good quality primarily.

Capture Modes

There are two kinds of camera capture modes- still and video. Some allow video mode and some don’t. As trail camera technology is advancing, best trail cameras are the ones that offer you to capture both still and video simultaneously.

Flash.

Trail cameras offer three kinds of flash: white, red, or low-glow infrared, black or no-glow infrared. White flash is not a good option as it will alert animals. Whereas the infrared options are getting increasingly popular as they will not alarm them. Low-glow flashes have a better chance of taking better photos as they emit some light but not much. Whereas no-glow flashes work above the visible spectrum, emitting no light at all.

Memory Cards vs. Cellular Plans

Best trail cameras use cellular plans in addition to memory cards. The advantage of a cellular plan is that you don’t have to pull out a memory card to see your pictures as they will transmit images directly to your cell phone.

Now that we are done with some important factors which are to be kept in mind, let’s start our review list of best trail cameras out there.

1. Spypoint Force-20 Trail Camera

Spypoint Force-20 is an entry-level price tag phone but don’t get fooled by it as its features are anything but remarkable which pushes it into our list of best trail cameras. It has a resolution of 20MP which is best suited for professionals and can record videos at 720p.

With a detection range of 70 feet and quick trigger speed, it uses 48 low-glow LEDs with an adjustable detection range of 80 feet. Force-20 supports time-lapse which allows you to take photos at regular intervals from 15 seconds to 30 minutes. It also supports multi-shot mode in which you can take 6 shots per trigger.

Force-20 is equipped with a curved shape motion sensor, which improves its detection angle and distance zones. With long battery life, input for external power supply, and durable build you can use it without any worry

BUY ON AMAZON

2. Bushnell 16MP Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 Trail Camera

Number two on our list of best trail cameras is Bushnell 16MP Trophy Cam HD Essential E3. It is a camera that is used by professionals due to its many adjustable features. Being equipped with a 16MP camera, video recording capacity from 5 to 60 seconds at 720p HD, and an automatic day/night sensor, its battery can last up to 12 months.

With a very fast trigger speed of 0.3 seconds, it uses 32 low-glow LEDs with 100 feet flash range. It has an LCD screen which is only present to set up the camera. In addition to its adjustable PIR sensor with 100 feet detection range, it has a remarkable Field Scan 2X feature by which you can take time-lapse images or videos for predetermined intervals.

BUY ON AMAZON

3. SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE Solar Cellular Trail Camera

If you want to save space and time then Spypoint Link-Micro-S-LTE from our list of best trail cameras must be on your bucket list with its small dimensions of 3.1*7*2.2 inches. It is an entry-level camera with a rechargeable lithium battery pack, solar panels and can be used by beginners.

It offers a 10MP camera resolution with the multi-shot mode in which you can take two photos per trigger. It is housed with a low-glow flash of the detection range of 80 feet, which can be adjusted for a Night Mode and Enhanced Mode for extended battery life.

Being small in size, it doesn’t have LCDs. It also lacks in the video and time-lapse departments. With a trigger speed of 0.4 seconds and burst mode, it allows two photos per trigger. With a single motion sensor, it also allows three different settings from high, medium, and low.

With its Link-Micro-S-LTE smartphone app, you can receive pictures on your smartphone easily. It also has an affordable data plan. One is free which allows you to transmit 100 images each month. Others are month-to-month and a whole year plan in which you can even get a discount if you for the whole year upfront.

BUY ON AMAZON

4. Tactacam Reveal X Cellular Trail Camera

Tactacam Reveal X is fourth on our list of best trail cameras. It has a 16 MP camera and can take up to 3 multi-shot per trigger. It has a Photo+Video mode which takes photos before recording a video of up to 1080p HD.

It has a single motion sensor with a 45° detection angle which is honestly speaking narrower than its competitor. But this flaw can be neglected because of its 96+ feet detection range.

If we are talking about best trail cameras then Reveal X’s trigger speed is also less than 0.5 seconds. But don’t worry it is adequate in most circumstances. It has a low-glow flash with four 850nm high power IR LEDs with a 96+feet flash range. The flash is also adjustable to High and Low settings in addition to its Night Mode

The dimensions of Reveal X are 5.47 x 4.13 x 3.62 inches which makes it pretty small despite the number of batteries it contains. It also comes with a Smartphone App which is available in both Apple App and Google Play store.

It is considered one of the best trail cameras because of its quality features, one being its large battery life. It supports input for an external power supply of 12V and 2A.

It also offers a solar panel with a rechargeable lithium battery pack making sure you don’t worry about its battery life while doing your business.

The price of Reveal X also helps it get on our list of best trail cameras. Its price is pretty competitive if you consider its adjustable settings, compact size, and affordable data plans among other quality features.

BUY ON AMAZON

5. Cuddeback 20 MegaPixel IR, Model# H-1453

Truly, this model from Cuddeback is one of the best trail cameras for professionals with a ¼ second trigger speed and 20MP camera resolution which takes crisp and brightly colored photos every time. It is strongly built to withstand harsh weather. Whereas its small size allows it to be easily camouflageable.

It is a low-glow IR camera that is housed with 850nm high power LEDs with a flash range of over 100 feet, it can take high-quality daytime photos but not the same can be said for nighttime photos.

Aside from these features, it also contains a wide-angle motion sensor which increases the chances of capturing more animals or objects within the range. The Cuddeback is simple to set up. Its interface is quite easy and can be used by beginners without any hurdles.

It supports a fully customizable time-lapse feature which adds to its performance. In addition to it, it also has a separate day or night delay feature. It runs on 8 AA batteries and can take up to 32GB SD card both of which are not included in the pack.

A traditional trail camera is mounted on a tree with a strap. Whereas Cuddeback offers a genius solution in which you just have to strap or screw the mount from which you can easily slide the camera on and off.

BUY ON AMAZON

6. Wraith™ 14 MP Trail Camera (WR14I8-9) by Wildgame Innovations®.

This camera is the second last one in our review list of best trail cameras but it doesn’t mean that it is any lesser than the others. It is capable of capturing high-quality images and videos for professionals and beginners alike. It is supported by a backlit LCD screen. It is easy to set up and easy to mount on any fence or tree. Our favorite feature is the Exposure Control which controls the whitewash of the camera.

It has a 14 Megapixels camera which captures excellent shots and can record 729p videos. It has a long-lasting battery life and uses 8 AA batteries that will last up to one year. It can also support a memory card of up to 32GB.

It utilizes 28 IR LEDs and Exposure Control technology to capture best nighttime photos with no whiteouts which are very common in many trail cameras.

It can also be integrated with the popular HuntStand mobile app, which allows you to sync images with weather, solunar, and geolocation data.

It has 28 high-intensity IR LEDs with 75 feet detection range with a 0.75-second trigger speed. All of these make this camera capable of capturing stunning and crisp photos

It also has Silent Shield Technology that will help it to become almost undetectable to wildlife thus saving it from any damage. It also utilizes Zero DetectionTM Technology for silent operations.

BUY ON AMAZON

7. Wildgame Innovations Terra Extreme 14

Megapixel IR Trail Camera

The Terra Extreme 14 trail camera is one of the best trail cameras which can capture 14-megapixel images and 720p HD videos for up to 30 seconds. Its rugged body is weatherproof and can be mounted almost everywhere and can be used by beginners easily.

It has a 14MP wide-angle camera with an aspect ratio of 16:9. It is also capable of capturing 720p HD videos like most entry-level trail cams. But it is one of the best trail cameras with fine picture and video quality.

It has a 65-feet range of low-glow flash that works with 21 high-intensity LEDs. Although a 65-feet range is not a very good thing to consider. A little disappointed with its lack of a colored LCD screen. It has a basic LCD screen which can help set up the camera quickly and easily for beginners.

Its motion sensors have a 60 feet range which is also considered normal for this price range. We cannot say that this range is too low but there are trail cameras out there with much greater range.

With no support of a time-lapse feature, it doesn’t have a good trigger speed (0.75 seconds)  which is very essential for best trail cameras.

It can support up to 32GB memory card and 8 AA batteries. Both of them must be of good quality. Also, for maximum battery life choose the features of cameras very wisely as there is no input for an external power supply.

BUY ON AMAZON

FAQs

1. Can I use my digital camera to view the pictures from my Trail camera?

You can in some rare cases. But if you really need to view your images then opt for cellular cams or those that are integrated with mobile apps.

2. What is the difference between incandescent flash, infrared flash, and “infrared covert” trail cameras?

• Incandescent trail cameras create a “white flash” when taking a picture at night.
• Infrared cameras do not create a “white flash.” Instead, the infrared emitters glow red when taking a picture at night.
• Infrared Covert trail cameras create no visible light when taking a picture at night.

3. Why is my trail camera not taking pictures?

If your camera has suddenly stopped taking pictures then you can troubleshoot these five problems.

• The dead or run-out-of battery
• The fail triggers due to your settings
• Some SD card issues: the full storage; defective SD installations; or the wrong SD style.
• Environmental sensitivity results from a wrong location or hazardous conditions (sun, rain, snow, wind, etc.)
• Detective problems such as fault sensors or motion settings

Conclusion

If you are going to invest in a trail camera for the first time or just upgrade from an old one then you must be very attentive on what to choose according to its features. In this review, we researched and gathered information on some of the best trail cameras that we have encountered in which these three are on top of our list.

Tactacam Reveal X Cellular Trail Camera due to its solar panels to support battery life, Integrated Wifi, and month-to-month data plan

Bushnell 16MP Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 Trail Camera due to its fast trigger speed, hybrid capture mode, and hyper recovery time

Cuddeback 20 MegaPixel IR, Model# H-1453 due to its 20MP camera, fully customizable time-lapse feature, and affordable price

Out of all three, if you would consider our pick then  Tactacam X Cellular trail camera might be the best deal you can get in an affordable price range.