What is The Best Trail Camera for Security?
One of the harshest realities of modern living is that nowhere is really safe. Even in neighborhoods considered relatively safe, security problems including burglary are reported time and time again. Trail cameras operate discretely and are great for security but the question is: What is the best trail camera for security?
The best trail camera for security is one that can be discretely mounted; produces good image/video quality; has a fast trigger and recovery time; can detect targets far away, can transmit real-time images/videos to hand-held devices; has good memory/storage space; has lasting batteries; is durable and weather-proof; and most importantly, is pocket friendly!
However, most trail cameras available in stores worldwide don’t have all these features in one package, so we have explored the best brands. In the rest of this article, we will provide you with valuable and interesting information that will help you make a confident and informed choice. So, ride along!
Spypoint FORCE-20 Ultra Compact Trail Camera
This powerful trail camera comes from the stables of Spypoint – a company that has gained international recognition for the manufacture of durable and functional trail cameras. Many users trust the credibility of Spypoint FORCE-20 Ultra-Compact as a great security camera because its 20-megapixel definition always provides super-clear images and videos. It also has the Multi-shot Mode which enables it to capture 5 images once triggered. It also has an adjustable time-lapse schedule and can detect targets 70ft away.
It makes our list because of its good night-time functionality which is boosted by its 40 low glow infrared LEDs. It has a durable finish and is easy to set up. However, what users don’t like about t is the fact that the videos don’t come with audio and it has a low resolution on Time-lapse Mode.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.7s.
Megapixel: 20 MP.
Flash Range: 80-feet.
PIR Range: 70-feet.
Resolution: 20 MP.
Illumination: Infrared LED.
Video Quality: 1080p.
You can check out the Spypoint FORCE-20 Ultra Compact Trail Camera on Amazon
Spypoint Link-Evo Verizon Cellular Trail Camera
Also, form the stables of Spypoint, this device has been described as an industry innovator. It is solar-powered and requires a subscription. Another quality that sets it apart from competitors is its 4G connectivity. It has an additional capability of being able to take pictures for up to 24 hours without your having to retrieve the SD card! Its 42 low glow IR LEDs make it capable of producing clear images and videos even at the low ambiance. Its motion-sensor can be triggered in 0.03 seconds and it can detect targets 80ft away.
The Spypoint Link-Evo Verizon Cellular Trail Camera is designed with the user in mind. It offers a home-to-field service and has an app that allows the settings to be easily adjusted and provides easy access to a remote feed. Users are thrilled by the 2-year warranty that it comes with. However, it doesn’t come with an SD card and connectivity signals can be poor sometimes.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.03s.
Megapixel: 12MP.
Flash Range: 60-feet.
PIR Range: 80-feet.
Resolution: 2/4/6/8MP.
Illumination: IR LED.
Video Quality: 720p.
Wireless: Cellular
You can check out the Spypoint Link-Evo Verizon Cellular Trail Camera on Amazon
Browning Strike Force 850 Extreme Trail Camera
This trail camera from Browning has a video resolution put at 1280 x 720 HD with its 16MP camera. It can detect targets about 120ft away and its motion-sensor is triggered in 0.4 seconds. It has a Time-lapse plus feature which allows it perform well whether during the day or at night. Flash range is put at 120ft and users can record nighttime videos for up to 20 seconds. It features the fantastic Browning ‘Zero Blur’ IR LED for enviable illumination. It can be powered by an external power jack at 12V or through 6 AA batteries.
Users can easily connect this device to a TV or computer. Its low point is however on the short warranty period.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.4s.
Megapixel: 16MP.
Flash Range: 80-feet.
PIR Range: 120-feet.
Resolution: 2/4/8/16.
Illumination: Infrared LED.
Video Quality: 720p.
Wireless: Yes.
You can check out the Browning Strike Force 850 Extreme Trail Camera on Amazon
Stealth Cam 30 MP Ultra HD Trail Camera
This camera stands out because of its ability to record HD images and videos. Through its 30-megapixel resolution, it can record 4K videos which is a remarkable feature for security cameras. Its advanced image processor ensures that image and video quality are clear. Particularly suitable for night use, it can detect targets that are 100ft (30m) away. It’s 42 no glow Infra-red LEDs make it a great asset for security and crime detection since the glow is invisible. Users will also enjoy its improved focus boosted by its adjustable IR range.
This amazing device is designed with reflex trigger technology which activates it in as little as 0.4 seconds. Its Burst Mode makes it possible to capture between 1 and 9 images with corresponding recovery time. It is also USB-reader enabled for the extraction of information stored in a 32GB SD card. It is however not Wi-Fi capable.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.4s.
Megapixel: 30 MP.
Flash Range: 80-feet.
PIR Range: 100-feet.
Resolution: 30 MP.
Illumination: Infrared LED.
Video Quality: 4K.
Wireless: Cellular.
You can check out the Stealth Cam 30 MP Ultra HD Trail Camera on Amazon
Stealth Cam No-Glow Triad G42 Trail & Game Camera
Also from the stables of Stealth, this security camera is among the best in its class. Its high performance is enhanced by the different resolutions in which it can operate – 2MP, 4MP, 8MP, and 12MP. It is capable of recording HD videos and performs remarkably well even in low resolution. Through the Burst Mode, users can capture up to1-9 shots once it is triggered. It features an external LCD display panel which makes it even more accessible. It can detect targets 100ft (30m) away and uses 42 no-glow IR LEDs. Image and video quality is enhanced through its Matrix Advanced Blur-Reduction technology.
It uses a 32GB SD card for storage. However, users complain that the batteries drain out way too easily.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.5s.
Megapixel: 12MP.
Flash Range: 100-feet.
PIR Range: 100-feet.
Resolution: 2/4/8/12.
Illumination: Infrared LED.
Video Quality: 1080p.
Wireless: Cellular.
You can check out the Stealth Cam No-Glow Triad G42 Trail & Game Camera on Amazon
Browning Dark Ops Pro XD Dual Lens Trail Camera
Inarguably, the Browning Dark Ops Pro XD Dual Lens Trail Camera will make our list. This amazing device sports a 24MP resolution backed by IR illumination for crystal clear pictures and videos. It is also capable of recording HD videos. It has dual-lens which enhances its performance. Its motion sensor can be triggered at 0.5 seconds and it can detect subjects 80ft away. It has an adjustable flash range with Crucial IR detection technology.
The color screen is 15” in size and this offers awesome playback as well as makes the menus easily accessible. It comes with 512GB SD storage and its steel casing makes it a durable and dependable device. However, some users complain that it doesn’t give really good quality output at night time.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.15s.
Megapixel: 24MP.
Flash Range: 80-feet.
PIR Range: 80-feet.
Resolution: 2/4/8/16.
Illumination: Invisible Night IR.
Video Quality: 1080p.
You can check out the Browning Dark Ops Pro XD Dual Lens Trail Camera on Amazon
Stealth Cam Triad GXW Wireless Trail Camera
This high performance trail camera for security has an impressive amount of connectivity. Its GXW wireless feature is top-of-the-range and is enjoyed by users no matter which service provider they use. It has a resolution of 12MP for photos and can capture videos at 1080p. Its no glow IR illumination makes it a good choice for use as a security camera. Its motion-sensors can be triggered in 0.25 seconds and it can detect targets 80ft away.
It has a good battery life, but the downsides include the fact that it doesn’t have a competitive flash range and this affects the quality of its nighttime output.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.25s.
Megapixel: 18MP.
Flash Range: 60-feet.
PIR Range: 80-feet.
Resolution: 12MP.
Illumination: No Glow IR LED.
Video Quality: 1080p.
You can check out the Stealth Cam Triad GXW Wireless 18MP Trail Camera on Amazon
Spartan GoCam (4G/LTE) Verizon Trail Camera
This exceptional trail camera for security offers cellular connectivity and features the legacy Spartan App which users find particularly useful and which can be downloaded on both Android and iOS. This amazing device also boasts of one of the cleanest designs and interfaces in the market and scores high on durability. It has efficient IR illumination which makes it ideal for both day and nighttime use. Its motion-sensor can be triggered at 0.6 seconds and it can detect targets 80ft away.
The battery life is considered decent but the downsides include the fact that some users complain of the limited range of connectivity which can be blamed on the service providers, some also complain of its high interpolation.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.6s.
Megapixel: 12MP.
Flash Range: 90-feet.
PIR Range: 80-feet.
Resolution: 2/4/6/8MP.
Illumination: No Glow IR LED.
Video Quality: 1024 x 576.
Wireless: Cellular
You can check out the Spartan GoCam (4G/LTE) Verizon Trail Camera on Amazon
Spypoint LINK-S Cellular Trail Camera
We are delighted to add this amazing device to our list because of its solar power and 4G/LTE connectivity. It can transmit pictures and videos to mobile devices seamlessly. Its motion-sensor can be triggered in 0.07seconds and it can detect targets 100ft away. Image and video quality is maximized by its 42 high-power IR LEDs enhanced by the application of Blur-reduction technology. This feature makes it exceptionally efficient for nighttime use.
Its power needs are diversified as it can also be powered by AA batteries. The downside, however, is the fact that users need to pay for subscription before they can enjoy its full features. Some users have also complained that the inbuilt battery recharger takes more time than normal to fully recharge the batteries.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.07s.
Megapixel: 12MP.
Flash Range: 80-feet.
PIR Range: 100-feet.
Resolution: 12MP.
Illumination: IR LED.
Video Quality: 1296p.
Wireless: Cellular
You can check out the Spypoint LINK-S Cellular Trail Camera on Amazon
Campark WiFi Bluetooth Trail Camera
This trail camera from the stables of Campark boasts of good connectivity features which include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It also offers remote access using adjustable application settings. It has an exceptional sound recording capability and the incorporated software activates the audio once the motion-sensors are triggered.
It can detect targets 80ft away and its motion-sensor is triggered in 0.4 seconds. The no-glow IR LEDs ensure discrete performance and ensure good picture and video quality. It is waterproof but the downsides include the fact that some users think that its trigger speed should have been faster.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.4s.
Megapixel: 20MP.
Flash Range: 100-feet.
PIR Range: 80-feet.
Resolution: 8/112/14/18.
Illumination: No Glow IR LEDs.
Video Quality: 1296p.
Wireless: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
You can check out the Campark WiFi Bluetooth Trail Camera on Amazon
Browning Defender 850 Trail Camera
Another great trail camera for security from Browning, this device ranks tops for its easy and discrete mounting, thanks to a mounting rack. It also offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. More impressive still is the fact that it features IR video recording. Its motion-sensor can be triggered in 0.4 seconds and it can detect targets 80ft away. Focus is enhanced by its wide-angle lens and it produces great pictures and videos through its adjustable IR flash.
Memory space is not a problem as it supports a 128GB SDXC memory card. However, the downsides include the fact that some users complain of connectivity issues.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.4s.
Megapixel: 20MP.
Flash Range: 100-feet.
PIR Range: 80-feet.
Resolution: 4/8/12/16.
Illumination: Adjustable IR flash.
Video Quality: 1920 x 1080.
Wireless: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
You can check out the Browning Defender 850 Trail Camera on Amazon
Spypoint SOLAR-Dark Solar Trail Camera
The major selling point of this security camera is its more or less unlimited battery life that is supported by an integrated solar panel. Power backup is available through a 12V power jack. The Skypoint designers took things a step further by incorporating AI image recognition technology in this impressive device. The AI technology allows for camera tracking and the settings for this are adjustable. It is compact in size so you can set up as many of them as you want in order to cover as many angles as necessary.
The motion-sensors can be triggered in 0.07 seconds and it can detect targets 60ft away. No glow IR LEDs ensure adequate discrete operation and produce reasonably clear pictures and videos. Its downsides include that some users complain of poor performance in very low ambiance.
Its specifications are as follows:
Trigger Speed: 0.07s.
Megapixel: 12MP.
Flash Range: 80-feet.
PIR Range: 60-feet.
Resolution: 2/4/8/12.
Illumination: No Glow IR LEDs.
Video Quality: 720p.
Wireless: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
You can check out the Spypoint SOLAR-Dark Solar Trail Camera on Amazon
Now that we have provided our list of the best trail cameras for security, we believe that you can now make a choice that won’t be wrong. However, we must add that before deciding to purchase any of them, there are certain factors that you need to consider. These include:
- Your security needs: Security needs may differ from person to person. While some persons have problems with daytime security when adults may have gone to work and kids have gone to school, others may be wary of nighttime. Same way, some security cameras have been designed for day or nighttime performance and some others for both day and nighttime. No glow trail cameras are particularly suitable for nighttime security. So, it is advisable that you make out time to read more details about any device before purchasing it.
- Proper concealment: If you have invested in a good and pricey security camera but cannot conceal it properly, then your aim would be defeated. The most essential consideration for trail cameras for security lies in their concealment because burglars or trespassers will most certainly change their minds on spotting them thus exposing you to more security breaches. Thankfully, most modern trail cameras for security come in camouflage colors and other colors than can easily blend in with the background. So, check your background and choose the best brand for you.
- Proper mounting: It is also important to mount your camera properly. If it is mounted too close to the area under surveillance then the likelihood of detection is more. On the other hand, it is mounted far away, then the images and videos will likely not be clear enough. So, it is advisable that you mount as far away as possible whilst testing to ensure that the image and video quality is just right.
