With a wide selection of trail cameras to choose from deciding on the best one for you can be time consuming and confusing – so herewith a “Trail Camera Reviews” post for 2022 to overcome both those issues.
Updated January 2022
There’s the old saying that goes something like “You may have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your Prince”
My aim is to save you having that sort of experience when looking for the best trail camera for your needs.
Contents
8 Top Rated Trail Cameras for 2022
The following 8 trail cameras are listed in order of ratings out of 5 – these are ratings based on real live user’s experiences with the models.
I rate user reviews highly wen it comes to purchasing cameras but technical specs and functions are equally important as popularity and prices.
You’ll find al this information here
I reveal my pick in “Final Word On Game Trail Cameras” at the end of this review.
If trail cameras are not your thing but wildlife photography is – check out this post on cameras for wildlife photography.
Victure HC300 Trail Camera
Specs
- Resolution: 20 MP / 1080p Full HD
- Image Transfer: Via USB connection
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Detection Circuit: 120°
- Power Supply: 8 x AA batteries
- Memory: SD/SDHC Card Class 6 or class 10 Max 32Gb
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.3 Seconds. Motion activated
- Flash: 38 pc Infrared No Glow LED
- Screen: 2.0″ Color LCD
- Weight: 1.3 Pounds
- Water Proofing: IP66 – market leading waterproofing
Pros.
- 20 Megapixels. High definition allows for better cropping and zooming in
- 1080p Full HD video – 15 fps
- Simple button layout – easy to navigate
- The menus and controls found on the front panel and screen are simple and easy to operate
- Good to very good sound recording
- Excellent sensitivity resulting in far fewer blank images
- Highly customisable
Cons.
- No remote access
- No WiFi
- Requires a lot of batteries – but will run on only 4 for 2-3 months. The full compliment of 8 x AA will give you 5 to 6 months life.
Use lithium batteries for best results, especially in cold weather.
Campark Trail Camera T45A (Upgrade)
Specs
- Resolution: 16 MP / 1080p Full HD 30fps
- Image Transfer: Via USB connection
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Detection Circuit: 120 °
- Power Supply: 8 x AA batteries/ external 6v 2 amp (not supplied)
- Memory: Micro SD card up to 32 GB
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.3 -0.5 second Motivation activated
- Flash: 42 pcs 940mm Infrared No Glow LED with 850nm technology for super clear night vision
- Screen: 2.4″ Color TFTLCD: 480 x 234 pixels
- Weight: 1.1 lbs
- Dimensions: 135 x 98 x 76 mm
- Water Proofing: IP66 markete leading waterproofing
Pros.
- Lightweight, compact and easy to set-up
- Durable strap with facility to secure using a chain
- Can be attached to tripod or stand via base plate
- Outer casing can be locked with a standard padlock
- Good 24 hour after sales service
- Straight forward menu options
- Large screen is easy to read
- Simple navigation buttons
- 2020 Upgrades include a superior flash system with higher sensitivity and better night vision
- Daylight time lapse
- Great value for money
- Customisable settings options
Cons.
- Mini SD card is flush mounted and quite difficult to install and remove
- Mounting plate for tripod is a bit flimsy
Campark T75 Trail Camera
Specs
- Resolution: 20mp / 1296 P (30 fps)
- Image Transfer: Via USB 2.0 connection and WiFi
- Remote Control: With phone and app or external remote that comes with camera
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Power Supply: 8 x AA batteries with support for external power supply of 6V
- Memory: Class 10 SD card with 32GB
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.3 secs
- Flash: IR Flash 38 pcs 850nm LED lights
- Screen: 2.4″ Color TFT LCD
- Weight: 1.31 lbs
- Dimensions: 7.28 x 4.76 x 4.13 inches
- Waterproof: IP 66 market leading waterproofing
Pros.
- WiFi allows for remote control with phone app. However the phone has to be within the proximity of the camera – maximum distance is about 20 feet.
- Superb daytime images with upgraded low glow infra-red night vision
- Excellent video and picture quality
- Multiple applications include time stamp with date/moon phase/temperature, timer, real-time replay and hybrid modes
- Camouflage is excellent
- Resolution and on screen font size is big and easy to read
- Great design and very well built – built to take knocks and to last
- IP 66 market leading waterproofing
- Comes with an excellent instruction manual
Cons.
- WiFi is limited to camera’s proximity and cannot be used from a distnace in excess of about 20 feet
- I came across 2 negative reviews relating to the night time images. Having read them these two guys were either unfortunate to get lemons or misread the instructions.
Both were replaced with no questions and I presume customers are happy.
If you do get a bad one send it back for a replacement – Campark’s after sales service is excellent and customer satisfaction is paramount.
Campark T80 Upgraded Blue Tooth Trail Camera
Specs
- Resolution: 20mp /1296p Full HD
- Image Transfer: Via USB connection and WiFi
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Detection Circuit: 120 °
- Power Supply: 8 x AA Batteries / 6 Volt external option (minimum 1.5 amp)
- Memory: SD Card class 10 up to 32GB (recommend class 10)
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.5 – 0.8 seconds with 3 trigger sensors – 1 forward and 2 side directionals
- Flash: Low Glow 36 pc with 850nm infrared LEDs
- Screen: 2.3″ Color LCD
- Dimensions: 7.17 x 4.96 x 4.02 inches
- Weight: 1.35 lbs
- Waterproof: IP 66 market leading waterproofing
Campark T85 Game Hunting Trail Camera
Pros.
- Easy set-up menu with simple navigation
- Good picture and video quality
- Excellent night video
- Very few empty frames thanks to the 3 sensors that detect movement and trigger the camera/video as soon as the subject enters the frame
- Excellent battery life
- Will support external 6v Power supply (minimum 1.5 amp)
- Multiple applications include time stamp with date/moon phase/temperature, timer, real-time replay and hybrid modes
- Adjust and change settings from your phone or on the camera itself
- Excellent value for money
Cons.
- No remote control is not included in the package
- A software upgrade (available free from Campark) to connect the new IOS 14 system to the phone APP
- Card access – flush mounted and particularly difficult to remove – even with small hands
- Mounting plate, while good to have, is a bit flimsy
- Instruction manual could be better
Specs
- Resolution: 20 mp /1296 p
- Image Transfer: Via USB connection and WiFi
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Detection Circuit: 120 °
- Power Supply: 8 X AA with 6 Volt external option (not supplied)
- Memory: Uses full Size SD card (great feature)
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.3 secs with triple sensors
- Flash: 36 pcs 940nm Infra Red LEDs
- Weight: 1.26 lbs
- Dimensions: 7.12 x 4.88 x 4.21 inches
- Waterproof: IP66 market leading waterproofing
Pros.
- Free software update available from Campark if required to connect upgrade IOS system to phone (Aandroid or iPhone)
- Essentially the T85 is an upgrade of theT80 and now incorporates Bluetooth meaning no remote control is required as you can contro the camera directly from your phone
- Solidly built with security options
- Well constructed with great water and weather proofing
- Uses a full size SD card making loading and extracting it easy. Great feature in a trail camera!
- Fantastic daylight images with better than average night images and video,
- Recordes sounds and has an impressive pick-up on sound
- External 6v power port option
- Easy to set-up with straight forward instructions
Cons.
- Base plate is flimsy (actually all of them are it seems)
- The only fault the guy in the above video could find was he didn’t like the paint color of the camouflage as it didn’t match his patch!
Campark T86 Trail Camera
Specs
This is an upgrade of the Campark T80 and T85 featured above. The essential difference is that the T86 has superior Blue Tooth connectivity and support for using much larger SD cards (up to 128GB)
- Resolution: 20mp / 1296p (30 fps)
- Image Transfer: USB cable and Bluetooth
- Remote Control: From phone with APP (free software upgrade available from Campark if required)
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Power Supply: 8 x AA batteries with support for external power supply of 6V
- Memory: Class 10 SD card with support for cards up to 128GB
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.3 secs
- Flash: IR Flash 36 pcs 940nm LED lights
- Screen: 2.3″ Color TFT LCD
- Weight: 1.35 lbs
- Dimensions: 7.09 x 4.8 x 3.94 inches
- Waterproof: IP 66 market leading waterproofing
Pros.
- Superior Blue tooth that eliminates the need for a remote control
- Solidly built with security options
- Well constructed with great water and market leading weather proofing
- Uses a full size SD cards (up to 128GB) making loading and removing the card easy. This is a great feature in a trail camera and a big improvement on mini-SDs which are difficult to insert and remove.
- Fantastic daylight images with excellent night images and video
- Recordes sounds and has an impressive pick-up on sound
- External 6v power port option – purchased seperatly and not included in package
- Easy to set-up with straight forward instructions
Cons.
- No mention that the base plate has been improved!
Toguard H85 Trail Camera
Specs:
- Resolution: 20mp / 1296p (30 fps)
- Image Transfer: USB cable and Bluetooth
- Remote Control: From phone using Bluetooth with APP (free software upgrade available)
- Night Range: 65 ft for trigger
- Power Supply: 8 x AA batteries with support for external power supply of 6V
- Memory: Class 10 SD card with support for cards up to 128GB
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.3 secs
- Flash: IR Flash 36 pcs 850nm LED lights
- Screen: 2.3″ Color TFT LCD
- Weight: 1.39 lbs
- Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.8 x 3.9 inches
- Waterproof: IP 66 market leading waterproofing
Pros.
- Easy set-up and operation that can be done without referring to an unusually excellent instruction manual
- Superb image quality in both stills and video – reported by many uses as being the best they have seen
- Long detection range
- Very good audio
- Solidly built and protected against the elements and damage through dropping or bumping
- Retains date and time settings even during battery changes. Saves on having to re-enter this information
- Long battery life
- The revised H85 has improved on the cons l listed alongside and is worth looking at.
Cons.
- I found a couple of negative reviews regarding the APP but Toguard says that these customers had failed to correctly download the APP. But is this smoke without fire? Probably best to do some more research.
Victure HC200 Trail Camera
Specs:
- Resolution: 12 MP / 1080p (15fps)
- Image Transfer: Via USB connection
- Range: 65 ft
- Detection Circuit: 120 °
- Power Supply: 4 or 8 X AA batteries and support for external power supply
- Memory: SD card class 6 or higher up to 32 GB
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.5 sec
- Flash: 26 pcs LED (940nm) no glow infra red technology
- Screen: 2.4′ Color LCD
- Weight: 1.15 lbs
- Waterproof: IP66
Pros.
- Easy to set-up and operate
- Excellent video and images
- Time lapse option
- Image stamp with moon phase, temperature, date, and time
- Works extremely well in sub zero temperatures (with Lithium batteries)
- Solid build using good quality materials
Cons.
- Sadly the vendor entices positive reviews with the offer of a gift. This creates a negative perception
- User manual could be improved on
And One More for You to Consider
Alphacam 30mp Trail Camera
Specs:
- Resolution: 30 mp / 1080p (30fps)
- Image Transfer: Via USB connection
- Range: 90 ft motion detection with 100 ft IR flash distance
- Detection Circuit: 140° – widest under review
- Power Supply: 8 x AA batteries with support for external power supply
- Memory: SD Card up to 512 GB
- Trigger Sensitivity: 0.2 secs with 1 sec recovery rate
- Flash: 6 High power IR LEDs
- Screen: 2.4″ Color LCD
- Weight: 1.15 lbs
- Waterproof: IP 67 – best in industry
Pros.
- 30 MP – highest under review!
- 30 Month extended warranty – longest under review!
- Ultra Strong waterproof case and design
- Up to 512 GB memory card for storage – most under review!
- Outstanding after sales support from tech team
- 90 Ft motion detection – furthest under review!
- 0.2 sec trigger – fastest under review!
- IP 67 waterproofing – best in industry!
- 30 Month stand by battery life – by far the best under review!
- Up to 9 images per trigger
- Ultra fast motion flash ensures no blurry night time images
Cons.
- Does not work with alkaline batteries, despite vendor’s sales image showing them – use lithium
- On/off switch is a bit tight
The 4 Qualifying Criteria to Make This List
To make the list of top trail cameras each model listed had to have:
- Lots of reviews – in order to bring you the best result the more reviews a model has the more accurate the greater the emphasis I place on that model.
Makes sense that if a model is getting lots of rave reviews it is popular and good enough to have people sit down and write a positive review about it.
According to thousands of statistics a maximum of 1 in 10 people will leave a review, a product with 100 reviews indicates at least 1000 purchases.
Those cameras included in this review with less than 800 reviews are new releases, replacing older models, and are flying off the shelves – it would have been wrong to leave them out. - The average rating had to be in excess of 4.0/5 stars.
People are more likely to complain, or write a bad review, than they are to write a “thank-you” and a great review.
Consistently high ratings are a real indication of how good a product is. - No More than 10% of 1 Star ratings.
If a product had too many negative ratings my experience tells me that there is something inherently wrong with it.
It is usually one of two things:a) Badly manufactured or
b) Not meeting expectations as described in the marketing
Any trail camera that had more than 10% negative reviews was excluded.
4. A minimum of 12 megapixels.
While 8 megapixels is acceptable for trail cameras 12 megapixels is so much better.
All the models listed here have a resolution of at least 12 megapixels.
Is this adding unnecessary cost to your choice?
Absolutely not – technology advances rapidly and with each advance prices tend to come down!
Ten Features to Look For in a Trail Camera
When looking for a trail camera we all want one thing: a camera that works as intended.
Some work better than others.
Some rely on the brand name but do they work any better than lesser known brands?
Not always
All the trail cameras listed here work as intended.
So let’s touch on what to look for in a trail camera.
Sensitivity
Whether you are using a trail camera to capture videos or photos game, intruders or burglars you can be certain the subject is not going to viluntarily are not going to switch the camera on for you!
You need a camera that will sense movement as early as possible and activate the camera or video.
Covering a wider angle camera’s with 3 sensitivity sensors provide a much greater success rate than cameras with a single sensor. Make sense?
Detection Circuit Area
The detection circuit area is determined by how close your subject needs to be to the camera (the range) and the width of the field of view in order for the sensors to detect it.
A long range and a wide field of view covers the greatest area and creates greater opportunity for capturing more images successfully.
I like to call this the “kill Zone” (to coin an army phrase).
Trigger Response and Recovery Time
Once the subject has entered the “kill zone” the camera needs to initiate. the shorter the time from sensing to triggering the camera the better. Cameras that produce a lot of empty frames most likely have a slow trigger response time and indicates there was something there but it left before the camera activated.
Each trigger activation takes a certain amount of images – from 1 t0 as many as 9
Added to the trigger response time (and frames per trigger) is the trigger recovery time – the amount of time the camera needs to reset itself in preparation for the next trigger activation.
The more frames per trigger and the faster the recovery time the more images you will get while your subject is in frame. That’s what you want – right?
Image and Video Quality
Megapixels (dots per inch on the camera sensor) is what determines the quality of the image.
You don’t want, and can’t do much with, a hundred photos that aren’t recognisable.
The greater the number of megapixels the higher your image quality will be – it’s that simple.
For trail cameras you want at least 8 mp for daylight shots and a minimum of 10 mp for night shots (combined with a decent infra-red flash of course).
Price wise you can see from the above that higher resolution cameras do not necessarily cost more – that’s technology for you where newer and better is often cheaper.
Power Supply (and life)
Most of the trail cameras use AA batteries and offer between 4 or 8 compartments for them.
Obviously using 8 batteries will provide a longer life span and less frequent changing. Bear in mind that the more mages/videos your camera takes and the more bells and whistles it has, the more it will drain your battery power.
It is recommended that you use rechargeable lithium ion batteries wherever possible as these will give you a longer and more reliable usage.
A camera with a battery power indicator is a great feature to have so that you can see at a glance how much power is left in the unit.
The option of an external power source is a feature well worth considering – especially if you plan to leave your camera out for an extended period of time.
Memory Cards
Your images and videos are stored on memory cards, measure in Giga Bites (GBs).
The higher the GB the greater the storage.
Most trail cameras offer a maximum of 32GBs which is a lot of storage space and should take thousands of Jpeg images and a decent amount of video time.
High Resolution Screen
A good high resolution screen is important as you want to be able to see what is going on in all lighting conditions.
Menu options are displayed on the screen and you need to be able to see what you’re doing.
Some cameras have a playback screen – get one of these, where you can view what has been captured without having to transfer the images to another device.
External Ports and Connections
It’s easier and more convenient to be able to transfer images and videos by WiFi (provided there is a signal) or a USB port than it is to take the card out and transfer it to, or view it on, another device.
Besides a USB port an external power supply port is also handy as mentioned above.
Infra-Red or Flash
Not much to say here except that traditional flash will scare your subject and in many case is not good for their eyes.
A low or no glow infra red flash is the way to go as animals aren’t even aware of them.
Weather Proofing and Security
It goes without saying that if you are leaving a camera outdoors you need one that is weather proof.
Some weather proofing is better than others so get the best you can for your region and it’s particular weather patterns – IP 56 or higher is recommended.
You also need a camera that you can secure – not just against dishonest humans but also from naughty, inquisitive and destructive animals.
A well constructed camera housing made with quality materials is what you are looking for.
The ability to lock the camera with a padlock (or similar) and to secure it with UV protected straps or, better still steel straps/cables, or a metal mount will help against intruders and weather.
Sometimes though damage is unavoidable and some individuals will damage gear simply because they couldn’t steal it but hopefully you will have captured their image.
One of the many accessories you can get is a security box to house your camera. These are fantastic but beware and ensure that you buy one that fits your camera without negatively affecting it’s performance.
A Final Word on Game Trail Cameras ... (and my choice)
I sincerely hope that this post has helped you in deciding on a game trail camera for your needs.
When compiling it I was surprised at the brands that stuck out – with no big brand names appearing at all. Campark in particular, with 4 models featured, was an eye opener.
So what’s your pick?
I must say my preference lies with the 30MP Alphacam trail camera – it sounds and looks like a fantastic trail camera and the reviews, although limited in number, are overwhelmingly positive.
Note:
Since first picking the Alphacam as my #1 choice (back in January 2020) ratings have settled at an impressive 4.5/5.0 from 255 customers globally (previously 4.6/5.0 from 91 happy users).
So tell me (in the comments below) what your choice is and what you think of mine.
I’d love to hear from you and discuss the pros and cons of the different models.
I’m not a technical writer but I appreciate the skill it takes to convey how something works to someone who may have very little knowledge of it. In fact I have read reviews that say almost nothing at all about the product or device reviewed and what is said is sometimes filled with errors—this I found out much later.
Lawrence, what like about your reviews is the demonstrated expertise shown and the answer to the question as to why a reader would want the product or at least appreciate why someone would want the product. For example, I’m not a hunter but even I would have a hard time, after reading your review, understanding why a hunter would go hunting without a trail camera. Also, we can all get distracted on camping trips. I for one can think of the many times I would loose things without knowing how they got lost. A trail camera would help.
That said, after reading your reviews of trail cameras I would say the section on features to look for was especially useful. Keeping this in mind, were I to buy a trail camera I would choose the 30MP Alphacam trail camera. I like the fact that I would have access to good customer service, and trust your expertise. Thanks again for this excellent post. I always feel that I’m getting a good education on the use of photography whenever I come to your website.
Thanks Thabo that is very kind of you.
The 30MP one is definitely the way to go – you clearly understand the benefits of more megapixels. In game photos because of the potential to land up with a small subject in a big frame the cropping ability comes into play and this is where the greater number of megapixels stands out.
Another important feature to have is the angle of detection (the wider the better) and the trigger response time. It’s not much fun opening your card and seeing nothing but blank images because the subject is in and out of view before the camera has clicked.
You mention you’re not a hunter, and many people aren’t but they use trail cameras for home security. A great way to catch unwanted guests who aren’t aware they are on camera.
And in home security those same things apply: you want to be sure to get a photo of the perpetrator and be able to zoom in on them to identify them 100%
Thanks once again for your comment and kind words.
Lawrence
As a user of trail cameras for both wildlife and home protection this review helped me look at some models I had not seen before.
Because I have a couple of cameras with WiFi one of the things I am looking for in my new cameras is wifi access.
One thing you did included in your reviews that some reviews do not is the distance that a trail camera will cover – I think this is an important consideration.
Anyway great review and thanks for letting me look at models I had not seen
Hello Bo
A fellow trail camera user. Great to have you contribute to my post.
A lot of folk are only familiar with name brands and that is understandable – marketing is a powerful tool is it not?
However lesser known brands can and are just as good in many cases as can be seen from my review.
WiFi is a great feature to have – the only negative is that a lot of areas where game is found don’t have coverage. but that is not a fault of the camera and it is always better to have a parachute that not don’t you think?
Thanks once again for stopping by and contributing.
All the best
Lawrence