Beginners guide to choosing a trail camera

Choosing a trail camera can be a tricky task when you are new to the world of camera trapping. There are a number of specifications to learn about and the range of cameras available changes quite regularly.

In this article, we have listed the top 5 things to consider when choosing a camera trap. These are the key specifications and should help you select the best camera for you.

1. Image and video quality

Generally we all want the best image quality possible, however, trail camera specifications alone will not always give you a good idea of their image quality in practice. This is due to the way that different trail cameras process images and videos. 

For photos, most trail cameras use a process called interpolation to artificially increase the resolution. The base megapixel rating of the sensor of most trail cameras is around 3MP - 4MP and this is interpolated to different degrees depending on the camera. Confusingly, more megapixels often doesn't indicate better quality photos.

The best way to compare the quality of different cameras is to look at example videos/pictures. We have included example footage videos for all of the most popular cameras on the NatureSpy website so you can see and compare the quality of each camera for yourself.

2. Infrared LED flash types

Trail cameras use infrared (IR) LEDs to illuminate images and videos taken at night. These LEDs are either ‘Low-Glow’ or ‘No-Glow’, meaning they emit either 850nm or 940nm wavelengths of light. The Low-Glow light makes the LEDs glow a faint red and the No-Glow light is not visible.

This distinction is mostly limited to humans and evidence exists that many animals see both wavelengths in the same way. Animals can also be alerted to the cameras presence by other cues such as scent left on the camera as well as audible and ultrasonic noise emitted by the camera.

The main thing to consider here is that there is a trade-off with No-Glow LEDs. You lose about 30% of the flash brightness and IR range with No-Glow LEDs. The cameras compensate for this reduction, by having slower shutter speeds on photos (thereby increasing the chances of the animal being blurred) and boosting exposure on the video which means the definition is slightly eroded.

We generally recommend using Low-Glow cameras wherever possible as the image quality will be better, however where the camera is intended to be used for security purposes or in areas where there are risks of theft or vandalism a No-Glow camera would be the better choice. 

3: Screen type

All trail cameras feature an LCD screen that displays either black and white text only or a full colour picture.

LCD Text screens are standard with economic models. These screens allow you to adjust the settings of the camera, however you cannot view any video from the camera and so it can be harder to position it precisely.

Colour screens are increasingly common and allow you to adjust the settings in the same way, but you have the added benefit of being able to view a live feed from the camera (invaluable when positioning the camera in the field) as well as review captured images/videos without having to removing the SD card from the camera.

4: Battery life

Battery life can be a key consideration when comparing different camera traps. Something to bear in mind when looking at battery life expectancies is that they differ greatly when the camera is in video or picture mode; the latter using far less power and therefore offering a much longer battery life. Pictures and videos taken at night will also consume more power as the camera has to flash the LEDs. Different battery types will also hugely influence the battery life, and we recommend using Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries were possible as these give the best performance.

At NatureSpy we list the expected battery life for each camera. This value is based on the assumption that the camera is being operated using Energizer Lithium batteries and taking no more than 30 pictures or videos a day. In locations where the camera is likely to be triggering hundreds of times a day or where the camera is being used with less suitable batteries (e.g. Alkaline) the battery life is likely to be shorter.

5: Battery type

Trail cameras are powered using AA batteries and there are a number of battery types you can use. As we mentioned earlier, Energizer Lithium batteries will always give the best performance. This is due to the way they hold their high voltage of 1.5V throughout their lifespan, meaning the camera always has a good power supply.

Rechargeable batteries have a lower voltage of 1.2V and this can impact the camera's performance. While many cameras will still operate using rechargeable batteries, only some cameras are optimised to use rechargeable batteries. At NatureSpy you will only be able to order rechargeable batteries with cameras that are optimised to use them. We supply Panasonic Eneloop Rechargeable batteries with our trail cameras as we found these give the best performance.

All cameras can use Alkaline batteries but we do not recommend using them because they have a lower voltage than Lithiums, operate poorly in cold temperatures and have a much shorter battery life compared with alternatives.

We hope the advice in this article will help you select the best trail camera for you. However if you have any further questions please contact us at shop@naturespy.org.